Alphasonics donates equipment to community college

Teachers and students at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, North Carolina have been sharing their flexographic projects after the arrival of a Melanie Duo anilox cleaning system from Alphasonics USA.

Alphasonics donates equipment to community college

The donation of the equipment comes after a chance meeting between students and the company’s vice president after a presentation on ultrasonic anilox cleaning systems at 2017’s FTA Info*Flex exhibition.

Chris Jones says: ‘I completed a small presentation at the ‘solutions theatre’ in Phoenix last year and ended up in a really positive question and answer session afterwards. Following this, two very enthusiastic CPCC students came to our booth and were so keen to learn even more. I was really impressed by their knowledge, eagerness and drive for the industry and for the projects they were completing. Myself and Alphasonics are extremely passionate about nurturing and encouraging young talent in this industry and I wanted to contribute to their development by giving them the very best in cleaning technology. It all went from there. We’ve ended up with a great relationship with the Harper Campus at Central Piedmont and we’re looking at what we do next to help and assist these bright young minds in their development.’

Upon donation of the equipment, Jones also completed an informal session on the importance of anilox cleaning and how the right equipment, coupled with a cleaning regime will ensure the very best production quality.

Zachery Blackburn, lead instructor on CPCC’s graphic arts course notes that the system has brought a whole new dimension to the campuses equipment and the students who use it. ‘It’s been a great opportunity for students, firstly, because it’s just so easy to use. One of the things I think is exciting is that we have old aniloxes that haven’t been thoroughly cleaned or resurfaced for years and it’s been maintained by novices so the buildup on the rolls is considerable. What’s really cool about the Alphasonics machine is that you can see it cleaning as it’s happening. Years and years of contamination coming out of the roll and within minutes they come back to life. When it’s done, it looks and prints like it’s just out of the box, which means much more predictable color and much better results. Students being able to see what a clean anilox looks like puts them on the right path for their careers and creates a cleaner culture.’

Alphasonics plan to attend the Harper Campus to continue education on the importance of anilox cleaning through demonstrations and educational presentations throughout the academic year.

‘Our relationship with CPCC will only serve to benefit the future of this industry and we’re only too happy to contribute,’ Jones said. ‘The students I’ve met are a credit to the college and to our industry so I feel we are duty bound to give them a helping hand. If the next wave of flexographic professionals are learning the right way to work and learning the importance of quality cleaning equipment, then I’ll do whatever I can to bring that through both now and in the future.’