Care & Cleaning

leaning methods for anilox rollers are always a hot topic in the flexo world. The following discussion outlines the most common off-press anilox cleaning systems and chemical cleaners available in today's marketplace.

Baking Soda Blast (Sodium Bicarbonate) Systems:

A baking soda blast cleaning system uses air pressure to deliver baking soda media to an anilox roll. The spent media is then recovered using a vacuum unit.

Plastic (Poly) Bead Systems:

Plastic bead systems use air and plastic bead media to impact upon anilox surfaces at an air pressure of 35-70 psi. These systems are normally off-press units with enclosed cabinets. The anilox roll rotates while the nozzle traverses the length of the roll.

Ultrasonic Cleaning Systems:

Ultrasonic is sound energy that creates cavitation when introduced into a liquid. The cavitation is caused by pressure differentials, providing the cleaning action of this process.

Chemical Cleaners

Chemical cleaners are used daily in the flexo printing industry and for the most part they work. Many of these cleaners are caustic, permitting a fast and thorough cleaning.

Brushes

A stainless steel brush should be used with chemical cleaners on ceramic anilox rolls, and a brass brush should be used for chrome rolls. These brushes will agitate the cleaner on the roll surface and into the anilox cells. A good brush has bristles with small diameters of .003 (3 thousandths) or less.

Your Maintenance Routine

Achieving adequate color density and reproducing it on each successive run is the common goal of flexo printers. With the same anilox roller volume every day, you can significantly reduce color matching time. The objective is to standardize the printing process and good cleaning and maintenance routine is a part of the process. Take the time to develop a maintenance plan that works for you, and then stick with it. Taking care of your anilox rolls will save you time, money and energy in the future.