Forehand joins Pamarco with more than 12 years of experience in flexographic printing. He began his flexo career with Sealed Air/Cryovac in pre-press with a focus on plate making, plate mounting and print analysis. He later transitioned into sales with Lohmann Technologies, where he provided technical sales support and press side assistance, and expanded their business of plate-mounting tapes in the southeast.
Q: With summer and hotter temperatures approaching, how do you slow down your inks from drying too fast?
A: With water-based inks, I prefer to use propylene glycol or slow amine. They work well to lengthen drying times in hot weather. I recommend consulting with your ink supplier/technician in order to maximize ink performance for your specific needs.
Q: I need a new anilox roll, 8.5-9.0 bcm. Why are you recommending a much higher line screen than I normally use?
A: Our Eflo anilox roll is suggested, with good reason. The engraving is different than that of a traditional 60-degree hexagonal shape. Due to the elongated structure, there are naturally more cells across the face of the anilox roll. This higher number of cells provides better distribution of ink, even when transferring to your substrate. Also, because the cell is shallow, the ink transfers with greater efficiency. Where you normally would have a 200-line screen anilox roll, a 360-line screen now achieves the same volume (bcm) target.
Q: I have a limited amount of time that I can spend maintaining/cleaning my anilox rolls. What do you have that can help me keep my anilox cells clean between thorough cleanings?
A: Pamarco now carries an exciting new product from Efficient Anilox Care. It is a plate/blanket that can be attached to your print cylinder via T-bar or Mathews leading-edge STRIPS. The blanket is made from micro-fiber material, so the fibers can penetrate into the ink in anilox cells. Using the blanket and our MD-80 cleaning solution, you have the option to clean a station that is not in use, while still running a job. It allows you to minimize downtime while maximizing efficiency.
By Brett Forehand, Technical Sales Engineer at Pamarco
brett.forehand@pamarco.com or 214-907-2418