Liquid Coating
Determining Weight/Thickness
Aimcal Fall Technical Conference
2010
Mike Huey
Communication is Key to Success in any
Project!
Involve Coating Supplier, Anilox,
Printer
Functionality – What is the purpose
of the coating
Can we measure it?
Best Method to apply product
Impact of too little or too much
3 Keys to Achieve a Consistent
Coated Product
Anilox (Chrome or Ceramic)
Coating Consistency
Printer Calculation Cooperation
What is an Anilox?
Ceramic coated cylinder or sleeve
Laser engraving of ceramic
creates microscopic cells below:
Cells deliver a coating film to
plate (Flexo) or directly to
substrate (Gravure)
Anilox: Microscopic Cell Structure
Cell
Cell Depth
Cavity
Cell Cell
Wall Shape
60° Cell
Post Angle
Area
Anilox Unit of Measure: Micron
• Human hair is .004” or
100 microns in diameter
1 Micron
• One Micron is a millionth of a
meter long
• Cells are very delicate.
• Walls are typically 3-5 microns
wide
Components of an Anilox
Three main components of an anilox
Cell Count
Volume
Geometry
All are important to anilox function but serve different
purposes
What Is Cell Count?
600 cpi or line screen
360 cpi or line screen
Number of cells per linear inch
(Does not change as roll wears)
What Is Volume?
• Amount of coating contained in the cells
• Expressed in BCM (Billion Cubic Microns/sq. inch)
• Can change over time
• Affected by cleanliness and wear
• Determined by Banded Roll, Coating Application
Geometry
60 Degree Hex 45 Degree Quad
30 Degree Hex 45 Degree Tri
Functional Failures
• CELL PLUGGING How important is volume to your process?
• Determines ACTUAL transferable coating film thickness
• Failure to maintain will lead to non-conforming product
• Wear and Cell Plugging; Know the Difference and the Effects
• Wear means permanent volume loss, plugged cells are
temporary
Sustaining Coat Weight:
• Make sure you utilize a clean anilox
– If aniloxs have been off line, clean them before setting
up any job!
– Actual Volume means more than original volume.
Know what you are using!!
Is this 800 2.0
ready to go?
No!
Importance of Anilox Specifications
• Taking Advantage of Correct Volume Allows:
• Optimization of Process
• Coating Efficiency Can Be Realized
• Cost Savings
Coating Consistency
Established Methods At Press
Understand What We Need for a Verifiable
Calculation
Coating Consistency at Press
Anilox Metering System is Calibrated so
Excessive Blade Pressure is Not Needed!
Coating Consistency at Press
Solids Content/Distribution is Maintained
Coating Applications 101
What do we need to know?
Coating Specifications
Target Weight
Contact Information
Coating Applications
–Customer fills out coating application
• We must have it completed fully to
calculate
• Customer will need help to fill out
• Specs must be confirmed by Tech
–Communicate with Customer
–Communicate with adhesive/coating
supplier THIS IS NEEDED!!!!
What Do We Need to Calculate?
– DESIRED COAT WEIGHT, typical units:
• Pounds per Ream (accurate)
• GSM (Grams per square meter, accurate)
• Micron or mil film thickness (inaccurate due to
absorption by the web)
– REAM SIZE (area coated, sometimes not 100%)
• 1000 sq ft (144,000 sq in)
• 3000 sq ft (432,000 sq in)
• If not 100% coverage we’ll need to cut out
coated/uncoated to get weight
What Do We Need to Calculate?
– PERCENT SOLIDS- Amount present at a printable
viscosity
• UV (Easy) : always 100%
• Waterbased (Simple) : typically ran without
reductions, technical sheet is accurate
• Solvent (Tricky) Customer often determines
reduction, often does not know the resulting solids.
WE NEED TO DETERMINE ORIGINAL SOLIDS
CONTENT AND HOW MUCH THEY REDUCE.
What Do We Need to Calculate?
– WEIGHT PER GALLON
• Solvent Coating: What does it weigh after reduction,
not the raw coating.
– HOW IS THE COATING APPLIED*
• Flexo? - Transfer to plate then substrate
• Gravure? – Directly to substrate, no plate
intermediate
• *Will double or halve correct volume if wrong!!!
Considerations During Calculation
• Metallics, Glitter
– Particle size accommodation, coat weight irrelevant
• Raised UV, Doming Compound
– Subjective, typically 25 BCM to 75 BCM
• Waterbased Coatings
– Is pH an issue? Must find out so aniloxs get corrosion
protection.
• Solvent Coatings
– Laminations: Technical sheets may not match dilutions,
throws solids and wt/gallon off.
Considerations after the
Calculation
– Can the press dry/cure the coating at press speed?
– Direct or Variable Speed/Reverse?
• Direct is 1:1, no effect on calculation
• Variable Speed, major effect on calculation
– When the calculation is done, is Flexo or Gravure
possible?
• 70-75 BCM Max
– Are they using a 2-roll without blade system?
• Difficult if not impossible to duplicate/specify
accurately
In this example
• Target Weight 1.0 – 1.2 lbs per 3000 Sq Ft or
432,000 Sq In.
• Water Base Adhesive 2000 CPS
• Application Flexo
• % solids in adhesive: 50%
• Weight per Gallon 8.5lbs/gallon
• Nothing added before going to press, so solids
concentration does not change from dilution!
Calculation
Viscosity 2000 cps
Material Type Water
Coating Method Flexo
Desired Dry Weight 1.20
Deposit Efficiency 20%
Ream Size 432000
% Solids 50.0%
Weight Per Gallon 8.5
Anilox Volume Needed 12.37
BCM Needed 12.37
• Line Screen – Reference Chart 140LS
• Volume – 12.5 bcm
• Geometry 60 degree
Possibility: Banded Roll to
Optimize to Coating
180cpi 160cpi 140cpi 120cpi
10.5 BCM 11.5 BCM 12.5 BCM 13.5 BCM
60 Deg 60 Deg 60 Deg 60 Deg
An effort to save $$$$ not sacrifice
functionality or quality!
Summary
•Communication and Anilox Basics
•Understanding Functional Failures
•Understanding Coating Consistency
•Understanding Calculation Process
•Keep in mind the impact on economics; thinnest
layer to achieve desired results!
Thank You for your attention, enjoy
the remainder of you conference
and safe travels home!
Mike Huey
Technical Graphics Manager, Western Division
Harper Corporation of America
mhuey@harperimage.com
Cell 1-704-557-5103
