PrintPack 2022: Rotometal showcases innovative cylinders

Rotometal is a leader among European rotary tooling suppliers. Bhupesh Tilwani, sales manager, India, Rotometal, said over 15 years of experience has helped the company build an invaluable knowledge base that has allowed it to establish a strong position in an extremely demanding market. 

Rotometal exports 80% of its production around the globe, including Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Tilwani said the anti-friction print cylinder is a breakthrough solution that optimises the friction properties and smoothness of the coating thanks to the use of the Polimeroxid matrix, which is crosslinked with a special LF4 polymer over the entire thickness section. “The use of this innovative method in the production of our printing tools has resulted in exceptional surface smoothness while maintaining high hardness, around 450 HV, depending on the aluminium alloy used,” he said.

The internal magnetic cylinder (IMAG) has been designed to optimise cylinder performance in the most effective way. “The IMAG provides lighter, stronger, better magnetic cylinders that help improve your manufacturing process,” Tilwani said. 

He added that using the latest composite production techniques, the company produces its sleeves from the composite itself or composite with an aluminium layer. This allows the use of other materials such as PET, polyurethane, polyester or durable epoxy resins.

The company also manufactures other tools, such as standard magnetic and print cylinders, anvil, gears, sheeter cutter, embossing cylinders, etc.

Tilwani said the IMAG, anti-friction and CRO print sleeve cylinders were launched in 2021. “We demonstrated all our star products at our stall and had a great response from the market,” he said.

All of the tools are used for flexographic machines. They make a printer’s life simpler and enhance the life of a flexographic machine.

Tilwani said that Rotometal tools are lightweight and user-friendly having smooth surfaces. “This makes the products cost-effective,” he added. “We use high quality raw materials, which helps converters achieve high levels of printing.”

He added, “Flexographic label industry is more than 25 years old, but we have never seen any change in the cylinder technology since the beginning. Rotometal focuses more on innovation rather than following the competition or the market trend. The IMAG, anti-friction and CRO print sleeves are the showstopper and it will change the customer production results.”

He added that Rotometal is the first company which focuses only on cylinders not anilox. “We wanted to achieve the maximum precision and wanted to be the trendsetter. We are in the investment process and we keep upgrading our manufacturing facilities from time to time,” he said.

Tilwani said the company witnessed growth in 2020-21 compared to previous years due to the surge in essential label requirements. “We learned many lessons during the time, which helped us come up with innovative solutions like the IMAG and anti-friction,” he said.