19 December, 2007 Selecting an Ink Pump Overview

19 December, 2007

Selecting an Ink PumpOverview

2Confidential information of Graymills Corporation – gmi1178.ppt

Selecting an Ink Pump … Choosing a Pump

There are two main questions to answer:

Which pump does the customer need?

Why Graymills?

Peristaltic Pump

Diaphragm PumpCentrifugal Pump


Selecting an Ink Pump … Choosing a Pump … Why Graymills

Beyond product-specific issues, there are several reasons to recommend Graymills.

We, both as a company and as individuals, are well-known in the industry and are specifically focused on flexo and gravure.

As a second-generation family business, the ownership is dedicated to its customer base. We will respond fast, and we are known for developing new products on the spot to meet customer demands.

With an average employee tenure of 12 years, we can provide the highest quality.

With our large, automated machine shop and sheet metal fabrication area, we can be competitive with custom pumps and tanks.


The most common choice in gravure and flexo is a centrifugal pump.

The pumps are rugged and cheap to operate.

There are no or few wear parts.

There are a wide variety of motors available, from electric to variable-speed electric to explosion-proof electric to air. Solvent, water, or lighter UV.

They provide circulation for the ink both in the volute and through bypass systems, keeping viscosity and color density in better control.

They can provide high flow.

They are relatively easy to clean.

Users are comfortable with them.

Electric versions are economical to operate.

Centrifugal Pump

Selecting an Ink Pump … Centrifugal


However, centrifugal pumps do have a few downsides.

They are heavy, especially if explosion-proof.

The flow delivered varies with viscosity, specific gravity, and deck height.

Variable speed is an expensive option on electric versions (though free on air versions).

They are harder to clean than peristaltic pumps.

They cannot pump high-viscosity inks (e.g., UV ink, EB ink). Some coatings, adhesives, or varnishes might pose problems, too.

They do not work with automatic wash-up systems that are currently on the market.

Circulation is proportional to flow (barring valves).

The high speed of the impeller can warm the ink.

Centrifugal Pump

Selecting an Ink Pump … Centrifugal


Selling centrifugals against the competition:

Coating: Graymills uses Teflon®. While more expensive, it provides the best ink

release. Additionally, it is resistant to damage; scratches do not promote flaking or peeling.

Competitors use Nylon. While it works well initially, any penetration by ink causes the material to peel. Additionally, it hardens over time, especially when exposed to solvents. Any ink stuck behind the damaged part can contaminate colors.

Efficiency: Graymills pumps were designed to maximize the fluid dynamic

efficiency, allowing the pump to work with the least lost energy. This translates into lower ink temperature and less “beating up” of the ink. Additionally, we can provide more performance for a given size of motor or volute.

Selecting an Ink Pump … Centrifugal … Selling Against the Competition


Selling centrifugals against the competition:

Agitation: Graymills offers the option of in-tank circulation or bypass-based

circulation. In-tank is preferred for most applications (with the possible exception of very high solids or metallic inks, where maximum agitation is crucial) because it means less plumbing, less expense, less to clean, and less crowding of the inking area. Additionally, it cannot be “tweaked” by a passing pressman, reducing one variable in the printing process.

Competitors typically use bypasses to circulate the ink. Bypasses are also suspected of causing foaming, including microfoam.

Selecting an Ink Pump … Centrifugal … Selling Against the Competition


Peristaltic pumps have become popular, especially in the narrow- to mid-web sizes.

The pumps are easy to clean – just change the tubing.

These pumps can handle high viscosities, including screen printing ink.

These pumps provide much less pulsation than DDPs.

Our models are reversible, allowing the operator to suck the ink back from the deck.

Our models allow the user to control the speed of the pump, minimizing tube wear.

The electric motors are economical to operate.Peristaltic Pump

Selecting an Ink Pump … Peristaltic


However, peristaltic pumps have some issues, too.

The tubing does wear out, though our model was designed for maximum tube life.

The flow is not high for the size of the pump.

They are more expensive than other pumps, especially for explosion-proof.

Peristaltic Pump

Selecting an Ink Pump … Peristaltic


Selling peristaltics against the competition.

The shape: This is our largest advantage. It’s very intuitive to the pressman that

the pump should sit between the ink and the deck, and our design facilitates this. It also allows easy mounting on lids or stands without needing space to bend the tube 90 degrees.

The shape also minimizes the chance of kinking. Since the pump sits inline, the tube flows naturally.

Competitive units use either a U-shape path or “pass-through”. U-shaped units (e.g., Watson-Marlow, Randolph Austin,

Masterflex BT, Powerwise) have kinking issues due to the configuration. They cannot be set in-line, requiring extra room for tubing.

Pass-through units (e.g., Masterflex IP) can sit in-line. However, since the tube does not wrap around the rotor and only has a small (90 or less, typically) contact area, the pump needs more rollers. This results in more compressions, lower flow per RPM, and much shorter tube life.

Selecting an Ink Pump … Peristaltic … Selling Against the Competition


Selling peristaltics against the competition.

Reversibility: Most peristaltic pumps come from the chemical and medical

industries. In these areas, there is no reason to run in reverse, so the manufacturers avoid this expense. Our pumps can all run in reverse, allowing the user to pump ink back from the deck.

Changeover: Our Quick-Change heads are unique to the industry. We can

change a peristaltic pump over to a new color much faster than the competition. And quick changeover times are crucial in this industry.

Additionally, our QC heads allow the pressman to swap out heads in case of maintenance issues or a broken tube. Competitive units make you replace the whole pump or require tools and time to remove the head.

Self-Contained: Our basic units are all in one box. No wires to run to inverter boxes.

Selecting an Ink Pump … Peristaltic … Selling Against the Competition


Diaphragm pumps are typically seen in corrugated applications or in automatic washup systems.

These pumps are typically the cheapest pumps available for a given flow rate.

They are very compact.

They are often available as a “2-in, 2-out” configuration, allowing the pump to feed ink to the printing deck and suck it back down. This is especially useful for low corrugated decks, especially on bottom printers.

They are typically inherently explosion-proof, provided the operator follows the proper instructions.

Diaphragm Pump

Selecting an Ink Pump … DDP


In many cases, the problems with DDPs outweigh the benefits.

They have the shortest operating life of any of the three major types of pumps.

They create pulsation, which can bend the doctor blades, push the chambers outward, or blow out the end seals. These conditions result in leaks and inconsistent printing.

They are difficult to clean, since the ink cannot be directly cleaned from the internal chambers (especially important with UV ink).

Compressed air is VERY expensive.

Diaphragm Pump

Selecting an Ink Pump … DDP


Selling DDPs against the competition.

Body materials: Offered by Graymills:

Rigid poly – ¼”, 3/8”, ½”, 1” Excellent for water based inks and most corrugated applications,

economical Teflon coated aluminum – ¾”, 1”

A proven corrosion protector (1” Atex pump is anodized) Acetal – ½” ATEX-compliant pump

More expensive but a good choice when solvents are used and an electrical ground is required

Not currently offered by Graymills: Raw aluminum

Used by some inexpensive pump manufacturers, raw aluminum will oxidize and corrode due to the pH of the water ink

Selecting an Ink Pump … DDP … Selling Against the Competition



Diaphragms: Offered by Graymills:

Hytrile Excellent life, good for water based applications

Teflon Preferred in applications where solvent is used. Longest life.

Reduces need to worry about chemical compatibility Not currently offered by Graymills:

Santoprene Excellent life, suitable for mild solvent use, less expensive that

Teflon Buna (used by other pump manufacturers)

Works in many cases but sometimes reacts (swells) with some anilox cleaning or washup chemicals.




Check Valves: Offered by Graymills:

Ball and seat The most popular and reliable solution

Duck bills Useful when there is an excessive amount of trash in the ink.

Duck bills allow larger particles to pass by. Not a first choice. Not currently offered by Graymills:

Flapper valves Used by others, they are a poor choice for corrugated or ink

applications. The flapper is held on one side like a hinge and doesn’t open wide enough to allow larger particles to pass by without jamming the flapper open.

Quad-hedral Other companies, such as Sandpiper, offer various valve

designs that have not succeeded in the flexo and gravure industries.




Air Valves: Graymills uses a simple air valve that is externally serviceable IN

PLACE with only a few parts and some basic tools. Most competitive pumps use a “spool valve” design in the air valve.

As the spool valve moves in the sleeve, different and very small holes must line up to let the compressed air pass through to force the diaphragms to move. The assembly is complicated and has many small parts.

This design uses an air valve that works well only under ideal operating conditions.

The air passage holes are small and easily blocked with moisture and dirt. These valves will only work if the air is very clean and dry. To remove and repair this valve during service will take about one hour.

When a competitive pump requires service, it usually requires complete removal from the printing press and complete disassembly on a work bench.

The expense of the press “down time” is much greater than the price for a good, reliable pump!




So why is the Graymills DDP better than the offering from ARO? Graymills’ slide valve is inherently more resistant to contamination and

offers greater reliability and more resistance to stalling. The Graymills pump can be serviced quickly on-press with only a few

parts needed. The ARO pump requires a long off-press service time with a large, complex kit of parts and complicated assembly instructions and specifications.

Price vs. Value. The lowest initial price may well become the most expensive choice.

Competing in the market with the GM 3/8” pump. It fits many corrugated requirements very well with a cheaper pricepoint.



Another common question involves flow rates.

Typically, we use experience to choose a pump for the application. H2000 for narrow web, M3 for mid- to wide web, and H4 for wide-web

and gravure ¼” and 3/8” DDP for narrow-web, and ½” (maybe 1”) for wide-web. PPS for narrow web, and PPL for mid-web.

Remember that for centrifugal pumps, flow decreases with deck height.

A general rule of thumb is that the ink tank should recycle every 2-3 minutes. So a press with 20-gallon tanks probably needs a pump that can deliver around 8-10 GPM. This is, of course, only a guide. A variable speed pump should be running at 20-70% maximum speed.

For washing up the system, the pump needs to deliver at least 5 gpm (20 lpm).

When in doubt, ask us. Chances are we have specified pumps for that brand of press before!

Selecting an Ink Pump … Flow Rates


Trends:

Quick turnarounds. Changeover is everything.

Peristaltic pumps in gravure. Two-headed PPs provide more economical operation and less

maintenance than DDPs. Several large customers and OEMs are switching.

Peristaltic pumps in washup systems. Air costs and maintenance issues in the confined quarters of a washup

system control box mean that companies are looking to peristaltics. At least one major OEM is in the process of switching.

No washup systems in gravure. Single large XP centrifugals still rule.

Selecting an Ink Pump … Trends


Selecting an Ink Pump … Overview Chart … Electric Centrifugal

Note: Uses the following scaleo = Not Recommended+ = Works OK++ = Works Well+++ = Works Excellently

HV HR H2000 QD2000 H2000H QD2000H H3000 QD3000 M3 QDM3 H4000 QD4000 G4 QDG4Wide Web o o o o + + o o +++ +++ +++ +++ ++ ++Mid Web o o +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ ++ ++ o o o oNarrow Web +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ ++ ++ o o o oEnvelope o +++ +++ +++ o o o o o o o o o oGravure o o o o o o ++ ++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Screen o o o o o o o o o o o o o oCorrugated o o ++ ++ o o ++ ++ ++ ++ o o + +Circulation +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Non-pulsating +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Easy to Clean + + + ++ + ++ + ++ + ++ + ++ + ++Easy to Swap o o o ++ o ++ o ++ o ++ o ++ o ++Positive Displacement o o o o o o o o o o o o o oPump and Return o o o o o o o o o o o o o oLighter + + o o o o o o o o o o o oIntrinsic Variable Speed o o o o o o o o o o o o o oReversible o o o o o o o o o o o o o oLow Initial Cost + + + + + + + + + + + + + +Low Operating Cost +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Low Viscosity +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++High Viscosity o o o o o o o o o o o o o oSolvent-Based +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++High Solids ++ ++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Metallics ++ ++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++

Centrifugal Pumps - Electric

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Characteristics HV HR H2000 QD2000 H2000H QD2000H H3000 QD3000 M3 QDM3 H4000 QD4000 G4 QDG4Wide Web o o o o + + o o +++ +++ +++ +++ ++ ++Mid Web o o +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ ++ ++ o o o oNarrow Web +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ ++ ++ o o o oEnvelope o +++ +++ +++ o o o o o o o o o oGravure o o o o o o ++ ++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Screen o o o o o o o o o o o o o oCorrugated o o ++ ++ o o ++ ++ ++ ++ o o + +Circulation +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Non-pulsating +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Easy to Clean + + + ++ + ++ + ++ + ++ + ++ + ++Easy to Swap o o o ++ o ++ o ++ o ++ o ++ o ++Positive Displacement o o o o o o o o o o o o o oPump and Return o o o o o o o o o o o o o oLighter + + o o o o o o o o o o o oIntrinsic Variable Speed o o o o o o o o o o o o o oReversible o o o o o o o o o o o o o oLow Initial Cost + + + + + + + + + + + + + +Low Operating Cost +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Low Viscosity +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++High Viscosity o o o o o o o o o o o o o oSolvent-Based +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++High Solids ++ ++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Metallics ++ ++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++

Centrifugal Pumps - Electric

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Characteristics


Selecting an Ink Pump … Overview Chart … Air Centrifugal


HV HR H2000 QD2000 H2000H QD2000H H3000 QD3000 M3 QDM3 H4000 QD4000 G4 QDG4Wide Web o o o o + + o o +++ +++ +++ +++ ++ ++Mid Web o o +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ ++ ++ o o o oNarrow Web +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ ++ ++ o o o oEnvelope o +++ +++ +++ o o o o o o o o o oGravure o o o o o o ++ ++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Screen o o o o o o o o o o o o o oCorrugated o o ++ ++ o o ++ ++ ++ ++ o o + +Circulation +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Non-pulsating +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Easy to Clean + + + ++ + ++ + ++ + ++ + ++ + ++Easy to Swap o o o ++ o ++ o ++ o ++ o ++ o ++Positive Displacement o o o o o o o o o o o o o oPump and Return o o o o o o o o o o o o o oLighter + + o o o o o o o o o o o oIntrinsic Variable Speed +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Reversible o o o o o o o o o o o o o oLow Initial Cost ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++Low Operating Cost + + + + + + + + + + + + + +Low Viscosity +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++High Viscosity o o o o o o o o o o o o o oSolvent-Based +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++High Solids ++ ++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Metallics ++ ++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++

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Centrifugal Pumps - AirCharacteristics

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HV HR H2000 QD2000 H2000H QD2000H H3000 QD3000 M3 QDM3 H4000 QD4000 G4 QDG4Wide Web o o o o + + o o +++ +++ +++ +++ ++ ++Mid Web o o +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ ++ ++ o o o oNarrow Web +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ ++ ++ o o o oEnvelope o +++ +++ +++ o o o o o o o o o oGravure o o o o o o ++ ++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Screen o o o o o o o o o o o o o oCorrugated o o ++ ++ o o ++ ++ ++ ++ o o + +Circulation +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Non-pulsating +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Easy to Clean + + + ++ + ++ + ++ + ++ + ++ + ++Easy to Swap o o o ++ o ++ o ++ o ++ o ++ o ++Positive Displacement o o o o o o o o o o o o o oPump and Return o o o o o o o o o o o o o oLighter + + o o o o o o o o o o o oIntrinsic Variable Speed +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Reversible o o o o o o o o o o o o o oLow Initial Cost ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++Low Operating Cost + + + + + + + + + + + + + +Low Viscosity +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++High Viscosity o o o o o o o o o o o o o oSolvent-Based +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++High Solids ++ ++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Metallics ++ ++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++

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Centrifugal Pumps - AirCharacteristics

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Selecting an Ink Pump … Overview Chart … PP/DDP


1/4" 3/8" 1/2" 3/4" 1" PPS PPS-GAM PQS PQS-GAM PQS-DH PPL PQL PQL-DHWide Web o o +++ +++ +++ o o o o o o o oMid Web o +++ +++ o o o o o o ++ +++ +++ +++Narrow Web +++ ++ o o o +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ + + +Envelope o +++ +++ o o +++ +++ +++ +++ ++ +++ +++ ++Gravure o o o o o o o o o o + + ++Screen o o o o o +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Corrugated o o +++ +++ +++ + + + + ++ ++ ++ +++Circulation o o o o o o o o o o o o oNon-pulsating o o o o o + + + + + + + +Easy to Clean + + + + + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++Easy to Swap + + + + + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++Positive Displacement +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Pump and Return +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ o o o o +++ o o +++Lighter +++ +++ +++ ++ +++ + + + + + + + +Intrinsic Variable Speed +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Reversible o o o o o +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Low Initial Cost +++ +++ +++ ++ +++ o o o o o o o oLow Operating Cost o o o o o +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Low Viscosity +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++High Viscosity +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Solvent-Based +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ o o o o o o o oHigh Solids + + + + + + + + + + + + +Metallics + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Peristaltic and DDPCharacteristics

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1/4" 3/8" 1/2" 3/4" 1" PPS PPS-GAM PQS PQS-GAM PQS-DH PPL PQL PQL-DHWide Web o o +++ +++ +++ o o o o o o o oMid Web o +++ +++ o o o o o o ++ +++ +++ +++Narrow Web +++ ++ o o o +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ + + +Envelope o +++ +++ o o +++ +++ +++ +++ ++ +++ +++ ++Gravure o o o o o o o o o o + + ++Screen o o o o o +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Corrugated o o +++ +++ +++ + + + + ++ ++ ++ +++Circulation o o o o o o o o o o o o oNon-pulsating o o o o o + + + + + + + +Easy to Clean + + + + + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++Easy to Swap + + + + + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++Positive Displacement +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Pump and Return +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ o o o o +++ o o +++Lighter +++ +++ +++ ++ +++ + + + + + + + +Intrinsic Variable Speed +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Reversible o o o o o +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Low Initial Cost +++ +++ +++ ++ +++ o o o o o o o oLow Operating Cost o o o o o +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Low Viscosity +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++High Viscosity +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++Solvent-Based +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ o o o o o o o oHigh Solids + + + + + + + + + + + + +Metallics + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Peristaltic and DDPCharacteristics

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Documents

19 December, 2007 Selecting an Ink Pump Overview