The Anilox is an essential engraved roller in flexographic printing machines, it plays a crucial role in ensuring uniform ink application. Its main function is to meter and transfer a controlled amount of ink to the printing plate, which then prints onto the substrate (the print medium).
Each anilox roller is engraved with millions of tiny cells or dimples, usually made of ceramic or metal, and their size and depth determine the amount of ink they can hold and release. This directly impacts the quality of the print, whether it is color density, sharpness, or uniform coverage. The finer and more numerous the cells, the more precise the ink application will be, but limited in volume, which is suitable for high quality prints with fine details. Conversely, larger cells are often preferred for more intense solid colors.
Proper Anilox roller selection and regular maintenance are essential to maintain print quality and avoid ink defects. Ceramic Anilox rollers are often preferred for their durability and chemical resistance, increasing their longevity.
Quality
Developing an anilox is a matter of high precision and quality control at every step of the process.
A thorough inspection is carried out in the field to provide the best possible quality roll. This involves matching each unit in terms of variation and quality, in accordance with the standard operating procedures in force for each function.
FRAME Hexagon 60 degrees
Application: Flexo printing
Coating For general flexo printing, printing
flexible, packaging printing
T echnologies
Applied Laser Engineering ( ALE ) is a key player in the field of laser engraving technologies for anilox rolls and engraved cylinders, used in flexographic, gravure and embossing applications. Founded in the UK, ALE is renowned for its advanced laser engraving machines, which create precise and varied cell structures on the surfaces of anilox rolls, contributing to fine ink transfer management.
Features and Benefits of ALE Technologies
1.Precision and Consistency of Engraving: ALE uses high-precision lasers to engrave uniform cells, providing consistency that is essential for optimal ink transfer. Rollers engraved with ALE machines ensure consistent ink distribution, which is essential for high-quality prints.
2.Variety of Cell Configurations: ALE machines allow for the creation of different types of engravings (hexagonal, linear, pyramidal, etc.), adapted to the specificities of the printing. For example, hexagonal cells are often preferred for uniform coverage in flexography, while other geometries may be preferred for particular printing effects.
3. Application Flexibility: ALE technologies are used for engraving anilox rolls for a wide range of industries, including flexible packaging, label printing, wallpaper, and even some textile or embossing applications. The precision of the engraving allows for adaptation to various inks and viscosities, making the engraved rolls compatible with UV, solvent-based, or aqueous inks.
4.Durability and Resistance: The engraving carried out by ALE is often applied on a ceramic layer, which makes the anilox rollers very resistant to wear, even with aggressive chemicals or in high intensity processes.
5. Innovation and Numerical Control: ALE is renowned for its numerically controlled engraving machines, which allow for millimeter precision and a high level of repeatability. These computerized systems offer advanced customization options, making it easy to adapt engraving parameters according to specific needs.
FRAME 75 degree hexagon
Application: UV printing
Strong and small fonts,
Pinhole Reduction
The volume is larger than hexagon but its flow capacity is not as good, suitable for printing on low viscosity cardboard
Sulzer Metco (now part of the Oerlikon Metco Group after its acquisition by Oerlikon in 2014) is a company specializing in surface coating technologies, particularly for demanding industrial applications. Sulzer Metco is best known for its thermal spray solutions, a process that involves applying a metallic, ceramic or composite coating to a surface to improve its properties, such as resistance to wear, corrosion or heat.
Sulzer Metco Key Technologies
Thermal Spray : Sulzer Metco is a leader in thermal spray technologies, including plasma, high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF), arc-wire and flame spray processes. These processes deposit a finely molten or semi-molten material onto a surface, creating a dense, adherent coating. Thermal coatings are used in a variety of industries, including aerospace, automotive, power generation and industrial protective coatings.
Ceramic Coatings for Anilox Rolls : One of Sulzer Metco’s important applications in the printing industry is the supply of ceramic coatings for anilox rolls. These coatings provide high resistance to wear and chemicals, essential for maintaining the quality of the cells engraved on anilox rolls used in flexography. The ceramic coating applied by thermal spraying produces precise and uniform cells, suitable for laser engraving for improved consistency of ink application.
Anti-corrosion and high-temperature resistant coatings : Sulzer Metco technologies are widely used to protect components exposed to extreme conditions, such as turbines, exhaust systems, or engines. These coatings reduce maintenance costs by increasing the service life of critical parts.
Repair and Restoration Solutions : In addition to protective coatings, Sulzer Metco offers technologies to repair worn or damaged parts. The thermal spray process restores precise dimensions and tolerances to expensive parts, such as engine parts, without replacing them.
Innovations and Benefits
Sulzer Metco is distinguished by its approach to continuous innovation and its offer of tailor-made solutions. Their coatings are often designed to meet the specific needs of each industry, with exclusive material formulations to maximize performance depending on the application.
Since its integration into Oerlikon Metco, the company continues to develop new solutions in surface coating, combining its expertise in thermal spraying with Oerlikon's innovations in advanced materials and manufacturing processes.
FRAME Channel
Application :
UV varnishing
Low flow ink
It breaks the wall and allows you to obtain
circumferential flow, in case of high flow capacity requirements, the cell is very rarely used, because if not used correctly, the slurry layer can cause lines between the roller and the doctor blades.
FRAME Reverse
Application :
Glue application
opening
Trihelical FRAME
Application :
For the coating of lithium battery membranes. Reverberation coating is the most suitable.
Micro-etched coating for small diameters, because it has very good flow capacity
if applied with a larger diameter,
the thickness of the coating is not uniform.
TRIPLE S FRAME
Application :
Coating
It is about 1.3 times the BCM of the normal 60 degree hexagon.
For high viscosity inks,
Allows to obtain higher LPI with the same BCM.
If the viscosity is not well controlled, the anilox roll looks good, but the printed substrate is not compliant.
Anilox looks ok, but the printed substrate may have ink buildup at the cell curve, not a good choice for large solid areas.
UV-2 frame
Application :
UV printing
This is an improved version of the hexagonal cell.
suitable for higher viscosity UV inks, BCM
similar to hexagonal cell, more suitable for high speed printing on anilox sleeve, such as
W&H CI flexo machine.
UV-1
Application :
UV printing
For cardboard printing it can achieve high BCM values,
cm3/m2, and about 280-300LPI, to achieve better ink release and reduce cell blocking, printing more vivid colors, because the paperboard is very absorbent, porous, many textures, and also to avoid squeegee lines caused by vibration.
Quadrangular frame
Application :
Coating
Little used, not recommended;
For a very simple coating in the same area,
its quantity of cells is about 15% lower than that of the hexagon
Only for very coarse and rough printing
