Causes of Wear on Printing Machine Rubber Rollers and Maintenance Tips

The role of the rubber rollers (including water rollers and ink rollers) in the printing process is crucial, but many printing companies need to replace the original rubber rollers shortly after use. Most manufacturers do not adequately clean and maintain the rubber rollers, leading to premature aging of the original rubber rollers, causing printing failures and cost losses.

In this regard, this article will summarize the reasons for the wear of the printing machine's rubber rollers and share the top 10 maintenance tips for rubber rollers.

1. Summary of Reasons 

During the use of the printing machine's rubber rollers, improper use or operation can lead to a shortened lifespan or damage to the rubber rollers. What are the reasons?

① Improper pressure adjustment of the water-ink roller can lead to wear of the water-ink rubber roller, especially when one end has heavy pressure and the other end is light, which can easily cause damage to the rubber roller.

② Forgetting to close the handles at both ends of the water tank roller can cause the gel of the metering roller to tear and damage. If one end is not closed or not closed properly, it can lead to wear of the metering roller and the water roller against the plate.

③ During the plate installation process, if the PS plate is not properly installed and the bite of the PS plate and the pulling screw at the end of the plate are not tightened, the PS plate will wear the rubber roller due to the un-tightened part. At the same time, if the PS plate is pulled too tightly or the top plate is too strong, it can cause deformation or breakage of the plate, leading to damage to the water-ink roller, especially the water roller against the plate, which is most noticeable due to the lower hardness of the rubber.

④ During the printing process, when printing long sheets, if the operating conditions at both ends are different from the middle, it can lead to wear of the water-ink roller at both ends.

⑤ Poor quality paper, paper dust, and sand particles falling off the paper can cause wear of the water-ink roller and copper roller.

⑥ Using sharp tools to scratch guidelines or make other marks on the printing plate can lead to damage to the water-ink roller.

⑦ During the printing process, due to poor local water quality and high hardness, and the printing factory not installing appropriate water treatment devices, calcium deposits can accumulate on the surface of the water-ink roller, increasing the hardness of the rubber and friction. This issue not only leads to wear of the water-ink roller but also causes serious printing quality problems.

⑧ Not performing regular maintenance and recycling of the water-ink roller.

⑨ Long periods without washing the car and ink on the surface of the metering roller can also cause wear.

⑩ Special processes, such as printing gold and silver card paper, self-adhesive labels, or films, require special inks and additives, which can accelerate the cracking and aging of the rubber rollers.

? The roughness of the ink particles, especially the roughness of UV ink, has a direct impact on the wear of the rubber rollers.

? Different parts of the rubber rollers wear at different rates. For example, the ink transfer roller, due to its motion being a continuous cycle of stationary → high speed → stationary, wears faster than usual.

? The water roller against the plate and the ink roller, due to their axial movement with the water-ink roller, experience greater wear at both ends than in the middle.

? During long periods of downtime (such as during the Spring Festival holiday), the rubber rollers being pressed while stationary for a long time can cause uneven diameters of the rubber roller gel, leading to inconsistent deformation during rotation and increased wear of the rubber rollers.

? Poor temperature control in the working environment (too cold or too hot) exceeding the physical property range of the rubber roller gel can exacerbate wear.

2. Maintenance Tips 

To extend the lifespan of the water-ink roller, printing technology experts recommend keeping the following points in mind during actual operation:

① The pressure adjustment of the ink roller should meet the requirements, and the pressure of the plate roller should be checked weekly.

② When operators start work, they should check the parameters of the water tank, then wait for the water in the tank to reach the water level, activate the water tank roller, and finally close the handles at both ends of the water tank roller, activating it to ensure a uniform water film on the surface of the metering roller.

③ Since the water-ink roller is a consumable part, customers should follow the maintenance specifications of the printing machine, use the ink and water rollers provided with the machine for rotation, and perform maintenance on the water-ink rollers monthly, recycling two sets of water and ink rollers.

④ When installing, pulling, and pressing the plate, be careful not to deform or damage the plate too severely. If it is too deformed or damaged, it should be replaced immediately.

⑤ Do not scratch guidelines or make other marks on the plate.

⑥ Wash the car once per shift and keep the metering roller clean.

⑦ Pay attention to the cleaning and maintenance of the water roller.

⑧ Regularly use ink roller cleaning agents for deep cleaning and calcium removal of the ink rollers.

⑨ After maintaining the removed water-ink rollers with stain removal paste, store them away from light; check the bearings at both ends of the disassembled water-ink rollers.

⑩ Pay attention to the temperature requirements of the operation and improve the working environment.