SPGPrints has announced the new RSI III, the third generation of its rotary screen printing integration module for label and packaging presses. The new module features time, safety and ergonomic innovations for increased production efficiency.

Operator safety has been augmented with the introduction of guards to prevent contact with the rotating screen, squeegee pipe and gear wheels, significantly reducing the risk of injury. 

A new web-cleaning scraper, positioned on a guiding roller immediately after the nip between the screen and substrate, automatically removes undesired ink splashes on the web that may have spilled from the screen during stoppages or slow-rotation mode. Operated only for the first one-and-a-half screen rotations at the start of the production run, the scraper ensures thorough drying of the substrate at all times. This minimises the risk of ink contaminating the rollers, thereby reducing the cleaning requirement.   Its long-life plastic blade collects the UV-curable ink in a pan attached to the scraper, which is easily removed for fast cleaning.

A new colour interface display offers enhanced visibility with a wider angle of observation. This means that operators can comfortably monitor and control the unit without needing to view the screen at eye level, minimising risk of strain injury. Among other benefits, this facilitates easier monitoring of controls and ink levels.

The RSI III unit is fully compliant with the latest version of European Union RoHS (Restrictions of Hazardous Substances) regulations which stipulate that all electronic machine components and manufacturing processes must be free of materials hazardous to health and the environment. 

Introduced in 1994, and with over 1000 installations worldwide, SPGPrints’ RSI module has enabled the seamless integration of rotary screen printing into single-pass label converting lines. The process is vital for creating a host of value-adding sensual and functional features that enhance brand presentation or product identification. The RSI module, along with with SPGPrints’ pure nickel re-imageable RotaMesh and reusable RotaPlat® rotary screens, are often used for creating tactile varnishes, metallic and glitter inks, opaque inks, braille dots and optically variable inks for security applications. They offer easy robustness, print stability and easy handling, for laying down thick ink and varnish layers of max. 250µm thickness at web speeds of up to 150m/min (490fpm).