optimal temperature refrigeration rollers in the technotrans????

[Dan Roll]

In America we suffer from the belief 'if some is good, more is better, and a lot more is better still'. This has led to some of the printers I have worked with recently to run their ink trains at temperatures as low as 65 degrees F (18.3 C). Temperatures this low cause, rather than prevent, problems.

While I am not confident refrigerated ink trains represent a reasonable investment when buying a sheetfed press, lots of printers have these units nowadays and one of my first questions when listening to complaints about ink water balance or issues pertaining to transfer is what temperature are you running. I can not put my finger on an optimal temperature to run, but have seen lots of trouble caused by running too cold. If the temperature of the roller surfaces drops below the dew point, the water in the ink will condensate on the roller surface causing stripping (if you are lucky, because this will be visible and obvious) or other less easily diagnosed problems. I have seen many sheetfed printers, running presses at speeds a fraction of what web presses run, with their ink trains set at temperatures thirty to forty degrees (F) lower than most web printers would consider. It is expensive to refrigerate an ink train (it takes a lot of energy) and the benefit of doing so is hard to quantify.

 

[Jose]

But, Which is the best temperature in the pans for the water solution? and in the technotrans tank? and the return temperature?

 

[Dan Roll]

Fountain solution pan temperature should be above the dew point to prevent condensation on the bottom of the tray and the hoses. I prefer 65 degrees F, some people like it colder. There was a time when almost no presses were equipped with refrigeration units for their fountain circulators and we muddled through somehow......

 

[Jose]

Now we're working whith the water in the pan to 14° C more or less is good temperature?

 

[Dan Roll]

14C seems a little cold to me, I would be more comfortable at around 18C.