Orem, UT-based Traco Packaging, a manufacturer of shrink label and sleeve printing, has added a new tool to its printing process to increase press uptime on its mid-web flexo line.

Gary Whitehead, the company’s print and prepress manager,  commented that cleaning ink stations on the Bobst M5 “has always been a laborious process.  Each ink station required separate cleaning of the ink tray and required extra time, solvent, and cleaning supplies.”

On a nine-color press, downtime adds up quickly.  A new system was needed to allow press operators to change quickly and easily from one ink or coating to the next without incurring excessive production loss.

The solution came in the form of a disposable ink pan liner project.  With input from Traco’s press department, DIP Co designed a liner system that mimicked Bobst’s stainless steel pan’s fit and function while reducing clean up times to mere minutes.  Additional benefits to utilizing the liners have been a significant decrease in shop towel and cleaning solvent usage.

Reflecting on the project, Whitehead concludes, “We were very impressed with the speed and efficiency of DIP Co in creating a custom-sized liner for our press application. They did not have an off-the-shelf solution for our press, but they were willing to develop a custom size for us. They understood our needs and designed a product that met all our requirements. We could not be happier with the results we have seen from DIP Co.”