The addition of its seventh ALE Laser Engraving Machine, a new cylindrical grinder and the upgrade of their Triplex Pro coating system has increased Cheshire Anilox Technology’s production capacity.
The new laser can produce a range of engraving configurations from 25 to 2,000 lines per inch. The new machine will allow the Manchester-based company to create a wide range of bespoke engravings to meet the high-quality demands of printers. It features a Custom Pulse to provide graphical control and design of bespoke cell shapes.
It also features TwinTrack engraving technology a hardware and software interface that offers the high control over cell shape and engraving consistency. According to the company, with TwinTrack higher cell volumes can be obtained with a lower depth of engraving. This is because while the focused laser beam is moved around the anilox cells, the laser power is dynamically changed, thus keeping the cell bottom flatter. This creates wide bottom cells with smoother walls that offer greater resistance against clogging, increased cell volume and ink transfer capacity.
Cheshire’s latest addition follows significant investment across its global operations. Sonia Arcos, managing director, commented, ‘Once again we are making a significant investment to ensure we can meet the needs of some of the world’s most prestigious printers. The highly-specified ALE Fibre laser we have installed will allow us to offer the highest quality and consistency of engravings. We are committed to continue to strengthen and grow our business and the addition of the latest laser allows us to address these priorities.’
Along with the new laser, the company has also invested in a new cylindrical grinder which will add more capacity and improve the quality of the ceramic surface finish. ‘One way in which we can control consistency in the laser engraving machines is to give our operators the best possible surface to engrave. This allows our engraving machines to provide more consistent quality as well as maintain smooth cell tops. This will improve the quality and the long term performance of our anilox rollers,’ added Ms Arcos.
