The printing sector covers digital printing and, more recently, 3D printing. Digital printing includes various technologies such as offset, digital, gravure, flexographic, and screen printing. 3D printing has opened up new scenarios for prototyping, with the possibility of producing samples, even complex ones, with significant reductions in time and costs.

Printing is highly interconnected with other sectors, as industrial prints are used for textiles, ceramics, flooring, laminates, glass, wood, printed electronics, packaging, and even some biomedical materials.

Industrial printing, like other sectors, is influenced by trends in ecological and digital transition. The ecological aspect concerns sustainability issues, such as the responsible use of limited resources like water, and products/substances that are increasingly “green,” complying with increasingly stringent legislative standards. The digital aspect relates to intelligent packaging labeling. The latter, in addition to being safe, resistant, and ecological, must have increasing connectivity to integrate into the product distribution chain and allow for complete product traceability.

Industrial printing machines have complex automation and control systems integrated into the unit, which need to be cooled, often with size constraints.

 

Cosmotec air conditioners are able to provide high performance in compact sizes, protecting electrical panel components from excessive heat, as well as from potential contaminants present in some work environments. Cosmotec liquid chillers play an essential role in printing applications as they ensure temperature stability for substrates and inks, avoiding adhesion issues and maintaining the quality of the finished product.

 

The main applications where temperature control of printing machines using chilled water is important include:

• Cooling of calenders, important to prevent alterations or deformations of printing materials.
• Cooling of print heads to eliminate overheating issues or nozzle blockages.
• Cooling of UV polymerization systems in offset machines, which helps reduce overheating problems of lamps and reflectors.