Drawsheet__Offset_Press_Blanket_Specification_B-ECF-4_dated_27-MARCH-2017.2031ZA17R00004.AttachmentA-1.pdf

B: ECF-4

27 March 2017

Supersedes

B: ECF-3

6 June 2011

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

BUREAU OF ENGRAVING AND PRINTING

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20228

BEP SPECIFICATION FOR

BLANKET: ELASTOMERIC-COATED FABRIC

1.0 SCOPE AND CLASSIFICATION

1.1 Scope This specification covers performance and acceptance requirements for elastomeric-coated fabric printing blankets used at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, hereinafter referred to as the BEP. Drawsheets shall be suitable for use as an outer covering on impression cylinders of high-speed, sheet-fed rotary I-10 and Super Orlof Intaglio (SOI) presses.

Offset press blankets shall be suitable for use on sheet-fed Simultan offset presses for waterless offset printing and as collector cylinder blankets on Super Orlof intaglio presses. The drawsheets and offset/collector blankets will be used to print United States currency.

1.2 Classification This specification covers one type of drawsheet identified as BEP stock item number 2L001707 for use on the I-10 intaglio presses, one type of drawsheet identified as BEP stock item number 2L002018 for use on Super Orlof intaglio presses, and one type of conventional printing blanket identified as 2L002042 for use on Simultan offset presses and as collector blankets on Super Orlof intaglio presses.

2.0 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

2.1 Government Documents

2.1.1 Specifications, Standards, and Handbooks The following specifications, standards, or handbook form a part of this specification to the extent specified herein.

Federal Standards

Federal Standard-141 Paint, Varnish, Lacquer, and related Materials: Methods of Inspection, Sampling and Testing

(Federal specification and standards may be obtained from the General Services Administration, Federal Supply Service; Specification Section (3FP-E), 470 East L’Enfant Plaza; SW; Suite 8100, Washington, DC 20407.)

Bureau of Engraving and Printing Specifications

PB: RB-5 BEP Specification for Paperboard: Rigging Board, dated 8 November 2012

L: VAB-1 Specification for Vendor Affixed Barcode Labels for Bureau of Engraving and Printing Materials

2031ZA17R00004.

Attachment A-1

Supersedes

B: ECF-3

6 June 2011

(Single copies of BEP documents are available from the Contracting Officer, BEP, 14th and "C" Streets, S.W.; Washington, D.C. 20228).

Bureau of Engraving and Printing Document

75D-07.0-05 EHS Requirements for Purchased Materials

(Request for copies should be addressed to the Contracting Officer, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Office of Acquisition, 14th and C Streets, SW, Washington, DC 20228-0001)

2.2 Non-Government Publications The following documents form a part of this specification to the extent specified herein.

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Methods:

D 1777 Measuring Thickness of Textile Materials D 3773 Length of Woven Fabrics D 3774 Width of Woven Fabrics

(Request for copies should be addressed to the American Society for Testing and Materials, 1916 Race Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-1137. ASTM methods are also available for purchase at the following website: www.astm.org)

Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI) Method.

T 400 Sampling and Acceptance of Single Lot of Paper, Paperboard, Containerboard, or Related Product

T 402 Standard Conditioning and Testing Atmospheres for Paper, Board, Pulp Handsheets, and Other Related Products

(Request for copies should be addressed to the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry, 15 Technology Parkway South, Norcross, Georgia 30092-2928. TAPPI testing methods are also available for purchase at the following website: www.tappi.org)

2.3 Order of Precedence In the event of a conflict between the text of this document and the references cited herein, the text of this document takes precedence. Nothing in this document, however, supersedes applicable laws and regulations unless a specific exemption has been obtained.

2.4 Internal References All paragraph and section references will be to paragraphs and sections of this specification, unless stated otherwise.

3.0 REQUIREMENTS

3.1 Material The blankets shall be manufactured from either cotton or synthetic fabric or a combination of these fabrics. The fabric shall be free from defects that could adversely affect its performance as a component of the printing blanket. The fabric shall be coated on one side with

Supersedes an elastomeric material. The elastomeric material shall be formulated to produce a non-tacky finish. The elastomeric material shall be uniform with no noticeable skips, depressions, or high spots, and shall not distort the thread and weave pattern of the fabric. There shall be no cracks in the elastomeric material and no foreign matter imbedded in the surfaces of the blanket.

3.1.1 Recovered Materials. In accordance with the requirements of 42 United States Code 6901, et.seq. and 6962, the BEP encourages the use of the highest percentage of recovered materials practicable in the manufacture and delivery of the finished materials as specified herein as long as all specification requirements are fulfilled.

3.2 Drawsheet Performance The drawsheet shall perform as a component of each of the four sections on the impression cylinder in the rigging system used in the I-10 sheet-fed rotary intaglio currency presses. The drawsheet shall also perform as a component of each of the three sections on the impression cylinder in the rigging system used in the Super Orlof sheet-fed rotary intaglio currency presses. The rigging system may consist of one, two, or three rigging boards placed under one drawsheet. For more detailed information on the rigging board, see BEP specification PB: RB-4. The drawsheets shall conform to the curvature of the impression cylinder and rigging boards (see Section 6.1).

The minimum service life of the drawsheet shall be 250,000 impressions. The drawsheet shall perform under the printing pressures and temperatures (see Section 6.1). The drawsheet shall have surfaces that are non-tacky which shall not adhere to United States currency paper during printing. The drawsheets shall not contain or develop any one of the following: creases, tears, indentures, holes, lumps, and any other condition that might damage the press and/or printing plate and/or produce imperfect prints or images. The drawsheet shall not delaminate during use.

The print quality of United States currency produced using the drawsheet as a component of the press rigging system shall equal or exceed that of the BEP print quality standards.

3.2.1 Offset/Collector Blanket Performance The conventional offset/collector blanket shall exhibit a high degree of dimensional stability and limit the piling of inks and paper dust. The blanket shall be used for waterless offset printing to transfer a high quality image with excellent release from the offset printing plate to the paper on Simultan offset presses and as an ink collecting blanket on the collecting cylinder of Super Orlof Intaglio presses. The blankets shall be resistant to all inks based on mineral oils as well as the washes used in offset printing.

The minimum service life of the offset /collector blanket shall be 1.2 million impressions. The offset/collector blanket shall have surfaces that are non-tacky, which shall not adhere to United States currency paper during printing. The offset/collector blanket shall not contain or develop any one of the following: creases, tears, indentures, holes, lumps, or any other condition that might damage the press and/or printing plate and/or produce imperfect prints or images. The offset/collector blanket shall not delaminate during use. The print quality of United States currency produced using the offset/collector blanket as a component of the press shall equal or exceed that of the BEP print quality standards.

Supersedes

3.3 Physical Requirements The drawsheet and offset press blanket shall comply with the requirements listed in TABLE I and TABLE II of this specification.

TABLE I

DRAWSHEET PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

BEP STOCK

ITEM NUMBER

PROPERTY MINIMUM MAXIMUM

2L001707

Thickness 0.508 mm (0.020 inch) 0.625 mm (0.025 inch)

Width 683 mm (26.9 inch) 688 mm (27.1 inch)

Length 939.8 mm (37.0 inch) 965.2 mm (38.0 inch)

2L002018

Thickness 0.508 mm (0.020 inch) 0.625 mm (0.025 inch)

Width 858 mm (33.78 inch) 862 mm (33.94 inch)

Length 1,100 mm (43.30 inch) 1,104 mm (43.46 inch)

TABLE II

OFFSET/COLLECTOR PRINTING BLANKET PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

PROPERTY MINIMUM MAXIMUM

Thickness 1.68 mm (0.066 inch) 1.72 mm (0.068 inch)

Width 849 mm (33.43 inch) 851 mm (33.50 inch)

Length 959 mm (37.76 inch) 961 mm (37.83 inch)

Impression Depth ≤ 0.16 mm

Elongation (at 1000N/50 mm) DIN standard 53354

≤ 1.5%

Tensile strength (at 1000N/50 mm) DIN standard 53354

≥ 2000 N

Hardness DIN standard 53505

79° ± 1° Shore A

Roughness (RZ) ≤ 6 µm

Supersedes

3.3.1 Trim The printing blankets delivered in sheet form shall be cut perpendicular to the warp direction of the fabric. They shall be cut cleanly without ragged or frayed edges.

3.3.2 Mounting Holes The holes for mounting the 2L001707 drawsheet on the impression cylinder of the I-10 presses shall be punched as shown in Figure 1 of the specification. The holes shall be punched cleanly having no fraying edges or hangers. Drawsheet 2L002018 and offset/collector printing blanket 2L002042 do not have mounting holes. (See Section 6.1)

4.0 QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS

4.1 Contractor Quality Assurance Plan The BEP shall rely on the contractor’s existing quality assurance system. The BEP reserves the right to perform any inspections and tests deemed necessary upon receipt of the material to assure conformance to requirements. The BEP may conduct periodic site visits and quality audits of the facilities of the manufacturer or major first-tier subcontractors in cases when the contractor is a “broker” or “regular dealer.”

Upon request by the BEP, the contractor shall provide a copy of their current quality assurance system document, e.g., quality assurance plan to the BEP. If the contractor is a “broker” or a “regular dealer” and not the manufacturer of the supplies to be delivered under the terms of the contract, the BEP may request the contractor to provide a copy of the current quality system document of its major first-tier subcontractors. The quality assurance system document will be used by the BEP for conducting the quality audit.

4.1.1 Modifications of the Quality Assurance System During the term of the contract, the contractors shall not deviate from the approved quality assurance plan without prior approval from the BEP. The contractor shall notify the BEP of any planned changes to its quality assurance system manual or plan. The changes shall be submitted in writing to the Contracting Officer and the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) with the reasons for the changes.

4.2 Control Chart The contractor shall provide a control chart of each of the control variables identified by the BEP. The control variables are characteristics or properties of the drawsheet identified in the BEP specification. The control chart is a plot of the control variable of each lot or batch of material plotted sequentially by date of manufacture and shall contain the specification limits for the characteristic or property. The contractor shall furnish a hard copy and an electronic copy of the control chart of each control variable to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) on a quarterly basis.

4.2.1 Control Variable At the minimum the contractor shall provide control charts for:

thickness, length, and width.

4.3 Inspection and Testing

4.3.1 Responsibility for Inspection and Testing Unless otherwise specified in the contract or in the purchase order, the supplier is responsible for the performance of all inspection and testing specified. Except as otherwise specified, the supplier may utilize his own facilities or other commercial laboratory acceptable to the BEP. The BEP reserves the right to perform any inspection and tests set forth in the specification. This may include site visits and periodic quality audits at the facilities of the contractor and sub-contractor.

Supersedes

4.3.2 Sampling Sampling shall be conducted in accordance with TAPPI method T 400. The lot size shall be determined by the supplier, based on the supplier’s knowledge of the manufacturing process. The lots shall be expressed in units of drawsheets, shall consist of single manufacturer’s batch or run, and shall have uniform properties. Sub-lots shall be established whenever conditions indicate a significant difference in raw materials and/or manufacture.

4.4 Testing Testing shall be conducted in accordance with the following methods.

Reference to specific instruments is for information only. Use of a company and/or product name in this document does not imply approval or recommendation of the product in preference to others that may also be suitable. The BEP will work with the contractor to establish correlation among various instruments when required.

4.4.1 Test Conditions Drawsheet samples shall be conditioned and tested under environmental conditions that meet the requirements of TAPPI T 402.

4.4.2 Thickness The thickness of the drawsheet shall be determined according to ASTM method D 1777 or an equivalent industry accepted test method. Report the average, minimum, and maximum thickness for each lot.

4.4.3 Length of Woven Fabric The length of the drawsheet shall be determined according to ASTM method D 3773, Option 1 or an equivalent industry accepted test method. Report the average, minimum, and maximum length for each lot.

4.4.4 Width of Woven Fabric The width of the drawsheet shall be determined according to ASTM method D 3774 Option B or an equivalent industry accepted test method. Report the average, minimum, and maximum width of each lot.

4.5 Inspection BEP inspections shall be conducted for the requirements listed in TABLE Ill in accordance with the method given:

TABLE III

INSPECTION

Paragraph/Requirement(s) Inspection Method

3.1 Fabric Visual evaluation

3.1 Elastomeric Material Visual evaluation

3.1 Elastomeric Material Coated Fabric Visual evaluation

3.3.1 Trim Visual evaluation

3.3.2 Mounting Holes Visual evaluation, measurement

Section 5 Preparation for Delivery Visual evaluation, measurement

4.6 Certifications and Reports The contractor shall certify in writing that the drawsheets or offset/collector printing blankets supplied in each delivery are in compliance with all the requirements including health, safety, and environmental as set forth in this specification. The signed and dated certification shall include a statement of the recovered material content, if any.

This certification of compliance shall accompany the report of inspections and tests. The contractor shall furnish copies of the results of inspections and tests performed for each batch or lot of shipment to the COR in electronic form.

Supersedes

5.0 PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY

5.1 Packaging The packaging shall conform with the Department of Transportation Rules and Regulations (which require a MSDS with each shipment) and with applicable requirements of the National Motor Freight Classification Rules and Container Specifications.

5.1.1 Packing The printing blankets shall be packed in corrugated fiberboard containers of suitable strength to provide protection during shipping and handling and storage. Each container shall contain 100 blankets. The packing shall keep the blankets flat and provide protection for the edges of the blankets. The packing shall include a waterproof liner to prevent the blankets from picking up moisture.

5.1.2 Palletization The containers shall be delivered on sturdy wooden pallets that allow four-way entry for forklift truck. The pallets may be slatted, and if slatted, the space between two adjacent slats shall not exceed 12.5 centimeters (1/2 inch). Each pallet shall contain a maximum of 1,000 printing blankets. Pallet loads shall be shrink-wrapped and/or strapped with plastic banding to prevent shifting during shipping and handling. Other packaging arrangements may be made with written approval from the Contracting Officer.

5.2 Marking

5.2.1 Container Marking Each container shall be plainly marked with one of the following product descriptions:

“ELASTOMERIC-COATED FABRIC BEP STOCK NUMBER 2L001707”

“ELASTOMERIC-COATED FABRIC BEP STOCK ITEM NUMBER 2L002018”

“OFFSET/COLLECTOR BLANKET BEP STOCK ITEM NUMBER 2L002042”

Container markings shall include the net and gross weight in pounds, the number of drawsheets or offset/collector blankets, the contractor’s name, the batch or lot number(s), the date of manufacture, and the BEP purchase order number. The product identification markings shall be legible.

5.2.2 Marking Size and Color The marking used on each container shall be legible and of a color contrasting to that of the container. The item name and BEP stock number shall be 25 mm (one inch) high.

5.2.3 Hazard Warning Labels Each container shall be labeled in accordance with the applicable Department of Transportation Rules and with the provisions of the Hazard Communication Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1200 (f). This label shall include the name and address of the manufacturer, the identity of the hazardous materials, and the appropriate hazard warnings.

5.2.4 Barcode Label The barcode labels shall conform to the “Specification for Vendor Affixed Barcode labels for Bureau of Engraving and Printing Materials” and shall be affixed on the packaging of each container. Each container shall be marked in accordance with the bar-coded information listed in TABLE IV of this specification.

Supersedes

TABLE IV

BARCODE INFORMATION

Barcode Text Description

Specification Description

ELASTOMERIC-COATED FABRIC

or

OFFSET/COLLECTOR BLANKET

PO # BEP Purchase Order Number

Part # 2L001707, 2L002018, or 2L002042

Quantity Number of sheets per box (container)

Batch/Lot # The manufacturer’s lot number

Weight Weight of the sheets plus weight of the box (container)

6.0 NOTES This section contains information of a general or explanatory nature that may be helpful, but not mandatory.

6.1 Rigging System and Press Conditions For I-10 presses, both the rigging boards and drawsheets are installed on the impression cylinder using mounting pins. The rigging boards and drawsheets for the Super Orlof presses do not require holes since they are not installed on mounting pins. The drawsheet is installed to the top rigging board with a strip of double-sided adhesive. The trailing end of the drawsheet is then placed in a clamp and put under tension to bend the rigging board to conform to the curvature of the impression cylinder and to prevent the drawsheet and rigging board from shifting during printing. The following table provides dimensions of intaglio press components associated with drawsheet installation.

Press I-10 SOI

Impression Cylinder Radius 480 mm (18.9 inches) 420 mm (16.5 inches)

Tensioning Bar Diameter (mechanism on impression cylinder for tensioning drawsheet) 50 mm 50 mm

Once installed on the impression cylinder, the rigging system (comprised of the rigging boards and drawsheet) may be subjected to printing pressures of up to 2.5 tons per linear inch as often as 2,500 times per hour for the I-10 presses and 3,334 times per hour for Super Orlof intaglio presses. The rigging system may be subjected to temperatures of up to 93o C (199.4° F) during printing.

Attachment

Figure 1 Mounting Holes for 2L001707 Drawsheet

(END)

Supersedes