Maintenance Instructions for Medical Packaging Flexo Printing Machines

Medical packaging flexo printing machines play a vital role in the field of medical product packaging. The printing quality of these machines is directly related to the safety and hygiene of medical products. To ensure the long-term stable and efficient operation of the equipment, as well as to guarantee the high quality and consistency of printed products, it is essential to implement correct and meticulous maintenance measures. The following will elaborate on the key points and methods of maintaining medical packaging flexo printing machines, covering aspects such as mechanics, electrical systems, and printing systems, aiming to help operators extend the service life of the equipment, reduce the occurrence of failures, improve production efficiency and product quality, and thus meet the strict standards and requirements of the medical packaging industry.

I. Daily Cleaning and Hygiene Maintenance
(I) Cleaning the Machine Body and Working Area
Immediately after the completion of the daily printing operation, use a clean soft cloth or dust-free paper dipped in an appropriate amount of special cleaner to wipe the surface of the printing machine body to remove dust, ink stains, and possible contaminants such as microorganisms. Special attention should be paid to cleaning the control panel, operation buttons, display screen, and other parts to prevent dust accumulation from affecting the operation sensitivity and display clarity, and also to avoid stains from seeping into the inside of the equipment and causing damage.
Thoroughly clean the working area around the printing machine, including the floor and workbench, to ensure that there is no paper scraps, ink leakage, or other debris left. Maintaining a clean working environment not only helps improve the operational stability of the equipment but also reduces the potential impact of dust and impurities on printing quality and the risk of product contamination.

(II) Cleaning the Printing System
Cleaning the key printing components such as printing cylinders, plate cylinders, and doctor blades is the focus of daily maintenance. After replacing the printing plate or completing the daily printing task, promptly use a special solvent and a soft brush to carefully remove the ink remaining on the surfaces of the cylinders and plate cylinders. Avoid the ink from drying and becoming difficult to clean, which may affect the subsequent printing quality and the service life of the cylinders and plate cylinders. Meanwhile, check the wear condition of the doctor blade. If necessary, adjust or replace it in a timely manner to ensure that the doctor blade can evenly scrape off the excess ink and guarantee the clarity and color accuracy of the printed pattern.
Regularly clean the ink circulation system, including the ink fountain, ink pump, and ink pipes. Completely empty the remaining ink in the ink fountain and rinse it with the corresponding solvent to remove the deposits and impurities inside the ink fountain to prevent them from clogging the ink pipes or affecting the fluidity and uniformity of the ink. Check the working condition of the ink pump to ensure that it can normally deliver the ink. If there is any abnormality, repair or replace it in a timely manner. Check the ink pipes for leakage or damage. If there are any problems, repair or replace them in a timely manner to ensure the sealing and stability of the ink delivery system.

II. Maintenance of Mechanical Components
(I) Maintenance of the Transmission System
Regularly check the tension of the transmission belt to ensure that the belt does not slip or become loose during operation. You can use a tension meter to measure and adjust the tension of the belt according to the recommendations of the equipment manufacturer. If signs of wear, aging, cracks, or breakage are found in the belt, replace it immediately to ensure stable and reliable power transmission and avoid printing speed instability or printing position deviation caused by belt failure.
Regularly conduct lubrication maintenance on transmission components such as gearboxes, sprockets, and chains. Select appropriate lubricating oil or grease according to the usage frequency and working environment of the equipment, and add them in accordance with the specified dosage and method. Regularly check the meshing condition of the gears to see if there are any problems such as tooth surface wear, scuffing, or breakage. If there is any abnormality, stop the machine in a timely manner for maintenance or replace the gear components. Meanwhile, check the tension and lubrication condition of the chain, adjust the chain tensioning device in a timely manner, and replenish the lubricating oil to ensure that the chain operates in a good working condition, reduce the wear and noise of the transmission components, and extend their service life.

(II) Maintenance of the Pressure Adjustment System
The pressure adjustment system of the medical packaging flexo printing machine is crucial for ensuring printing quality. Regularly check the uniformity and stability of the pressure between the impression cylinder and the plate cylinder. You can use pressure test films or pressure sensors for detection. Based on the detection results, adjust the pressure adjustment device to ensure that the pressure is uniform across the entire printing width and avoid quality problems such as uneven printing density and dot deformation caused by uneven pressure.
Check whether the components such as cylinders, pistons, and seals of the pressure adjustment system are working normally. If there is any leakage or damage, replace the corresponding components in a timely manner to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the pressure adjustment system. Meanwhile, pay attention to keeping the pressure adjustment system clean to prevent dust and impurities from entering the system and affecting its normal operation.

III. Maintenance of the Electrical System
(I) Inspection of Electrical Circuits
Regularly conduct a comprehensive inspection of the electrical circuits of the printing machine to check if there are any wire breaks, aging, short circuits, open circuits, or poor contact. Pay special attention to the inspection of the circuits connecting key electrical components such as motors, controllers, sensors, and drivers to ensure that their connections are firm and the insulation is good. Use an insulation resistance meter to conduct insulation tests on the electrical circuits. The insulation resistance value should meet the relevant standard requirements. If any circuit problems are found, repair or replace them in a timely manner to prevent electrical failures from causing equipment shutdown, fire, and other safety accidents and ensure the normal operation of the equipment and the personal safety of the operators.
Clean the dust and debris in the electrical control cabinet to maintain a good heat dissipation environment. The electrical components in the electrical control cabinet will generate heat during operation. If too much dust accumulates, it will affect the heat dissipation effect of the electrical components, causing the temperature of the components to rise, shortening their service life, and even causing failures. Therefore, regularly use clean compressed air or a soft brush to clean the electrical control cabinet to ensure that the electrical components can dissipate heat normally and improve the reliability and stability of the equipment.

(II) Maintenance of Electrical Components
Regularly inspect and maintain electrical components such as motors, drivers, controllers, and sensors. Check the running status of the motor, including temperature, noise, vibration, and current, etc. If there is any abnormality, stop the machine for maintenance in a timely manner to prevent the motor from burning out. Regularly check and calibrate the parameters of the driver to ensure that it can accurately control the rotation speed, torque, and position of the motor and guarantee the stability and precision of the printing process.
Calibrate the sensitivity and accuracy of the sensors to ensure that they can accurately detect various operating parameters of the printing machine, such as printing pressure, register accuracy, ink viscosity, and temperature, etc., and feed them back to the control system for adjustment in a timely manner. The accuracy of the sensors is crucial for ensuring printing quality and the normal operation of the equipment. If there is any fault, replace them in a timely manner. Meanwhile, check the fixing condition of the electrical components to ensure that they are firmly installed and there is no looseness to prevent the electrical components from being damaged or having poor contact due to vibration or collision.

IV. Calibration and Maintenance of Components Related to Printing Quality
(I) Calibration of Register Accuracy
According to the operating procedures of the printing machine, regularly use the register test plate for register accuracy detection and calibration. Register accuracy is one of the important indicators for measuring the printing quality of the printing machine, and it is particularly critical for medical packaging printing as it is directly related to the appearance quality and information accuracy of the product. By adjusting the axial and circumferential positions of the plate cylinder, the tension control system, and the printing pressure and other parameters, ensure that the graphics and texts of different colors can be accurately registered on the substrate with the error controlled within a very small range, meeting the strict standards of medical packaging printing.
When calibrating the register accuracy, use high-precision measuring tools such as magnifiers, microscopes, and electronic register measuring instruments to ensure the accuracy of the measurement results. Meanwhile, keep good calibration records, including calibration time, adjusted parameters, and measurement results, etc., for subsequent tracking and analysis of the performance changes of the printing machine, so as to discover potential problems in a timely manner and take corresponding measures to solve them.

(II) Ink Viscosity Control and Maintenance
Ink viscosity is one of the important factors affecting printing quality. For medical packaging flexo printing machines, it is necessary to precisely control the ink viscosity to ensure the clarity, color saturation, and transferability of the printed pattern. Regularly use a viscometer to measure the ink viscosity. According to the measurement results and the printing process requirements, adjust the ink viscosity by adding an appropriate amount of solvent or additive.
Keep the ink well-mixed to prevent sedimentation or stratification of the ink during storage and use. You can use an ink stirrer to continuously stir or regularly stir the ink to ensure the stability of the ink performance. Meanwhile, pay attention to the storage environment of the ink, avoid high temperature, humidity, and direct sunlight to prevent the ink from deteriorating and affecting the printing quality.

V. Regular Comprehensive Inspection and Debugging
(I) Inspection of the Overall Machine Performance
At regular intervals (such as monthly or quarterly), conduct a comprehensive performance inspection of the medical packaging flexo printing machine. The inspection contents include key indicators such as printing speed, printing pressure, register accuracy, ink transfer rate, and drying effect. Use professional inspection equipment and tools for measurement and evaluation to ensure that the performance indicators of the equipment meet the production requirements and industry standards.
During the inspection process, simulate actual production conditions and conduct printing tests on different specifications of medical packaging materials. Observe the quality and effect of the printed products and discover and solve possible problems in a timely manner. Meanwhile, evaluate the overall operating condition of the equipment, including the running sound, vibration condition of mechanical components, and the stability of the electrical system, etc., to comprehensively understand the health condition of the equipment and provide a basis for subsequent maintenance and repair work.

(II) Equipment Debugging and Optimization
Based on the results of the overall machine performance inspection, conduct necessary debugging and optimization on the printing machine. If the printing speed is found to be unstable, it may be necessary to check the belt, chain, motor, and other components of the transmission system and make corresponding adjustments or replacements. If there is a deviation in the register accuracy, recalibrate the parameters of the register system. If the ink transfer rate is not ideal, it may be necessary to adjust the printing pressure, doctor blade angle, or replace the plate cylinder, etc.
During the debugging process, adjust the parameters step by step and conduct multiple tests to ensure that the performance of the equipment is effectively improved and optimized. Meanwhile, record the parameter changes and test results during the debugging process for subsequent reference and experience summary to continuously improve the operating efficiency and printing quality of the equipment.
Through the above comprehensive, systematic, and meticulous maintenance measures, the long-term stable operation of medical packaging flexo printing machines can be effectively guaranteed, the reliability and stability of printing quality can be ensured, and the strict requirements of the medical packaging industry for product quality and safety can be met. Operators should strictly follow the maintenance plan and operating procedures, establish a complete equipment maintenance file, record the maintenance situation, repair history, and performance changes of the equipment, etc., so as to discover potential problems of the equipment in a time manner, take targeted measures to solve them, extend the service life of the equipment, and improve the production efficiency and market competitiveness of enterprises.