David Savastano, Editor01.21.20
Ink companies are constantly looking for ways to improve their production operations, and milling and mixing equipment suppliers continue to make advances in their technology.
Jim Bailen, VP of engineering for INX International Ink Co., said that increased investment in milling and mixing equipment remains essential.
“Much like all those involved in the business of manufacturing printing inks, the need for newer milling and mixing equipment is in our annual forecast for process improvements,” Bailen added. “We continue to review customer quality requirements and efficiency metrics that drive the need for new technology improvements in the area of mixing and milling platforms.”
Patrik Maeder, senior sales director of Buhler Group’s Grinding Dispersion Division, said Buhler Group is seeing some growth among its customers in the graphic arts market.
“We have seen reservations to invest in capital equipment and new technologies in the printing industry,” Maeder added. “Customers have reported some growth in metal deco, UV/EB, inkjet and flexo, but decline or stagnation at best in markets such as sheetfed, heatset and news.”
Bailen said that there are many new improvement needs in equipment, most of which have to do with manufacturing awareness of how the machines are running on a day-to-day and batch-to-batch formula basis, and how they are working from an efficiency level.
“The use of data analytics is going to be more critical as we advance into this new decade,” Bailen observed. “Many of the ink manufacturers and equipment manufacturers are discussing Big Data and how to understand and grow from it. Someday, there will be levels of AI involved in our industry. It will just take time to build the digital models and grow confidence in allowing aspects of the processes we use to be highly AI automated. The impact will come from how companies want to gather and use Big Data platforms to guide them into better efficiency and higher quality of manufacturing their end products.”
Maeder said that new technologies that will offer customers key benefits and efficiencies are of particular interest.
“New innovative and more efficient technologies are being considered,” said Maeder. “Existing equipment and technologies are up for upgrades or replacement in order to provide for a more competitive advantage.”
Maeder said Buhler Group’s customers are looking for more production pounds per dollar operating cost.
“These include production efficiency increases through improved equipment design (materials, ergonomic, equipment safety, ease of maintenance, advanced operating principles, energy efficiency, etc.) as well as automation, IoT systems connectivity and preventative services,” he noted. “Buhler’s innovative equipment, systems or plant designs and advanced production technologies, as well as skilled services, help our customers to meet any demanding or challenging operation.”
“We hear a lot about customers experiencing difficulties with product flow control and needing higher product throughput in their mixing and milling processes,” Kevin Kirkwood, marketing manager, NETZSCH Premier Technologies, LLC, said.
Companies are also looking for equipment to produce nanoparticle dispersions.
“The demand to go smaller in particle size certainly has increased in the past few years,” Maeder reported. “With raw material cost increasing and sourcing being challenging at times, getting more yield out of certain raw materials have become a focus. For decades, Buhler has designed equipment and processes to meet the challenges of emerging market demands.”
Milling and mixing companies are working to meet the high standards of their customers. For example, Reynolds Industries recently became an ASME certified code shop.
New Technologies
To meet the needs of customers, mixing and milling companies are bringing new technologies to the market. During CHINACOAT 2019, Buhler introduced its brand-new MicroMedia Invicta bead mill, which offers increased capacity for product throughput and quality as well as powerful controls and clean machine design.
Myers Mixers introduced a horizontal mixer for intermediate-speed blending and mixing of viscous inks and coatings. Eight bolt-on-style blades homogenize the batch with minimal shear, while close tolerance between impellers and tank sidewall ensure batch uniformity, while the dimple-jacketed, ASME-rated tank provides an even batch temperature. The bolted end allows access for simplified maintenance and cleaning.
NETZSCH Premier Technologies, LLC is highlighting its Discus Intensive Rotor.
“Based on the proven Discus technology, NETZSCH developed a new agitator design with a new grinding media separator,” said Kirkwood. “As before, the new grinding system can be used very flexibly and is the most suitable solution for the production of paints, coatings and pigments.
“Due to the new Intensive Classifying Cartridge (ICC) rotor for the separation of grinding media from product suspension, a separation between process volume and separation volume in the grinding chamber is no longer necessary,” Kirkwood added.
“Therefore, more grinding media can be used in the same grinding chamber volume.”
Jim Bailen, VP of engineering for INX International Ink Co., said that increased investment in milling and mixing equipment remains essential.
“Much like all those involved in the business of manufacturing printing inks, the need for newer milling and mixing equipment is in our annual forecast for process improvements,” Bailen added. “We continue to review customer quality requirements and efficiency metrics that drive the need for new technology improvements in the area of mixing and milling platforms.”
Patrik Maeder, senior sales director of Buhler Group’s Grinding Dispersion Division, said Buhler Group is seeing some growth among its customers in the graphic arts market.
“We have seen reservations to invest in capital equipment and new technologies in the printing industry,” Maeder added. “Customers have reported some growth in metal deco, UV/EB, inkjet and flexo, but decline or stagnation at best in markets such as sheetfed, heatset and news.”
Bailen said that there are many new improvement needs in equipment, most of which have to do with manufacturing awareness of how the machines are running on a day-to-day and batch-to-batch formula basis, and how they are working from an efficiency level.
“The use of data analytics is going to be more critical as we advance into this new decade,” Bailen observed. “Many of the ink manufacturers and equipment manufacturers are discussing Big Data and how to understand and grow from it. Someday, there will be levels of AI involved in our industry. It will just take time to build the digital models and grow confidence in allowing aspects of the processes we use to be highly AI automated. The impact will come from how companies want to gather and use Big Data platforms to guide them into better efficiency and higher quality of manufacturing their end products.”
Maeder said that new technologies that will offer customers key benefits and efficiencies are of particular interest.
“New innovative and more efficient technologies are being considered,” said Maeder. “Existing equipment and technologies are up for upgrades or replacement in order to provide for a more competitive advantage.”
Maeder said Buhler Group’s customers are looking for more production pounds per dollar operating cost.
“These include production efficiency increases through improved equipment design (materials, ergonomic, equipment safety, ease of maintenance, advanced operating principles, energy efficiency, etc.) as well as automation, IoT systems connectivity and preventative services,” he noted. “Buhler’s innovative equipment, systems or plant designs and advanced production technologies, as well as skilled services, help our customers to meet any demanding or challenging operation.”
“We hear a lot about customers experiencing difficulties with product flow control and needing higher product throughput in their mixing and milling processes,” Kevin Kirkwood, marketing manager, NETZSCH Premier Technologies, LLC, said.
Companies are also looking for equipment to produce nanoparticle dispersions.
“The demand to go smaller in particle size certainly has increased in the past few years,” Maeder reported. “With raw material cost increasing and sourcing being challenging at times, getting more yield out of certain raw materials have become a focus. For decades, Buhler has designed equipment and processes to meet the challenges of emerging market demands.”
Milling and mixing companies are working to meet the high standards of their customers. For example, Reynolds Industries recently became an ASME certified code shop.
New Technologies
To meet the needs of customers, mixing and milling companies are bringing new technologies to the market. During CHINACOAT 2019, Buhler introduced its brand-new MicroMedia Invicta bead mill, which offers increased capacity for product throughput and quality as well as powerful controls and clean machine design.
Myers Mixers introduced a horizontal mixer for intermediate-speed blending and mixing of viscous inks and coatings. Eight bolt-on-style blades homogenize the batch with minimal shear, while close tolerance between impellers and tank sidewall ensure batch uniformity, while the dimple-jacketed, ASME-rated tank provides an even batch temperature. The bolted end allows access for simplified maintenance and cleaning.
NETZSCH Premier Technologies, LLC is highlighting its Discus Intensive Rotor.
“Based on the proven Discus technology, NETZSCH developed a new agitator design with a new grinding media separator,” said Kirkwood. “As before, the new grinding system can be used very flexibly and is the most suitable solution for the production of paints, coatings and pigments.
“Due to the new Intensive Classifying Cartridge (ICC) rotor for the separation of grinding media from product suspension, a separation between process volume and separation volume in the grinding chamber is no longer necessary,” Kirkwood added.
“Therefore, more grinding media can be used in the same grinding chamber volume.”