The carbon fibre composition gives the chamber high-strength qualities, enabling a relatively low weight of between 2.4kg and 4.1kg per linear metre (approx. 1.6 lb – 2.74 lb per linear foot), thus easing chamber exchange. The inside of the chamber features a top-coated ink-repellent surface. This offers extra protection against ink and detergents with high and low pH-values and ensures efficient, thorough cleaning after job completion. Furthermore, curved inner surfaces maximise volume and facilitate controlled discharge. The chamber’s design also enables ink and coating circulation in relatively low volumes.
The units offer pressure-controlled ink and coating circulation with manual or closed-loop control systems, like the TRESU F10 iCon Ink Control System. They feature TRESU’s patented seal system, preventing leakage, and stainless steel blades whose clamping system enables one of the fastest possible changeovers in the industry, of within two minutes.
The enclosed environment, resulting from the seal and precise blade positioning, ensures pressure and flow rate are maintained at desired levels without manual intervention. This stops air contaminating the chamber and results in foam-free transfer of ink / coating directly to the anilox cells, also at fast speeds. This in turn ensures a clean, blister-free printed image with fast drying characteristics, better reflection and higher gloss values, whether on paper or film. The enclosed chamber also prevents solvents from escaping and protects the ink from degradation due to exposure to the atmosphere.
Because of its simplicity and high level of automation, the TRESU carbon fibre chamber can be cleaned and prepared without being removed from the press, shortening makeready times.
Henrik Kristensen, vice president, TRESU Ancillary, comments: “Thanks to its time-saving advantages, optimised fluid control and resilience, the TRESU carbon fibre chamber offers a long-term solution for high productivity, low ownership costs and uniform quality.”
The carbon fibre programme comprises variants, with pneumatic (P-Line) or eccentric (E-Line) clamping systems that allow changeover of stainless steel or plastic blades within two minutes. The CFC P-Line, for water-based corrugated, tissue, flexible packaging and specialist applications up to 6000 mm (236.2”) wide, is at 2.4kg / linear metre (1.6 lb / linear foot) the lightest of the three chambered doctor blades. The CFC E-Line is suited for water, UV and solvent digital primer coating, napkin, tissue and flexible packaging applications up to 2000 mm (78.7”) wide. The Ceraflex E-Line, P-Line or S-Line features a plasma electrolytic oxidation and ceramic topcoat for optimum corrosion-resistance and is suited for all flexo applications up to 3500 mm (137.8”) wide. All units are retrofittable with all TRESU’s currently available chamber doctor blade systems.