Apex International, a global supplier of anilox and metering roll products, has announced the evolution of its GTT anilox technology. This product has been enhanced and upgraded over the last year. GTT 2.0 anilox technology is specifically engineered to significantly reduce liquid turbulence resulting in a calm liquid surface.

GTT 2.0’s new, improved engraving ensures up to 50% reduction in cell wall surface area across the anilox at the same time decreasing the required channel depth by an average of 25%.In addition to the fine tuning of the GTT wave technology, Apex has added additional volume options, making the benefits of GTT available to those who historically could not get the correct color on press, giving printers the flexibility they need to use GTT 2.0 for all print requirements.

“The industry is evolving rapidly and historic thoughts of different suppliers providing conventional anilox engravings that transfer more ink form the same Anilox LPI / cm3/m2 or BCM is now being understood as simply volume variations. To qualify this from the printer’s side volume measurement system are more accurate and accessible then ever before which are demonstrating a notable variation on requested volume to supplied volume from supplier to supplier and anilox to anilox. GTT 2.0 is the most consistent engraving on the market today with its digital imaged pattern engraved with a constant laser beam,” says Nick Harvey, technical director at Apex.

In addition to the above benefits as an anilox wears, micron by micron, GTT engravings exhibit much greater levels of print consistency and color density compared to conventional anilox engravings, largely due to the 50% reduction in wall surface area.

“Put simply, all cell based anilox rolls are customized the made to order. The positive is that virtually unlimited options of LPI / volume are available for conventional engravings. The negative is that almost every roll is a new engraving making consistency of spec to spec extremely difficult resulting in anilox to anilox delta E color consistency variations. However, with the GTT 2.0 engraving, true standardization with improved flexibility becomes a reality,” concludes Harvey.