For one label and film packaging manufacturer, what started as a single small printing press in the backyard has grown to a 75,000 sq.-ft. production facility over the approximately 30 years of the company's history. In order to create and maintain value-driven partnerships with customers across the country, the company needed to constantly adapt to changing customer needs. Flexibility is a key component to the manufacturer’s success, seen in the company’s business philosophy and its actual line of work known as flexographic printing.
What is Flexographic Printing?
Flexographic (“flexo”) printing is a high-speed, high-quality printing process that uses flexible printing plates to print on materials such as plastic, acetate film, foil or brown paper. Typical applications include food packaging items like candy bar wrappers and disposable cups; or continuous pattern products such as gift wrap or wall paper. During the manufacturers’ nearly 30 years of production, the printing process has ranged from simple pressure sensitive labels to more complex projects like bottle wraps and multi-layer labels.
The Importance of Compressed Air to the Flexo Printing Process
Because flexo printing is such a technology-intensive industry, production equipment has to run at peak efficiency at all times. Because all of the manufacturers’ printing presses rely on compressed air for pneumatic control, production can be negatively affected if the compressed air system isn’t performing the way it should. Unfortunately, an outdated system with minimal output controls—one simple online/offline and the other modulation—meant the potential for production stoppages was becoming greater all the time. Oil and water was being found downstream, the machines were leaking oil and the former service provider wasn’t providing the service the company needed.
When the company decided to move into food-grade labeling and packaging, they realized they would need clean, quality air and the old equipment wasn’t going to cut it. With business opportunities increasing in the food packaging industry, the company decided it was time for an upgrade.
MBox Study Reveals Opportunities for Improved Production Efficiency
Before the manufacturer could say “out with the old and in with the new” compressed air equipment, an MBox data logging study was performed to determine how much air was being produced and where it was being used. Analysis of the data revealed a number of opportunities to improve production efficiency and air quality while also reducing electrical consumption. The study revealed that substantial energy savings could be achieved with an air compressor that adjusts the production of compressed air in real time to match the demand.
An additional source of energy savings was also identified in the air distribution system. As bits and pieces of piping were added over time, the inadequate network was making the compressors produce air at 110 PSI just to get 80 PSI at the point of use. The company was essentially making more air than they needed and paying for the waste.
The solution? Because of the varying demand of the flexo printing process, Atlas Copco recommended a GA 55 VSD full feature compressor with integrated refrigerated dryer, an oil/water separator, inline PD and DD filtration, a 1,500 gallon storage tank and AIRnet modular piping.
Stay Tuned…
Check back next week to learn about the myriad of benefits the manufacturer is now receiving post compressed air equipment upgrade.
