Viscosity is the variable that most directly controls colour on press, and it moves constantly as solvent evaporates. An automatic viscosity controller manages that — until its probe fouls, at which point it holds a number that is not the real viscosity and drives the press with it. Meanwhile pigment settles in pumps and lines, and solvent slowly attacks diaphragms and hoses from the inside.
The steps ChatterFix schedules for this PM. Every step is a checkable item on the work order — a technician can speak their way through it without touching a keyboard.
Viscosity is the variable that most directly controls colour on press, and it moves constantly as solvent evaporates. An automatic viscosity controller manages that — until its probe fouls, at which point it holds a number that is not the real viscosity and drives the press with it. Meanwhile pigment settles in pumps and lines, and solvent slowly attacks diaphragms and hoses from the inside.
Colour becomes inconsistent within a single run, which is the hardest kind of drift to diagnose because everything on the setup sheet is correct. Settled pigment causes streaking that gets blamed on the anilox. Eventually a diaphragm fails and pumps ink into the machine or onto the floor — a housekeeping and fire problem, not just a maintenance one.
Monthly flush and controller verification against a manual cup reading. Any colour matching problem should prompt a manual viscosity check before anyone touches the anilox or the ink formulation.
This procedure — and every other PM for your industry — is already built into ChatterFix. Pick your industry and it lands on the right equipment, on the right interval, in about three minutes.