Best Practices: Die, Anvil and Cylinder Care and Maintenance
Flexible dies, much like magnetic cylinders, should be stored in their original boxes, Wilks says. But another best practice he has observed in the field is the use of large plastic bags. Dies are placed in these bags, which are then hung on a rack and can be categorized for easy identification.
“The plastic bag does a number of things,” Wilks says. “One, it protects the knife surface because the plastic itself is fairly thick, and second, it keeps moisture away. If it rains outside and the humidity inside the plant goes up, the dies are all packed inside plastic bags. They’re dry and not exposed to the air.”
Cory Francer is an Analyst with NAPCO Research, where he leads the team’s coverage of the dynamic and growing packaging market. Cory also is the former editor-in-chief of Packaging Impressions and is still an active contributor to its print magazines, blogs, and events. With a decade of experience as a professional journalist and editor, Cory brings an eye for storytelling to his packaging research, providing compelling insight into the industry's most pressing business issues. He is an active participant in many of the industry's associations and has played an essential role in the development of the annual Digital Packaging Summit. Cory can be reached at cfrancer@napco.com
