When you invest in high-performance equipment like a Truflex Printer, you know that it will be dependable and provide long-term uptime. However, that doesn’t mean that it does not need a periodic maintenance schedule to best ensure that premium performance. The maintenance that a Truflex Printer does require is minimal but should be kept up in order to help your equipment go the distance. Here are three tips to improving the longevity of this machine.
Truflex Printer Maintenance Tips
There are some specific issues that come up with a Truflex Printer as they age, which can be handled with some basic maintenance to ensure they do not adversely impact your production:
- UV Lamp: UV mercury vapor lamps are made to last approximately 2,000 working hours although most manufacturers only warranty them for 1,000 hours. You can tell that a UV lamp is about to go when the outer edges of the material being printed are not fully cured. This is because the ends of a mercury vapor lamp lose their ability to cure first. While mercury vapor lamps are known to be reliable, there are times when one does not “ignite” properly. When this happens, there is a lack of intensity in the extraneous light escaping from under the protective shielding when the lamp is on.For safety reasons, never look directly into a lamp that is on even when wearing the proper UV safety glasses. Care must also be taken due to the high voltage at which UV lamps operate. Typically, this is anywhere from 450V to 1200V, depending on the lamp type. Also, when striking the lamps, the igniter circuitry will generate pulses in excess of 1.5 kV. These voltages present a possible danger of electric shock or fire. When testing or troubleshooting, all safety interlocks shall be in place and cables left intact.
- Doctor Blade: The function of a doctor blade is to remove excess ink from the surface of the anilox roll so that the anilox surface can deliver the right amount of ink to the printing plate. Blades are manufactured from several types of materials, including metals such as various types of steel (blue, stainless, carbon and ceramic coated) and nonmetals, such as plastic blades fashioned from ultra-high molecular weight material and composite blades made from fiberglass, carbon fiber, and epoxy.Damaged doctor blades can produce a variety of printing defects, such as railroading and railroad tracks, continuous streaks, marks, or lines that appear on the substrate. These problems can be the result of many things such as not completely wiping the cylinder, nicks in the doctor blade, or dried particles of ink or other materials that are stuck to the rear or back of the doctor blade. Blade wear can be caused by abrasion (commonly produced by foreign particles or the use of abrasive ink pigments), fatigue (caused by equipment stress), and corrosion (a chemical reaction, such as oxidation, rusting, or overly acidic or alkaline ink vehicles). When poor print quality occurs, this is the time to check the condition of the doctor blade.
- Ink Well Side Shields: The side shields are made of plastic Delron pieces that are manufactured to work as part of the system’s ink well and have a radius that matches the anilox roller. Improper installation of the ink well will cause the ink to leak out as it is an open-faced ink well. The shields also have a small rubber piece in which the doctor blade sits against. This is intended to prevent any ink leakage. Due to the shields’ contact with the “dead zone” of the anilox roller and the friction created by this contact, the Delron pieces will eventually wear out. Any ink that builds up between the anilox roller and the side shields causes the friction to increase because it is more difficult for the roller to freely turn. A proper maintenance schedule of cleaning the anilox roller and the side shields will prolong the life of the shields.
Here are the main points from this blog post:
- A Truflex Printer can last even longer and deliver the ultimate level of performance with just a few regular maintenance actions.
- The UV lamp needs to be changed out after approximately 2,000 hours of run time when you start to notice that the outer edges of the printed image are not cured.
- The doctor blade will need to be examined when print quality begins to decrease. It is important to regularly look for blade wear that could be related to a number of other situations that may require maintenance as well.
- The ink well side shields are made of plastic, which can wear down over time due to friction, which is exacerbated by any ink leakage, so it is important to regularly clean the anilox roller and the side shields to prolong life.
