SM 52 Back Cylinder Cleaning

[RGPW17100]

We have a 5 color SM52 that perfects 3/2. After the perfector we have the rough surface back cylinders. When using the cloth cylinder and blanket cleaners to automatically clean the cylinders the rough material in the cylinders make the cloth lint up real bad on the cylinders. I tried using water, water misable presswash, typewash and MRC and nothing seems to cut this lint. What are others doing. Just hand cleaning these cylinders or is there a trick to get this stuff off of the clylinders.

[rbailleu]

we dont have a perfector, but are you using the heidelberg cloths or the white kind.

[RGPW17100]

We are using an aftermarket kind made by nubtex which are blue. They are $9 per roll instead of $13 that the Heidelberg ones cost. The perfecter back cylinders are coarse instead of smooth like the ones before the perfector on units one and two. Maybe I should go back to the Heidelberg ones.

[rbailleu]

I know I tried some cheaper thinner white rolls once, I like the feel of the sonatara cloths better. but it may be worth a try. also I notice that water seems to break down the fibers of the cloth more. some blanket washes also weaken the fiber. so you could try a different blanket wash and reduce the water.

[GazKL440]

I know its an expensive option, but can you look at getting a chrome surface perfecting jacket fitted? We had an old Roland Rekord that was a 4/0,2/2, and it was a bastard of a thing to clean the back cylinder on the 2nd unit until it ate a transfer gripper and damaged the surface, which then required a jacket to repair it... before that time running uncoated stock meant cleaning 2nd unit back cyl every 2nd stack...by hand of course...with a lot of elbow grease and sweating....we used to toss coins to see who got it

[RGPW17100]

May have to clean the last three by hand. We dont do a lot of perfecting but when we do the chrome cylinder wont work not to mention the pain of replacing one. I am going to order the heidelberg clothes and see if that helps. If we dont get all that crap off the back cylinder it dents the sheets where the lint is. Not ready to mess with the water and press wash set up. This was done by heidelberg during set up and it has worked well for three years. Main press operator is on vacation so I am filling in for two weeks. I will discuss this with him when he gets back.

[rbailleu]

I bet you will find that your pressman alters the settings for what they need to clean off. perhaps someone put the wrong wash in the blanket wash tank

[MikeG]

I have the same press configuration but no impression cylinder washers. Those perfect jackets are a pain to keep clean but it's the technology that allows Heidelberg's to perfect coated sheets. I've run into the same issue with linting even washing by hand. I would try the better cloths as even a shop towel gets destroyed by those jackets. Maybe your regular operator has a secret like pre-wetting the cylinders (using manual wash mode) or washing by hand.

[dana]

on the Komori Perfecting jackets I've used Allied Turbo Clean followed up with some press wash and had good results.

APC > Manufacturer > Distributor of Pressroom Chemicals & Printing Supplies

[MikeG]

Dana, thanks for the mind jog! I tried a sample of the Turbo Clean a few years ago and it worked great, but I never reordered it. I'll have to get some in again.