Rossini SpA revolutionizes gravure printing
Rossini SpA presents Ecograv System: the world's first production line for rotogravure cylinders without copper and chrome blanket ready for electromechanical engraving. The Rossini group thus proposes itself as a solution provider for the supply of innovative technologies with a 'turnkey' formula past leveraging its Equipment Segmentation.
Rossini once again demonstrates its technological leadership and launches a highly innovative solution in rotogravure printing. The big Italian manufacturer of rollers and sleeves has institute the alternative to the hexavalent chrome coating of press cylinders by finalizing a research and evolution work personally supervised by its president Felice Rossini over the final 10 years.
The chrome surface of the printing cylinders guarantees today the high quality of the work carried out with this applied science, but at the same time generates environmental and health issues, so much so that the competent authorities volition prohibit its employ within a few years (see box).
The solution developed in Rossini is called the Ecograv Arrangement and replaces the copper and chrome cladding with a special polyurethane based technopolymer that has passed all the tests of quality and machinability on industrial lines, and tin exist engraved electromechanically. Moreover, Rossini has adult and built the production found to make the new blazon of cylinder, or rather a consummate and automated line, which starts from the raw textile to be 'poured' on the roller to achieve the product set up for engraving.
For the leap of adjacent twelvemonth the airplane pilot plant will be in operation at the manufacturer'south Engineering science Heart, where customers will be able to verify the prerogatives and performance of the system.
The Gerosa Group – development partner of the project – has already signed the purchase commitment for the supply of the first Ecograv System. ICR, a well-known supplier of rotogravure cylinders, has also supported the development for the engraving part. Here is how engineer Flavio Losa, Rossini SpA, presents information technology, in a preview in Converting.
At the base of operations of the Ecograv system, the cylinder
Dr. Losa, as frequently happens, besides at the origin of your project there was a problem to solve – in this case find a new type of coating, alternative to chrome, for the rotogravure press cylinder. Why is this then of import?
The rotogravure cylinder has a steel core and engraved copper coating, and ultimately a hexavalent chromium protection. The latter has a surface hardness of thousand – 1200 Brinell. Even without being an skillful we can understand the importance of this data if we compare information technology with the hardness of a doctor blade, which is around 700 Brinell: since the role of this blanket is first of all to protect the roller from the rubbing of the doctor blade, extending its life and preserving its characteristics, the effectiveness of chrome is axiomatic. But that'due south not all. Having many open bonds, chromium 6+ has a superior uniformity, which allows the management of a especially well defined and constant layer. All these characteristics together ensure the perfection and durability of the engraving.
What material is the alternative coating developed in Rossini SpA fabricated of? And how does it deport?
It is a polyurethane based technopolymer, patent awaiting, conductive and, of course, grindable. It has an extremely low surface roughness value, non far from that of chrome, and in a higher place all it can be engraved electromechanically. This data is specially important because until now the experiences fabricated on plastic compounds involved laser engraving. Nevertheless, there are very few laser machines on the market: almost all engravers piece of work with electromechanical systems. So our goal was to develop a cylinder that could be engraved by everyone, without having to change technology, and we succeeded. This does not exclude the fact that in the near future Ecograv will exist able to be engraved using laser engineering.
And then the novelty is non only about the coating…
That'southward right: it is rendered by a set up of elements including materials, engraving techniques and equipment involved that do not negatively impact the health of operators and the environment. The new polymer at the base of the Rossini Ecograv System, once removed, can exist disposed of in exactly the aforementioned style every bit segregated plastic household waste.
Had a solution of this kind ever been developed earlier?
No, we are the beginning.
To exam the functioning of the new cylinder you have involved a very well equipped engraver and converter. With what results?
Firstly we carried out the tests on our small single colour rotogravure machine that we instaled in our enquiry middle and nosotros printed 370,000 meters of printing with a 12 micron polyester. With a cruising speed between 200 and 250 meters/infinitesimal and standard recipe, with a very normal steel dr. blade and roto inks on ethyl acetate base, without any problem.
To our and our partners' full satisfaction, we have obtained a very loftier quality high definition prototype with a uniform ink density throughout the unabridged print run. Just that's non all – the constancy of the ink transport is correlated to the fact that even the cells empty evenly, apace and without big residues on the lesser. The printing dot is ameliorate – perfectly circular, without any dragging cheers to the doctor blade. Of course we did the calibration curve for the engraving, which allowed u.s. to obtain an absolutely level tone gradient and, overall, results equivalent or above those of a standard chrome-plated steel roller.
Coming developments?
Nosotros volition shortly start the nigh difficult tests. Gerosa volition impress a 7-colour subject with all the nigh challenging difficulties: solid background, barcode, Standard arabic wordings, fine and coarse detail and a number of pantones.
A challenging job, which will verify both print quality and production output
An automatic and "clean" production line
Ecograv Arrangement also includes the line to produce the new cylinder. What is the line-up?
The production line consists of a station where the distribution, i.e. the deposit, of the new polymer that is bandage on the user'due south roller (casting station) takes place, followed by the office of the line where the heat treatment takes place that helps to stabilize the crystalline structure of the production. Finally, grinding and smoothing are carried out. The roller is then ready for engraving.
What advantages does this bring?
It is a highly automatic and uncomplicated to utilise process, with a modular construction, which generates a roller ready for mechanical engraving, and shows the overall advantage of the new solution. It not only responds to the demand to supersede the hexavalent chromium, shortly to exist banned, only likewise an alternative to a highly pollutant production system that is likewise expensive to manage at various levels, not least that of the healthiness of the working environs and the disposal of toxic substances used in traditional processing.
And on an economic level?
The cost of the Ecograv print cylinder will exist competitive with the current standard and volition use the converter cylinders. Of course information technology will require a new diameter direction, considering our coating is 2 millimeters. A printer's cylinder mag contains thousands or tens of thousands of parts so there volition exist no difficulty in finding the right diameter for each job.
But yous also need to calculate the plant investment . . . .
The matter of ROI, equally everybody knows, must be contextualized and accurately calculated, information and variables to hand. The entire Ecograv System line at the most takes up the space of a galvanic line, and requires a lower investment than a traditional process, in add-on to presenting a simplicity of management that makes it a truly 'user and surround friendly' process. Suffice it to say that it does not crave permits for emissions or periodic medical analysis of the health of the personnel, and in a higher place all information technology eliminates all the problem of the management of galvanic baths, wastewater, chemic products . . .
Rossini SpA: Ecograv, the great leap
Rollers and sleeves for dies designed and made with the virtually innovative techniques and materials, for gravure, flexo and commencement printing. And, from the Equipment Division, treatment and maintenance plants and machinery: grinding; storage systems, automatic cleaning systems, accessories and smart solutions that simplify private aspects of printing. This is Rossini SpA'southward classic offer, featuring a family-owned Italian multinational visitor that has established itself worldwide for the quality of its products, constant delivery to R&D, dynamism in the commercial field and stakeholder relations in the many countries in which it operates.
And at present, with the Ecograv System, Rossini proposes a unique, high-tech offer.
Chromium: problems and deadlines
Some chemicals used in industrial production are potentially harmful to human health and the surroundings. From this awareness was built-in Reach (Registration, Evaluation, Say-so and Restriction of Chemicals) or the European Marriage regulation that defines the methods and limits of use. Information technology also dealt with chromium trioxide (or hexavalent chromium) for which the competent authority – considering all aspects of its use in various manufacturing sectors, including the press – has authorized a regulated use and only until 2024.
Source: https://packagingsouthasia.com/consumables/flexible-films-and-laminates/rossini/
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