We recently did a test of a blanket wash additive to see if these products really make a difference. The bottom line was that if the cost of the additive could save in waste or improve quality then it was worth it. Let's start with a few basics though.
What does this product do?
I start with the assumption that you know what an automatic blanket washing system does. If not, start with this. The product shown above is essentially an additive that goes into your automatic blanket washing system - particularly your water. As the pumps inject solvent and water to your blanket wash system, a pump (in our case a Dosatron pump) injects the additive into the mixture. This cocktail has three claims according to Flint (in our case we tried the Varn Aqua Plus):
1. Reduces fungal and bacterial growth and thus prevents blockages in the lines.
2. Increases "wetability" of the water and thus allows it to flow across blanket easier and remove lint.
What we tried.
We dosed as low as 1% and as high as 5%. The pressmen on each crew did not notice any difference in the effectiveness of the wash. In fact they tried allowing the blankets to go a little longer without washing with negative results.
The final verdict.
For us, this product didn't make any difference. We continued to wash blankets for the same number of impressions as previous. I will say this though. At the end of the blankets life, we did notice a slight decrease in the amount of paper lint left on the blankets. That's it though. Nothing that improved our bottom line.
Future considerations.
While this product didn't work for us, there are others out there. There are even ones that work with the fountain solution or solvent itself. That may be the next route we take.
Hope product reviews like this are helpful to some of you out there. I will continue to post reviews on other products that we try. I am starting a section called Product Reviews. Feel free to share any experiences you have had with similar products as well.
Also, if review like this are helpful to you, please like this page on facebook.
Related articles:
Automatic Blanket Washing - How It Works And How To Make It Profitable
Troubleshooting An Automatic Blanket Washing System
How We Greatly Reduced Blanket Piling
Troubleshooting Piling Problems
Here's a troubleshooting idea for ink that we came up with not too long ago. It is especially useful during summer months or in any hot or humid climate. You can find other ink troubleshooting advice here or check the menu on the left. But here is one that works to help with ink and water balance.
In our experience, we lose ink and water balance when running at high speeds with high humidity. When trying to achieve a proper ink and water balance, we end up scumming on the plate while emulsifying in the roller train. The window becomes so narrow because the humidity bubble around the printing unit is adding to the water supply and back tracking into the fountain. When we do a measurement of our ink and water balance window, our result is zero.
After an hour or so, or ink fountain is so waterlogged that the ink becomes useless. (This can also happen if you simply run too much water, but I assume you know what your doing and this is not the case). So here is the troubleshooting tip:
Run the fountain to a low level. In other words, calibrate your ink leveller to maintain a very low level of ink. This keeps the ink "fresher" within the fountain. It's not a solution, but your ink will resist getting waterlogged as it is more consistently getting a fresh supply.
Additionally, you may want to consult with you ink supply and inquire about your water pickup value for you ink.
I've discussed how to control this from a printing unit environment perspective in the past, but I want to bring up another tip that helps. Hope you find it useful.
Related articles:
What Causes Blanket Piling?
Ink and Water Balance Concepts
Scumming - Causes and Solutions
I would like to talk about a tool that has many uses in the press room, but one purpose is especially critical - torquing blankets.
We have found the need recently to get ours calibrated. The reason being is that, through use, they lose their calibration over time. We had a "specialist" come in recently to calibrate ours. They were not far out of calibration, but nonetheless were off the target.
A torque wrench's calibration is especially important when mounting blankets for the following reasons:
- Too much torque can cause the blanket to lose height over the cylinder. See also how blankets are made.
- Too little torque can cause the blanket to be loose and cause everything from web breaks to slur.
- Blankets can begin to tear over time at the cylinder gap if they are over tightened.
Tips to Extend Life of a Torque Wrench
I would like to share a couple of tips given to us for the sake of extending the life of our torque wrenches and maintaining their calibration longer:
- Only use it for one purpose. In other words, if you have a torque wrench that you use for mounting blankets, then only use it for that purpose. Use another one for lug nuts etc.
- Even if using it for blankets, use another wrench for removing the old one. Torque wrenches are usually able to be reversed for unscrewing something, but that is not their main purpose.
- Only two clicks. In other words, do not over tighten. We tighten our blankets to about 70 newton meters (50 foot pounds). Every time we "test" to make sure it's tight enough, those clicks made by the wrench will push it just a little further.
How Much Torque is Enough?
This is kind of a side point, but a good question. That answer can vary depending on the type of blanket and press you use. The principle behind it is this: tighten only what you need. In other words, all the blanket has to do is be flat against the surface and not move while running - that's it. How much torque you need to accomplish that may be something you need to trial test. As a start, get a recommendation from your blanket supplier or press manual.
I would be curious to hear how tight other pressmen out there torque their blankets. If you care to, leave a comment below. Thanks.
Related articles:How We Greatly Reduced Blanket Piling
The Next Greatest Thing In Blanket Cleaning
