Consumables
Strong demand for TRESUs flexo process controls from label and packaging printers at Labelexpo Americas 2016
Friday 07. October 2016 - At Labelexpo Americas, TRESU Groups automated flexo ancillary solutions were met with enthusiasm from the regions label and wider-web packaging printers, who saw the companys offering as an important means of improving productivity and efficiency in the print workflow.
TRESUs booth highlights included ink supply systems, chamber doctor blades and chilling units that automatically regulate ink and coating circulation, thereby boosting quality and machine uptime. TRESUs chamber doctor blades, especially when combined with the companys F10 iCon ink supply system, provide an enclosed, automatic means of controlling flow rate, pressure, viscosity, from bucket to anilox roll. Resulting benefits include reduced ink and substrate waste, uniform print quality, increased press speeds, shorter cleaning times and reduced emissions.
Scott Hibbs, president, TRESU Americas, comments: “A major challenge for label and packaging printers is to guard margins and drive waste out of the workflow as run lengths decrease and maintain repeatable quality. The answer is to control processes through automation. At TRESU, we specialize in providing turnkey solutions for controlling the entire flexo process, through upgrading the chambers, ink systems, temperature control systems and dryers, as well as making the press compatible for different ink sets, driving more money to the bottom line.”
“We have strong engineering expertise, so we can offer control solutions that cover every flexo application, from labels to six-metre wide corrugated presses. Equally importantly, with our global agency network, we also have the right structure to offer retrofitting programmes smoothly, bringing printing presses – that in some cases have seen more than 15 years service – to the latest standards of productivity, process efficiency and quality.”
Growing sales network and increased focus on Latin America
TRESU is growing its sales and agency network globally. it has strengthened its presence in the Americas in the decade since its first operation, the Dallas, USA-based TRESU Royse facility opened. In 2016, TRESU also opened a new office in Mexico, run by regional sales manager Juan Carlos Mejía, who will be looking to further develop TRESUs agencies across Latin America.
The TRESU chamber doctor blade program covers all converting and coating applications. It ranges from closed-cassette chambers for label presses, to corrosion-resistant carbon fiber chambers in excess of 6000mm wide (236in) for corrugated board printing. The chambers rubber seal system prevents leakage and air contamination, thereby ensuring clean, blister-free print result with fast drying characteristics, better reflection and higher gloss values. When doctor blades need replacing, TRESUs patented clamping systems enable changeovers in less than two minutes.
At Labelexpo, there were many enquiries about wider web chambers. Hibbs comments: “There is a trend towards diversification, in terms of both product offering and print technologies. Some offer both label and flexible packaging; others combine both flexo and offset processes. Thats why at Labelexpo we saw interest from folding carton and flexible packaging converters, as well as from the narrow web sector.”
F10 iCon ink supply system automates flow and ink change cycles
TRESUs F10 iCon intelligent ink flow system provides pressure-controlled ink to the press at a consistent flow rate, according to predetermined parameters, with minimal supervision needed. This energy-efficient system also returns approximately 90 per cent of ink remaining in the press to the bucket after the production run. It also provides fast, thorough automatic cleaning of the chamber and hoses, completing a complete ink change cycle on all printing stations simultaneously within minutes. This results in significant consumption and changeover savings.
“TRESUs chamber doctor blade systems were featured and demonstrated on machines of several press manufacturers at the show,” said Hibbs. “This generated interest both from printers seeking new presses and those looking for upgrades of existing machines.”
Chilling and Temperature Control
Also highlighted at the show were TRESUs new intelligent iSeries chillers that offer an efficient control platform for cooling analog and digital presses as well as ink supply systems. The chillers interface directly with TRESUs Internal Diagnostic Monitoring System (IDMS) that instantly alerts TRESUs service department of any warnings or control setting disturbances. Each chiller features a unique, passcode-protected IP address to allow online remote diagnostics by TRESUs technical support team.