appointments 
The process of dry ice blasting to clean printing equipment is not a new idea, but it is perhaps not so well known. Merivale company Dry Ice Blasting specialise in the process and have developed considerable expertise in it over the years.

While the company also performs blasting services in other industries, its director, Grahame Roll, says that the benefits for the printing industry are obvious.

"The presses we clean come up absolutely looking like new, without a mark on them."

The machines can be cleaned quickly and efficiently and production can continue with minimal downtime, a crucial part of any maintenance operation. Roll says that the reaction from customers has been appreciative, after their presses have been returned to as-new condition.

"We cleaned two printers for FPS International this year, and the results were fantastic. They were delighted with it."

The first machine that Dry Ice Blasting cleaned for FPS was a F&K 34 DF Printer, eight colour, in July. The second was a CMF Prestige 808 8 colour, done in October.

Grahame Roll says that both machines required extensive cleaning due to the build up of ink, but the use of Dry Ice Blasting returned the machines to as-new condition with
little disruption to production