Embossing rollers are custom-made products used to transfer the engraving contained within them onto a workpiece.
The potential areas of application for an embossed structure directly in steel can be found in the packaging industry, the plastics industry, the tissue industry, the nonwoven industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the paper industry, the coating industry, and several other industrial sectors.
The market for embossing rollers, in which, due to technical necessity, the motif must be incorporated directly into the steel, is not only large in terms of the industrial sectors involved, but also global.
Three serious mistakes in the manufacture of embossing rollers that are still being made today.
Mistake #1: Laser engraving in copper
Although direct laser engraving in steel represents a significant innovation in the production of embossing rollers, and numerous industrial companies worldwide now benefit from it, some still rely on laser engraving in copper, even though it is more expensive than direct laser engraving in steel and a switch could easily be made if there is no pattern repeat requirement.
Error #2: Embossing roller manufacturing with knurling tools
Conventional methods of manufacturing embossing rollers using knurling tools also entail significant limitations. This is especially true with regard to reproducibility, since the so-called master tool gradually wears out, but also with new designs, as only what is geometrically feasible is possible.
Error #3: Embossing roller manufacturing using etching technology
As with the outdated method of manufacturing embossing rollers with knurling tools, new design possibilities are also limited by geometric constraints here. Furthermore, etching technology is extremely questionable from an environmental perspective. And that's not all: the health risks for the people who have to work with it are also considerable, because even with extremely good ventilation, harmful fumes remain.
Conclusion
The innovative direct laser marking in steel eliminates all the problems associated with the production of embossing rollers.
This process therefore has no geometric limitations, no reproducibility problems, no tool wear, and no negative impact on the environment. In addition, direct laser marking on steel offers further advantages such as the ability to mark hard steels and provides alternative coating options.
Contact us now:
Dietmar Buchholz
Tel. 07623 74790-10
E-Mail: dietmar.buchholz@gravion.eu
