Twin Flexographic Printing Units for Continuous Job Changes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional web-fed printing machines, particularly flexographic printing machines, face inefficiencies in job changes and color changes, resulting in significant downtime and waste production due to the need to stop the printing operation and the generation of unusable printed web sections during these processes.
Innovation Solution
A printing machine with twin flexographic printing units forming duplex stations, each equipped with two impression cylinders and a dryer, allowing for continuous operation and easy job changes without stopping the machine, as well as the use of different dryer systems like UV, IR, or hot air for efficient ink curing and minimizing waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If conventional web-fed printing machines are used with inline construction and multiple process planes, then the printing machine can perform various printing and processing operations, but the length of web present in the machine is considerable resulting in significant waste
Solution Approach 1:
The printing machine is divided into multiple independent printing units (first printing unit, second printing unit, third printing unit) that can be selectively activated or deactivated. This segmentation allows the operator to use only the necessary printing units for a specific print job, thereby reducing the length of web present in the machine and minimizing waste while maintaining the capability to perform various printing operations.
2Productivity
If sleeves are changed in conventional printing machines by moving axes to a change position, then fast print job changes are enabled, but the printing operation must be stopped resulting in reduced performance and creation of unusable products
Solution Approach 1:
The printing machine is equipped with multiple printing units that can be pre-configured with different sleeves. While one printing unit is actively printing, another printing unit can be prepared with the next set of sleeves or parameters. This preliminary preparation allows for rapid job changes without stopping the printing operation, thereby maintaining high productivity and eliminating the creation of unusable products during standstill periods.
Solution Approach 2:
By having multiple printing units that can be selectively activated, the machine maintains continuous printing operation during job changes. When a printing unit needs to change parameters or sleeves, another printing unit can take over the printing task, ensuring that the useful action of printing continues without interruption and without generating waste from stopped operations.
3Ease of operation
If multiple printing units are disposed in a plane accessible to the operator, then ease of operation is improved, but the machine length and web waste increase
Solution Approach 1:
The printing machine features a selective activation mechanism that allows the operator to dynamically enable or disable individual printing units based on the specific print job requirements. This dynamic control allows the operator to access and configure multiple printing units in a convenient plane while using only the necessary number of units for each job, thereby maintaining ease of operation while minimizing the web length present in the machine and reducing waste.
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
Enables fast and efficient job changes with reduced downtime and waste production, allowing for continuous printing and flexible operation by activating or deactivating printing units on-the-fly and using hybrid drying systems for effective ink curing.
Implementation Method 1
The use of different dryer systems like UV, IR, or hot air for efficient ink curing
Implementation Method 2
The use of different dryer systems like UV, IR, or hot air for efficient ink curing
Implementation Method 3
The use of different dryer systems like UV, IR, or hot air for efficient ink curing
Data Source
AI summary
A printing machine for printing on a printing substrate web includes a plurality of inline flexographic printing units which are disposed in a plane accessible to an operator of the machine. Each one of the two flexographic printing units of a respective duplex printing station includes a respective impression cylinder and a dryer disposed between the two impression cylinders along a path of web travel of the web of printing substrate. A method of operating the printing machine is also provided.