High Resolution Drywall (Plasterboard) Stack Printing

One of the world’s leading producers of drywall (plasterboard) wanted to improve their brand image by printing high-resolution text and graphics onto each stack of product they manufacture. The specification called for a printed area up to 500mm high on stacks up to 5 metres in length. ATD was selected to design and install the systems, based on our IP8000 High Resolution Industrial Inkjet Printer. The system had to automatically adjust for different stack sizes, be robust enough to print on a moving stack, and avoid damage from mis-aligned stacks. The systems are now installed in plants throughout Europe, working 24/7. Each factory’s production control system is different and the printer includes drivers and interfaces for Siemens and Rockwell PLC networks, and to SQLServer databases. Operation is fully automatic and the printer will re-configure itself during product changes, selecting the correct message layout and physical position for the new product. ATD faced a number of engineering challenges to ensure system safety, performance and reliability. The print head contains five Trident 100mm high resolution print engines and each of these engines independently adjusts to compensate for variations in the position of boards within the stack and the overall stack face position. This design provides optimum print quality at all times, with a resolution of 1280 pixels vertically, allowing very high quality images and logos. ATD also designed the guarding for the systems, and the interfaces to the plant’s safety systems. Brieselangx400w The ATD stack printer has automated maintenance and can be programmed to self clean at specified intervals, which virtually eliminates operator intervention. No ink is wasted during the cleaning process, unprinted ink is filtered and recycled back in to the ink reservoir. Up to 20,000 stacks can be printed from 3L bottle of ATD ink

For more information on High Resolution Drywall (Plasterboard) Stack Printing talk to ATD Marking Systems Ltd