Challenge

In a bid to improve operator accessibility, safety and productivity, Edale incorporated Cole-Parmer’s modular pump system into their innovative servo driven flexographic printing.

Edale Ltd is a successful UK manufacturer of specialised narrow web printing and converting machinery. Their state-of-the-art servo driven flexographic printing and converting system, the Edale Gamma, is designed to ensure high speed changeovers, minimum wastage, and minimum downtime.

Bobruisk IPH Nepogodin, one of the oldest full-service printing houses in the Republic of Belarus, were introduced to this innovative system in 2011 and became the first company in Belarus to own a servo driven press.

Solution

To assist their customer in their desired machine specification, Edale reached out to Cole-Parmer for an engineered solution that would be suitable to pump ink and fit with the modular eight-colour 430mm wide Edale Gamma system. The Gamma requires a relatively low – but adjustable - flow rate, as only a small amount of ink is required to be pumped into the ink tray before being picked up by the print rollers. An important consideration is that certain colour inks are more viscous than others, and that the pump should be able to cope with long print runs.

Previously Edale have used ink pump units with the motor and controls built in, but in this case the customer wanted to improve accessibility and operator safety, and requested to position the pump control unit next to the print station touch screen.

Cole-Parmer’s Fluid Handling Specialist identified the Masterflex® L/S® Variable-Speed Modular Drives and Masterflex® L/S® Easy-Load® II Pump Heads for High-Performance Precision Tubing as most suitable for this application.

This robust modular pump system is suitable for a shop floor environment, offers variable flow rates, can cope with the changing viscosity and most importantly, enabled Edale to separate the motor and controller. This satisfied Bobruisk Integrated Printing House’s request to put the controls at the front of their new printing system.

Outcome

As Bobruisk IPH Nepogodin celebrates the ownership of the first servo driven press in Belarus, they are gaining some press of their own through media coverage of their enhanced operation. In turn, Edale Ltd is proud to serve their customer and pleased that Cole-Parmer offered a satisfying fluid handling solution that brought it all together.