| 91Conventional printing Theoretically, a press shop manager can be at a work conference offsite and be able to monitor what’s happening back on the “ NOT ONLY ARE MACHINES GETTING production foor.‘That information is critical to business MORE SOPHISTICATED, BUT SO IS owners and press operators,’ Bennett says. ‘Converters, they’re not shooting blind. OUR CUSTOMER BASE AND HOW They accurately collect data in real-time THEY EVALUATE COST. CONVERTERS and react in real-time. Shop foors today have to be maximally effcient with as few ARE GETTING SAVVIER people as possible.’Conventional OEMs each have their own WITH HOW THEY version of data collection or connected workfows. Bobst with its Connect USE THE MACHINE Essential, Gallus and Heidleberg with Prinect connection and networking system, AND HOW THEY Mark Andy with its SmartLink technology, launched at Labelexpo Americas 2022, EXTRACT CAPACITYNilpeter with its Powerlink platform, and traditionally attained only by fexo. industry, label converters are looking Omet with Service 4.0. Perhaps the frst to At the same time conventional press at automation as a way to optimize launch this technology was MPS with its OEMs are automating every press function production and do more with fewer MPSConnect.that can be automated. The innovations skilled employees. in this respect have been nothing short of Oftentimes, that means developing INTEGRATING WITH DIGITALincredible. Servo-driven automatic print machines for the new class of fexo press Throughout all of these interviews, pressure and register adjustment, quick operators working today. conventional press manufacturers change die cut, short web path, auto ‘We are building the equipment around eschewed an ‘us versus them’ mentality pre-setting and high-defnition vision the talent base that’s coming up in the way when it comes to digital print. In fact, the systems are a few of the automation bells that they want to work,’ says Mark Andy’s way most see it, these technologies are and whistles offered by conventional OEMs. Schelmbauer. ‘We can’t keep running complementary and almost all of these And yet, the more automation features machines like a 1970s press because the suppliers have digital technology in their added to an asset, the higher the price world today is more effcient, and more product portfolios. It’s a clear strategy of tag. Sometimes that can make a highly data driven.’ these conventional OEMs who see that automated press can be out of reach for Omet recently launched its KFlex range a label shopfoor has enough room for small or mid-size converting companies. of fexo presses. CEO Antonio Bartesaghi both technologies. Nilpeter recently hired a new chief believes label converters will continue Rather than see digital print as a technology offcer with a background in to choose fexo provided the technology competitor, the relationship between the automation and digitization. In an interview continues to progress towards ‘set and two technologies can create a powerful with L&L, Carsten Clemensen talked about forget,’ where machines can be operated synergy with the right book of business and striking a balance between high-performing by semi-skilled labor assisted by basic the right strategy.automation and reigning in costs. automation and machine intelligence. ‘The debate goes on when it comes to ‘We always have an eye on all our which technology to invest in,’ Bennett machines – from the entry-level and DATA COLLECTION says. ‘But rather than seeing digital and up – to fnd the balance between where Label converters today are sophisticated fexo as competitors, at Bobst, we’re asking: we can automate and still remain cost data collectors as they move to a how can we create a powerful relationship competitive,’ Clemensen says. ‘Our quantitative production environment for a between the two that will add more value, machines always ft the needs of the connected digital workfow. reduce waste and increase productivity?”converter while maintaining a cost Bobst’s North American business unit approach of the customer. We’re always director Matt Bennett puts a fner point PRESSES GETTING WIDERaiming for that balance: entry-level on it: ‘The trend we’re all talking about Flexo presses are getting wider to cater to and high-end still based on the same now is a connected workfow. The way the high-growth fexible packaging market. technology.” label converters run the business today, Label converters have leaned into the Adds Nilpeter’s sales director Jakob they evaluate what’s going on the press, fexible packaging market and for good Landberg: ‘Our whole idea is to make and what’s going out. They’re measuring reason. For starters, label converters are fexo smarter, make it more automated, everything: material usage, ink, water, already familiar with the key end-use digitalize it. Is Industry 4.0 old-fashioned energy, set up, downtime – anything that markets that drive much of the growth now? That’s the discussion we’re having. has to do with running the press. They’re in that market: the food and beverage, How do we turn the printing machine into collecting that data and evaluating it healthcare, household, cosmetics, and something that needs as little interference against every other job.’ pharmaceuticals markets namely. Further, from humans as possible without losing With these connected systems, label label converters are already supplying labels quality and without losing fexibility? There converters can identify bottlenecks and to the customers, so it makes sense for are so many aspects that have not entered ineffciencies in their print processes, and brands to source all their printed packaging into our industry yet.’ then optimize their presses, reduce waste needs from a single source.Effciency is not the only goal behind and increase output. Oftentimes this data But perhaps the biggest driver is what these automation innovations. As a is accessible in real-time (with historical makes digital printing attractive: run labor shortage squeezes the entire global data) and available from anywhere. lengths. Much like the disruption the label Jan - Mar 2023