Roll Up Your Sleeves

Heated solutions with a ph similar to that of inks aim to dissolve away inks and other dirt. Up to three rolls can be submerged and rotated in Flexo Wash's enclosed units, explains Rasmussen. Cleaning takes five to ten minutes, and then a high-pressure spray of water finishes the job.

Rasmussen says rolls can be left in the solution for an hour, even overnight, without fear of cell wall damage. In addition, units are small enough to be installed right next to the press, encouraging higher cleaning frequencies. The heated solution method is also claimed a safe haven for 1,500 line screens, and is moving into wider-web applications. Unit costs range from $5,000 to $40,000, depending on roll size and custom configurations.