08/2009
The new A – Combat: Non-Stop printing for pharmaceutical aluminium blisters.

Nuova GIDUE delivered in August 2009 a special version of it’s famous Combat flexographic line for the production of aluminium blisters for the pharmaceutical industry. The press is equipped with a specially designed non-stop turret rewinder and unwinder, and a newly designed flexographic printing head for the production of aluminium foil. The most critical issues for the specific substrate which were considered in the project are the following:



Tension control: aluminium foil is a very stiff substrate which is very sensitive to web handling and tension control.



• A new tension management software has been designed to provide a fast and self-learning response to the major internal tension issues of the substrate.

• A special multi-nip tension system has been implemented on the press to smoothly “transport” the web through the press.

• Accurate “free” moving and easily adjustable anti-wrinkles devices have been designed to avoid any possible disturbance on the web path



Printing quality: the graphics on pharmaceutical industry are quite demanding. Even a simple one colour job can be critical as most of the graphics are showing long intermittent horizontal stripes, which create a dangerous bumping effect on the plate cylinder and a consequent affected printing quality. dddd



• The locking mechanism on the print head has been fully redesigned to allow total non reversibility of the print cylinder.

• The print cylinder has been totally redesigned to avoid any possible effect of vibrations (new bearers, shafts, locking and tolerance free mounting procedures) through a sturdy and un-flexible configuration.



Printing length: due to the blister application, printing length accuracy is a main issue.



• A substantial increased accuracy in length control has been achieved even without any automatic register control device, by focusing on the tension control and web transport technology.



Register control: no register mark is allowed on edge trims in pharmaceutical printing



• A completely new cylinder-to-cylinder register control has been developed which greatly reduces the effects of tension instability of the most critical aluminium foils.



Non – Stop productivity: aluminium needs a strong and adjustable tension and a stable structure.



• The automatic unwinder and rewinder and web transport are designed with a robust double frame structure.

• Each unwinding and rewinding shaft is equipped with an adjustable servo-motor with multiple tension control adjustments.



The A-Combat is a full-servo UV equipped press, with servo unwind shaft, infeed, print cylinders, impression cylinders, outfeed, rewind shafts; to guarantee perfect temperature control and web transport it is equipped with driven high-diameter chilled drums and a special temperature control which guarantees an accuracy of 0.5°C. to avoid any temperature disturbance on the aluminium web.



The A-Combat press is delivered to one of the most reputed European based printing company specialized in the production of pharmaceutical aluminium blisters. The name of the company cannot be unveiled for commercial privacy purposes. Nuova GIDUE S.r.l. manufactures flexographic and offset printing and converting machines for the label and packaging industry, through a worldwide network of distributors and service points. hola

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