 |
| COMPETENCE 14 Open House |
At the Competence 14 Open House, held at the end of November
in Mex, Switzerland, Bobst premiered a brand new folder-gluer for corrugated
and litho-laminated box making.
Available in two sizes - ExpertFold 145 and ExpertFold 165 -
and in several variants, the machine has been designed with the needs of both
sheet plant and integrated manufacturers of fluted boxes in mind. This new ExpertFold
offers true control of the folding and gluing process thanks to a large number
of new design features and technology innovations.
Emilio Corti, Head of Sales BU Sheet-fed, said, "We
conceived the ExpertFold 145 and 165 to reflect what customers told us they
need from a folder-gluer. One feature they asked for was flexibility in the
type and dimensions of the substrates that could be run. They also wanted good
control of the blank as it goes through the machine in order to achieve high
performance with excellent box quality. That control is particularly important
these days with so much production being shelf-ready packaging or destined for
auto packing lines."
The design elements of the new ExpertFold which deliver
these features include: AccuFeed blank alignment that ensures precise folding;
a high accuracy pre-breaker which ensure excellent performance on machine-erect
lines; and a folding process that minimizes fishtailing and gap. The latter is
aided by an extra long folding section which creates smoother folding. Along
with revolutionary creasing units at the entry, this ensures the high folding
quality that manufacturers need today.
 |
| New EXPERTFOLD delivers true control |
Able to fold and glue substrates from N-flute to A-flute,
including double wall and litho-laminates, the ExpertFold 145 and 165 can
handle blanks of up to 1'700 x 1'100mm in size and up to 25mm thick when
folded. The flexibility of the models means that they can also process blanks
as small as 296 x 60mm.
Jacques Reymond, Head of Product Marketing BU Sheet-fed,
added, "We’ve designed these new ExpertFold models to be very robust,
which means high levels of uptime along with superb control of the blank. At
the same time we’ve made them truly user friendly. For example they have open
side frames for ease of access, but they also have light barriers to protect
the operators. Video monitoring helps the operators see what’s going on, while
AccuJect and other Bobst quality assurance systems mean that they can keep on
top of quality throughout the run. As you’d expect, these machines are also
modular in design, so they can grow with the customer’s business."
The range of configurations and options available includes
crash-lock capabilities, a 25'000 boxes per hour 4/6 corner unit and
motorized/automatic setting versions. The high, 250 meters per minute, running
speed of the new ExpertFold means that end of line handling can become a
bottleneck without automatic packing. This is why Bobst offers Impack solutions
for straight-line, crash-lock and 4/6 corner carton packing which allow users
to maximize the performance of the ExpertFold.
 |
| ACCUCHECK XL |
Also making its debut appearance at Competence 14 was AccuCheck
XL, the world’s first in-line, zero-fault, quality checking device for
corrugated folder-gluers. Shown as a concept version, in-line with the ExpertFold
165, AccuCheck XL uses a high speed camera and the latest image processing
software to inspect every box in the run for color variations or other defects.
Working with the new Accuject box rejection device on the ExpertFold., this new
concept creates a quality assurance system that allows manufacturers to meet
today’s demand for faultless packaging, while still delivering the high speed
production they need. Well received by visitors to the event, AccuCheck XL is a
development which further reinforces Bobst as a leader in the provision of
equipment which can deliver ‘zero fault’ packaging.
Competence 14 was attended by over 150 companies from around
the world, with positive feedback being received on the new ExpertFold. models,
as well as on the other equipment and services on display. These included a Mastercut
2.1 with Power Register, Masterfold 230 with Gyrobox XL and Logipack, FS Polyjoiner
400 and the wide range of Bobst services solutions.
