Indeed, there are good reasons to believe that we have reached something of a technology plateau in terms of speed and print resolution of narrow/mid‐web presses, so future productivity gains are likely to come from the increased efficiency and automation of post‐print converting and embellishment operations.

 

Setting and monitoring correct die‐cutting pressure is an operation that has a huge impact on the overall productivity and waste levels of a flexo or digitally label printing operation. At Labelexpo Europe 2023, visitors saw a continued move towards automation, starting with the introduction of motors to drive pressure settings along with the ability to store and recall jobs.

 

TECHNOLOGY

 

Kocher + Beck introduced the Gapmaster EM (Electronic Move), a retrofittable electrical drive unit that replaces the mechanical handle on existing Gapmaster units. Onboard motors allow for easier gap alterations from 0.25 – 10 microns. Adjustments can either be made by touch entry or a rotary dial which provides haptic feedback for the operator while observing the cutting results. Kocher + Beck also displayed its latest KMS digital pressure gauge for detecting changes in cutting pressure.