Features Hardware
Flint Group unveils new washer and dryer/light finisher

As part of its Catena product family, the new Catena-W washer and dryer/light finisher from Flint Group is designed to deliver superior productivity through a unique plate alignment which avoids plate skew during transport as well as an advanced plate queuing system.

This limits the distance between plates being processed and maximizes the throughput. An integrated plate shuttle will enable a single operator to easily handle large format plates, and a minimum gap between queues will increase the number of plates processed per shift.

Compared to other washers, the Catena-W operates in a sealed environment. Its efficient extractions ensure a minimum of solvent fumes reaching the workplace, Flint Group said, which benefits the health and safety of operators.

The system has already been given a thumbs-up from Miller-Graphics Group, a Huntsville, Ohio-based company that specializes in the design and production of vinyl graphics for flexible packaging, paper and foil, and corrugated and labels. “We’ve found the Catena-W pin-bar system to be very useful,” said Stefaan Herman, the company’s lead user and site manager. “This avoids the need for punching the plate by using an external spiked clamp system. Not only does this save a step, it also means there’s no polymer residue from the punch that can sometimes stick on a plate. Furthermore, the distance required for clamping is less and, thus, saves us some plate material.”

Rather than a drive chain that passes through the solvent, Herman added, Catena-W uses a leadscrew that’s outside the liquid, thereby saving maintenance. “For the environment in our plate room, we noticed that special covers limit the solvent evaporation with almost no smell discernable in the room,” Herman said. “The systems are noticeably quieter, too.”