BiesSse presents an original technology for mounting flexo plates, based on a belt-roll system capable of preventing the formation of air bubbles.
Many of the problems encountered during printing operations are the consequence of improper mounting procedure, which affects the good quality of print results. In lamination air entrapment creates bubbling between the tape to the plate and the tape to the sleeve. If today it is impossible to completely remove the entrapped air the effects can be almost completely eradicated. BiesSse has solved the problem by combining a special tape and the Pressure Roller Trolley (PRT), also ensuring the complete traceability and repeatability of the mounting procedure.
A tough challenge
The solution to solve the specific problem of air entrapment was found working in partnership with a global flexo printer. The operating conditions were: 1650 mm print width, up to 10 colors, up to 800 mm repeat, 600 mpm operating speed, printing a high quality laminate at running time from 2 to 8 hours. In particular, the challenge was to guarantee the mounting of180,000 plates per annum with less than 0.001% plate lift.
Starting from a close analysis of all the aspects of the process BiesSse studied an optimised procedure for preparing and mounting the tape. A series of adhesives were developed based on the customer’s requirements, taking into account customer constraints such as to running speed, duration of run and ease of demount. A new liner was developed which allowed air release during the mounting stage and dissipation of the remaining air through the tape, therefore eliminating bubbling.
These solutions dramatically decreased the frequency of plate lifting, encouraging BiesSse to continue, to the point of even superseding the customer’s target. The Pressure Roller Trolley had so been conceived, a machine that revolutionizes the mounting process. The PRT exerts a calibrated pressure avoiding the crush of the micro channels in the liner and ensuring that more trapped air is initially released than is possible in manual mounting. The incremental uniform rise of the pressure, up to an optimum level, also guarantees maximum adhesion between tape and plate.
Traceability with PRT
Another innovation developed by BiesSse is via the dedicated and userfriendly software installed on the PRT, that gathers and ensures the recording of the most important information regarding the tape and equipment used, such as: order date, reference number, time, color and settings of the printer.
The whole operation is linked to the customers computer system and the data are entered by the operator via the touchscreen monitor. This eliminates downtime and also possible errors caused by manual writing on the sleeve, while data is recorded for later use. By combining its plate mounting tapes and the PRT, BiesSse offers the solution to achieve a high quality of printing and a completely reliable process.
