With the ongoing escalating demand for sophisticated and efficient finishing processes across diverse printing and packaging applications, Koenig & Bauer is taking the lead in introducing automated finishing solutions to encourage speed, efficiency, and reduced labour costs. Its line of die-cutters and folder gluers display the highest advances in technology, which lead to more versatile and precise finishing products. To further empower the postpress department, Koenig & Bauer has formed a strategic partnership with Rigorous Technology, a Williston, VT robotics and technology company, to provide its RIG palletizer robot for the corrugated and folding carton markets to use in conjunction with Koenig & Bauer’s popular line of folder gluers.
“Over the past five years, there has been a significant push within the industry toward increased automation in postpress equipment, driven by customer demand and a shrinking pool of trained employees,” says Tom Fitzgerald, director of postpress and corrugated products, Koenig & Bauer (US). “In the past few years, top operating speeds have more than doubled due to many technological advancements including new servo technology, automated set ups, and inline quality control tools to ensure consistent throughput. However, to achieve these higher speeds, printers and packaging firms must, at a minimum, install automated packing systems on the back end and robotics on the front end such as batch inverter pre-feeders or robotic palletizers with auto packers.”
Left to right: Tom Fitzgerald (Koenig & Bauer US/CA), Diane Abruzzini (Rigorous Technology) and Colin Riggs (Rigorous Technology) at the facility in Williston, VT.
“Like Koenig & Bauer, we focus on automation that boosts speed and consistency, giving teams the tools they need to get full performance from a folder gluer without requiring decades of specialised experience,” says Diane Abruzzini, chief operating officer, Rigorous Technology. “Our primary product used by Koenig & Bauer customers is the RIG palletizer, which is designed for ease of use and flexibility to support postpress operations. In a matter of minutes, RIG can switch from one folder gluer line to another by moving between lines on a mobile cart that carries its entire safety system and uses vision technology to calibrate itself to the new station.”
What are the main factors driving automation adoption for postpress equipment? Printers and packaging companies are seeking greater efficiency to reduce bottlenecks, decrease manual labour costs, minimise waste, and improve speed through faster setups to meet tighter delivery deadlines.
Koenig & Bauer offer a variety of breakthrough solutions for folding carton production for packaging printers, converters, and commercial printers. The CutPRO Q 106 flatbed die-cutter offers many automated features such as the Magic Carpet for non-stop production.
Automation is shifting standalone machines to integrated workflows, which optimise the entire postpress production chain, says Fitzgerald. Long considered a leading data hub for print production, Koenig & Bauer’s LogoTronic has been elevated to integrate all of a company’s postpress equipment on one platform. Now folder gluers can receive the same information as a press providing a workflow solution to reduce makeready times and increase run speeds. Preset functions on its gluers boosts productivity and relieves operators of routine tasks while significantly reducing waste.
Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are becoming more popular since they offer a solution for optimising internal logistics. These transport systems are a key asset in a highly automated packaging operation.
Since the partnership between the two companies was established a year ago, Rigorous has helped Koenig & Bauer corrugated and folding carton customers become more efficient and stay competitive with advanced, user-friendly robotic solutions. The RIG palletizer is giving these manufacturers a fast ROI while automating their palletizing process.
“As we meet with Koenig & Bauer customers, we find that some have general experience with robotic automation but don’t feel they’ve hit a home run or found a vendor who truly understands their business and the types of products in their postpress department,” says Abruzzini. “There is strong interest in moving forward with automation and finding the right partner who understands their goals and meets their specific requirements.”
