SPGPrints’ new RotaPlate Dev & Dry developer-dryer standardises quality, accelerates throughput in nickel rotary screen prepress workflow.

Boxmeer, Netherlands – SPGPrints’ new RotaPlate Dev & Dry system provides a fast, ergonomic and automated means of developing and drying RotaPlate nickel rotary screens, for narrow web applications, in a one-step, quality-assured process.

In a cycle lasting between three and four minutes, the exposed mesh is thoroughly washed out with recyclable water, then automatically air-dried without manual intervention. Once the process is complete, the screen is immediately ready for final assembly.

Four times faster than the manual washing process, RotaPlate Dev & Dry replaces the use of a water-gun that, in some cases, can contribute to wrist strain. Time savings per cycle are estimated to be up to 12 minutes, making the device ideal for situations where high throughput is required. Automated developing and drying ensures uniformity of screen quality, and frees operators to focus on higher value activities.

The unit, with a compact 2m² footprint, also offers environmental benefits. It includes a water filtering and recycling system, and requires no drainage or exhaust: only electricity and compressed air are needed for use.

Thanks to variable speed modes, RotaPlate Dev & Dry accommodates the complete range of RotaPlate meshes. It also comes with an intuitive human-machine interface that requires only the push of the touch-screen to activate. 

SPGPrints’ RotaPlate electroformed nickel rotary screens offer high strength, allowing easy handling, reusability, and stability at relatively fast printing speeds. Ideal for non-SPGPrints rotary screen printing units, they are available in a wide range of meshes, for printing added-value features where a thick ink or varnish coverage is required, including tactile varnishes, opaque and rich colours, metallic foil, Braille, warning triangles, small text and fine lines. RotaPlate screens can be exposed digitally with the variLEX processor, capable of resolutions of up to 5080dpi.

Hank Guitjens, commercial manager label printing at SPGPrints comments: “Screen washout is a repetitive and often monotonous job, and one where quality is difficult to control. RotaPlate Dev & Dry is a complete, sustainable system that integrates with advanced imaging devices, to provide optimum quality rotary screens in a standardised workflow for repeatable, high-quality results. This device is a perfect complement to a modern, clean, lean pressroom, where human intervention is minimised.”