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. They clean when there are color deviations, blurry prints, or clogged cells, but by that time the damage has already been done, and a quick fix is rarely enough.
A good cleaning plan works differently. It consists of two fixed components: daily cleaning and periodic cleaning. If you carry out both of these consistently, you’ll maintain cell volume, stabilize print quality, and prevent deep cleaning from ever becoming a major problem.
Deep cleaning is not part of a regular cleaning routine. It is a corrective measure, implemented based on a volume measurement, for situations in which regular cleaning was insufficient. The better the cleaning routine, the less frequently this intervention is needed.
Why does this concept work?
The principle is simple: wet ink dissolves easily. Dried ink does not. The longer ink remains in the cells of a anilox roller, the more energy is needed to remove it. More chemicals, higher temperatures, longer cleaning times.
Daily cleaning removes wet ink before it can dry. Periodic cleaning removes any residue that the daily cleaning missed. Together, they keep the cell volume stable and ink transfer consistent.
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.
RecommendedProducts
The right cleaning agent depends on your ink type (water-, UV-, or solvent-based), the surfaces you are cleaning (anilox roller, printing plate, machine parts, floor), and the presence of aluminum or coated parts, which are not compatible with every product. Flexoclean offers more than 25 specialized daily cleaning agents for all ink systems.
Use the product selector on cleansolutionsgroup.eu or download the free flowcharts to quickly find the right cleaning product for your situation.
Where Operators 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 is the foundation of everything, even under time pressure.
2: Regular cleaning, a targeted approach to specific challenges
When: Once a month to twice a quarter
Purpose: To remove caked-on residues 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, reducing the print head volume and disrupting 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 used to rinse the anilox roller, chamber blades, and ink pump. Heat significantly accelerates the chemical reaction. A cycle takes about an hour. The recommended product for this is Anilox Periodic Special (item no. 92327).
The DeepWave
For the highest level of periodic cleaning performance, whether inline or offline, the DeepWave cleaning machine is the right tool for the job. The DeepWave uses two specialized products that, when used together, provide maximum cell volume recovery: DeepWave Cleaner (item no. 92250) opens the cells, DeepWave Descaler (item no. 92260) then removes the limescale deposits. Always use them together.
Manual periodic cleaning
If inline cleaning isn't 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 on stubborn residues.
After periodic cleaning: follow-up treatment
After each thorough cleaning, it is advisable to Anilox After Care (item no. 92722) or Limescale Buster (item no. 92721). Anilox After Care prevents limescale and spots from returning after cleaning. Use it weekly, even outside of scheduled cleaning times, to prevent clogging caused by limescale.
Deep cleaning: the exception, not the rule
When: based on volume measurement, not at a fixed time on the calendar
Goal: maximum cell volume recovery in cases of severe buildup
Method: always using a cleaning machine
Deep cleaning is not part of a routine. It’s a procedure you plan based on objective data: the volume measurement of your anilox roller. As soon as the measured cell volume drops below the established threshold, deep cleaning is required.
Those who clean consistently on a daily and periodic basis only need to perform deep cleaning once or twice a year. And when the time comes, it’s a planned event rather than an emergency.
BioJet In-Press
The BioJet In-Press cleans anilox rolls and sleeves fully automatically, directly in the press. The system blasts environmentally friendly sodium carbonate (hardness 2.5 Moh) against the ceramic anilox roll (hardness 6.5 Moh) to remove contamination from the cells. No chemicals, no disassembly of components. Standard inline operation;
optional offline operation via a trolley. Cleaning time: approximately 35 to 45 minutes.
BioJet Cabinet
The BioJet Cabinet is the offline version for deep cleaning of anilox rolls and sleeves outside the press. The system operates on the same principle as the BioJet In-Press: dry blasting with sodium carbonate for effective cell cleaning without damaging the ceramic cell structure.
Jet-Flow
For deep cleaning of ceramic anilox rolls and sleeves, the Jet-Flow is the ideal cleaning machine. The corresponding cleaning fluid is Anilox Cleaner (item no. 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 a 1:1 ratio for economical use in regular cleaning cycles.
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. When you take a volume measurement before cleaning, you know how severe the clog is. A measurement taken after cleaning with Troika Systems’ AniCAM objectively confirms how much cell volume has been restored and whether a second cycle is needed. 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.
Weekly to monthly
- Inline: Anilox Periodic Special in the Heating Bucket
- Online and offline: DeepWave Cleaner and DeepWave Descaler in combination with the DeepWave
- Manual: Anilox Power Boost.
- Additionally: Anilox After Care as a post-treatment.
Based on volume measurements,
BioJet In-Press, BioJet Cabinet, Jet-Flow, or ultrasonic 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.