New valves, new pumps and new software make the SMART-DOSER by tecosbruhin more efficient, more robust and more durable.

High-quality print products are greatly dependent on the inks that are used. They should be radiant and brilliant, whether as a pure primary colour or a hue blended from base colours, e.g. from the Pantone colour chart. This means that the inks must be individually provided for each print job. Accurate dosing of the inks is one of the essential factors that guarantee efficient production. The tecosbruhin SMART-DOSER ensures that the required quantity is available at any time – whether of a conventional or UV offset printing ink and a spot colour. The Mosaic software handles ink and job management.

The SMART-DOSER is ideal for processing conventional and UV offset inks whose composition imposes special requirements on the system. UV offset inks in particular must be neither sheared nor heated during dosing because the curing components could block pumps and valves. The SMART-DOSER also doses low- migration inks – used for packaging for example – simply and easily.

Special patented pneumatic pumps ensure a consistent performance up to an annual consumption of approx. 25 ton of ink in one-shift operation, and correspondingly more in multiple-shift operation. This will meet the demand of a medium-sized print works in 99 % of cases. These pumps will also process inks of different viscosities. Like the pumps, the valves also make a major contribution to the longevity of the plant as a whole, and particular emphasis was placed on this when the SMART-DOSER was updated. The valves have to be both robust and yet sensitive enough to be able to accurately dose inks with their different viscosities and compositions.

A standard SMART-DOSER has up to 16 ink stations but can be extended to 24 stations to meet customer requirements. For a client who requires a particularly high annual production volume (up to 150 t) with conventional or high viscosity inks, tecosbruhin will deploy robust, silent-running electric pumps.

The pumps will be arranged as per the client’s specific requirements. The system is modular in design and planned individually to fit the available space. The design of the system and choice of suitable pumps and valves will depend on the type of containers used, the annual ink consumption and the type of ink.

The SMART-DOSER’s pumps are matched to the original ink supply containers, so inks need not be decanted. The inks’ shelf-life will not be affected and will be the same as that of inks in unopened containers, a factor that is particularly important for the sensitive UV inks. Inks are processed by high-precision weighers which approach each of the SMART-DOSER’s 24 max. stations on a linear unit. With a repeat precision of approx. +/- 0.15 g, the ink is dosed with a selectable accuracy down to drop-by-drop filling. The reliable repeatability of even the smallest quantities ensures that the exact amount required is dosed, without producing return ink.

Ink management with Mosaic

Ink management with Mosaic The Mosaic software is brand new. It manages different user profiles with access rights, formulas and orders. Order management also includes the manual addition of external components and possible return ink. The order management feature can also be directly linked to a client’s ERP system – the required interface is individually configured, so external stores can also be incorporated into the ink management. The new version of the SMART- DOSER also offers the option of remote maintenance to ensure uninterruptible printing processes.

Storage containers

Storage containers The SMART-DOSER can extract from all standard commercial storage containers for basic colours: 2.5 kg vacuum cans, 10 to 30 kg hobbocks and 200 l drums. An automatic lifting device has been developed specially for the hobbocks and the 200 l drums, with a pneumatic cylinder which inserts and withdraws the follower plate, making container-changing faster and more ergonomic. The lifting device can also be refitted to existing systems.

Automated can handling system

Automated can handling system An automatic handling system for inward and outward transfer is available for container types up to 10 kg. Empty containers are fed to the SMART-DOSER on a belt. The barcode is scanned automatically and the containers are then pushed onto the weigher and released for dosing. They are conveyed onward automatically after filling. As a result, production can proceed largely personnel-free and with no breaks in the dosing process. Today most systems are supplied with can handling.

Tecos Bruhin AG is a leading manufacturer of dosing systems for high-viscosity products. The company is part of the Füll Process Group, with its head office in Altnau in the Swiss canton of Thurgau.

SMART-DOSER Image 1:
The SMART-DOSER processes low-migration and UV offset inks as well as conventional printing inks. The improved generation of pumps and dosing valves guarantees the SMART-DOSER a long service life.

SMART-DOSER Image 2:
The patented pumps of the SMART-DOSER dose the required amounts of ink quickly, silently and accurately. Image: tecosbruhin

SMART-DOSER Image 3:
The SMART-DOSER’s valves are robust and yet sensitive enough to process the different viscosities
and other characteristics of the inks. Image: tecosbruhin

As part of the strategic focus on dosing systems, TECOS BRUHIN has separated from the “cleaning systems” division.

OFRU Umwelttechnik in D-Alzenau is the new owner. OFRU is a specialist in the treatment of solvents, longstanding partner of TECOS BRUHIN and an ideal owner of the transferred division, which optimally complements the OFRU product range.

The transfer of business took place on December 16, 2019.

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WE ARE HERE: Hall 6, Stand 6-233

Venue: Exhibition Centre Nuremberg

Date: Tuesday, 19 March to Thursday, 21 March 2019Save the date to my calendar
Cycle: every two years
Opening times

19 and 20 March 2019: 09:00 – 18:00
21 March 2019: 09:00 – 17:00

The totally innovative SMART-DOSER is developed for dosing of conventional and low migration offset inks, and more specifically for UV offset inks. The system has up to 16 components as standard and can be expanded up to a maximum of 24. It allows individual, just-in-time, precise and reproducible creation of formula-based custom colors and spot colors.

Demand and market

The printing ink industry has long been waiting for dosing technology for UV offset inks, which is a rapidly growing sector in terms of revenue. It is still only possible to dose certain UV inks with conventional pump systems. Friction and shear on the product lead to a high local temperature increase. Due to this increase in temperature, the product can polymerize and block the pump and the dosing valve. This is the case regardless of whether a photoinitiator has already been added. The likely cause of this polymerization is the mixing of various varnishes in conjunction with the heat influx caused by the pump system and valve.

Tecos Bruhin AG is now launching an innovative, fully-automated and low-cost ink dosing system onto the market. This system guarantees full functionality with all types of UV offset inks, with or without a photoinitiator, and can be used both with concentrated basic components and print-ready inks.

There are many areas of use for the SMART-DOSER, which is an interesting solution for printing houses, printing ink manufacturers and retailers of printing inks who mix inks in-house. Even for smaller companies with an ink consumption of approx. 15 TPY, the basic model could pay for itself. The SMART-DOSER can, of course, also be used for special applications, for example dosing pigment pastes and raw materials in the broadest range of industries.

Benefits for the customer

Customer benefits are the focus of all of our developments. The SMART-DOSER impresses customers with the following features:

• High dosing and repeat accuracy
• Fully-automated dosing with record keeping
• Error minimization, as no human error
• No decanting of base materials from the supply container
• Reduced storage space and thus reduced storage costs
• Elimination of press returns
• Savings on residue and waste ink disposal
• Reduced labor costs                                                                                                                

These advantages over conventional ink mixing have been demonstrated in practice. Depending upon ink consumption and calculation method, it is possible to achieve an ROI within a very short time period.

Design

Base materials are extracted from the supply containers of 2.5 kg vacuum cans, 10 – 25 l pails and 200 l drums. The containers can be of steel or plastic. An innovative pump system carefully delivers low to high viscosity products to the multi-level dosing valve without product heating.

The product can be efficiently filled into the can at a fast rate, slow rate and drop by drop. The very precise weighing scales for 0.5 kg up to 10 kg batches run on a linear unit to the respective valve position and after all components have been dosed it returns to their initial position. Even small quantities of < 2 g can be easily and precisely dosed.

The highly user-friendly system is easy to operate. The PC-controlled system with Windows 10 based software can be supplemented with various add-on modules, for example batch tracing, recipe management, interface to a color matching system and ERP system.