Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve put together some commonly asked questions to give you more information about our services. If you have a question that you can’t find the answer to, please contact us directly.
We specialize in printers for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and confectionary industries. However, we have helped other industries find solutions to imprinting their marks on their products – if you have a need, there’s a good chance we can come up with a solution for you. Contact us if you have a question!
Yes. We have provided in-person service to companies near and far. Our machines are also equipped with remote access technology that allows us to virtually service them from our office.
The extent of starting and stopping must be defined. Ink transferred from the printing cylinder to the offset roller must be transferred to the product continuously, or the ink will build up on the offset roller and it will require cleaning. If the printing cylinder is stopped and allowed to remain in ink in the tray, the ink will dry and require vigorous cleaning to remove the ink.
If stopping the printing operation for any considerable length of time, the offset roller should be thoroughly cleaned, and the printing roller speed reduced to a low, idling speed. Depending on the drying time and the viscosity stability of the ink, an amount of solvent may need to be added to the ink pan so the ink will not dry up or over-thicken during the operator’s absence. Insure that the rollers are separated so as to discontinue the transfer of ink for print roller to offset roller. If the printer is stopped with ink in the pan, the ink will dry and harden on the roller and be difficult and time consuming to remove. If the rollers are left in contact for any length of time without rotating, an irreversible flat spot may develop. This will greatly affect print and quality.
Temperature and humidity can definitely affect printing success and requirements for ingredients must be taken into account. Normal drying environments are generally 65-75°F and 45-55% R.H. There are exceptions. For example, Ackley Hartnett has a customer whose product was extremely hydroscopic, and required the R.H. to be a maximum of 17%. We also have had customers in places such as Puerto Rico, Korea and China, where the R.H. sometimes approached 85-90%. If the inks are developed properly, all of these conditions can be dealt with easily. Another factor impacting dry time is air movement within an area. Direct exposure to heating, air conditioning and ventilation ducts will accelerate drying of the ink, and cause premature loss of critical solvents.
There are several ink manufacturers. The choice is up to the purchaser. Ackley Hartnett would rather not be in the position to make any specific recommendations; therefore we leave the choice up to the purchaser. We DO recommend that inks chosen contain, even in trace amounts, all ingredients that may be required to “tailor” the ink performance as, or if, required by regulations. This will eliminate the need to re-submit to governing authorities if the need arises.
The cost of our printers vary depending on the imprinting method, output capacity, tablet/capsule size, and other factors. Please contact us to get a specific quote.
