Repco helps makes an impression in the printing industry

In the United States, there are approximately 35,000 commercial printers with combined revenues of over 90 billion dollars. The printing industry employs nearly a million workers - making it one of the largest employers in the country.

Printing plants invest millions in printing and finishing equipment. To recoup their investment they have to feed the machines and keep them running for two or three shifts almost every day. With newer printing presses accommodating 10,000 to 15,000 impressions per hour - that’s a lot of work flowing through the plant. Any type of unplanned downtime can be a real problem.

Printing equipment includes motor starters, controls, and power systems

Modern printing equipment is heavily automated. Automation increases profitability, but reliance on more heavy equipment means more maintenance and repairs. The presses, finishing equipment, and the motor starters, motor controls, and power systems that enable them to run, all need to be maintained regularly.

Single-phase AC induction motors power most modern presses. These motors run each "fountain head" on the press and all the mechanisms in between. Big presses draw big power. Invariably, due to voltage requirements, safety, and efficiency the motor control systems will include electrical contacts. The ability of electrical contacts to transfer high voltage current directly while permitting rapid circuit interruption (in the case of an emergency) makes them an essential component in the press motor control system.

Presses aren’t the only heavy machinery in a printing plant. After-print finishing also includes conveyors, rollers, folders, and cutters. Large web printing operations, with presses two stories tall; likely also include gantry cranes for lifting the enormous paper rolls from cars to the presses. Each of these, depending on their size, will be powered by a motor and control system that will most likely include electrical contacts.

Replacement electrical contacts offer a better value

Printing equipment is usually comprised of pieces from multiple vendors, which can make maintenance more complicated. Printing equipment can use electrical control sourced from a multitude of OEMs. Repco stocks 100s of compatible electrical contacts for the major OEMs. This includes current and obsolete equipment. Repco’s affordable replacement electrical contacts can help keep printing operations running smoothly by offering a better value than OEM parts. By providing better value on routine maintenance or allowing plants to inventory replacement parts affordably, Repco can help improve the bottom-line of printing establishments.