One million printed meters between blade changes: NOVA TK on a Comexi CI flexo press

Project summary: From single-unit trial to full-press chamber retrofit and continous cooperation

A German flexible packaging producer printing on paper with water-based inks retrofitted all ten print stations of a Comexi FI 2508 CI flexo press (1,400 mm, up to 400 m/min) with NOVA TK chamber doctor blade systems – starting with a single-unit trial before converting the full press. A standout feature of the installation: seamless integration into the existing Comexi machine-side suspension with no press modifications required.

Following the retrofit, AkeBoose and the customer entered a joint development phase, testing a specialized surface coating for the chamber body under real production conditions. The result, confirmed by the print team leader on site, is significantly reduced ink adhesion, faster color changes, and shorter cleaning times – rated as highly suitable for water-based ink applications. This project is to be continued.

Inital situation / challenge

Flexible packaging printed on paper with water-based inks places specific demands on chamber doctor blade systems. Water-based inks and the cleaning agents used with them have a corrosive effect on chamber aluminum chamber materials over time, even when anodized. For a German flexible packaging converter running a Comexi FI 2508 CI flexo press at 1,400 mm print width and up to 400 m/min printing speed, the existing chamber setup was showing exactly these symptoms: ink leakage, accelerated blade and seal wear, and cleaning routines that were taking longer than they should. Every unplanned intervention meant lost machine time on a high-speed press where availability is everything.

The solution: Starting with one, converting all 10 decks

Rather than committing to a full-press retrofit from the outset, the customer started with a single NOVA TK chamber unit on one print station – a low-risk approach to verify real-world performance before scaling. The result was convincing. AkeBoose subsequently supplied NOVA TK chamber systems for all ten print stations, integrated directly into the machine's existing suspension and beam infrastructure. No press modifications required. The plug-and-play compatibility with the Comexi machine-side system is not a given – it is the result of precise engineering and exact dimensional matching by AkeBoose, and it significantly simplified installation across all ten units.

The improvement in blade and seal service life was immediate and measurable – averaging 1 million linear meters between changes. Two core NOVA TK design principles drive this result: the kiss-impression low-pressure doctoring system, which keeps contact force between chamber and anilox roller at an absolute minimum, and the asymmetric chamber geometry, which ensures precise, consistent ink metering across the full print width without back-doctoring. The one-piece all-in-one profile, free of moving parts, eliminates the mechanical stress points where conventional chambers accelerate wear and cause leakage.

Going Further: A jointly developed surface coating for water-based ink

With the full-press retrofit complete and the NOVA TK performing reliably across all ten stations, the collaboration between customer and AkeBoose moved into the next phase: optimization.

Water-based inks and their associated cleaning agents present an ongoing challenge for chamber longevity and cleanability. AkeBoose developed a specialized surface coating variant for the NOVA TK chamber body, targeting two specific goals: increased long-term durability in contact with water-based inks and cleaning agents, and improved cleanability to reduce setup and ink change times.

The coating was put to the test under real production conditions at the customer's plant – using the most aggressive black ink in their portfolio as the benchmark. The outcome was unambiguous.

"Due to the smooth surface, no noteworthy ink adhesion was detected, which enables faster color changes during job setup. Furthermore, the cleaning time of the chamber is enormously reduced thanks to the smooth coating." said the print team leader (Translated from the original German customer statement)

The surface coating was rated as highly suitable for water-based ink applications and is now further explored as standard upgrade option for NOVA TK chambers used in water-based ink environments.

Outcome

What began as a cautious single-unit trial has become a benchmark collaboration. The customer now runs all ten print stations with NOVA TK chambers, benefits from significantly extended blade and seal service intervals, and operates with a spare surface-coated chamber body that makes color changes and cleaning routines measurably faster and less labor-intensive with demanding inks.

This project is a clear demonstration of how a genuine working partnership between printer and manufacturer can achieve a solution continuously refined against real production demands and results that speak for themselves.

This story is to be continued.