Kolding, Denmark – Flexographic equipment and machine manufacturer TRESU will present its ancillary systems that efficiently manage ink supply and optimise machine uptime for paperboard converters at the FEFCO Exhibition and Technical Seminar, organised by the European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers (Stands 114/115, 9-11 October 2019, Palexpo, Geneva, Switzerland).

TRESU’s chamber doctor blades and ink supply systems automatically feed ink and coating media to the press at controlled pressure levels, enabling clean, consistent print results, reduced waste, faster printing speeds and minimal manual intervention.

Stand highlights will be the MaxiPrint Concept chamber doctor blade with integrated ink supply and cleaning system for wide web applications, and the F10 iCon ink supply system.

The TRESU MaxiPrint Concept comprises a closed doctor blade chamber, an ink supply unit and a cleaning system. It offers fast, automatic internal cleaning, a corrosion-resistant environment, improved print quality consistency and improved ink conservancy. A full ink change and cleaning cycle can be done in 3-4 minutes, significantly reducing makeready times.

The TRESU MaxiPrint Concept chambers feature integrated cleaning nozzles with robust water-shot mechanisms for quick emptying and fast, efficient cleaning of the chamber and anilox roll with limited ink loss. Further advantages include significantly faster emptying times because ink or coating fluid is evacuated through both the inlet and a unique quick-emptying outlet. Available with a lightweight carbon-fibre (CFC) or ceramic (CFX) surface, in widths of 1600mm to 6000mm, the MaxiPrint Concept is ideal for corrugated flexo printing situations, whether integrated in new presses or retrofitted on existing machines. Low ink loss, short job changeovers, and efficient cleaning in wide web flexo applications make the system a powerful asset in corrugated production.

In common with all TRESU chamber doctor blades, the MaxiPrint Concept features TRESU’s patented seal system, ensuring that pressure and flow rates are maintained at desired levels without manual intervention. This prevents air contamination of the chamber and enables foam-free transfer of ink / coating directly to the anilox cells at fast speeds.

TRESU’s F10 iCon ink supply system regulates ink flow, pressure and viscosity, while maintaining constant ink density values. It performs automatic ink changes, including chamber cleaning, and ink returns, in minutes, providing significant savings on time and materials.

The F10 iCon supplies precise volumes of ink, ranging from 5 to 30 litres / minute, at constant, predetermined stroke frequencies. Optimum ink pressures are maintained in the chamber system to ensure clean print quality and accurate ink densities throughout the printing run, at speeds of up to 600m/min.

Additionally, the system provides an accurate way of returning inks to the bucket while performing fast, thorough chamber cleaning without manual intervention. Up to 90 per cent of the ink or coating medium remaining in the press’s chambers is returned to the bucket, generating ink savings up to 19 litres per printing station after each job. Typically, a cleaning cycle may be completed within 15 minutes.

By storing each job’s ink recipe information, such as viscosity, flow-rate and pressure levels, the F10 iCon’s software reduces setup times further and eliminates the need for data re-entry when repeat jobs are performed.

Henrik Kristensen, vice-president, TRESU Ancillary and Customer Care, comments: “With the global corrugated market predicted to grow at 3.7 per cent annually1 to a total of $300 billion by 2023, there is a tremendous opportunity to improve print quality, production efficiency and profitability while increasing competitiveness. Our solutions at FEFCO are aimed at profit-building through ink, energy, waste and time savings – qualities valued by printers and brand-owners alike.”

TRESU’s global support infrastructure extends beyond technical support and spare parts: it provides a comprehensive package of expertise that includes business analysis, development and solutions consultancy and market intelligence as well as the day-to-day support to ensure the optimal running of the converting line. With fast responses and a knowledge-base built on decades of expertise, TRESU is much more than an equipment provider; it is a long-term business partner.

At the FEFCO Seminar, Henrik Kristensen will present a paper dealing with the challenges of the current market, its opportunities and solutions, and how TRESU can help corrugated printers compete effectively.

Representatives of TRESU’s technical team will be on hand to explain the solutions, answer questions and offer advice.

In addition to ancillary solutions, TRESU offers coating systems for integration with digital sheet-fed folding carton presses, and high performance hybrid flexographic printing and converting lines for paperboard packaging and gamecard applications.

TRESU MaxiPrint Concept chamber doctor blade with integrated ink supply and cleaning.