The anilox roll is often considered the heartbeat of the pressroom. They are a major contributor to high quality and productivity or, in turn can be a direct cause of print defects and machine downtime. They also represent a large investment by the company. Many problems can be avoided and money saved with a well-maintained and organized anilox roll inventory.
An inventory board, (preferably magnetic) listing of all the anilox rolls in the pressroom inventory, should be located in an area that is accessible to all the personnel that work in the pressroom. This board should list each roll individually with the cell count, volume, and identification number. These rolls should be listed under the press they are used for and with the date the roll was returned after rework. An example is shown below:
| Rolls on Press |
| Press 52 |
Press 53 |
Press 54 |
52-6
300-6.0
12/00 |
53-9
600-2.7
03/01 |
54-3
300-6.0
04/00 |
52-1
250-8.0
02/01 |
53-6
250-8.0
08/01 |
54-9
220-9.0
11/00 |
| Rolls Out to be Reworked |
| Press 52 |
Press 53 |
Press 54 |
52-7
250-8.0 |
|
54-8
250-8.0 |
In this example, "52-6" means roll number 6 for press number 52, a 300lpi - 6.0 vol. anilox roll, purchased in December of 2000.
The anilox rolls should have an identification number, cell count and volume stamped on them in an area that is easy to read in and out of the press. It is very important to eliminate any old markings on the rolls to eliminate any confusion.
It could also be beneficial to paint the ends of the journals to enhance the identification of the roller. Example: all 600 line rolls are yellow, 300 line rolls are red etc. This color-coding helps eliminate installing the incorrect roll, and makes it easier and quicker to identify a roll in the press especially in the upper decks. Take extra care as not to get paint on the journals.
The anilox roll bearing should be cleaned and stored in oil when not in use and inspected prior to installing. Consideration should be given to having back up bearings and gears to reduce make ready times by having the roll pre-geared.
Anilox rolls should be stored in a two-arm rack with a half-inch clearance on each side of the roll. This allows the majority of the weight to rest on the thicker part of the journal rather than the ends of the journal. Any roll deemed unusable should have a red tag.
All anilox rolls should have protective covers on them at all times. This includes the rolls on the prepress rack, prepress cart as well as the rollers in the press decks that are vacant. It is important to cover the rolls in the vacant decks due to the fact that foreign objects can fall and damage the rolls. Covers will also protect against overflows from production runs and cleanups that can stain the rolls. Several anilox protective covers could be purchased for the cost of having one roll reworked.
Attempt to achieve your required levels of print quality with a limited number of cell counts and volumes. This practice can reduce confusion, improve consistency, and leave the pressroom with a larger number of back-up rolls.
In an effort to reduce valuable press downtime the implementation of a preventative maintenance schedule for anilox cleaning and volume test procedures is imperative.
