BOBST launched a new version of its EXPERTCUT 106 PER blank separating die-cutter at last year's Drupa exhibition. Designed to deliver more production by maximizing uptime and speeding up a number of processes, the first of the new generation also began shipping late last year, and Jacques Reymond, head of product marketing business unit sheet-fed says that, while the changes to the EXPERTCUT 106 PER are evolutionary, the effect is fairly revolutionary: "Most people know that we continuously innovate in the technology we use in our machines and sometimes that development feeds into new machines, sometimes into retro-fits for older models, and sometimes into giving extra features or new functionality to our current line-up." The EXPERTCUT 106 PER has proved to be the workhorse for the world's medium to high volume carton makers and BOBST has been able to give it some new features that provides users access to increased net production, lower costs, easier maintenance and less waste. Together they add up to really substantial gains for users. The modifications run throughout the machine and include new feeder technology, changes to the sheet transport system, faster make-ready in the stripping and delivery sections and developments that reduce the wear, and consequently increase the life, of die-cutting tools.



"The first thing we have done is to further develop our Smart Feeder system which manages the feeding of sheets into the EXPERTCUT," explains Jacques Reymond. "Smart Feeder II is fitted with a suction head that has an improved sheet lift-up along with this, a new feed table with new equipment reduces the number of sheets lost during a machine stop, makes it quicker to set, and delivers more consistent sheet transportation."

Always with an eye towards reducing carton makers' on-costs, a new technology dubbed Tool Saver instantly takes the pressure from the platen section when no sheet is present. "By removing the pressure when no sheet is there Tool Saver increases the operational life of tooling," says Jacques Reymond. "It means that high quality cutting can be maintained for an increased number of impressions, which reduces the cost of manufacturing each box. As soon as the feeding of sheets restarts, the press instantly returns to the pre-set production speed and platen pressure with no need for the operator's intervention, reducing the production interruption to a minimum."

The new EXPERTCUT 106 PER also calculates the optimum tie-sheet interruption based on the thickness of the carton, saving as many as seven sheets per tie-sheet insertion cycle.

The blanking section of the new EXPERTCUT has a feature called Quick Set which makes it fast and easy to set due to all the non-stop fingers locking and un-locking by pushing a single button. "Also the tool frames don't have to be set back to zero when changing jobs, which makes changeovers quick and easy for the operator," Reymond explains.

"By utilizing intelligent systems throughout the press we are able to help users achieve substantial time savings, creating additional uptime for profit generating production, while at the same time reducing maintenance and tooling costs," concludes Jacques Reymond, adding, "Looking at the order intake after Drupa for the new EXPERTCUT 106 PER, these developments have been very well received by the industry. Indeed, the first of this new generation are already in production at customers' plants and the feedback has been excellent."

For more than sixty years, Schobertechnologies has been one of the industry leaders in developing and producing rotary tools, modules and specialty machines. This technically superior equipment is widely used in film, foil, packaging, nonwovens and paper converting industries. It is sold in more than 100 countries worldwide.

The development and production of the first rotary die cutting and stacking machines for the production of in-mould labels goes back to 1980. The experience and expertise at Schobertechnologies provides the ability to meet challenging customer demands. By steadily enhancing and improving the converting technology, Schobertechnologies is able to meet ever changing market requirements such as production runs, different product shapes, sizes and materials. An increased number of enquiries with new requirements coming from the paper label converting industry, e.g. for production of wet glue labels for the food, beverage and luxury food industry has been realized recently. The newly redesigned high performance RSM, due to its specific design, is able to meet these new requirements and challenges. Highest production quality, short make-ready times with minimum waste and precise register accuracy during the converting operation, even at speeds of up to 150 m/min, are achieved through the integration of innovative servo-drive technology and continuous synchronously driven rotary die cutting tools. Know-how in machine development combined with high-capacity and vibration-free technology concept guarantees high-performance in a noise-free environment. The standard configuration of this rotary converting machine includes a "M"-stack delivery system. S-stack, adjustable denesting station for several products across, as well as a V-stack delivery system (stacking by robotics) is available as options or for future upgrades. A 100 percent product inspection system with defective product dis-charge is available as well.

One of the world leaders in customer-focused printing and packaging industry innovation, EFI recently launched of Fiery XF Version 5, a flexible and scalable high-speed digital front end and colour management workflow for wide to superwide format production and proofing. Available now, the latest Fiery wide format software helps print service providers easily achieve precise, predictable high-quality prints while streamlining production workflows. This new Fiery software version also enables seamless workflow integration with VUTEk and EFI Wide-Format printers, as well as with EFI MIS/ERP systems.

Over the years, the UV technology has become a well-known and successful drying (curing) procedure in the printing industry for sheet-fed offset, rotary printing as well as digital inkjet printing, enabling significant reduction of drying times (instant curing of inks and varnishes) and to achieve an unique print finishing, especially in the field of package printing (e.g. highest gloss without powder and excellent scratch resistance. But reducing energy consumption is one of the major challenges to ensure cost-effective application of UV technologies. Enabling Indian printers to face this challenge efficiently, New Delhi based Galaxy Propac Pvt Ltd (GPPL) offers Eltosch solutions.

For more than thirty years Eltosch Torsten Schmidt Gmbh has been developing and manufacturing infrared, hot air and ultraviolet drying systems for the printing industry, which are used worldwide. In 2008, the company Eltosch Torsten Schmidt GmbH was taken over by Dr Hönle AG. In recent years, Eltosch has very successfully developed an economical and ecological innovative printing system. The energy-minimized UV printing has been achieved by a special designed UV module Eco Power Cure (an enhanced reflector geometry with incredible UV yield at maximum efficiency) with adjusted peripheral devices and electronically power supplies by Eltosch. The system´s 'energy-minimized UV curing' certification, awarded by the independent German Berufsgenossenschaft (BG), demonstrates the strong commitment to both, performance and ecology. A component of this is LEC (Low Energy Curing) by Eltosch. The LEC-technology is based on the combination of special doped lamps and high reactive UV inks, allowing a complete curing (drying) of printed sheets at minimized energy input.

Developed by Dr Hönle AG, the Eco Power LED is a high-performance UV array for intermediate (pinning) and end curing (drying). This technology is usually used for inkjet printing applications, but is also increasingly used for sheet-fed offset printing applications. ECO Power LED is also applied for curing varnishes, adhesives and sealants.

Additionally, the Eltosch product range includes a newly developed energy efficient infrared/hot air unit Eco Power Dry with significant characteristics for an ecological and economical energy-minimized drying of standard inks and water-based coatings. The product line also offers Eco Power Clean, an effective powder and cleaning system for sheet-fed offset printing presses. Among the aspect of worldwide efforts to save energy Eltosch offers their clients in the range of paper, plastic, foil and package printing core competence and solutions for the energy efficient UV printing.