Kongsberg XP Auto
Sophie Matthews-Paul goes to Norway to see how the new automated EskoArtwork cutting line handles a range of packaging materials.
By adding automatic media handling, as its name suggests, the XP Auto is now a fully automatic finishing system which can run unattended for long periods. This functionality is helped with an automatic tool calibration feature and there’s a camera system for accurate print-to-cut registration. EskoArtwork Kongsberg says that an exclusive feature of the XP Auto is its ability to register sheets with the print side facing down. This is particularly useful when processing corrugated board because of the cut direction, and it’s achieved with the use of a camera which is located below the table top level and driven by a separate servo axis. This registers the marks as the board is moved from the in-stack to the cutting area.
The generous working area of the XP Auto means that sheets up to a maximum size of 2.3 x 3.6m can be worked, with multiple part jobs comprising smaller elements also able to be handled speedily and efficiently.
The newcomer is able to work with a wide range of typical packaging materials, including corrugateds and rigid boards; in addition, it can be used to cut the protective foam which is used on the inside of cartons and boxes to shield the contents. The machine is optimised for typical run lengths of up to 1,000 sheets. Its automated loading and stacking can cater for piles of up to 1m in height, thus increasing its potential to be used for unattended production. As it incorporates a remote alert system, users can leave the machine running overnight knowing that a message will be sent if operation has stopped.
EskoArtwork Kongsberg sees the XP Auto as filling the need for a finishing machine which can be used by packaging companies and display producers that need non-stop production from their finishing device. This machine is also suitable for printers and converters working within the point-of-sale arena who need an alternative to clam shell die-cutting. Similarly, offset litho printers in the packaging sector can benefit from the ability to finish their laminated short-run applications with an efficient cutting and creasing option.
The machine incorporates an integral device for automated tool calibration, and keeps track of the precise operating level for all tools needed during a production, including the facility to check the knife tip for usability.
Two different camera options read the print registration marks on either side of the material for accurate cut positioning. The capacity of the stack can be raised from the standard 60cm to 100cm if the machine is raised, during installation, on levelled concrete blocks.
Although the XP Auto is new and only just released to the market, it’s clear that this machine has tremendous potential in the packaging and wide-format print sectors. Its accuracy lives up to the standards expected from its manufacturer. Although it doesn’t use i-cut software to achieve perfect registration because of the machine’s configuration, it incorporates a comparable system which is able to match the precision cutting standards required in packaging and point-of-sale. This isn’t the cheapest cutting solution on the market but nor is it particularly costly when its build and configuration is taken into consideration. Prices start at around 230,000 Euro and it’s shipping now.