Universal Laser Systems CLP-100NI-NPRT User Manual
STENCILING & MARKING SYSTEMS
OWNER’S MANUAL
NON-POROUS
CONVEYOR LINE PRINTERS
ALL MODELS
INSTALLATION - OPERATION - MAINTENANCE
UNIVERSAL STENCILING & MARKING SYSTEMS, INC.
P.O. BOX 871 - ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA 33731 USA
PH: (727) 894-3027 FAX: (727) 821-7944
E-Mail: sales@universal-marking.com Website: www.universal-marking.com
NPCLP-07002
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IMPORTANT NOTE
UNIVERSAL products are manufactured to exacting standards and every available step has been taken to assure your
complete satisfaction. It is most important, however, that the instructions contained in this manual are read and carefully
followed for best results. Failure to do so may result in unsatisfactory performance, damage to the equipment and personal
injury.
PREFACE
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SPECIFICATIONS
CLP-100 Series
CLP-200 Series
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Indexing and Non-Indexing Models
Mounting Configurations
Printing Dies
Ink Rolls
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QUICK START
Installing the Inking System Assembly
Installing the Pre-Inked Roll
Installing the Printing Dies
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Adjusting the Ink Roll Eccentric
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION
Inking System
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Using the 4 Oz. Reservoir Ink Cartridges
Selecting an Appropriate Ink
Ink Drying Time Considerations
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WEB PRINTING
Mounting the Coder
Special Web Printing Applications
Printing on Narrow Web Materials
Printing directly on Master Rolls
Gang Mounting
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CARTON PRINTING
Carton Alignment
Die Positioning for Indexing Applications
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MAINTENANCE
Pre-Inking a New Ink roll
Cleaning the Transfer Roll
Cleaning the Coder
Cleaning the Printing Dies
Mounting Configuration Conversion
Inking System Assembly
P ARTS DIAGRAMS & P A RTS LISTS
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- LIMITED WARRANTY -
UNIVERSAL Non-Porous Conveyor Line Printers are guaranteed to be free from defects in materials and workmanship
for a period of 90 days from the date of purchase. Components found to be defective during this time will be repaired
free of charge if returned to the factory . Damage resulting from use of improper inks, improper installation, or operation
is not covered under the scope of this warranty . For warranty service please contact our Customer Service Department.
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PREFACE
Printing on non-porous materials has always been a major problem in industrial applications. The high degree of
maintenance required to keep conventional coders operating with solvent based inks has made many companies opt for manual marking as a cost effective alternative. With UNIVERSAL Non-Porous Coders, printing on
non-porous materials can be accomplished with the same relative ease as printing on porous materials. This
breakthrough in Non-Porous coder design opens up in-plant printing opportunities which previously were regarded as too costly to consider.
Inks used to print on porous materials dry through absorption into the material being printed. Inks used to print on
non-porous materials dry through the rapid evaporation of the ink solvents after the print is applied. Since the ink
solvents must evaporate very rapidly on the printed material, they also evaporate very rapidly from the ink rolls
and ink wells of conventional coders therefore requiring constant maintenance.
The proprietary design of the UNIVERSAL Non-Porous Inking System effectively eliminates the rapid evaporation
of the ink solvents from the ink roll and additionally provides for convenient automatic re-inking of the roll without
interrupting the printing process. After many months of design engineering and field testing, the Non-porous
Conveyor Line Printer is both simplistic in design and extremely effective in operation. The relatively low cost of
this system makes in-plant printing of all types of non-porous materials a practical reality . The following pages of
this manual explain the installation, operation and maintenance of Non-Porous Conveyor Line Printer and are the
key to trouble free non-porous printing.
QUICK START
PAGES 9 THRU 15
This manual was written with a full understanding that very few people like to read manuals or have the
time to do so. To accommodate those who have little time to spare, we have included a Quick S tart section
which will get your coder operating in just a few minutes.
T o keep your coder operating properly , it is important to read and underst and the Basic Principles of Operation section which explains the basic operation of the Non-Porous Inking System.
CODER SPECIFICATIONS
The specification section includes drawings with the basic dimensions of the coders, the net weights, maximum
die capacities, maximum print width and print drum circumferences. This section also lists the specifications for
the printing dies and an explanation of the Indexing and Non-Indexing models and the various mounting configurations.
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3.90
(99.06 MM)
(28.70 MM)
SPECIFICATIONS
CONVEYOR LINE PRINTER SPECIFICATIONS
TOP MOUNT SERIES
Model Shown: CLP-100NI-NPRT
8.25
(209.55 MM)
1.56
(39.62 MM)
4.93
(125.22 MM)
1.13
5.75
11.89
(302.01 MM)
(146.05 MM)
MAX
3
2
MIN
1
10.51
(266.95 MM)
11.50
(292.10 MM)
NET WEIGHT : 10 LBS. - 12 OZS. (4.88 KG.)
MAXIMUM DIE SIZE: 7 RIBS WIDE X 16-15/16" LENGTH (7 RIBS WIDE X 430 MM LENGTH)
MAXIMUM PRINT WIDTH: 1" (25.4 MM)
PRINT DRUM CIRCUMFERENCE: APPROXIMA TEL Y 18" (457 MM) MEASURED A T THE DIE F ACE
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SPECIFICATIONS
CONVEYOR LINE PRINTER SPECIFICATIONS
SIDE MOUNT SERIES
Model Shown: CLP-200NI-NPLS
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MAX
2
1
5.75
(146.05 MM)
MIN
2.49
4.80
(121.92 MM)
(63.25 MM)
9.80
(248.92 MM)
2.00
(50.80 MM)
11.25
(285.75 MM)
8.25
(209.55 MM)
11.50
(292.10 MM)
NET WEIGHT: 11 LBS. -5 OZS. (5.13 KG.)
MAXIMUM DIE SIZE: 14 RIBS WIDE X 16-15/16" LENGTH (14 RIBS WIDE X 430 MM LENGTH)
MAXIMUM PRINT WIDTH: 1.875" ( 47.6 MM)
PRINT DRUM CIRCUMFERENCE: APPROXIMA TEL Y 18" (457 MM) MEASURED A T THE DIE F ACE
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SPECIFICATIONS
INDEXING AND NON-INDEXING MODELS
Universal Non-Porous Conveyor Line Printers are available in both indexing and non-indexing models.
Indexing coders contain a print drum spring return mechanism
which provides print registration capabilities when carton printing
(see Figure 1). As the trailing edge of a carton passes the coder,
the print drum automatically rotates back to the same starting or
“home” position. There must be adequate space between cartons
at any given line speed for this mechanism to work properly . Printing with an indexing coder will allow the imprint on each carton to
be registered in the same position relative to the leading edge of the
carton. The code will repeat every 18" down the length of the carton.
Non-indexing coders have print drums which simply rotate on
bearings with no spring return mechanism. These coders are normally used for web printing applications where the print drum stays
in contact with the web at all times. If used in carton printing applications, when the trailing edge of a carton passes the coder, the
print drum rotation stops at a random position. When the next carton engages the print drum, the code will begin printing at a random
position relative to the leading edge of the carton and repeat the
code every 18" down the length of the carton.
SPRING RETURN
MECHANISM
FIGURE 1
MOUNTING CONFIGURATION
The mounting configuration of a coder is determined by how the machine is designed to be mounted in relation to
the product and its movement. All references to mounting configuration are made as though you are viewing the
production line with the product moving away from you. Universal Conveyor Line Printers are available from the
factory in 4 different mounting configurations as shown in Figures 2 and 3.
RIGHT HAND
SIDE MOUNT
LEFT HAND
SIDE MOUNT
FIGURE 2
LEFT HAND
TOP MOUNT
FIGURE 3
Note: Due to the symmetrical design of the Inking System on the Non-Porous Conveyor Line Printer, the Right
Hand and Left Hand mounting configurations are field convertible. Due to the location of the ports for the 4 Oz.
Reservoir Ink Cartridges, T op Mount and Side Mount orient ations cannot be field converted and must be properly
specified when ordering.
RIGHT HAND
TOP MOUNT
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SPECIFICATIONS
RIBtype PRINTING DIES
®
Universal Non-Porous Coders are designed to use Universal RIBtype
rubber type, printing dies which have a molded rib backing. The ribs
on the back of the die snap into mating ribs in the RIBtype Drum
®
Cover on the print drum as shown in Figure 4.
Universal RIBtype dies are available in many standard character styles
®
and sizes. Dies are available in sets containing a combination of
individual alphabetic and numeric characters or in sets containing
numeric characters only. These character sets or “sorts” can be
used to make up text messages and code numbers as necessary.
RIBtype dies are also available in “logo” form in which a complete
®
text message is produced on a single piece of rib backed rubber.
Logo dies are much faster to change and normally produce better
print quality than individual characters due to their unitized construction.
FRICTION
BEARER
Universal RIBtype dies are manufactured to precision
thickness tolerances which are very critical to the performance of these coders. When installed, the face of the
printing die should extend only .007" - .008" beyond the
.007” - .008”
radius of the Friction Bearers as shown in Figure 5. Using dies that do not meet the design specifications will
result in poor print quality and possible damage to the transfer roll.
PRINTING DIE
Although there are several competitive rib backed die sys-
DRUM COVER
tems available, it is very important to note that they are not
all made to the same rib spacing or thickness specifications and they are not interchangeable.
®
FIGURE 4
®
FIGURE 5
®
CODER MODELS DESIGNED FOR METRIC RIBtype PRINTING DIES
Universal also offers Metric RIBtype die systems for use in countries where metric character sizes are the
standard. The Metric dies are thicker and the rib spacing differs slightly from the standard RIBtype printing dies
therefore the two versions are not compatible. To accommodate the differences, the print drums for Metric dies
are machined to a slightly different diameter from the U.S. versions.
The coder model numbers on Metric coders will have a “-T” suffix and the Metric RIBtype Drum Covers have a
distinct pink color.
®
®
®
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SPECIFICATIONS
INK ROLLS
Universal offers two ink roll options for the Non-Porous Conveyor Line Printers each with unique characteristics
which will help determine the suitability for a specific printing application. The coders are designed to accommodate both types of ink rolls without modification. A detailed review of your printing requirements will determine the
best choice of ink rolls for your particular application.
XF NEOPRENE INK ROLLS
Universal’s XF Neoprene Ink Rolls are a re-inkable roll which
can be used with a variety of alcohol or glycol base inks. These
rolls are normally supplied in a dry condition with the coder and
require pre-inking prior to installation. Pre-inked rolls are available from the factory and are recommended for first time users.
During production printing, when the ink capacity of the roll is
depleted, installing a 4 Oz. Reservoir Ink Cartridge in the coder’s
reservoir Bottle Port will re-ink the roll automatically as production continues.
FIGURE 6
In high speed web printing applications, Universal’s #100 Inks
provide drying times of approximately 2 seconds at 75 Degree
F . (24 Deg. C) ambient temperature. Many other inks, both dye
and pigment based, can be used in these ink rolls to meet the
specific application requirements. Refer to the Basic Principles
of Operation section on Page 16 for more information on selecting an appropriate ink.
TYPE MT INK ROLLS
Universal’s T ype MT Ink Rolls are disposable pre-inked rolls which
are available in a variety of fast drying colors. The MT Ink Rolls
provide excellent color density and adhesion on most materials
and an average yield of just under 500,000 impressions before
replacement is necessary . Since these rolls are not re-inkable,
all references in the manual regarding the use of 4 Oz. reservoir
Ink Cartridges should be disregarded when using these rolls on
your coder. The ability to operate the coder without a Reservoir
Ink Cartridge makes the MT Rolls particularly well suited for applications requiring printing on the bottom of web materials.
The Type MT Ink Rolls provide drying times between 4 - 7 seconds at 75 Degree F. (24 Deg. C) ambient temperature. The
added convenience and simplicity of using the T ype MT Ink Rolls
makes them an ideal choice when production operators have little
time to monitor the inking system.
FIGURE 7
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QUICK START
INSTALLING THE INKING SYSTEM ASSEMBLY
Y our new Non-Porous Conveyor Line Printer was fully assembled and adjusted at the factory before final inspection. In order to minimize the size of the shipping cartons used to package these machines, the Non-Porous
Inking System Assembly was removed from the Pivot Arm and must be reinstalled before operation.
1 -To install the Inking System Assembly “A” remove the (2)
Mounting Screws “B” from the bottom of the assembly.
FIGURE 8
2 -Loosen the Pivot Arm Adjusting Knob “C” and rotate the
Pivot Arm “E” away from the Print Drum “D” slightly.
This will allow the Inking System to be installed without
contact interference with the print drum.
3 -Position the Inking System Assembly “A” on top of the Pivot
Arm “E” and align the two holes in the Inking System with
the matching holes in the Pivot Arm. Reinst all the two Mounting Screws “B”.
Thread the screws in all the way but do not tighten.
4 -Rotate the Pivot Arm until the Inking System Assembly “A”
contacts the Print Drum “D”. There is a small amount of clearance in the mounting holes in the Pivot Arm. While holding
the Inking System against the Print Drum, align the Inking
System so that it points directly at the center of the Print
Drum and tighten the two mounting screws securely.
FIGURE 9
FIGURE 10
FIGURE 11
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QUICK ST ART
5 - Press the Inking System Assembly towards the Print Drum
and adjust the Position Adjusting Screw “F” until the
Knurled Drive Wheel “G” makes positive contact with the
Friction Bearer “H” on the Print Drum. When the Pivot
Arm Adjustment Knob “C” is tightened, the Knurled Drive
Wheel should only contact the Friction Bearer Ring with
enough pressure to drive positively when the print drum
is rotated.
This adjustment procedure also controls the Transfer Roll contact with the printing dies. Excessive engagement pressure
should be avoided as this will cause unnecessary drag on the
print drum and result in smudged impressions.
INSTALLING THE PRE-INKED ROLL
Warning: Non-Porous inks contain flammable solvents. Do not smoke or handle these rolls in the
presence of sparks or open flames. Inks will also stain clothing, furniture, carpeting and your hands.
Rubber gloves should be worn during the following procedures.
The ink roll you install on the coder must be properly pre-inked. If your coder was supplied with a dry XF
Neoprene ink roll, refer to the Maintenance Section page 27 for inking instructions.
FIGURE 12
Rollers that have been pre-inked at the factory are normally slightly oversaturated with ink to compensate for
potential solvent loss during shipping and storage. If you received a pre-inked ink roll with your coder, it is
important to examine the roll prior to installation. The ink roll should be thoroughly saturated with ink but not
dripping wet. Excess ink can be easily removed by lightly rolling the ink roll across a clean piece of absorbent
paper.
1 - To install the pre-inked roll, first turn the Ink Roll Eccen-
tric Adjusting Knob “I” to the “MIN” position.
This moves the ink roller axle away from the Transfer Roll
and enables the ink roll to be installed without interference
with the Transfer Roll during reassembly of the inking system.
FIGURE 13
2 - Loosen the Knurled Pivot Arm Knob “C” & swing the
Inking System Assembly “A” away from Print Drum.
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FIGURE 14
QUICK START
3 -While holding the Knurled Drive Wheel Cover “J” in place,
remove the Knurled Cover Retaining Knob “K” by turning
it counter-clockwise.
The Cover Retaining Knob holds the entire inking system
together and other parts may fall free from the coder if not
held securely when this knob is removed.
4 -Hold the Inking System Cover “L” in place and remove the
Knurled Drive Wheel Cover “J”.
The Knurled Drive Wheel Cover is very loose fitting.
Note: The flat on the side of the Drive Wheel Cover is
aligned towards the print drum. During reassembly, this
must be replaced in the same position.
FIGURE 15
5 -Continue to hold the Inking System Cover and Remove
the Knurled Drive Wheel “G”.
The Knurled Drive Wheel rests on top of the Transfer Roller
and is installed over 3 stainless steel drive pins which protrude through 3 mating holes in the Drive Wheel.
6 -Carefully pull the Inking System Cover “L” directly away
from the Inking System Baseplate “M”. Do not let the cover
drag across the surface of the Transfer Roller “N”.
The Transfer Roll Surface is a finely engraved Delrin plastic
material which can be easily scratched. When assembled,
the Transfer Roll resides in a very close fitting cavity in the
Inking System Cover.
FIGURE 16
FIGURE 17
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FIGURE 18
QUICK ST ART
7 -Put on a pair of rubber gloves and remove the pre-inked
ink roller from the storage container by inserting a small
rod (a pencil works nicely) in the center of the core.
Keeping ink off your gloves at this stage will prevent contamination of the external parts of the coder during roll installation.
8 -Inspect the roll for excess surface wetness. Remove
any excess ink by rolling the roll lightly over a piece of
absorbent paper.
Rolls which have been pre-inked at the factory are typically over
saturated with ink to compensate for potential solvent loss during shipping and storage. Installing an over saturated roll on the
coder will result in ink leakage from the Inking System and in
extreme cases may damage the ball bearings in the Transfer
Roll. When the roller is installed, it must be thoroughly saturated with ink but you should not be able to see any liquid ink on
the surface of the roll. If necessary, blot excess ink from the
sides of the roll with a dry paper towel before installation.
FIGURE 19
FIGURE 20
9 -Install the ink roll on the Ink Roll Axle “O” by aligning
the end of the rod or pencil with the end of the axle
and pushing the roll onto the axle.
When this step is complete, remove the rubber gloves to prevent ink contamination with the external parts of the coder .
10 - Immediately replace the Inking System Cover “L” by
carefully guiding the cover over the Transfer Roll “N”.
Try not to let the cover contact the surface of the Transfer Roll to prevent scratching. Make sure the Cover is
seated properly against Baseplate “M”.
While handling the ink rolls, solvents will evaporate from the rolls
very rapidly at normal room temperatures. The Inking System
Cover must be replaced quickly to prevent solvent loss.
FIGURE 21
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FIGURE 22
QUICK START
11 -Replace the Knurled Drive Wheel “G” by aligning the 3
small holes with the 3 stainless drive pins on the top of the
Transfer Roll “N” and pressing the Drive Wheel onto the
Transfer Roll.
The tops of the stainless pins will be flush with the top of the
Drive Wheel when seated properly .
FIGURE 23
12 - Replace the Knurled Drive Wheel Cover “J” and rotate
it into position with the flat edge directly facing the Print
Drum.
Hold the Drive Wheel Cover and Inking System Cover in
place.
13 - Replace the Knurled Cover Retaining Knob “K” and
lightly tighten. Do not over tighten this knob or you may
bend the top of the Knurled Drive Wheel Cover “J” and
cause it to bind against the Knurled Drive Wheel. Now
retighten the Pivot Arm Knurled Knob.
FIGURE 24
The Cover Retaining Knob should be just tight enough to keep
the Inking System Assembly together and prevent the Drive
Wheel Cover from rotating out of position.
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FIGURE 25
QUICK ST ART
INSTALLING THE PRINTING DIES
1 - Align the ribbed backing on the Printing Dies “P” with the
mating Drum covering on the Print Drum “D” and press
firmly until they are completely engaged. It is best to install
the dies as close to the middle of the print area on the
Print Drum as possible.
Individual character codes or text messages are installed in a
mirror image of normal written text. In other words install in a right
to left direction as shown. When printed, codes or text installed
in this orientation will print in normal left to right order .
FIGURE 26
Tip: To make die installation easier, moisten a sponge with water containing a small amount of liquid
detergent. Lightly moisten the back of the printing die and then immediately press the die into the
drum cover. Do not apply too much liquid or the dies will slip during printing.
Note: Do not apply silicone, oil or any other lubricating agent to the rib backing or the dies will not hold
properly during printing.
2 - When using the smaller individual characters to make
up a code message, use the Type Blocking Kit “Q” included with your coder to support the leading and trailing ends of the type as shown.
Characters with only a 2 or 3 rib backing do not have the stability of the larger sizes when snapped into the drum cover. Adding the rib backed type blocks on either size of the code will
provide added stability . The T ype Blocks are not as thick as the
Type and will not pick up ink from the Transfer Roll.
FIGURE 27
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