Ink notes
Dust Wipes
A practical press-floor note on dust control, wipe-downs and surface prep before mounting plates or starting print.
Dust is a constant problem on many packaging floors, especially where board, film and traffic meet near the press. It can mark print, affect mounting and interfere with inspection. Dust Wipes is our note on simple cleaning habits before plates and substrate reach press.
Dust Wipes deals with the lint, paper fibre and traffic grime that settle on mounting tables, cylinders and substrate before a flexo run. On Gauteng and coastal packaging sites alike, a quick wipe at the right point prevents dust nibs from becoming a print fault or a plate seating problem.
Dust sources around mounting prep
- Board fibre near the feeder
- Film rolls attracting lint under press lighting
- Plate tape and surface prep matched to the job
- Operator and shift noted on the wipe check
Use this note alongside the relevant plate, ink or press item pages when contamination is affecting start-up quality. The note focuses on wipe-down order, cloth choice and surface checks before mounting or printing. That keeps the discussion tied to what the team can inspect at the machine.
How Dust Wipes help on a corrugated print week
Dust on the floor, substrate, or mounting surface can spoil plate fit and print quality before the run has properly started.
Start with the substrate and the area where dust is actually forming. Highveld dry conditions, corrugated handling, coastal moisture and warehouse traffic all change what sticks to the sheet or web. A wipe routine that works in Johannesburg may need shorter intervals in Durban when film and static are involved.
Check the mounting surface before plates come out of their sleeves. A clean cloth, the right approved cleaner and one close look under strong light often show fibre or residue that would have marked the first few impressions. Record what was found before the crew changes anything.
Checks that matter before print
After reading Dust Wipes, the team should have a simple order for cleaning plate backs, cylinders, tables and substrate edges before the run opens. The value is in removing contamination at the source, not in wiping the same area repeatedly once dust has spread. Good wipe discipline also helps inspection staff separate dirt marks from true print defects.
Read Dust Wipes with the related Ink notes entry and any matching Press paths page before changing cleaners or mounting steps. Do a final check against the job sheet, substrate type and plate requirement, then send any query through the contact form. That makes it easier to see whether the issue is static, loose fibre, tape residue or general traffic dust.
- Wipe order suited to your press area
- Contamination spotted before first impressions
- Notes kept with the job record
Conditions that change wipe frequency
Export work moving through OR Tambo, warehouse handling in Sunnyrock and older converting sites in Crown Mines all bring different dust loads to prep areas. Corrugated work sheds fibre differently from film, and shared traffic zones add grit that should never reach the mounting bench. Keep the wipe instruction with the job packet so the next shift sees the same standard.
Near the coast, moisture can leave surfaces looking clean while still holding fine contamination. Inland plants often fight dry airborne dust that settles again soon after a bench is cleared. During power interruptions, repeat the surface check when equipment restarts because static and loose debris may have changed.
Operated by Astros Marketing (Pty) Ltd from 2 Makro Place, Sunnyrock 1401.
Using Dust Wipes on shift
A practical press-floor note on dust control, wipe-downs and surface prep before mounting plates or starting print.
File the Dust Wipes note with the job record on the same day if dirt has affected mounting or print quality. That gives buyers, supervisors and operators one reference for the cleaning method used, the area checked and the fault seen on press.