Meeting customer needs with die-cutting technology: BOBST NOVACUT innovation
In today’s packaging market, BOBST customers are often working with a wide range of materials. One day it could be litho-laminated corrugated board, then 100-gram paper, then sustainability-focused solid or recyclable cardboard. The extensive range of common substrates poses a real challenge to the flexibility machine technology, particularly in die cutting.
BOBST NOVACUT 106 ER provides a future-proof solution. The world’s first flat-bed die-cutter with the ACCUREGISTER contactless sheet-register system, NOVACUT 106 ER is an Autoplaten® die-cutter that offers full inline blanking. No matter which material the machine is processing, the quality is consistently top level.
A reliable path to high quality
The use of innovative technology plays a key role in converter success. BOBST ACCUREGISTER, one of the main performance features of the NOVACUT 106 ER, underscores the importance of innovation in meeting high-quality demands.
The new sheet-register system is based on the legendary optical POWER REGISTER, brought to market by BOBST over 20 years ago and unique to this day. For the ACCUREGISTER, BOBST has adapted the best attributes of the POWER REGISTER specifically for the NOVACUT line. ACCUREGISTER aligns the sheets at full speed, without mechanical stops, with gentle contactless movement. This enables very short setup times in the die-cutting process, while minimizing stops caused by the feeder. Waste is reduced in both the setup process and during production, which also makes supports stronger operational sustainability through the production process.
ACCUREGISTER is built for performance and is ideal for thin paper and material laminated on both sides. The high-performance system cameras read both printed images and marks or can read the sheet edges. When the sheets are fed into the machine, the system calculates any corrections required within milliseconds and automatically remedies them as the sheets accelerate; over a wide correcting range, up to ±6mm in forward direction and ±13mm in lateral direction, even with transparent material.
BOBST offers various options for the NOVACUT line to add further flexibility to the processing and register precision of different materials. BOBST customers can use the antistatic device for processing paper, and the heavy board equipment for processing sheets that are not completely flat.
Crucial competitive advantages
With ACCUREGISTER, the worry about die-cutting precision is a thing of the past. During the alignment of the cut-to-print register, the system even compensates for print tolerances, ensuring faultless accuracy. A frequent question, for example, is whether the high register precision of ACCUREGISTER means layouts and fonts can be set closer to the rills. The NOVACUT 106 ER has indeed made that possible – giving customers more freedom for product design options and potentially saving extra sheets.
Quick production changeovers
For efficient execution of large orders, a NOVACUT 106 ER can run with an hourly output of up to 8,000 sheets. If the machine runs in several shifts and depending on the job, the machine is changed over several times a day. For repeat orders, NOVACUT 106 ER requires only about 30 minutes of setup time, which enables customers to optimize setup times using various options BOBST offers for the die-cutter. Examples include the Setup Time Reduction Pack and the Chase Changer.
The ease of use of the NOVACUT 106 ER user interface (HMI SPHERE) also supports short setup times. It features an intuitive guided menu and requires only two days to fully train on it. Furthermore, die-cutting tools from manufacturers certified by BOBST can also help to achieve short setup times and ensure high tool quality. Tools fitted with BOBST TooLink, with the chips built into the die-cutting tools, then register the data of every die-cutting job. The next time the tools are introduced into the machine, the data is carried directly into the HMI, allowing for immediate identification of individual die-cutting jobs and automatic setting of HMI values.
Looking at the big picture
Customers see that BOBST has its finger on the pulse, with a view of the industry built on the pillars of digitization, automation, connectivity, and sustainability. This will always open new perspectives for process optimization and is particularly true for the BOBST Connect platform. In addition, the remote technical support platform, Helpline Plus, and productivity apps Remote Monitoring and Downtime Tracking, add further support. They help to optimize efficiency and continuously boost the performance of the NOVACUT 106 ER die-cutter by using data-based analytics.
When it comes to investment decisions, packaging converters must take a holistic view. The NOVACUT 106 series represents the cutting-edge of innovation in the folding carton converting industry. With its state-of-the-art features and precision engineering, it is set to revolutionize BOBST’s customers production processes, delivering unmatched capacity and efficiency and a future-proof solution.@