Anilox rollers require consistent cleaning and maintenance. Printing is a messy business, and your roller will naturally acquire dirt, dried ink and other contaminants that can decrease your printer’s efficiency.
However, you cannot use guesswork to clean your rollers. It would be best to have a consistent plan to keep your anilox roll clean. See below for some anilox roller cleaning tips if you own a printing business.
Use Approved Cleaners
If you use regular household cleaner, you risk damaging the ceramic coating on your roller. Purchase the correct anilox roll cleaner to ensure you keep your roller in good shape. Depending on the amount of printing you do, you will want to periodically perform a deep clean with chemical cleaners.
Perform Daily Cleanings
Although you should not use chemical cleaners on your anilox roll every day, you should perform less corrosive cleaning and wipe downs every day. After every use, your roller collects ink and dirt in the cells. At least once a day, clean this off to prevent blockage. Again, be cautious with the materials you use to avoid damaging your roll.
Buy Anilox Brushes
When you perform your daily cleaning, you should use the proper brushes. You will want to purchase an anilox brush designed specifically for your machine. Ceramic anilox rolls use stainless steel brushes. If you have a chrome roller, you need to buy a brass brush. Using the proper tools will make your daily cleaning much more manageable.
Schedule Maintenance Trips
Occasionally, you should send in your anilox roll to get an inspection by a professional. Your manufacturer should give you a good idea for a maintenance schedule. If they do not do the cleaning, they should recommend someone for you.
Printing companies that do not perform regular maintenance on their anilox rolls experience reduced quality and significant downtime from their machines not running correctly. Contact your manufacturer today about scheduling maintenance, and do your daily cleaning.
