Skanem uses Anilox roller cleaning system

Partswash has installed one of its Anilox roller cleaning systems at printing firm Skanem.

Skanem Durham approached Partswash looking for a way to deep-clean Anilox print rollers off-press.

Previous methods - including ultrasonic cleaning - were becoming unreliable and costly, with frequent damage being caused to the fine ceramic wall of the rollers, and cleaning times taking too long.

Partswash responded with a water-based top-loading spray wash system, which provides a highly effective deep clean, yet is quick and safe, both for the rollers and the operator.

The Anilox rollers are placed inside the machine, and locked onto soft-faced powered rolls.

The rolls are carefully positioned under spray bars that contain high-pressure jets.

During the wash cycle, the high-pressure jets spray a specially developed water-based wash solution onto the surface of the Anilox rollers.

At the same time, the rollers are slowly rotated (approximately 10rpm) via the powered rolls for the duration of the wash cycle, ensuring the full surface area of the roller is reached by the spray pattern, and that ink residues are continually drained away.

This wash process is followed by a clean mains water rinse, which removes any remaining traces of the wash solution.

Up to eight Anilox rollers can be washed at any one time, and due to the temperature inside the wash tank, rollers generally come out dry.

A special rust inhibitor has been added to the wash solution to prevent any risk of flash rusting.

Being a water-based process, there are minimal environmental issues.

The spray wash technology provides a rigorous clean, yet causes no damage to roller surface, the cell walls, or the Anilox base.

The cleaning results achieved are consistent and thorough, wash cycle time is relatively quick, and operator use is simple.

Back to top