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Case Study - Interket
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The wider view on profitable flexibility
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Greater maturity has seen the roll label industry become more diverse
and specialized. There are many good reasons for this, but the rapid
development of narrow-web technology is a strong contributing factor. And,
as we are finding, installing a particular press can singularly affect a
company's direction, especially when it fits within a long term strategy.
This certainly applies to Interket, a family-owned business. It recently
commissioned an LF-200 from RDP Marathon Inc. of Montreal, the first
installed in Europe. The seven-unit press joins three existing Nilpeter UV
rotary letterpress machines: one B280 and two B220's.
The UV-equipped press has six variable size offset units - each in three
repeat sizes in a 432-711 mm range - and an interchangeable flexo insert.
An RDP - sponsored open house attended by around 50 international visitors
saw the LF-200 running several jobs at full speed in register. The press
can print and convert paper, film, board, or metallized foil: from 12.5
micron unsupported film to 250 GSM board at up to 245 m / minute.
As widely known, specialized offset-litho printers dominate the
Scandinavian IML market. Sheeted paper or filmic labels are punched
off-line and integrated during the manufacture of blown, thermo-formed or
injection molded plastic containers and lids. A few European and North
American printers have, however, overcome the inherent problems associated
with web-fed production.
For its part, Interket already has IML experience using a B280 press,
although with mixed results. Significantly, it plans to run the new press
using a special in-line die cutter and jogger / stacker to deliver labels
into cartons with no manual intervention. Doing this at around 150 m /
minute with a mix of medium long run film labels on a 520 mm wide web will
be some achievement.
'If we're successful, this press will totally change our business,' says
Ole Nielsen, Managing director. Print quality is understandably critical,
but arguably it is not an issue on the LF-200. Combined with much faster in-line
production, it is easy to see that end-users could benefit from quick
turnarounds and presumably keener pricing. The same press also gives
Interket a highly productive entry into producing small folding cartons.
A more rounded service
Eventually the aim is to significantly reduce a dependency on low-margin
prime labels. 'Even here, printing six labels across the web instead of
three, for example, combined with quicker job turnarounds and a higher
press speed means we can pass certain savings on to customers,' adds
Nielsen.
Reducing pre-press time is also vital, whatever the printed output.
According to John Niebling, technical director, the higher output potential
from the LF-200 equals some 80 per cent of production from the existing
three presses. 'Perhaps a year or so from now we might sell one of the
B220s. Success with the IML in - line project may lead to us installing a
second LF-200.' He has already found that the variable tension control on
the new press, which was adjustable for variables in substrate thickness,
gave far superior die-cutting performance compared with letterpress even on
the thinnest of materials.
Tension control was one of the points mentioned by Eric Short, RDP's
president, while describing the litho / flexo combination press to open
house visitors. It uses a Montalvo System 3000-tension controller with an
independent harmonic drive system and air brakes. Web paths could be either
straight-through or conventional. 'RDP means 'Reliable, Durable and
Precision,' so we aim only at the high end of the market. We designed the
press for continuous running over three shifts. That's not theoretical,
it's easily achievable," he said.
The LF-200's Maraflo II inking system with integrated dampening and
agitator has four form rollers to emulate sheet-fed practice, with minimal
ink distribution to the plate. The last form roller effectively acts as a
'clean-up'' roller to achieve uniform density.
The flexo station has a 305 - 711 mm repeat. It is positioned after the
six offset units on Interket's press, but can be moved without tools to the
first unit. A roll-out cassette allows off-press clean up or make-ready.
RDP's Smart-Set control console has a 21" colour touch screen to
display the Windows-based press configuration and product settings.
Make-ready pre-sets include web tension, ink/water balance and a remote ink
key control option.
Without doubt this is an impressive collection of hardware. But as
explained, Interket plans to run it's new press at full speed for a variety
of labeling and packaging applications. And of course, it expects these new
opportunities will lead to better profit margins. The IML project alone
should cause more than a few ripples in a fast-growing sector.
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