Kolding, Denmark - At INFO*FLEX 2016 (Fort Worth, Texas, 7-8 March 2016), TRESU Group (stand 708), global provider of flexo technology, presents its light-weight, corrosion-resistant Carbon Fiber Chamber (CFC) doctor blade along with its F10 iCon ink supply system. Together, these two products from the TRESU ancillary program provide a fully automated, closed loop ink supply solution for a host of wide-web printing situations up to widths of 236.2in. (6000mm), thus ensuring consistent quality, improved productivity, lower emissions and significantly reduced operating costs.  

Carbon Fiber Chamber: optimized corrosion-resistance and handling

TRESU’s carbon fiber chamber doctor blade offers protection against potentially corrosive ink, coating media and detergents up to pH12. Weighing between 1.6lb – 2.74lg / linear foot (2.4kg and 4.1kg per linear meter), they are lighter than the more economical ceramic alternatives, thus offering safest handling. A top-coated ink-repellent surface inside the chamber also enables easy, thorough cleaning after printing. Furthermore, curved inner surfaces maximize volume and facilitate faster discharge.  Pneumatic (P-Line) clamping systems allow blade changeover within two minutes.

Available in widths from 63in. (1600mm) to 236.2in. (6000mm), the carbon fiber chambers are suited for water-based flexo printing applications, including corrugated board, flexible packaging, tissue, non-woven textile and industrial.

F10 iCon ink supply system automates flow control

The F10 iCon ink supply system automates ink pressure and viscosity in flexo printing machines.   This, in turn, ensures a constant, accurate ink density on the printed substrate and prevents air from contaminating the ink chamber.

The F10 iCon ink supply system circulates ink from the bucket to anilox roll at a controlled viscosity, flow and pressure. Stable circulation keeps the ink at constant viscosity to ensure consistent, precisely determined ink density on the printed substrate. The supply system measures flow within tight tolerances by automatically counting the pump strokes. 

The energy-efficient system also provides thorough fully automatic cleaning, pumping unused ink in the chamber and hoses after printing back to the bucket, and completing an ink-change cycle within ten minutes. The F10 iCon’s ability to return inks for reuse in new jobs also delivers significant savings, cutting ink waste by as much as 110kg on a six-color job.  

Scott Hibbs, president, TRESU Americas, comments: “TRESU is the only ancillary provider in the market to cover every step in the flexo ink supply cycle. That makes us uniquely positioned to offer closed-loop systems that are fine-tuned for the complete range of flexo printing applications and ink sets. The combination of TRESU’s carbon fiber chamber with the F10 iCon supply and washing system is a perfect example, providing the basis for predictable, consistent quality at faster print speeds; a sustainable, waste-free workflow, lower emissions and a cleaner, safer working environment.” 

Organized by the Flexographic Technical Association (FTA), INFO*FLEX focuses on process control and converting equipment for the flexible packaging, label, folding carton and corrugated industry, and takes place at the Fort Worth Convention Center, Fort Worth, TX, 7-8 March 2016.