The function of the anilox roller is to provide a precise, uniform, and constant amount of ink to the printing plate. The amount of ink film depends on the volume of the cells’ engraving on the anilox roller. To monitor the cell volume that carries the ink, Giugni® has developed a specific measurement system called CellMeter™, which is ideal for controlling the ink flow of the anilox roller. Giugni® uses CellMeter™ to check every new roller installed on its machines, issuing a certification of the anilox’s ink flow capacity.
With CellMeter™, it is also possible to assess the wear condition of used rollers and determine when they need to be replaced.
The CellMeter™ system uses a specialized kit that allows for precise measurement by simulating the ink metering process of the printing press.
The testing procedures involve placing a measured amount of test liquid on a surface portion of the anilox roller to be tested, spreading the ink with a doctor blade until the liquid has uniformly filled the adjacent cells. The next step is to obtain a corresponding imprint on a sheet of paper, which allows for measuring the area in a flat plane rather than on the convex surface of the roller. The print is then analyzed to determine the area. Since the volume of ink that created the print area is known, the volume per square meter can be easily calculated.
The CellMeter™ Kit performs the measurement by simulating the inking process both in the case of doctor blade application and anilox roll application with a rubber roller, as the same anilox roller can have very different performance depending on whether it is paired with a doctor blade or a rubber roller.
Contents of the case:
• Black tester liquid
• Precision calibrated pipette
• Manual doctor blade holder with four rollers
• Rubber roller
• A5 sized squared paper pad (5 mm grid)
• Smartphone tripod
• Proprietary software application for automatic area measurement.
