At Labelexpo Europe 2023, together with our valuable Automation Arena partners, we will present a streamlined, realistic production process. Starting from product creation in the CERM MIS Software up till the moment where the camera-inspected, finished rolls are automatically labeled with a unique closure label and are taken into stock!

It all starts with a completely integrated prepress workflow based on our proven CERM-Esko Automation Engine interface. Followed by digital printing on a Xeikon press, including barcodes to automate the finishing, and digital metallization embellishment. The produced semi-finished rolls are then sequentially mounted on a highly automated Grafotronic converting machine, equipped with an AVT camera inspection system. The required number of cores for the job, cut to the correct size, will be available thanks to the automated Boon-tech core cutter which received instructions from the CERM MIS based on the schedule. Defects detected by the AVT camera during the converting process are considered when the Grafotronic turret rewinder requests the CERM MIS to generate and print the unique roll closure labels which are automatically applied on the finished rolls simultaneously being taken in stock in CERM MIS…ready to be picked and shipped.

In this scenario all production devices present will be instructed by the CERM MIS via JDF. And all devices will report real-time data back to CERM via JMF messages.

The automatic registrations resulting from the above-mentioned integrations will be displayed in real-time during the show via a central CERM Production Monitor on-stage and on your own smartphone.
 

Esko brings to the Automation Arena its full range of workflow automation tools based around the capabilities of the Esko Automation Engine, as well as the advanced Esko AVT inspection solution.

Esko’s contribution to the Automation Arena starts with 3D virtual mockups, which facilitate the design process and the interaction with the buyer (the brand) during the online approval process.

Esko’s Variable Data Printing module places a unique identifier on each label. The native PDF editing software includes the Variable Data tools that integrate with a database. 

The next step is Web-based approval, with full version management and online annotation tools based around a secure browser.

Following approval, Esko’s automated sheet layout tools create a smart organization of labels on the print sheet taking into account the order quantities of each label to reduce waste. Automated color management tools are then applied, taking account of the target press color space.

An Esko AVT 100 percent quality inspection camera is positioned on the label finishing system, inspecting the full web width 100% of the time. The camera sends a signal to the CERM MIS to confirm if the label batch going to the turret rewinder is pass or fail, at which point CERM MIS prints the appropriate closing label.

On the Labelexpo Automation Arena Grafotronic will present its flagship DCL2 converting line equipped with state-of-the-art automation features.

A key new development is the IQ Workflow automation suite that enables the Grafotronic DCL machine to carry out autonomous job changes, handling all job settings automatically. Grafotronic IQ works with a set of cameras that monitor the web and automatically adjust what’s needed.

Sensors are automatically moved into the correct position without any manual interference.

Commented Morten ….,  ‘Grafotronic IQ is all about no more manual side adjustments, no more manual register sensor settings and no more depending on the individual operator when it comes to set up times, waste, and product quality. Grafotronic IQ takes over all the manual adjustments, and station by station is being set up in a blink of an eye. Roll change, flexo printing, semi-rotary die cutting and slitting, all is done and checked with a tolerance below +/- 0,1 mm.

Also new is Grafotronic’s fully automatic turret rewinder module. Automatic changeover features include glueless start for clean separation of printed labels from the core, roll closure with printed label, and automatic core positioning and finished roll eject, all of which significantly reduce job costs and maximize output.

Other automation features on the DCL2 include an automatic die loading and unloading system,  Sci-Fi knives and an automatic longitudinal knife positioning system.

Xeikon is paving the way for converters to future-proof their business by developing solutions that help them stay ahead of the curve and respond to market needs for high quality, sustainable and cost-effective solutions. It reaffirms our dedication to the labels and packaging market and is the perfect illustration that application-tuned products are key to driving growth.”

Xeikon shows Xeikon TX500 digital printing engine, a member of the Cheetah Series, the first model running with TITON dry toner technology – a new toner formulation offering the benefits of UV inks (durability) and the benefits of dry toner (food safety).

TITON toner brings new market opportunities for label production, in a single pass combining both full  color printing and metallic foiling. Very compact, low investment cost, full digital flexibility and astonishing quality – truly  Ground breaking– a solution targeting the high-end label market for wine & spirits.

By bringing this solution to the automation arena, Xeikon once again demonstrates to pave the way for convertors to future-proof their business by developing solutions that help them stay ahead of the curve and respond to market needs for high quality and cost-effective soluions.

The partnership on the automation arena illustrates Xeikon’s focus on digitalizing label production by integration of digital print and embellishment within the convertors’ environment: a fully automated digital printing solution – not only focusing on the print-activities but taking care of the complete end2end workflow.

LEONHARD KURZ is a specialist for thin-film technology and surface decoration. At the Labelexpo Automation Arena, KURZ will for the first time present the DM-SMARTLINER 350 for exceptional digital transfer metallization inline with the Xeikon TX500 digital printing engine. Immerse yourself in the world of digital finishing: metallic effects, deep colors and brilliant shine. The DM-SMARTLINER 350 is a compact inline solution for digital metallization. The unit is suitable for 2D finishing for webfed printing to create fascinating metallic effects for brilliant design on label and paper material. The transfer-on-toner digital metallization process with the DM-SMARTLINER 350 and our comprehensive DIGITAL METAL® portfolio of transfer metallization is an all-round and compact solution for your digital embellishment. The DM-SMARTLINER 350 stands for easy operation and highest quality. KURZ and Xeikon enable flexible and efficient digital finishing from small to large job sizes. With inline metallization, the designs to be metallized are first printed on the digital press of Xeikon. The desired metallization is then simply transferred to the printed design in perfect register while utilizing the full printing speed of the Xeikon printing engine.

Fedrigoni Self-Adhesives attends LabelExpo Europe, for the first time with its new Group identity. A real journey towards the future of labelling, among multiple solutions united by a precious element: attention to environmental impact. It encompasses the circularity of materials and attention to design, but with the constant importance of aesthetics. In the production of self-adhesive label materials of all kinds, the Group's sustainability objectives are mainly two: to minimise process waste and to make products that encourage proper recycling of adhesive bottles and containers. As the exclusive provider of self-adhesive materials at the Automation Arena, Fedrigoni Self-Adhesives will bring on stage, during the four days of live printing demos, its latest innovation in terms of circularity for the labeling segment: RE-PLAY. How exactly does Re-Play supports circularity? Once used and discarded, the siliconized glassine is collected from end users and reintroduced, as raw material, in the production process to become an integral part, up to 20%, of the labeling material face stock. Whenever a self-adhesive label is applied, the siliconized glassine backing reaches its end of life and becomes waste. However, this material is high-quality, composed of the purest fibers with important mechanical properties. A waste of resources and value that prompted Fedrigoni Self-Adhesives to study solutions to recover it. The result is the Re-play range. Solutions that go beyond recycling, where waste becomes valuable and is transformed into a more precious material with a lower environmental impact. This premium range of self-adhesive materials is the first example of upcycling in the labelling industry, based on a closed-loop recycling system. Compared to a self-adhesive material obtained from recycled cellulose using the traditional method with a de-inking process, Re-Play reduces CO2 emissions by up to 45%, water use by up to 55% and energy use by up to 49%.