Adjusting windmill grippers away from platen

My gripper arms are too close to my platen to run creasing matrix. No matter what I do, the gripper arms rip it right off.

Can I adjust them away to create some space?

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Nope, there is nothing you can do to adjust them. I’ve never seen a matrix that can’t be run on a Windmill though. Are you running it bare on the platen/jacket or is it on top of a topsheet/makeready? Your grippers could be bent in towards the platen, in which case you could do some research into how to straighten them out. I wouldn’t really know how to do that, and if you mess it up new grippers are quite expensive so be careful.

It can sometimes help to fashion a ramp on the leading edge of the matrix out of masking tape to ease the transition of the gripper up onto the matrix. Is it being run parallel or perpendicular to the gripper? My experience has been that you get the fewest problems if it’s parallel.

you can close the press and push on the gripper that is straight up, do the same for the other one, not tooooo hard just a little and your gripper should clear the matrix.

It is a Racing Certainty that Peter Luckhurst will talk you through EXACTLY how to solve this problem, Firstly how to utilize your matrix and secondly, how to adjust your gripper arms, it is not easy and bordering on slightly technical, He may be in communicado temporarily but if requested on line I will happily relay his help and reply. Ver Batim (I think that means word for word) Hey I ran the casting machine and pulled the first proof!!!! I didnt submit the copy or read the proofs. Feel free if I can, I will, if you post the request. Mick

I run the matrix on top of make ready. Never tried it bare.

I run them parallel as well.

I’ll try pushing them as Dick suggested. Thought I may be missing an adjustment screw/knob and wanted to confirm before I bent them.

Make sure you are using low matrix and not high. Put the correct amount of packing under your die cutting jacket, then apply the matrix to the jacket. You can spot patch behind the die if needed or on the jacket.

Oh if it were so easy !!
You dont generally crease on your tympan , if you must then as earlier post says cover the matrix with tape to help the gripper get over it without snatching it off the top .
for short runs this is usually adequate .
as for actually altering the machine this is a no go situation the design of the press wonnt allow raising the grippers off the platen because this will create a problem with the side lay and head lay which would then have to be adjusted and although the headlay can be moved (not for the novice ) you cant alter the side lay to suit !
I have looked at this problem all my life and unless you have bent a gripper arm you are over packed ,i would assume too that you are heavy impression working on this and therefore likely to be overpacked !