Ink supply system for Tissue Converting

In this article:

• • • • A single system that brings together 3 functions: supply, recovery and washing
      • From semi-automatic to automatic: the evolution of the ink supply system
      • 3 good reasons to choose the Movingfluid solution for Tissue Converting

Movingfluid innovates Tissue Converting with the ink management system for paper colouring    

Process optimization and worker safety are two fundamental criteria in the industrial sector and motivate many of the choices made regarding change and innovation. They are the same ones that also drove us, in 2020, when we introduced our ink management system for tissue paper colouring on the market for the first time.

The Movingfluid system avoids the burdensome manual operations normally required to refill the production line, with the aim of making it more streamlined. And, as always, it adapts to the customer’s needs: just recently, to meet the demand for greater automation, our Problem solvers implemented an improved version of the first system.

But let’s start from the beginning.

A single system that brings together 3 functions: supply, recovery and washing

The standard semi-automatic configuration of the system includes 4 tanks of 100 kg each connected to a manual control cabin. A complex system of ARO pneumatic diaphragm pumps and valves ensures the handling of ink or water, depending on the intended use.

The Movingfluid system in fact performs 3 different functions: 

1. supply of the colour; 
2. recovery of unused ink; 
3. washing of the circuit and its components.   

Feature 1) In-line colour supply from tank to squeegee

Each tank can hold a different colour (for a total of 4 colours managed simultaneously) and can be activated or deactivated, depending on production needs. Inside the tank, the motorised stirrer keepd the liquid in constant motion to prevent it from drying out or thickening.

After having filled them with the desired quantity of product, the operator can therefore decide to send the ink to printing unit simply by operating the power selector in the central cabin. In this way, the ink is automatically drawn from the tank and distributed within the system until it reaches the drum on board the machine and thus enters the line.  

Feature 2) Recovery of unused ink

With a similar yet opposite flow, unused ink can be returned to the tank, without having to be carried or transferred by hand. Simply select the suction valve to allow any liquid remaining in the in-line container to flow back, filtered and ready to be uded again or stored elsewhere.

In fact, the ink can remain inside the tank even for long periods (continuous movement prevents its alteration) or it can be easily drained to prepare the tank for a different colour. The risk of contamination between the various colours is eliminated by the circuit washing program.    

Feature 3) Circuit cleaning

Even cleaning can be managed automatically and made easier thanks to the function selectors. The system includes an inlet for clean water, with adjustable pressure, and an inlet for air. The bottom outlet is dedicated to discharging dirty water directly from the wash cycle, so wastewater disposal is carried out without the involvement of any operators.

The camlock fittings that the system is equipped with allow the type of cleaning to be diversified between: 

1. complete washing of the entire circuit, from the Movingfluid tank to the squeegee collection tank; 
2. partial wash, excluding the tank: Thanks to a countercurrent motion, the water is made to pass inside the system without entering the tanks full of ink. 

Furthermore, during the ink supply phase, the filter may get partially clogged and, if not clean, you risk compromising the final result.

That’s why our Problem solvers have provided two that can work alternately and can be isolated for manual cleaning. This way, production can continue optimally and without interruption.  

From semi-automatic to automatic: the evolution of the ink supply system

But what we have described so far is only one of the possible versions of our ink supply and management system.

Specifically, it is the one that Valmet, the Finnish multinational specialized in the design of industrial machinery for the paper and tissue sector, had also chosen in 2025. After a few weeks of use, however, the need to further automate the process emerged: a need that was satisfied by our Problem solvers within a few weeks.

Thus a new computerized version of our system was developed. Today the system installed at the Lucca plant is working through the PLC of the in-line machine: a bank of solenoid valves replaces the manual selector system and allows the different modes to be activated remotely.

This way, you can load the ink, select the inlet filter, recover the unused liquid, and start the complete or partial wash from the company’s control panel, without having to go to the control cabin. A great advantage, which adds to those already present in the first release of the project.  

3 good reasons to choose the Movingfluid solution for Tissue Converting

Why switch from the traditional (completely manual) method to the Movingfluid solution? There are at least 3 excellent reasons, with direct and indirect consequences on saving time and money.   

Benefit 1) Operator safety

The first one concerns operator safety. The system is in fact completely autonomous and, once the supply tanks are filled, it can operate mechanically without potentially risky manual operations. Protection is also ensured by the construction measures implemented by our engineers on the machine itself.

For example, the tanks all have lids and only work if the lid is sealed. On the contrary, when the switch it is equipped with is opened, it blocks the internal stirrer, which stops: the inspection and ink refilling are thus carried out in complete safety.   

Benefit 2) No production downtime or costly production changes

The washing program allows you to manage colour changes optimally too because it ensures complete cleaning of an entire area of the system – including the squeegee barrel – while the rest of the lines continue to work. A function that avoids the manual replacement of bulky components such as squeegees when switching from white to coloured paper.

Not only that: the ink recovery function greatly reduces product waste. If, in manual mode, the ink already inserted into the in-line container risked being thrown away, the Movingfluid solution eliminates this problem because it brings the ink back to the tank. Here, subjected to constant movement, it maintains its properties unchanged for a long time and can be reused at any time.

If you then want to store the recovered ink to free up the tank, you can divert the return flow from the camlock fittings and fill an external drum.  

Benefit 3) Customizable configuration

The standard system with 4 tanks occupies a total surface area of 2500 cm long x 1200 cm wide x 1600 cm high and can be easily positioned between two or more production lines to feed them. However, it is also possible to create the customized solutions with a smaller number of tanks.

The system is available in both the 100% automatic and semi-automatic versions: in both cases, maintenance is simplified and, if necessary, supported by our assistance service.

But above all, high performance and structural solidity stem from the experience of Movingfluid, a strategic partner for companies aiming to innovate their production processes and grow competitively. 

Would you like to learn more about our automatic ink distribution system and its potential applications in the Tissue Converting or textile industry? That’s what we’re here for!

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