Slitting & Rewinding
Ways to innovate and add value in the slitting sector S
elling in a market where there is fierce competition encourages reinvention. When creating a flexible packaging product that
differentiates itself from the current market, the first thing that comes to mind is improving its visual appearance. This is why many companies in the flexible packaging sector place importance on high quality printing. One of the best ways to improve, differentiate
and transform a product is via slitting. Adjustments can create more attractive, customer-friendly products in addition to improving the final cost. In an attempt to make a distinctive product it
is important to start thinking about target audience. One particular group is the over 65’s. This sector, usually forgotten, has become increasingly important to consider. Over 65’s have greater purchasing power than younger target markets and there is also an ever-growing retired population. This has not gone unnoticed by major international brands and companies. Some have developed processes that work directly with people over the age of 65 in order to improve products and better adapt their proposals to the needs of the market. Comexi’s laser technology enables its
customers to create packages without the addition of extra processes, and products with improved usability, such as packaging that can be opened without scissors. Laser technology can also enable packaging
to adapt in order to fit brand concepts. For example, a fresh pasta container that looks as though it has been made at home suggests the food inside is also homemade. In order to create such packaging, a laminated
structure can be constructed with a window of polyethylene or polypropylene (to show the
fresh pasta inside). This can be constructed without having to acquire or locate extra machines in a plant. It is constructed with the use of laminators in register and slitters that have laser technology. This combination of technologies - lamination in register and Comexi Cingular Laser - has recently received a Líderpack award in Spain and a WorldStar Award 2017, a worldwide recognition from the World Packaging Organisation (WPO). The formation of this structural package includes a laminated printed paper with PE or printed paper with PP. The first step in the process is to print the paper. This printing process can be done in both flexo, offset or gravure technology. The second step is to use a laminator to apply the adhesive at register. This register lamination is completed via a flexo trolley adhesive applicator. The third and last step is completed in the slitter. Once the web has been laminated, the product can be prepared in a Comexi slitting machine that already has a Comexi Cingular Laser system. This
technology will process the ‘window ‘ of the packaging, creating the desired shape on the paper without touching the internal film (usually PE or PP), and removing the paper using an extraction system. The product can also be produced without using solvents at any stage so it is environmentally friendly. Comexi’s slitting solution with laser and labelling in-line improves on existing processes. Unlike mechanical perforations, Comexi’s laser penetrates to a desired thickness, so the barrier layer will not be damaged. The barrier, therefore, will only be broken when the end user pulls the label to open the packaging, prolonging the shelf life. In one Comexi machine three different
processes will be carried out: laser perforation, the addition of a label, and then slitting and rewinding. If the shape of the perforation needs to be changed, the shape will only need to be added into the accompanying machine software, there is no need to create new tools. Both of these processes result in faster productivity and quicker time-to-market. The machine is also capable of producing several forms of packaging in one go, using different lanes or tracks at the same time. Usually, the mechanical process is designed to deal with only one track at the same time. The slitter is, in many cases, the last machine
touching the reels. However it is not the last process before the product reaches the end customer. Before final delivery there is often a series of finishing processes where the reel remains inside the plant. Operations such as transport, labelling, weighing, bagging and palletising make the product more expensive. If these processes could all be linked together via non-stop machines, this would eliminate downtime between each step, therefore optimising and increasing production. Due to automation, there has been a radical reduction of cycles and downtime. With all systems connected some companies have been able to produce more work in less time, even with less staff.
www.comexi.com
16 June 2017
www.convertermag.co.uk
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