Using cleaning agents sparingly and minimizing water consumption are the first steps towards environmentally friendly cleaning. Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG helps ensure wash procedures are carried out in an environmentally friendly manner using automatic washup systems. Low-emission cleaning agents containing vegetable oil esters or hydrocarbon mixtures have been developed since 1990 to significantly reduce air pollutants, though some caused technical issues. As a result, printing press manufacturers and industry groups established testing and certification procedures through Fogra to minimize solvent emissions and ensure agent compatibility.
2. Environmentally Friendly
Cleaning
Using cleaning agents sparingly and minimizing water
consumption are the first steps towards designing an
environmentally sound washup program.
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In either case, the automatic washup systems from
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG help ensure that
wash procedures are carried out in an
environmentally friendly manner.
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In order to significantly reduce air pollutants in the
pressroom and in the environment, low-emission
cleaning agents have been on the market since the
drupa 1990.
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These cleaning agents are made up of hardly volatile
hydrocarbon mixtures, vegetable oil esters, or
mixtures of these. When these products came on the
market, however, technical problems regarding the
compatibility of certain materials in the printing
presses arose.
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Thus, printing press manufacturers, working with the
Fogra Graphic Technology Research Association, the
Berufs genossenschaft Druck und
Papierverarbeitung, the German Printing and Media
Industries Federation and IG Media came up with an
agreement, the "Industry initiative for the reduction
of solvent emissions in offset printing."
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Its goals are to minimize solvent emissions in offset
printing and thus protect people and the
environment, and to limit the risk of damage to
machines with a technical clearance test for cleaning
agents.
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Fogra's specialized laboratory is commissioned by
cleaning agents manufacturers. They then test for
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG,
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the cleaning agent's physical-chemical parameters
(including miscibility with water, viscosity,
temperature behavior, stability and iodine count)
the washing agent's compatibility with nonmetallic
materials (rollers, printing blankets, hose and seal
materials) as well as
11. Swelling test
In a swelling test, three identical roller parts are
immersed in the cleaning agent for 24 hours at room
temperature. Often the cleaning agent causes the
rubber material to swell.
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If this gain surpasses set limit values, it can no longer
be assumed that a smooth operation is possible. The
test assembly for a swelling test with roller parts is
depicted in Illustration 1.
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Since some types of cleaning agents can corrode the
coating (Illustration 2), the interaction between
cleaning agent and the machine coating is also
tested.
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Once the individual tests have been completed,
Heidelberg receives a report from Fogra with the
results from the clearance test and then decides if
the product is suitable for use with its machines. If
successful, the cleaning agent manufacturer receives
a test certificate from Fogra (Illustration 3).
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Products which have passed the test are compiled in
a list which is continuously updated by Fogra. The
most current version of this list can be found on
Fogra's homepage.
Over 290 products from manufacturers all over the
world have already been successfully certified for use
in Heidelberg machines.
16. Contact us
Mr. Rajendra Prasad
Rajendra.prasad@heidelberg.com
www.heidelberg.com
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