Peristaltic Pumps Burst the Printing Bubble
30 October 2009
Peterson Packaging, based in Denmark, had been experiencing problems when transferring ink from storage containers to rollers on its print machines. The air diaphragm pumps that the company was using were unable to transfer the water-based ink gently enough, which led to bubbles forming in the ink. The bubbles were then transferred to the finished product, ruining the packaging and causing waste and added expense.
Peterson Packaging needed a cost-effective pump, capable of gently transferring the ink without creating bubbles, which could fit into the limited floor space available. The answer was the Verderflex Dura 15 peristaltic pump.
With a peristaltic pump the ink is completely contained within a hose, which is compressed by a rotating roller. This then pushes the ink through and along the hose. On restitution of the hose, the resulting vacuum draws more liquid in, creating a gentle and accurate pumping process. As the liquid is totally contained within the hose, there is also no chance of cross contamination or spillage.
The Verderflex Dura range is possibly the most advanced peristaltic hose pump available and its unique design gives it a 70% smaller footprint compared to similar pumps. This was perfect for Peterson Packaging who required five pumps to fit in a limited space at the end of each print line.
Peterson Packaging is extremely happy with the results gained after installing the Dura 15 pumps into their printing process. The Verderflex Dura pump range has the following benefits:
- No bubbles in the ink, thanks to the gentle pumping process
- Very easy to clean and maintain as the hose is the only part that comes into contact with the ink
- Changing colours is quick and easy
- Can run dry without any damage
- Quieter and more efficient to run than the loud and expensive air diaphragm pumps
- Reduced downtime because the only part to change is the hose
