InkSpec’s New Microlox Portable Cleaner allows “on-press”  deep cleaning of engraved cell structures at a fraction of the cost AND effort!

Lets face it, there’s anilox roll cleaning, and then there’s anilox roll CLEANING!! 

The differences vary vastly from the simple brass brush and and some cleaning pastes or liquids, (all claiming to be the best anilox cleaning solution on the market)  to actually sending your rolls out to someone who will “professionally” deep clean your cells.

In between these  comes a variety of in-house options involving capital investment of equipment, all in a platform that usually involves removing your anilox, moving it over to a blasting cabinet or “washing machine”, loading it into the machine, then waiting for the machine to “do its thing” (sometimes taking an hour or longer, depending on the roll size).

It is common knowledge that more than 80 percent of anilox roll re-engraves are done due to some type of damage being done to the the delicate engraved surface. I have personally been involved with anilox roll sales for the better part of 20 years now and I can attest to the unfortunate fact that the life an anilox engraving usually boils down to how long it takes before someone “taps” a surface while handling an anilox. For this reason, I concur with the idea that the less you handle an anilox, the longer it will last!

The folks at InkSpec (now the industry leader in ink viscosity control systems) have taken it upon themselves to identify and meet this challenge, just as they did with the idea of eliminating “moving parts” in an ink viscosity system. What they came up with is an anilox roll cleaning liquid called “MICROLOX”.  If you have not seen, or perhaps a better way to put it would be, “experienced” how well this material cleans an anilox, please contact FlexoNetwork or InkSpec directly for free sample material and demo (you will be amazed!).

After much success with the MICROLOX cell cleaner, InkSpec has now put together the much awaited for Microlox Portable Cleaner or “MPC”. This unit gives the operator the ability to clean an anilox roll without having to remove it from the press! In large formats, this is exceptionally beneficial for reasons that are obvious.

Take a look at the MPC in action by clicking here!

Titan continues to be the top tier choice when it comes to slitting needs. As we see the addition of new presses coming on-line withing the western region, additional slitting capacity becomes a necessity for the established wide web printer but slitting can be an all new venture for those in narrow web flexo who have advanced themselves into the wide web CI flexo press.

The Titan SR8 is a perfect example of their ‘next generation’ slitter rewinder from the Titan SR Series. These high productivity, cantilever slitter rewinders have the same modular design that enables future machine enhancements to suit changing production requirements.

The Titan SR8 will process a wide range of flexible materials and is designed to produce high quality finished product efficiently, economically and with easy job repeat ability. With the Titan differential winding technology and AC digital servo drive technology, Titan continues to stay on top of high speed control. Fife digital (CDP01) line/edge guide system will keep keep roll edges tight and straight.

FlexoNetwork continues to work closely with Titan and their many customers as the “standard” for slitting continues!

Sometimes a meeting can turn on a dime into a direction that leaves me puzzled.

I love what I do but sometimes find myself in situation where I am not sure how I should react.

In this particular situation, I happened to be speaking to a group consisting of a Plant Manager, Operations Head, Print Manager and Owner of a very reputable printed packaging company. It was a casual setting, as we were just wrapping up a discussion having to do with Ink Spec’s Viscosity Control System. I was mentioning that there were quite a few high end press manufacturers who offered the system as their recommended viscosity control, including Uteco.

This led to a discussion about my qualification use of the term “high end” and Uteco, a company I have represented for more than a year now. I was reiterating the fact of how impressive this equipment is and the recent boom of Uteco sales. The satisfaction and profitability of those who have chosen to align themselves with Uteco for their “high end” flexo work has proven Uteco to be deserving of the “high end” genre, time and time again.

As this discussion progressed, I found myself contemplating my own opinion as to why these companies chose Uteco over all other offerings.  Perhaps it was price or maybe the fact that Uteco’s service department has been highlighted in various trade periodicals or the fact that Uteco has successfully engineered a product line with US components, rather than hold their spare parts as propitiatory ”only available from OEM”.  Maybe it’s the consistent performance at high speed. Then it occurred to me, it’s all of it.

The owner of the company wanted to hear more about what I thought sets Uteco apart from the other offerings out there. He has always known that I was brought up with and around a very high end German press manufacturer since I was only 10 years old, so I think that he might have taken a little interest in challenging if I might squirm under an embarrassment of going against the grain of a “family allegiance”.  After all, they had just recently had their latest German press installed and running. (Negotiated prior to my tenure with Uteco)

I suppose I should say that I had to take a moment to rub my hands together and think about what I was going to say. But the fact of the matter is that it doesn’t take anything more than common sense to point out why someone chooses Uteco. I began to outline a verbal list of factual information that very easily equates to one simple thing, a smart business decision!

After taking my moment with the many obvious “no brainer” advantages, the owner of the company looked at me with a very displeased expression on his face.  I thought that I might have said something inappropriate…. but as he looked around the room at his Plant Manager, Print Manager and Head of Operations and said, in a rather angry voice,….

“Why the **** didn’t WE look at Uteco?!?!?!?”