Page 44 - Print21 Magazine March April 2021

Technology
Cut to grow
As packaging and display print become key growth areas for print, the role of the die cutter has never been more important. Print21 looks at the latest developments
Commercial print is tightening, and printers looking for growth areas are finding both packaging and display print are
posting encouraging figures. Packaging in fact has continued
to surge during the pandemic, and major producers like Amcor and Visy are posting record results. Display print has been battered, no doubt about that, as some of its major markets – exhibitions, conferences, events, sports and concerts –
have been on pause for a year; nonetheless, display print is on a growth trajectory that will continue.
For both packaging and display work, a die cutting unit is essential. Display printers can use the dedicated cutting tables from the likes of Zund, Canon and Esko, but for high volume work, a die cutting system may be a good alternative from Bobst, Century, Heidelberg, Kama or KBA. For packaging printers, a die cutting unit is essential.
For smaller format and digital printers there are small format die cutting systems from the likes of Horizon and Duplo.
Bobst
The B1 sized market is hyper- competitive, with major names including Bobst, Heidelberg with Masterworks, KBA, and from Asia, SBL.
Bobst claims the new Mastercut 106 PER has the highest degree of automatic operations available on any die-cutter. In addition to the existing automation functions, Bobst has implemented new features which allow a fully automatic setting of the machine from feeder to delivery, with minimum operator intervention.
The new automation features enable a major setup time reduction of 15 minutes. For example, stripping and blanking tools, as well as the nonstop rack in the delivery section, are automatically set.
With its level of automation, Bobst says, the new Mastercut 106 PER becomes the most productive
44 Print21 MARCH/APRIL 2021
equipment for short as well as
long runs, meaning packaging manufacturers can accept all types of jobs, irrespective of run length.
Bobst has a new digital recipe management tool for die-cutters. In combination with automated functions, it can save up to 15 minutes per job changeover and simplifies the interaction between converters and die-makers.
With TooLink Connected Tooling, chip-equipped tools are automatically detected by the machine and the production-ready recipe is recognised, leading to savings in time and waste, with sustainability benefits.
Century
Century products are supplied in Australia by Graffica and include a range of flatbed die cutters for carton board, corrugated, and a whole range of display print media from 800mm wide through to 2100mm.
The larger 1650, 1850 and 2100 machines have proved popular here. They do not use gripper prongs,
so a wide variety of stock can be processed. They are winning plaudits not only with packaging printers, but display printers too.
Neil Southerington, managing director of Graffica says, “No prongs means virtually any substrate can go through the machine. Unlike those that use prongs, which can mainly be used for cardboard, the Century die cutters can be used with plastics, coreflute, and anything that will be cut with steel.”
The Century machines are available in full auto and semi auto. Southerington says, “Even the semi auto cutters can still get through 4000 sheets an hour, with just one person operating it.”
Southerington says the quick changeover times mean the Century cutters are well suited to the display and short run packaging markets,
as well as longer run work. “The engineering quality is proven,” he says. Certainly with customers like IVE and PMS Litho in Melbourne, the Century die cutter is at home in Australia.
Heidelberg
The new Mastermatrix 106 CSB was unveiled last year. It is the new flagship die-cutter from MK Masterwork and Heidelberg, with a production speed of up to 9000 sheets per hour.
Heidelberg says the machine is designed for high speed and fast make-ready times. A new quick-lock clamping system for the cutting plate shortens the setup time without affecting tool compatibility with existing plates.
Setup time is further minimised by MasterRake – the non-stop swords in the delivery are locked pneumatically and can be disengaged at the push of a button and moved by the operator. This shortens the setup time at the delivery by up to 70 per cent, the company says.
“Even the semi auto cutters can still get through 4000 sheets an hour, with just one person operating it.”
— Neil Southerington, Graffica
The Mastermatrix is integrated in the Prinect workflow. Job specific data is received at the die-cutter from Prinect. Data such as the sheet format is transferred and – after confirmation by the operator – the MasterFeeder sets itself automatically to the sheet format without further manual intervention.
During production, Heidelberg says the MasterSet optical register system ensures perfect registration between the print image and cutting tool for each sheet individually with the utmost precision. The camdrive of the Mastermatrix ensures a smooth and quiet production.