Labelexpo Americas 2022 / Dies and tooling | 131DIES AND TOOLINGDies and tooling suppliers look to simplify job changeover. Luis Rodriguez reportsompanies at Labelexpo Americas 2022 showcasing dies and tooling brought a range of equipment looking to push the effciencies of traditional printing further.COnce an operator completes set up on a fexographic press, for example, it can run for as long as it’s needed. The problems arise at changeover when that press needs to be set up for a new job.Vendors brought a range of dies and other tooling that aim to change the way converters look at changeover. From lightweight tooling to sleeves that last longer than before, these products are designed to shorten what can be a lengthy process.TECHNOLOGYBottcher Systems showcased a wide range of its products Experts in dies and tooling showcased new equipment at Labelexpo Americas 2022from print rollers to press blankets and plates, promoting its range of elastomer-covered sleeves for lightweight design and ‘We still provide the other GapMaster units, but with the easy changeover. electronic version, we’ve given more control to the operator,’ Morris Bottcher Systems highlighted the latest in its conventional says. ‘It’s a well-proven system, and the electronic system gives printing blanket line, the BottcherTop Impressa. Converters can use more visibility to the system and helps guide effciency.’the blanket on coated and uncoated stock, which Bottcher says Highlighting its Load-n-Lok elastomer sleeves, Luminite makes it great for stochastic, FM or XM screened separations. Products Corporation touted the simple changeover process, The company also showcased Bottchertop 4800, a printing saying that the sleeves can be mounted on any mandrel at a blanket designed to perform using any energy-curable ink systems. converter’s plant and can decrease setup time. According to the company, it’s resistant to swelling that may occur The company also brought a range of its other elastomer print when using polar solvents found in UV inks and washes. cylinders and sleeves.Effciency was the theme at the Carey Color booth. Looking The company spoke about its push for sustainability with the to provide converters with maximum effciencies, the company elastomer sleeves and covered cylinders, saying that it decreases promoted its ITR Elastomer sleeve, which is said to last longer than wasted materials and, due to its long-lasting nature, reduces the polymer plates or sleeves by up to two-to-four times, and can be amount of time sleeves need to change out.set up within registration in minutes. Rotometal brought print cylinder for both narrow and wide Also at Carey Color’s booth was the Kodak Flexcel NX system, web systems, highlighting its MCA Magnetic Cylinders which are which according to the company, can allow the pre-press signifcantly lighter due to the aluminum body. department to compete for business that has been traditionally The company, however, wanted to ensure that the cylinder still beyond what fexo has been capable of, because of the products maintains the strength and hardness of its other products.image reproduction, high densities, and print contrast. ‘We’ve developed these magnetic cylinders to be upwards of 40 Bringing versions of its slitting machines to the show, Dienes percent lighter,’ said Stephen Bailey, UK and Ireland sales manager featured the shear slitting machines saying that it can minimize at Rotometal. ‘It can be manually handled for easier changeover, the amount of downtime converters face having to check the and it’s better for the machine itself because it takes less power to knives and change them. The intelligent control systems can alert drive it.’operators when a knife is ready to be replaced. The company also highlighted its newly-launched online shop, Impact Converting & Systems Solutions highlighted its range which allows customers to purchase equipment directly from the of fexible dies which are said to be much easier to mount and get company. within registration. According to the company, it can be used across According to Rotometal, it is also looking to expand the shop to all cylinder types, magnetic or not, regardless of materials. Also include equipment and machines from partners.featured at its booth, was its multi-level cutting device which is said Schobertechnologies showcased its RSM410MX-Digi-VariCut, to lower the number of tools required on a press, lowering the cost, which, the company says, has a make-ready time of minutes producing less waste between stations, reducing setup time, and and reduces waste due to its effcient, high-speed programmable ultimately improving effciencies. robotic-automated stacking and counting system, known as The company also promoted its die-cutting modules that are the spider. designed and machined in-house. According to the company, the system can work at a continuous Kocher+Beck showcased three of its die styles: Chrome 24, web speed of up 164 ft/min due to the acceleration, velocity, and GlueX Range, 3L Laser Long Life. According to David Morris, precision of the machine.president and CEO of Kocher+Beck, the chrome is developed Wilson Manufacturing highlighted its Pin Eject Die, a newly for long runs due to the high performance with minimal wear, released die part of the company’s waste technologies portfolio, specifcally designed for thermal transfer and direct thermal that looks to help converters with slug removal without needing products. an air source.‘Also at the company’s booth was the GapMaster EM unit, which was released less than a year ago. The unit is electronically Continue reading our Labelexpo Americas 2022 for details on controlled allowing for fner increments of adjustments and can fnishing equipment launchesalso store jobs for a quicker changeover.Oct - Dec 2022