Cleaning Process

How does the cleaning process work/ what is the "90/10 Max 5" rule?
The cleaning process is really a two-step process.

The first step is a thorough soaking of the roll. The purpose of this step is to soften the built up and
hardened inks and resins that are contained in the cells of the anilox roll. The resins are the most
difficult to soften because they dry very hard and clear. Many times operators will think that the roll
is clean because they cannot see anything in the cells, but in fact they may still be plugged. Rolls that
have not been in use and have sat on the shelves for months/ years will take longer to soak than rolls
that are used daily (the resins will be drier and harder to soften in the unused rolls).

The second step is a brief application of ultrasonics. This should be limited to no more than 5
minutes at a time. If you turn on the ultrasonics and do not see an immediate camouflaging taking
place on the roll, then you haven't soaked the roll long enough. Go back to the first step and soak the
roll some more. If the camouflaging is taking place, you can speed up the process by scrubbing the
roll with the rubber block that is provided. After the camouflaging has cleared away, remove the roll
from the system, rinse the roll and then you can place it back in production. The "90/10 Max 5" rule
can be described as follows: 90% soaking, 10% ultrasonics with no more than 5 minutes of
ultrasonics at a time.

How long will the cleaning process take?
The cleaning process will vary with many factors including: has the roll ever been cleaned before,
how dirty is the roll, when was the roll last used, and when was the roll last cleaned.
For first time cleanings, expect the cleaning time to last at least an hour.
For subsequent cleanings, the cleaning time should be reduced to 10 to 15 minutes.
These stated times will vary depending upon the factors identified above.

How do ultrasonic cleaning processes differ from blasting processes?
In its simplest terms, the two processes can be compared to those of a vacuum cleaner and a sand
blaster.
Ultrasonics uses a sound wave technology that creates air bubbles in the cleaning solution that will
form within the cells of the anilox roll. The ultrasonics will then implode or collapse the air bubbles
which in effect pulls the debris and contents of the cells from the roll. It is in effect a vacuuming
process.
The blasting processes are similar to sand blasting. The process shoots a medium (typically fine
granular plastic or baking soda) at the roll under a very high rate of pressure. The force of the
medium hitting the dried on inks and resins then chips away at the unwanted debris.