IPCO steel belts for high speed, high precision digital printing
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Research shows steel belts to be up to 6x more stable than plastic.
Research findings announced by Swedish company IPCO at the virtual.drupa 2021 fair in April showed that belt vibration on a digital press is up to six times lower with a steel belt than it is with a plastic belt.
IPCO is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of steel conveying and processing belts. Global Product Manager, Cherryleen Garcia-Lindgren presented the results of independent tests carried out by contract research company Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT.
The respective vibration levels of steel and plastic belts operating at speeds from 30 m/min to 300 m/min were measured using laser-based sensors. The steel belts were tested under different levels of tension, while the plastic belt was tested at a constant tension force.
The findings revealed that while both belt types showed the highest vibration at the lowest speeds and vice versa, the steel belt demonstrated levels of stability significantly greater than plastic belts. Depending on the level of tension applied, vibration levels for the steel belt ranged were anything from 3 to 6x lower.
“IPCO steel belts are characterized by their flatness, straightness, stability and durability,” says Cherryleen Garcia-Lindgren. “Precision engineered at our factory in Sweden, they can be manufactured in solid form or punched with perforations for use with vacuum systems.
“Our steel belts are suitable for printing applications ranging from large format corrugated packaging to high quality, full colour branded materials – even furniture board, film wrap and ceramic tiles. We look forward to exploring these and other opportunities with existing and potential customers alike.”
