At Labelexpo Americas 2018, Tresu Group is showcasing complete ancillary solutions for automatically regulating ink circulation on flexo presses for more efficient label and carton board production. There is also information about its Flexo Innovator printing line for high-speed paperboard applications and coating systems for digital folding carton lines.

Tresu’s ancillary solutions, comprising chamber doctor blades and ink supply systems, provide enclosed, automatically controlled ink and coating circulation, resulting in clean print, uniform ink density, reductions in material waste and makeready times, and faster production speeds.

Making its debut at a Labelexpo series exhibition is the new FlexiPrint Reservoir SAVEink chamber doctor blade, for narrow-web flexo applications up to  31.5" (800mm) wide. Its integrated reservoir contains a large ink volume, making it ideal for application of normal and spot colors, as well as high ink transfer printing, without the need for a connected pump. Ink may be added manually without stopping the press, giving the system flexibility for long and short-run production.

The sealed chamber easily locks into place in seconds, so there is no risk of spilling or ink contamination. Doctor blades are in a pre-set position, without the need for further adjustment, ensuring optimal anilox contact with minimal wear. An automatic indicator shows when blade replacement is necessary.

Tresu’s chamber doctor blade systems maximize print quality, efficient ink use, and savings on waste. Using the company’s “Pressure Control Technology”, the chambers eliminate air contamination and microfoaming to ensure clean, uniform print on the substrate. A key feature of the technology is a long-life rubber seal system that provides an airtight enclosure, preventing leakage and enabling ink pressure to be maintained at consistently high levels. A liquid barrier forms between the rotating anilox cells and the chamber, preventing air from entering in the cells from transferring during production. The chamber doctor blades also feature fast, safe blade exchange as standard.

The chamber program is available for all widths from 7.28" to 236.22" (185mm to 6,000mm) and includes lightweight, corrosion-resistant carbon fiber and ceramic variants. They cover label, flexible packaging and paperboard printing and coating applications.

Another product highlight is the carbon-fiber MaxiPrint Concept chamber, in widths of 63" to 236.22" (1,600mm to 6,000mm). Its integrated cleaning nozzle with low-pressure water-shot mechanism efficiently cleans the chamber and anilox roll, fast, with minimal water loss.

In addition, Tresu supply systems automatically control flow, pressure level and color density, to provide consistent print quality without air contamination, and thorough, fast, simultaneous chamber-cleaning. As part of the automatic cleaning, a very large proportion of the unused ink can be returned to the bucket, resulting in significant long-term ink savings. The chambers can be retrofitted as an upgrade of existing equipment.

Tresu’s F10 iCon ink supply system, suitable for inks of standard viscosity, provides a complete chamber cleaning and ink change cycle taking between 5 and 15 minutes. Information on Tresu’s full range of coating circulators and conditioners for higher viscosity applications are available at the booth.