After using uv cleaning fluid to clean the printing press, the restart time is not fixed. It is affected by a variety of factors. It is necessary to comprehensively consider the cleaning fluid characteristics, printing press type, cleaning process and environmental conditions to ensure the safe and stable operation of the equipment.
The composition and volatility of uv cleaning fluid are the primary influencing factors. Cleaning fluids with different formulas have different organic solvent content and evaporation rates. Some cleaning fluids contain volatile components that can evaporate quickly during the cleaning process. After using such cleaning fluids, the printing press has a relatively short waiting time to restart. In order to enhance the cleaning effect, some cleaning fluids add high-concentration solvents or special components, which evaporate slowly, and the liquid remaining on the surface of the printing press parts takes longer to completely dry. If the printing press is started too early, the residual liquid may affect the operation of the equipment and even cause corrosion to the precision parts.
The type and structure of the printing press also determine the restart time. The rotary printing press has a complex structure, with many internal parts that are closely connected. After cleaning with cleaning fluid, the liquid is likely to remain in the gaps between the rollers, the meshing of the gears and other parts that are not easy to dry. In contrast, sheet-fed flatbed presses have a relatively simple structure, fewer hidden areas for liquid residue, and may dry faster. In addition, the drying conditions of the automatic cleaning system of the press are different from those after manual cleaning. The automatic cleaning system is often equipped with an auxiliary air drying device, which can accelerate the evaporation of the liquid, thereby shortening the waiting time; while after manual cleaning, it is completely dependent on natural evaporation, which usually takes longer.
The standardization of the cleaning process is also crucial. When using uv cleaning fluid, if you follow the standard process, first pre-treat the press to remove a large area of ink and dirt on the surface, and then use the cleaning fluid for deep cleaning, the amount of residual liquid will be relatively small. In addition, if you use a clean rag or special tool to wipe the key parts after cleaning to absorb excess liquid, it can also effectively speed up the drying speed. On the contrary, if the cleaning process is random and the residual liquid is not cleaned in time, it will take longer to wait for drying before starting the press.
Environmental conditions have a significant impact on the drying speed of the cleaning fluid. In an environment with high temperature and good air circulation, the cleaning fluid evaporates faster, and the press can reach the restart condition faster. For example, in a well-ventilated factory, the air flows continuously to carry away the volatilized gas of the cleaning liquid, which can accelerate the drying process. In a humid and closed environment, not only does the cleaning liquid evaporate slowly, but the residual liquid may also be difficult to dry completely due to high humidity. In this case, the waiting time must be extended to avoid short circuits or other failures of the equipment caused by humidity.
Inspection work before restarting the printing press is essential. After the estimated drying time of the cleaning liquid is reached, the operator should not rush to start the equipment, but should conduct a comprehensive inspection of the printing press. Check whether there are traces of liquid on the surface of key components, and touch the components to feel whether they are still wet, especially key areas such as circuit connections and bearings. At the same time, check whether the parts removed during the cleaning process are installed in place to ensure that there are no loose or misaligned parts due to the cleaning operation. Only after confirming that the equipment is normal can the startup operation be performed.
The requirements of different printing tasks for the status of the equipment will also affect the restart decision. If the next printing task has extremely high precision requirements, such as printing of high-end products with fine packaging, it is necessary to ensure that the inside of the printing press is completely dry to avoid residual liquid affecting ink adhesion and printing quality. Even if the waiting time is long, the equipment must be guaranteed to be in the best condition. For some common printing tasks, the waiting time can be appropriately shortened under the premise of ensuring basic drying and not affecting the operation of the equipment, but it should also be operated with caution to prevent unexpected situations.
There is no uniform standard for the restart time of the printing press after using uv cleaning fluid. It needs to be flexibly judged based on the characteristics of the cleaning fluid itself, the type and structure of the printing press, the cleaning process, environmental conditions, equipment inspection, and subsequent printing needs. Only by fully considering these key points can we reasonably arrange the production schedule while ensuring the safety of the equipment and avoid unnecessary losses caused by starting too early or too late.
