micrometal Group has successfully manufactured screens from which a tens of meters long metal strip with conical holes which is wound on a rotating drum screen for a leading printer manufacturer is made.
The printer in which our photo-etched part is used is a high-volume sheet-fed paper printer. The section where micrometal Group’s part is placed is used to transport the sheet over multiple stages of the printing machine to eventually be printed again or disbursed.
The conical holes in the screen need to be dimensional accurate. The long strips also need to be as straight as possible and they need to be free of burrs which could damage the paper and/or ink.
There are a number of technical advantages achieved through making this part using photo-chemical etching (PCE) as opposed to legacy metal fabrication processes such as stamping and laser cutting. First consistent hole and conical geometry are vital to the optimal functionality of the rotating drum screen, and PCE can create conical hole geometries impossible or uneconomical using alternative processes. Also, PCE is characterised by the ability to make precise metal parts without burrs which other alternative processes cannot guarantee, zero burrs again being fundamental to the function of the printer. In addition, PCE processes thin metal, and the screen can be made sufficiently thick and with the required tensile strength from stainless steel, plastic not being strong or heat resistant enough for the application.
The micrometal Group offers unique precision and expertise when compared to alternative etching providers, and this unique process also excels over legacy processes. The use of extremely thin liquid resist and glass tooling allows the company to achieve geometries and dimensional tolerances impossible using alternative providers. This allows micrometal to make round conical holes for the drum screen 220 μm in 300 μm stainless steel 1.4310 FS.
The demand for high-volume printing is rising, the emphasis today being on larger format and faster printers. The need for customisation of letters, cardboard packages, and fast on-demand photograph printing are also increasingly. In many of these application areas, printer manufacturers can use more cost-effective plastic parts and components, but when looking at instances when moving parts are under pressure or prone to heat, PCE is the best-fit technology.
Through consultation between etching provider and OEM, it is important to understand the function and application of the part required, and how the etched product needs to perform. For certain applications, PCE will be the best way to achieve cost-effective optimally functioning parts and components.