BOBST expands flexo folder gluer capabilities with the brand new FFG 8.20 EXPERT

FFG 8.20 EXPERT
Photo by Bobst Group SA

In-line flexo folder gluers (FFG’s) have delivered a real revolution in box making over the last decade and Bobst Lyon has played a leading role in bringing this process to a level never seen before thanks to developments such as full inline die-cutting on high graphics bottom-printers, embedded quality control systems and multi-fold features.

None the less, regular slotted cases (RSC’s) remain a very popular and effective solution for many end user industries. Strong box compression performance, their ease of use on packing lines and their excellent value for money are among the strongest assets of this packaging classic. RSC’s remain a huge market for the so-called “brown box applications” and in this world of commodity packaging there is fierce competition over the big volumes involved among the key players in the corrugated industry.

What is the target of this machine?
Designed for the day in, day out production of RSC’s, the objective of the FFG 8.20 EXPERT is to be the highest performing machine available when it comes to square metre output per operator and to deliver the lowest possible total cost of ownership. The 8.20 denomination reflects the two key dimensions of the machine: 800 mm in length and 2’000 mm in width (printed area), while ‘EXPERT’ reflects its production attributes: high speed- fast set-up – highly accurate folding, all of which make it the best-in-class solution for producing simple boxes at the lowest possible cost. Delivering consistent performance at high speeds (up to 22’000 boxes per hour) as well as ensuring fast set-up times (below two minutes), the 8.20 EXPERT produces volumes never before seen at this size, being equally at home handling fewer numbers of long runs or large numbers of short runs.

What’s new in the FFG 8.20 EXPERT?

Layout
Based on a fixed configuration, the FFG 8.20 EXPERT offers a surprisingly small footprint in its standard four colour version, while the modular design of its top printing flexo units mean that any requirement from one to six units can be accommodated (each module comes with two printing units and, optionally, can be delivered with one empty chamber allowing the creation of one, three, or five flexo unit configurations.)

Process
Box production begins with the in-feed of sheets by a direct feed belt feeder, designed for high speed feeding with no crush, which opens up opportunities to box makers in an environment where brand owners are continually light-weighting.

BOBST has always targeted technology which can simplify those processes and settings that take up most of the operator’s time. To this end, we have developed a new Smart Plate mounting system that allows the operator to carry out printing plate change-over in less than two minutes. Here, the operator simply mounts the plate onto a special jig and a pneumatic system draws it into the press and locks it up. At the end of the run the system unlocks the plate and ejects it from the print unit.

Posilock mounting of the die-cutting tools on the 8.20 EXPERT mean a further reduction in change-over time, while an entirely new four shaft slotter with a fully automatic lap cutter delivers almost instant set-up, reduced maintenance and improved quality – which is comparable to die-cutting.

Squareness of the box is a basic requirement, particularly when it comes to the end-users packing lines where box runnability is a key issue for erecting and filling machines. To maintain squareness, the FFG 8.20 EXPERT features a new double creasing profile which adjusts to the thickness of the board and is controlled by the machine’s new MPC4 control system. The equally vital folding accuracy of the machine is ensured thanks to a full vacuum belt with multi-T system and to motorized gauging rollers.

Key to the usability and high performance of the FFG 8.20 EXPERT is the newly developed MPC4 – the latest generation of human-machine interfaces for BOBST FFG’s. Based around the concept of adjusting the box on-screen rather than directly adjusting unit parameters, the operator moves box elements, such as the print, using one of the two large touch screen displays. MPC4 then translates that requirement into the machine changes necessary, then sends the appropriate commands to any of the 34 motors at its disposal. MPC4 makes manual adjustment or individual settings a thing of the past, allowing the operator to focus on productivity and the quality of the box.

A further new development is MMPC, which is a maintenance, management and productivity control centre located in a ‘black box’ within the FFG 8.20 EXPERT. Accessed by Wi-Fi, MMPC gives multiple, authorised users access to a huge range of information. Maintenance staff can, for example, view the machine status and trouble-shooting history, have direct access to preventative maintenance schedules and task details, and can create a shopping basket of parts to order on-line. Plant management will be interested in the production information available from the MMPC, which offers a full dashboard of data such as uptime, historic performance, boxes produced etc. With suitable in-plant IT infrastructure, plant managers can even view this information from a PC, tablet or Smartphone anywhere in the world via a secure access system.

To sum-up the FFG 8.20 EXPERT

• Operators will love its user friendliness
• Production managers will love its high reliability and superb flexibility
• Owners will love its R.O.I

For further information, please visit: www.bobst.com

• CID: 20567