Handling Anilox Roll, flexographic printing

Anilox rolls generally are steel with ceramic coating. Etched into the ceramic are cells that are used to transfer controlled volumes of ink to the flexographic printing plate. Between print jobs they must be cleaned of ink. Anilox rolls used in narrow web presses typically have face lengths up to around 30 inches. These rolls are often installed and maneuvered by hand, and can approach 100 pounds. Anilox rolls on wide web presses are longer (typically up to 100 inches, but can be much longer) and can weigh several hundred pounds. They are typically moved with cranes or robotically because of their weight and size. Anilox rolls on corrugated presses are also very large and are normally cleaned on-press. The design of corrugated presses allows for separation of print units.