Laser-engraved ceramic anilox roller structure and manufacturing process thereof

Abstract

This invention relates to the technical field of the printing industry, and more particularly to a laser-engraved ceramic anilox roller structure and its manufacturing process, comprising: a base roller, a coating attached to the surface of the base roller, and an anilox structure engraved on the surface of the coating; the anilox structure includes at least a group of multiple anilox channels arranged obliquely along a first direction, the multiple anilox channels in the same group being equally spaced along the axial direction of the base roller; a plurality of meshes within the anilox channels are equally spaced along the trajectory direction of the channels, the cross-section of the meshes is disc-shaped, and after melting between two adjacent meshes, a flow channel is formed for ink to pass through. In this invention, the flow channel is formed after melting in the overlapping area between two meshes, and the multiple meshes within the same anilox channel are connected through multiple flow channels, which can ensure the amount of ink stored in the anilox channels, improve the fluidity of the ink, better transfer the ink, effectively improve the coating coverage during printing, and thus ensure the printing quality of the product.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of the printing industry, and in particular to a laser-engraved ceramic anilox roller structure and its manufacturing process. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, laser-engraved ceramic micro-grooved rollers possess excellent wear resistance and are widely used in high-quality coating and lamination machinery. These rollers are produced by forming a high-hardness ceramic layer through thermal spraying, followed by high-precision grinding and mirror polishing, and then precision engraving using a laser machine. The screen mesh, volume, and arrangement shape can be freely selected according to customer needs. Especially on equipment using doctor blades, their wear resistance is significantly enhanced, achieving a service life several times longer than ordinary electroplated hard chrome. However, existing 60° equilateral hexagonal (honeycomb) engraving methods suffer from poor interconnectivity between mesh openings, resulting in uneven ink or paint flow and poor mesh clearance, severely impacting print quality. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a laser-engraved ceramic anilox roller structure and its manufacturing process, which effectively solves the problems in the background art.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a laser-engraved ceramic anilox roller structure and its manufacturing process, comprising: a base roller, a coating attached to the surface of the base roller, and an anilox structure engraved on the surface of the coating.

[0005] The textured structure includes at least one set of multiple mesh channels arranged inclined along a first direction, and the multiple mesh channels in the same set are equally spaced along the axial direction of the base roller;

[0006] The mesh within the channel is evenly spaced along the channel's trajectory. The cross-section of each mesh is disc-shaped, and after melting between two adjacent meshes, it forms a flow channel through which ink can pass.

[0007] Furthermore, the textured structure is created using a high-energy laser engraving process.

[0008] Furthermore, a number of the mesh openings are densely distributed along the trajectory direction within the mesh channel to form a smooth channel at the bottom of the mesh channel.

[0009] Furthermore, the distance between the lowest points of two adjacent meshes is greater than the opening radius of a single mesh and less than the opening diameter of a single mesh;

[0010] After melting between two adjacent meshes, a recast edge is formed, and the middle portion of the recast edge is concave downwards.

[0011] Furthermore, the mesh structure also includes a set of multiple mesh channels arranged obliquely along the second direction;

[0012] The plurality of mesh channels along the first direction intersect with the plurality of mesh channels along the second direction, forming a low point of the mesh at the intersection, and the ends of the plurality of recasting edges converge to form a high point of the mesh.

[0013] Furthermore, the second direction is an angle of -49 degrees between the extension direction of a single mesh channel and the axial direction of the base roller.

[0014] Furthermore, the first direction is an angle of +45 degrees between the extension direction of a single mesh channel and the axial direction of the base roller.

[0015] Furthermore, the opening ratio of the mesh is 15% to 30%.

[0016] Furthermore, the highest point of the mesh is planar.

[0017] This invention also provides a manufacturing process for a laser-engraved ceramic anilox roller structure, comprising the following steps:

[0018] Fabricate the base roller and sandblast its surface;

[0019] The coating is formed by spraying the paint onto the surface of the base roller using plasma spraying.

[0020] After grinding and polishing the coating surface, a number of tiny meshes are processed on the coating surface by laser engraving, ultimately forming a mesh structure on the base roller surface;

[0021] The engraved coating surface is ground and polished using a diamond abrasive belt.

[0022] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: In this invention, the overlapping area between two meshes melts to form a flow channel, and several meshes in the same cell channel are connected through multiple flow channels, which can ensure the amount of ink stored in the cell channel, improve the fluidity of the ink, better transfer the ink, effectively improve the coating coverage during printing, and thus ensure the printing quality of the product. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the anilox roller structure engraving in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a mesh structure with a single mesh channel in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a mesh structure with a single mesh channel in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a mesh structure with two mesh channels in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a structural state cut by AA section;

[0029] Figure 6 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of another structural state cut by the AA section;

[0030] Figure 7 for Figure 3 Sectional view of section BB;

[0031] Figure 8 for Figure 4 CC section cut view;

[0032] Figure 9 for Figure 3 DD section sectional view.

[0033] Reference numerals: 00, laser beam; 1, base roller; 2, coating; 3, cell channel; 3a, cell low point; 3b, cell high point; 4, recasting edge; 5, mesh; 6, flow channel. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments.

[0035] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" another element, it can be directly attached to the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0036] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0037] like Figures 1 to 9 The laser-engraved ceramic anilox roller structure and its manufacturing process shown include: a base roller 1, a coating 2 attached to the surface of the base roller 1, and an anilox structure engraved on the surface of the coating 2; the anilox structure includes at least a group of multiple anilox channels 3 arranged obliquely along a first direction, the multiple anilox channels 3 in the same group are equally spaced along the axial direction of the base roller 1; a number of meshes 5 in the anilox channels 3 are equally spaced along the trajectory direction of the channels, the cross-section of the meshes 5 is disc-shaped, and after melting between two adjacent meshes 5, a flow channel 6 for ink to pass through is formed.

[0038] In this invention, laser pulses are used to engrave the coating 2 surface of the base roller 1 along the spiral direction, and one pulse forms a tiny mesh 5. The overlapping area between two meshes 5 melts to form a flow channel 6. Several meshes 5 in the same cell channel 3 are connected by multiple flow channels 6, which can ensure the amount of ink stored in the cell channel 3, improve the fluidity of the ink, better transfer the ink, effectively improve the coating coverage during printing, and thus ensure the printing quality of the product.

[0039] The mesh structure in this invention is engraved using a high-energy laser process. Compared with the electroplated chrome engraving technology in the prior art, this process can ensure that the volume of the mesh 5 remains unchanged, thus maintaining consistent printing quality.

[0040] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of meshes 5 are densely distributed along the trajectory direction within the cavity channel 3 to form a smooth channel at the bottom of the cavity channel 3. Specifically, during the engraving process of the meshes 5, the overlapping area of ​​the meshes 5 is changed by adjusting the density of the light spots, thereby better melting and removing the recast edges 4 within the cavity channel 3, achieving a smoother and more open cavity channel 3, increasing the coverage of ink or ink on the working surface, and improving the uniformity and integrity of printing or coating.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the distance between the lowest points of two adjacent meshes 5 is greater than the opening radius of a single mesh 5 and less than the opening diameter of a single mesh 5, so that a recasting edge 4 is formed after melting between two adjacent meshes 5, which can prevent ink from overflowing from areas outside the meshes 5. The middle part of the recasting edge 4 is concave downward, which can guide the flow and distribution of ink in the two adjacent meshes 5 on the surface of the anilox roller, increase the contact area between ink and anilox roller, improve adhesion and transfer efficiency, and improve the effect and quality of printing or coating.

[0042] As a preferred embodiment of the above, the mesh structure further includes a group of multiple mesh channels 3 arranged obliquely along the second direction; the multiple mesh channels 3 along the first direction and the multiple mesh channels 3 along the second direction are intersected and arranged, forming a mesh low point 3a at the intersection point, and the ends of the multiple recasting channels 4 converge to form a mesh high point 3b.

[0043] Specifically, by intersecting the cell channels 3 in the first and second directions, high and low points are formed within the cell channels 3. The recasting edge 4 of the overlapping area of ​​the mesh 5 is located between the two high points 3b of the cells, which can provide multi-layer ink storage space for the anilox roller. Furthermore, the concave middle part of the recasting edge 4 can connect the two adjacent low points 3a of the cells, allowing excess ink in the mesh 5 to flow in different directions. This helps to uniformly deliver ink to the working surface, reduce clogging and unevenness during the printing or coating process, and improve printing quality.

[0044] Based on the above implementation scheme, for an anilox roller employing bidirectional cell channels 3, preferably, the first direction is an angle of +45 degrees between the extension direction of a single cell channel 3 and the axial direction of the base roller 1, while the second direction is an angle of -49 degrees between the extension direction of a single cell channel 3 and the axial direction of the base roller 1. By arranging the cell channels 3 at different angles in the first and second directions, the ink mixes and overlaps at the intersection points on the surface of the anilox roller, which improves the fluidity of the ink on the surface of the anilox roller, reduces resistance and viscosity, and facilitates uniform ink distribution and rapid transfer.

[0045] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the opening rate of the mesh 5 is 15% to 30%, that is, the opening rate is equal to the mesh opening diameter / mesh depth. The number of meshes (lines) and mesh volume per unit length can be adjusted within a certain range by laser engraving, which can reasonably control the amount of ink transferred, promote the uniform distribution of ink on the surface of the anilox roller, reduce the occurrence of spots, and effectively improve the printing quality.

[0046] To avoid uneven coating caused by changes in the volume of mesh 5, preferably, the high point 3b of the mesh is a planar structure. The small protrusions on the surface that exceed the opening diameter of the base roller 1 are ground flat to form a planar high point, which avoids excessive wear of the doctor blade. At the same time, it can make slight adjustments to the volume of mesh 5, effectively preventing initial changes in the volume of mesh 5.

[0047] This invention also provides a manufacturing process for a laser-engraved ceramic anilox roller structure. The basic steps are as follows: First, a base roller 1 is fabricated, and its surface is sandblasted. The base roller 1 can be either a shaft type or a sleeve type. Sandblasting roughens the surface of the base roller to increase the bonding strength between the roller surface and the coating. Next, a plasma spraying method is used to spray coating onto the surface of the base roller 1 to form a coating 2. High-hardness chromium oxide powder is melted using a plasma flame and sprayed onto the pre-treated roller substrate surface at a speed close to the speed of sound. The resulting coating 2 typically has a thickness of 0.2-0.35 mm. Using our company's spraying system, we can obtain a dense coating with very few defects (pores, interlayer voids, etc.) and a porosity ≤3%, suitable for laser engraving.

[0048] After grinding and polishing the surface of coating 2, several tiny meshes 5 are processed on the surface of coating 2 by laser engraving, and finally a mesh structure is formed on the surface of base roller 1. The roller is fixed on a precision machine tool, and the surface of the ceramic coating is ground and polished by rotating the roller. Then, laser pulse is used for engraving. Generally, one rotation and one pulse form a tiny pit (mesh). The rotation of the roller and the conveying of the machine tool are controlled by a special computer in micrometers to control the engraving position, so as to control the engraving accuracy.

[0049] Finally, the engraved coating 2 surface is ground and polished using a diamond abrasive belt. This process removes tiny protrusions on the surface and slightly adjusts the mesh volume to the final specification value. It also prevents initial fluctuations in the mesh volume and effectively avoids excessive wear on the doctor blade.

[0050] Those skilled in the art should understand that this invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to this invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the invention as claimed. The scope of protection of this invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A laser-engraved ceramic anilox roller structure, characterized in that, include: The base roller, the coating attached to the surface of the base roller, and the textured structure engraved on the surface of the coating; The textured structure includes at least one set of multiple mesh channels arranged inclined along a first direction, and the multiple mesh channels in the same set are equally spaced along the axial direction of the base roller; The mesh openings within the mesh channel are evenly spaced along the trajectory of the mesh channel. The cross-section of each mesh opening is disc-shaped, and after melting between two adjacent mesh openings, a flow channel is formed for ink to pass through. The distance between the lowest points of two adjacent meshes is greater than the opening radius of a single mesh and less than the opening diameter of a single mesh. After melting between two adjacent meshes, a recasting edge is formed, and the middle part of the recasting edge is concave downward, which can guide the flow and distribution of ink in the two adjacent meshes on the surface of the anilox roller. The mesh structure also includes a set of multiple mesh channels arranged obliquely along the second direction; The plurality of anilox channels along the first direction intersect with the plurality of anilox channels along the second direction, forming a low point at the intersection, and the ends of the plurality of recasting edges converge to form a high point. The high point of the anilox is planar, and the intersection of high and low points is formed in the anilox channels, which can provide multi-layer ink storage space for the anilox roller.

2. The laser-engraved ceramic anilox roller structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mesh structure is created using high-energy laser engraving technology.

3. The laser-engraved ceramic anilox roller structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second direction is an angle of -49 degrees between the extension direction of a single mesh channel and the axial direction of the base roller.

4. The laser-engraved ceramic anilox roller structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first direction is an angle of +45 degrees between the extension direction of a single mesh channel and the axial direction of the base roller.

5. The laser-engraved ceramic anilox roller structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mesh opening ratio is 15% to 30%.

6. A manufacturing process for a laser-engraved ceramic anilox roller structure as described in any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Fabricate the base roller and sandblast its surface; The coating is formed by spraying the paint onto the surface of the base roller using plasma spraying. After grinding and polishing the coating surface, a number of tiny meshes are processed on the coating surface by laser engraving, ultimately forming a mesh structure on the base roller surface; The engraved coating surface is ground and polished using a diamond abrasive belt.

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