MACHINERY | DOWNSTREAM EQUIPMENT


Making printing improvements


Nilpeter Asia Pacific, which manufacturers printing equipment, recently launched its FlexClean non-contact web cleaner – which integrates 1100 AC anti-static bars from Fraser Static Control.


Adding the anti-static technology has led to


Above: BST and Lazpiur have devel- oped new burr detection methods for battery electrode production


Battery boost BST has teamed up with Lazpiur E-Mobility – an expert in machine vision systems – to develop new ways to enhance burr detection and control on battery electrode production lines. By combining BST’s turnkey inline inspection systems with Lazpiur’s vision technologies, the companies say they can offer new ways to detect burrs with greater precision, speed and reliability. Under the agreement, BST has exclusive rights to market and distribute the integrated solution globally. “With the continued growth of battery produc- tion worldwide, quality challenges like burr formation have a direct impact on safety and performance,” said Klaus Hamacher, director of new business development at BST. Burrs are tiny unwanted metallic residues


generated during the slitting of electrodes. If not detected and removed, they can lead to short circuits, lower battery lifespan and even fires. The BST Slitting Control solution uses Lazpiur’s machine vision technology to create an inline platform for real-time burr detection and process control. Aritz Frojan, business unit director at Lazpiur E-Mobility, added: “This partnership enables the next level of quality assurance in battery cell production.”


Web guidance At ICE Europe 2025 – held in Munich in March – BST presented several solutions to make produc- tion processes smarter and more efficient, with developments in web guiding, surface inspection, web monitoring and inspection. With Commander Smart Com 100, BST present-


ed a new, intuitive operating concept for web guiding control, allowing sensor and control units to be controlled from a single interface. Together with the new EKR CON 610 control unit, the new CLS CAM 200 line and contrast sensor offer more precise control and is more compact than its


28 FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION | July/August 2025


improvements in print quality and reduced waste, says Nilpeter. A big challenge in flexo printing is controlling


static electricity, which can attract dust and particulate contamination during web handling. These affect print quality, leading to rejected products, delays and higher costs, according to the company. FlexClean uses airflow to remove contami-


nants, while anti-static bars neutralise the web and contamination to improve cleaning. Further static control maintains the low level of static charge to prevent recontamination. A controlled balance of positive and negative ions neutralises static at the source, which prevents electrostatic attraction and makes the production environ- ment cleaner.


Nilpeter says this offers several benefits, including lower rejection rates, higher produc- tion efficiency, reduced waste and enhanced print quality. Meanwhile, Promographic & Design in


Mexico has fitted Vetaphone corona technology to its own Nilpeter flexo and HP Indigo digital presses to improve surface treatment. “About 60% of our revenue comes from the


production of heat shrink sleeves, with the rest derived from self-adhesive labels and pouch solutions,” said Fabiola Renteria, head of the commercial department at Promographic. Its relationship with Vetaphone stretches back


20 years. The latest installation – two 410mm wide VE1A-A units with four ceramic electrodes in each – has helped the company to raise product quality, it says. Company founder Ricardo Villar added: “In


the short term, we are investing in two more printing presses – a third HP Indigo press and a third Nilpeter press – to raise production capacity.” The next phase will see more growth, as the company builds a new plant that will allow it to increase production.


www.filmandsheet.com


IMAGE: BST


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