Web Preheaters
Paperboard webs generally require huge volumes of wound product that is frequently not stored in temperature controlled facilities. Running a cold web through your printing press makes evaporative drying virtually impossible. The bulk of the web acts a heat sink and can throttle the release of water or slow solvents resulting in picking and blocking-in-the-roll.
FlexAir technologies with their compact size and low energy footprint are ideal candidates for this seasonal requirement.
Web preheaters have also proven highly effective for digital ink jet printing on reflective white webs. White webs reflect the infrared energy, essentially making the web a heat sink for any of the infrared energy absorbed by the dark inks thereby throttling generation of vapors.
Forced air dryers are not spectral-dependent. Pre-heating absorbent web materials can also remove excessive moisture delivered by paper and paperboard suppliers. With warmer and dryer substrates, the thermal bulk of the web delivers the energy required for evaporation, and dryer webs can assist with drying process by absorption of ink solvents.