This very large system is for printing telecommunications equipment rack/cabinet body panels. The client specification called for continuous artwork of up to 80 inches in length, consisting of numbers and graduations printed directly on the sheet metal panels. The system pictured prints two such parts simultaneously, and prints both sides of each part in one load cycle.
The system incorporates the following features:
- Dual independent pad actuators on each print head;
- Dual 115mm transverse cup inking systems on each print head;
- Automatic servo-driven pad tape-off unit with variable tape-advance feature to limit waste;
- Allen-Bradley PLC with touch-screen interface;
- Light-curtain guarding for the perimeter of the system;
- On board modem for real-time remote system monitoring, diagnosis and even program changes by Printex;
The fixture tooling itself is a sophisticated piece of engineering, the highlights of which include:
- Electromagnetic part hold-down;
- Precise servo-driven rotational indexing with 360-degree range;
- Precise servo-driven shuttle transport (from first to second print head)