Rubber rolls transfer ink from the design roller and apply it directly to your product.

The type of rubber roll used depends on the shape and texture of you product, whether it be pharmaceutical, confectionery, or nutraceutical. For example, if a product is rounder or an uneven shape it will most likely to use a softer rubber roll like pink or green since the durometer is lower. If a product has a flatter surface a rubber roll with a higher durometer like Red to Silicone can be used for a better result of print.

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Effortless Clean-Up with Our Automatic Rubber Roll Cleaning System

When printing on pharmaceutical products, maintaining a clean, contamination-free printing environment is critical. Between production batches, every component of the printer must be thoroughly sanitized to prevent cross-contamination and ensure GMP-compliant pharmaceutical printing. At the same time, keeping printing surfaces clean during operation is essential for achieving consistent, high-quality print results.

That’s why Ackley Hartnett is one of the only manufacturers to offer an Automatic Rubber Roll Cleaning System built directly into our ink printing machines.

Automated, Hands-Free Cleaning for Ink Marked Products

Whether your product is for pharmaceutical, confectionery, or nutraceutical purposes, our Rubber Roll Cleaning System provides a safe, efficient, and operator-free method for cleaning your machine’s rubber rolls—without interrupting production. Fully integrated into the printing machine, this system eliminates manual cleaning steps while improving print quality and reducing downtime.

When manually activated during production, the cleaning head assembly advances until it comes in contact with the rubber roll. A controlled amount of cleaning solvent is dispensed onto the cleaning cloth, which then spins to remove excess ink and residue from the roll surface. Once the cleaning cycle is complete, the cleaning head moves back into the guard, allowing production to continue seamlessly.

Programmable Cleaning—Manual or Automatic

In addition to manual activation, the Rubber Roll Cleaning System can be programmed to operate automatically. When enabled, the system initiates a cleaning cycle after production stops, helping maintain a clean printing surface between runs and supporting consistent performance across batches.

The system is fully programmable through the touchscreen interface and can be activated manually by the operator or automatically by the vision inspection system, providing maximum flexibility and control.