Thermal Spray and The Print Industry

Since the invention of the printing press in the mid-15th century, the print industry has been an ever-changing market. While the advancements in digital media may appear to have slowed down the need for print, the print industry is still a thriving, integral part of our everyday lives. From magazines to mail marketing campaigns, print industry sales grew 1.7% in 2018 and is expected to continue to grow 1.5-2.5% in 2019. So how is this market growing in the digital age? The answer lies in new print technology and other cost saving maneuvers companies in the print industry have been taking advantage of. There is one cost-saving process that could be saving them even more.

High Production Equals High Wear

Thermal Spray Equals Wear ResistanceThe everyday person thinks of big newspaper print rooms when they think of the print industry, but it includes many more machines and parts than the outside perspective can even imagine. The high rate of production and constant operation times mean printing equipment parts wear out fast. All those moving parts can mean big bucks when it comes time to replace them. Industrials printers like the one pictured to the right can contain up to three rollers in just one section fo the machine. Rollers inevitably get large grooves and gouges in them from the constant wear of doing what they are made to do. So, print companies must do regular printing press maintenance and replace parts constantly. Replacement part costs can add up fast.

Thermal Spray Equals Wear Resistance

Thermal spray is just the solution to avoid the excessive accumulation of maintenance costs. Instead of buying OEM replacement printing press parts every time, rollers and other equipment can be prepped and coated with stainless steel or tungsten carbide to create a new working surface. Depending on the needs of the company, our engineers and sales team can select the proper coating for the job while qualified craftsman can spray the part and grind the surface to OEM specifications. Print cylinder repair can save time and money over replacing print components every single time.

Beyond time and money, thermal spray also increases the hardness of a roller surface to four times that of chrome plating. Applying thermal spray not only get the equipment operation, it extends the life above and beyond the original print roll. Coatings are wear and corrosion resistant resulting in more time in production before repairing or replacing again.

Keep Your Rolls Rolling

Thermal spray can aid in many necessary print industry repairs. These include, but are not limited to, bearing housing repair, eccentric bearing housing repair, draw roller repair, slitter roller repair and chop fold roller repair. HTS Coatings also specializes in journal repair and stub shaft repair. Thermal spray can also be applied to spyder housings and former noses. This certainly does not include all the parts in which thermal spray is economical, but it is a few we have a lot of experience with. Our engineering and sales team can evaluate if any of your print machine parts can be repaired using thermal spray. Our team can also manufacture new rolls and coat them with preventative wear coatings.

Thermal Spray Adds Up

While it appears that the digital age is taking over, the print industry is and always will be a vital part of our lives. As long as there are things to print there will be printing press repairs. Let us help you save time and money over the life of your print machine parts. Thermal spray is a valuable wear and corrosion resistant repair method to enhance the performance of your print cylinders and other print machine parts. There are many types of thermal spray coatings and materials. Let our HTS team help you discover the best solution for you, contact us today!