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Laser Cleaning for Anilox Rollers & Printing Equipment

We are publishing this page while the application is still under evaluation, because we would rather find test partners honestly than make a claim we have not yet earned.

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Worth being clear about: This is an application LaserStrip is currently evaluating. We have not yet completed our own testing on anilox rollers and we are not making performance claims about them. If you are in the print industry, this page is an invitation to collaborate, not a sales page.

Laser cleaning is used within the flexographic printing industry to remove dried ink, coating and contamination from anilox rollers. LaserStrip is investigating the suitability of its pulsed systems for this application and is seeking print industry partners for structured testing.

Why anilox is a genuinely difficult application

An anilox roller is not a flat surface with dirt on it. It carries a precisely engraved cell structure, and the volume of those cells is the entire functional specification of the roller. Cell volume determines ink transfer, and ink transfer determines print density.

That means the failure mode is not "did not clean it". The failure mode is "cleaned it and changed the cell volume", which quietly degrades an expensive roller. Incorrect parameters could damage cell walls or alter geometry, and the damage would not necessarily be visible on inspection.

This is precisely why we are not prepared to publish a claim before we have tested. The cost of being wrong lands on a customer asset worth several thousand pounds, and the industry already has established cleaning methods that work.

What we want to establish

  • Whether our pulsed parameters can remove dried ink and coating without measurable change to cell volume.
  • How results vary between ceramic and chrome rollers.
  • How performance varies across line screens and cell geometries.
  • How it compares against the ultrasonic, chemical and media systems the industry already uses.
  • Whether the economics work for a printer, or whether existing methods remain the better answer.

We will publish what we find either way, including if the answer is that our machines are not the right tool for it. A page that only reports successes is not evidence of anything.

We are looking for test partners

If you are a printer, an anilox specialist or a roller reconditioner, we would like to talk. Specifically we are looking for retired or scrap rollers we can test destructively, and for partners with the measurement capability to verify cell volume before and after. In exchange you get first sight of the results and a say in how the testing is structured.

Applications

Who we want to hear from

Partners who could help us establish this properly.

Flexographic printersAnyone running anilox rollers in production.
Anilox specialistsReconditioning and cleaning service providers.
Roller manufacturersThose with engraving and measurement capability.
Print equipment engineersService and maintenance operations.
Packaging convertersIn-house print operations.
Labs with cell volume measurementVerification capability is the part we most need.

Which machine

The platform under evaluation

Testing is being planned around the controlled pulse delivery of the 300W, since this application is about precision rather than removal rate.

Precision ablation LaserStrip 300W From £7,800 Controlled energy delivery for detailed work where preserving the substrate matters more than raw removal speed. Our 5 mJ configuration is the one to ask about for fine ablation work. View specification →

Machine finance is available to UK businesses through an FCA-regulated broker. Limited companies can be funded on any machine; sole traders only above £25,000. Check whether you qualify → LaserStrip is not a lender. See also the Business Launch package.

Further reading

Background reading

Pulsed vs Continuous Wave Laser Cleaning Explained Laser cleaners fall into two broad types: pulsed and continuous wave. The difference lies in how they deliver energy, and it changes how gently… Is Laser Cleaning Safe? Risks and Precautions Explained Laser cleaning is safe when it is done properly, but it deserves respect rather than complacency. This guide sets out the real risks, the controls… How Does Laser Cleaning Work? A Plain-English Guide Laser cleaning looks like something from a film set, yet the idea behind it is simple. A pulsed beam of light removes the unwanted layer and…

Standards and guidance

The rules this work sits under

A pulsed fibre laser is a Class 4 device. These are the primary UK sources, linked so you can read them rather than take our word for it.

Common questions

Questions we get asked

Are you selling a machine for anilox cleaning?+

Not yet. We would need to complete our own testing before we would sell one into that application, and if the results do not support it we will say so on this page.

Can I send you a roller to test?+

Please do. Retired or scrap rollers are exactly what we need, particularly if you can tell us the original cell specification.

When will results be published?+

When we have them and they are worth publishing. They will go into the ablation database with the full parameters and conditions attached.

Application enquiry

Will laser ablation work for your application?

Tell us what you are trying to remove and what is underneath it. We will tell you honestly whether a laser is the right tool, where it would sit in your existing process, and which machine would suit. If conventional preparation is the better answer for your job, we will say so.

  • No obligation and no pressure to buy.
  • We answer within one business day.
  • Have photographs? Reply to our confirmation email with them attached, they help enormously.

We reply within one business day. Your details are never shared.