Heidelberg’s advice on press machinery maintenance during the lockdown

Heidelberg India has released guidance on how the press machinery can be effectively maintained and kept in perfect condition during the Coronavirus lockdown.

01 Apr 2020 | By Noel D'Cunha

Upendra Rajadnya of Heidelberg India

“Like most enterprises, print production has come to a standstill. While equipment can ‘rest’, we cannot let it ‘rust’,” said, Upendra Rajadnya, territory manager for lifecycle operations at Heidelberg India.

There could be a need to maintain the machinery for purposes such as security, compliance as well as insurance implications. Rajadnya “These maintenance decisions normally would have been planned over a specific period of time, but now they have to be done within days because they are idle.”

Rajadnya has shared a step-by-step process (see box below) for maintaining critical parts of the press machinery during the period when it is not in operation. “These are tips which will make it easy for businesses to get presses up and running again when the situation returns to normal.”

CoronaVirus or Covid-19 has led to a nationwide lockdown, threatening life and economy. “Let us rise in unison to break and beat Covid-19. Kindly co-operate and support the lockdown, by not stepping out of your homes. And for those who are in essential services operation, please implement recommended safety measures in the offices and shop-floors, thereby ensuring that both you and your colleagues remain unaffected of the epidemic,” concluded Rajadnya.

Precautions to be taken during lockdown

General Maintenance:

  • Clean rollers and apply roller lubricant. Use machine oil, if roller lubricant is unavailable.
  • Clean ink ducts.
  • Drain Dampening Solution-tank and intermediate tank.
  • Clean roller wash-up tank, Apply roller lubricant on rubber tip.
  • Clean machine oil-drip tray.
  • Keep the machine area, and DS platform spick and span.
  • Remove flammable chemicals and put back in storage
  • Dispose of all waste rags after cleaning.
  • Park Feeder pile/ Delivery pile at the bottom.
  • Keep the Feeder/Delivery/Infeed free from dust and lubricate pile chain.
  • Clean Impression cylinder and apply a thin coat of oil.
  • Safeguard the machine from dust, and rats/rodents with a protective covering.
  • Install traditional/glue mouse-traps in the production room.
  • Grease gripper bars and apply a thin coat of oil on gripper shafts.
  • Ensure that printing hand pallet trucks are parked in the proper position.
  • Check input voltage levels with the support of an electrical professional before powering on the press.
     

Cleaning Coating-Unit (Water-base Solvents):

  • Circulate lukewarm water for 30-40 Minutes.
  • Clean printing rollers (Metering & form), and coating-pan tray.
     

Cleaning Coating-Units (UV Inks & Coatings):

  • Circulate IPA for 30-45 Minutes
  • Clean Doctor Blade chamber. Replace Doctor blade and end seals when necessary — this will prevent chamber leaks and anilox roll damage.
     

Special Care for Coating Unit Impression Cylinder gripper:

  • Clean and Keep cylinder grippers lubricated.
  • Grease the gripper shaft and cam followers. Only UV grease to be used on UV machine grippers.
     

Blankets and Plates:

  •  Clean all plate cylinders and blankets, and apply a thin coat of oil.

 

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