Category: Cleaning Routine | Packaging & Print
Reading time: approx. 6 minutes
Target audience: Operators & technical managers in flexography
Many printing companies only clean their equipment when a problem arises. Color deviations, blurry prints, or clogged cells—that’s when they clean. But by then, the damage has already been done, and a quick fix is rarely enough.
A good cleaning program works on three levels:
- daily
- periodically
- and deep.
Each layer serves a different purpose, operates at a different frequency, and uses different products. Together, they ensure that you never find yourself in an emergency situation.
Why three levels?
The principle is simple: wet ink is easy to remove, but dried ink is not. The longer ink remains in the cells of a screen roller, the more energy—in the form of stronger chemicals, higher temperatures, or longer cleaning times—is required to remove it.
Daily cleaning removes wet ink before it has a chance to dry. Periodic cleaning removes any residue that the daily cleaning missed. Deep cleaning is a last resort if the cell has already become significantly clogged.
Those who consistently follow the first two levels rarely need to resort to the third, and if it does come to that, it will be a planned response rather than a crisis.
Level 1: Daily Cleaning
When: after each production run, between jobs
Purpose: to remove fresh ink residues before they can cure
Method: manually or inline
Daily cleaning is the most cost-effective investment you can make in your printing process. Wet ink dissolves easily with mild chemicals—no high concentrations, no long soaking times, and no machine required. Just a few minutes per roll, every day, makes the difference between a cell that lasts for years and one that shows significant volume loss after just a few months.
Which products?
For water-based inks, FC 1000 SL (item no. 91111) and HQ Power SP (item no. 91551) are the standard choices, suitable for both manual and inline use. FC 1000 SL offers the added benefit of actively binding limescale, which is a common secondary issue in water-based environments.
For UV- and solvent-based inks, use FC Multicleaner UV/SB-AS (item no. 91855) or FC9128 (item no. 91852) for daily cleaning of anilox rolls and printing plates.
Where operators often go wrong
The biggest pitfall in daily cleaning is inconsistency. On busy days, the cleaning step is skipped or cut short. It is precisely on those days—when production speeds are higher and there are more color changes—that the cell load is greatest. A consistent cleaning routine, even under time pressure, is the foundation of everything.
Level 2: Periodic cleaning
When: once a week or every two weeks
Purpose: to remove caked-on residue that daily cleaning cannot reach
Method: manually, inline (Heating Bucket), or using the DeepWave machine
Even with a perfect daily routine, microscopic layers of ink residue remain inside the print heads. Over weeks and months, these build up, reduce the print head volume, and disrupt ink flow. Periodic cleaning using stronger chemicals and, if necessary, heat removes these residues and restores the print head volume.
The Heating Bucket
The most commonly used method for periodic inline cleaning is the Heating Bucket: a heated bath in which the anilox roller, chamber blades, and ink pump are rinsed. Heat significantly accelerates the chemical reaction. A cycle lasts approximately one hour. The recommended product for this is Anilox Periodic Special (item 92327).
Manual periodic cleaning
If inline cleaning is not possible, use Anilox Power Boost (item no. 92442) for manual periodic cleaning. This powerful cleaner is suitable for water-based, UV, and solvent-based inks and is effective against stubborn residues.
The DeepWave
For the best results in regular cleaning, whether inline or offline, the DeepWave machine is the right tool for the job. The DeepWave uses two specialized products that work together to maximize cell volume recovery: DeepWave Cleaner (item no. 92250) opens the cells, and DeepWave Descaler (item no. 92260) then removes limescale deposits. Always use them together.
After periodic cleaning: follow-up treatment
After each thorough cleaning, it is advisable to apply Anilox After Care (item no. 92722) or Limescale Buster (item no. 92721). Anilox After Care prevents limescale and spots from reappearing after cleaning. Use it weekly, even between scheduled cleanings, to prevent calcium buildup.
Level 3: Deep Cleaning
When: based on volume measurement, not on a fixed schedule
Goal: maximum cell volume recovery in cases of severe buildup
Method: always using a cleaning machine
Deep cleaning isn’t something you do on a set day. It’s a procedure you schedule based on objective data—specifically, the volume measurement of your grid roller. As soon as the measured cell volume drops below the established threshold, deep cleaning is required.
The Jet-Flow machine
The Jet-Flow machine is the ideal tool for deep cleaning ceramic anilox rolls and sleeves. The accompanying fluid is Anilox Cleaner (item 92200), a strongly alkaline product (pH 14) that effectively removes WB, UV, and SB inks, coatings, and adhesives from the cells. It can be diluted up to 1:1 for economical use in regular cycles.
Ultrasonic cleaning
An alternative to Jet-Flow is ultrasonic cleaning. The Ultrasonic Cleaner (item no. 92215) is specially formulated for use in ultrasonic cleaning machines and provides maximum cell volume recovery even with the heaviest soiling. Can be diluted up to a 1:3 ratio.
Measurements before and after
Deep cleaning without measurement is like flying without instruments. By measuring the volume before cleaning, you know how severe the blockage is. A measurement after cleaning using Troika Systems’ AniCAM objectively confirms how much cell volume has been restored and whether a second cycle is necessary. This way, you make decisions based on facts, not on a hunch.
What does a complete cleaning routine look like?
A practical flowchart for a printing company that uses water-based inks:
Daily (with every production run)
, FC 1000 SL, or HQ Power SP: manually or inline on anilox rolls and printing plates.
Use the Anilox Periodic Special weekly (
) in the Heating Bucket (inline) or apply the Anilox Power Boost manually. Additionally: Use Anilox After Care as a follow-up treatment.
Based on volume measurements, use
DeepWave (periodic, high-level cleaning) or Jet-Flow with Anilox Cleaner (deep cleaning) when the cell volume falls below the specified lower limit.
What are the benefits?
For the operator: fewer unexpected machine malfunctions, a consistent routine that provides a sense of security, and less time lost to emergency cleaning.
For the technical manager: longer screen roller life, more consistent print quality, fewer downtime incidents, and a cleaning program that is proven to work, backed by volume measurements rather than guesswork.
Would you like to know what level your production environment is currently at?
Our specialists will assess your cleaning process and recommend a routine that is tailored to your inks, machines, and production speed.
👉 Schedule an on-site consultation
Clean Solutions Group The leading platform for cleaning solutions in the industrial, packaging, and printing sectors.