FAQ's
To help our customers understand more about the services and products we offer, here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.
Q: How do I know my roll needs cleaning?
Q: What do you use to clean printing rolls or corrugator rolls?
Q: What kind of pressure do you use to clean rolls?
Q: What cfm (cubic feet per minute) of air is required at these roll cleaning pressures?
Q: How many passes do you do when cleaning a roll?
Q: How do you know a roll is clean when you are done baking soda blasting it?
Q: Do you sell microscopes and Capatch (liquid volumetric test strips)?
Q: What does LPI stand for on an anilox roll?
Q: What is the lowest and highest LPI roll you can clean?
Q: Have you found any presses or corrugators that prevent you from performing In-Press cleaning?
Q: How long will it take to clean my roll?
Q: We have several plants, what geographical areas do you service for On-Site cleaning work?
Q: How soon after you clean our rolls can we operate our press?
Q: How should we maintain our rolls between service visits?
Q: Do you offer any products for cleaning pans, trays, and other press parts and accessories?
Q: How often should you come to clean our rolls?
Q: Can you tell me little more about your off site cleaning service?
Q: How do I know my roll needs cleaning?
A: The most obvious sign that a roll needs cleaning is when your color density or your coat weight diminishes.
Q: What do you use to clean printing rolls or corrugator rolls?
A: We use industrial grade Arm and Hammer baking soda called ARMEX Anilox Roll Formula for printing rolls and ARMEX Maintenance Formula for corrugator rolls.
Q: What kind of pressure do you use to clean rolls?
A: For laser engraved ceramic rolls 35 psi. For chrome rolls 25 psi. For mechanical engraved ceramic rolls 20 psi.
Q: What cfm (cubic feet per minute) of air is required at these roll cleaning pressures?
A: 40 cfm (cubic feet per minute).
Q: How many passes do you do when cleaning a roll?
A: Usually just one pass is required, but on occasion two passes may be needed.
Q: How do you know a roll is clean when you are done baking soda blasting it?
A: We use a 200 power microscope prior to cleaning as a visual check and also take a Capatch reading. Capatch is a liquid volumetric test that determines where your bcm level (or ccm) lies. We do the same procedure after cleaning to determine the cleanliness of the roll as well as the improvement in volume (bcm or ccm).
A: Billion cubic microns. This is what American roll manufactures use as a measurement standard for the volume of a roll.
A: Cubic centimeters. This is what foreign roll manufactures use as a measurement standard for the volume of a roll.
Q: Do you sell microscopes and Capatch (liquid volumetric test strips)?
A: Yes, we sell both of these items.
Q: What does LPI stand for on an anilox roll?
A: Lines Per Inch. This is how many cells a roll has per linear inch.
Q: What is the lowest and highest LPI roll you can clean?
A: 50 LPI up to 1200 LPI.
Q: Have you found any presses or corrugators that prevent you from performing In-Press cleaning?
A: No, we have not, but just in case we do, we also have the ability to clean rolls off press at your facility or ours.
Q: How long will it take to clean my roll?
A: Typically we are able to clean rollers at 2 inches per minute.
Q: We have several plants, what geographical areas do you service for On-Site cleaning work?
A: ARCS services plants from Maine down to Florida and as far west as Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio. We work with other companies who perform roll cleaning using baking soda for areas outside of this coverage area.
Q: How soon after you clean our rolls can we operate our press?
A: Immediately.
Q: How should we maintain our rolls between service visits?
A: ARCS has a full line up of eco-friendly ink removers. We recommend that they be run through the press with each wash cycle. We even offer a one-of-a-kind food grade ink remover currently used by one of the world’s largest paper towel makers.
Q: Do you offer any products for cleaning pans, trays, and other press parts and accessories?
A: Yes, we are exclusive distributors for Armakleen Paint and Ink remover, which is an extremely safe and “green” chemistry that is found in many gravure, flexographic, tag and label, and any other converters involved with adhesives and coatings.
Q: How often should you come to clean our rolls?
A: Usually 1 – 4 times per year makes sense for most plants we work with.
Q: Can you tell me little more about your off site cleaning service?
A: You can send your rolls to our facility to be cleaned. With this service we offer a 48 hour turn around time as well as before and after cell volume tests. Also you will receive a written roll report with before and after BCM readings and we will document any visible wear or damage on the roll.
