Environmentally friendly washing technology for production of self-adhesive labels.
Quality and consistency of production is essential in the modern industries. In our case, the benchmark is print quality and colour consistency even for repeat orders, which largely depends on the perfect state of the production technology.
Therefore we have been renewing and expanding our technology fleet for a long time, with the emphasis on increased automation, savings and sustainable solutions.
According to this objective, we have invested in the last two years in the washing technologies, among other things. The latest innovation so far is the special laser technology for cleaning raster cylinders, Laser ECOCLEAN, which was commissioned in June.
Its advantages are explained by Ing. Roman Sekereš, Operations Director of S&K LABEL:
“This new washing technology is used for deep cleaning of raster rollers; it is based on laser ecological cleaning and brings a number of advantages while compared to traditional methods. Laser cleaning is highly efficient and gentle to the surfaces of the raster rollers, which is a key element in the printing of self-adhesive labels. The process uses a highly concentrated laser beam that vaporizes dirt and dried ink residues. Each roller goes through this washer once or twice a year, significantly increasing both the life-time of the raster rollers themselves and the stability of the print and accuracy of the paint application.”
Laser cleaning also significantly reduces the negative impact on the environment. The method is non-abrasive and does not require the use of chemicals or water. The beam does not cause damage to surfaces of the rollers and therefore any remanufacturing is not necessary to maintain print quality.
A further boost in this area is the washing device for printing machine parts (trays, printing coffins). It has been in operation since this Spring and works on the principle of closed-loop chemical cleaning, without emissions and hazardous wastes. It has significantly reduced preparation times on flexo-printing machines, resulting in more efficient machine utilization and overall higher throughput.
These innovations are complemented by two other washing technologies, the ultrasonic raster roller washer and the printing plate washer, used daily after each print.
