Water-Based Varnish Anilox Roller Coating for Offset Press

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing web-fed rotary offset printing presses require complex and costly equipment for drying heatset paints, including dryers and cooling devices, which increases operational expenses and environmental hazards due to the use of volatile organic compounds.

Innovation Solution

A web-fed rotary offset printing press with a varnishing unit using water-based varnish and anilox rollers that apply a coating in a way that the paint dries by absorption, eliminating the need for downstream dryers and reducing equipment complexity, while ensuring minimal environmental impact.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If heatset paints are used with UV or infrared dryers, then drying effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and operational costs increase due to required cooling devices and high energy consumption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrying effectivenessVSAvoidequipment complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the dryer and cooling device from the printing press system by using paints that dry through absorption by the substrate itself, rather than through external thermal processing. This removes the complex thermal management equipment while maintaining effective drying.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The substrate serves its own drying function by absorbing the liquid components of the paint through its inherent porosity and capillary action, eliminating the need for external dryer equipment. The substrate's own properties are utilized to achieve the drying effect.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If heatset paints with volatile organic compounds are used, then drying speed is improved, but environmental hazards increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrying speedVSAvoidenvironmental hazards
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the paint system by using water-based or solvent-free formulations instead of traditional heatset paints containing volatile organic compounds. This substitution maintains drying functionality through absorption while eliminating harmful emissions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the previously harmful volatile organic compounds into beneficial water-based or solvent-free formulations that dry through absorption. The substrate's absorption capability, which might be seen as a limitation for fast drying, becomes the advantageous mechanism for environmentally friendly paint drying.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Device complexity

If water-based paints are used that dry by absorption, then device complexity is reduced by eliminating dryers, but coating precision must be carefully controlled

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveequipment complexityVSAvoidcoating precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback control through the substrate's own absorption characteristics, which naturally regulate the drying process. The substrate absorbs paint at a rate determined by its porosity and capillary structure, providing self-regulating precision without requiring complex control systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes the porous structure of the substrate as the primary mechanism for paint application and drying control. The porosity and capillary action of the substrate material provide inherent precision in paint absorption and distribution, eliminating the need for complex coating control equipment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution reduces operational costs, minimizes environmental hazards, and maintains high-quality printing with improved gloss and contrast without the need for additional drying equipment, allowing for faster production speeds and easier maintenance.

Implementation Method 1

The coating is applied in such a way that the paint dries by absorption

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 2

a water-based paint, which dries by absorbing the liquid portion of the paint into the printing material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP2416964B1Roller rotary offset printing press and method of using a roller rotary offset printing press
Publication Date: 2018.01.03 KOENIG & BAUER AG
  • EP2416964B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~2b
  • EP2416964B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~4b
  • EP2416964B1 patent drawingFigure 5a~8

AI summary

The invention relates to a roller rotary offset printing press having at least one coating unit (01) and at least one printing unit (11), wherein the coating unit comprises at least one chamber blade (03) comprising a water-based coating and at least one anilox roller (02), wherein the coating unit is arranged along a transport path of a print stock downstream of the at least one printing unit of the roller rotary offset printing press and wherein at least one pair of two rollers is arranged that together form a coating gap and wherein at least one roller of said at least one pair is in contact with the at least one anilox roller and wherein the conveyed volume at least on one part of the shell surface of the at least one anilox roller is filled by an amount of coating, the mass of which based on this part of the shell surface of the at least one anilox roller, minus a water portion, equals on average a maximum of 4 g/m2. A blanket having several layers can be placed or is placed on at least one roller of the coating unit.