Bankrollers

Anilox roll in anufacturers are investing for now and later, while cleaning technologies take on tomorrow's higher line counts.

by Susan Friedman

A boy scout mentality pervades the anilox roll industry, where it could be said that the time-worn motto, "Be prepared," has definitely taken root.

The flood of recent facility expansions and equipment investments illustrates suppliers' collective decision to keep a ready hand in present and future roll manufacturing methods. As new coating and engraving philosophies continue to assert themselves, ruling a technology out too quickly could leave a manufacturer down and out.

CTS President Doug Collins explains anilox roll suppliers have to ask and answer a tough question—"Where is flexo going?"—before they can project future anilox roll technology trends. What makes prediction so tricky, says Collins, is that flexo is being pulled in so many developmental directions—namely UV, water-based, and printing applications that require both types of inks to work together. It all adds up to very diverse anilox roll needs. "We've become more of a job shop than a manufacturer," he adds.

The base issue for anilox suppliers continues to be whether to bet the farm on ceramic/laser engraving's success or take the middle ground by offering newer ceramic and older chrome roll technologies.

"Chrome rolls are not extinct, but laser probably has 80 percent of the market," says Brian Jacob, executive vice president, sales and marketing, at Pamarco, a company that just invested $2 million in a chrome plating system in 1999.

According to Jacob, chrome demand remains healthy for coating and applications requiring coarser cell patterns. Some customers try laser and return to chrome because they don't want to spend more for ceramic and then lose the roll to damage, he adds.

At ARC International, mechanically engraved rolls are primarily used by large corrugated customers, says President and CEO Mike Foran. To give typical chrome customers a taste of ceramic's enhanced quality potential, ARC released a hybrid roll technology last year that is plasma coated, laser engraved with mechanical engraving tolerances, and the same price as mechanically engraved rolls.

"Limitations of knurling technology continue to be the Achilles heel for chrome anilox technology, coupled with environmental concerns over hazardous waste disposal," says David Lanska, regional anilox sales manager for Stork Cellramic. "Nothing has occurred to change the underlying tenets which caused the industry to shift to ceramic in the first place."

Why do the majority of printers continue to roll out the red carpet for ceramic? Rein Memelink, marketing manager, Apex, sums up the benefits of these rolls as higher line count capabilities, the ability to handle the finer lines and low dot gain of CTP plates, longer life and longer-term ink transfer consistency.

"Projections of package printers utilizing laser engraved ceramic anilox cylinders have exceeded 98 percent for the past two to three years, with an estimated 100 percent usage within high quality process converters," says Greg Haley, executive vice president at Interflex. Haley cites refinements in cell geometry, predictability, and consistency as sales-driving forces. In addition, he notes, developments in the plasma application sequence have also improved the raw surface of ceramic rolls.

Maintaining ceramic's performance as quality demands rise has taken dollars and detective work. To meet needs for now-common 700 to1,000 line counts, ARC has invested $7 million in a new plant which incorporates coating and finishing processes that provide finer particle sizes and improved deposition rates for better surface hardness.

At Apex, a lead quality strategy is to eliminate the need for sealer by producing rolls with homogenous, compact ceramic coatings and a low porosity of less than one percent. "Since nothing is applied to the anilox rolls from the outside, nothing can be damaged by elements such as aggressive cleaners, thereby ensuring constant surface tension," Memelink explains.

Are alternatives to ceramic imminent? Haley says yes. He believes developments in surface application will lead to engravable cylinder bodies with non-plasma surfaces, which will provide a more durable, less fragile surface.

Leapin' lasers

Alternatives already abound within laser engraving, challenging suppliers to predict which type of laser will ultimately take precedence. Some have made a concerted financial commitment to YAG technology, while others favor proprietary methods.

According to Lanska, Stork Cellramic, which first introduced YAG technology, sees a place for both CO2 and YAG applications. "The CO2 laser is fine for metering applications with relatively low quality requirements. Print demands dictate when YAG takes over—such as precision dot placement with reduced gain, higher line counts with increased cell volume, and greater uniformity of ink coverage. As these demands are the future of flexo, we continue to see growth in the 900 to 1,500 line count range."

All four Pamarco plants received new YAG laser engraving systems at the beginning of 1999, relates Jacob, though CO2 capability is still maintained. Jacob contends YAG lasers provide more consistent, better defined cells, especially at 400 to 1,200 line screens. For 200 to 300 line counts, he says using YAG may take two to three times longer than CO2—which may not be worth YAG's higher price.

By contrast, CTS's Collins dismisses YAG for many applications. He contends the lasers have too small a beam to be productive for the anilox industry. CTS Industries has added $3.5 million of engraving, finishing, and other equipment over the past three years. CTS recently moved to a new facility with four proprietary types of laser engraving.

ARC maintains a standard and custom laser arsenal, utilizing its proprietary 150-watt, single-gas Opticell laser, which engraves a 25 to 30 micron wide cell for lower to mid-range line screens, as well as a 40-watt YAG laser, which engraves a 10-micron wide cell for higher line screens. Foran emphasizes YAG's major benefit remains the elimination of recast that can cause scoring. ARC most often uses YAG for 500 line screens, for which its speed enables competitive pricing.

Praxair Surface Technologies, too, is taking a two-pronged engraving approach, offering a proprietary, multi-step process that sculpts each cell by manipulating laser energy, resulting in a consistent cell shape and smooth cell walls that rival the appearance of mechanical engravings, says Michael McPherron, general manager of Praxair's North American printing business. Praxair also employs YAG technology to engrave rolls with screen counts exceeding 1,500 lines per inch.

Cell configurations, as well, could evolve in either a custom or standard direction—and here again greater profitability could lie in taking sides or keeping all options open. Foran, for one, sees the industry moving toward a more universal cell configuration for use on a broad range of work, while Haley sees more variation in the air. "The 60° hexagonal cell continues to be the workhorse of the flexo industry," he acknowledges. "At the same time, customized cell geometry continues to open new markets relative to specialty coating and lamination requirements and the general flexible packaging market."