More than 150 visitors and 3 machines sold at Omet’s open house last May. Called Pure Imagination, the event featured demos of the concern’s latest additions for printing and decorating labels and flexible packaging. Under the spotlight, efficiency in short runs and the new combi flexo-offset XFlex X6.
Customers from all continents converged in Lecco last May 6th-8th to witness in operation modular and multi-process Omet machinery and see firsthand the concern’s latest solutions for labels and flexible packaging. Japanese, Indian, Arab, Latin American, European and Italian visitors passed through the doors of the concern’s main headquarters, and also had a chance to visit a nearby user that has installed the first XFlex X6 flexo/digital hybrid.
The outcome of the print demo impressed the audience and convinced three concerns to sign supply deals for as many XFlex X6 hybrid machines during the days immediately following the event, in flexo and sleeve offset configuration, and XFlex X4.
Two aces in the sleeve. Omet presented, among others, two recent noteworthy innovations: a double unwinder mounted on an XFlex X4, available for the entire range, and the flat bed hot foil with embossing application system integrated with the XFlex X6 offset: a top of the line, high tech machine, set up with 3 UV flexo units and 5 sleeve offset units, cold foil on rails, rotary diecutting and the “Rock ‘n’ Roll” matrix rewinder.
• The in line double unwinder is a semi-automatic system for print support changeover that enables reducing the time needed for this operation and thus enhancing the machine’s productivity and income yield with any run. The operator need do nothing more than switch from one material to another previously loaded onto the double unwinder shaft, cut, join and resume printing.
A few data to illustrate: with an average speed of 120 meters/min, the use of 2000 meter reels and two 8 hour work cycles, within one year up to 321 hours of production can be saved, reducing process costs by 75% and machine stops for reel changeover to less than a minute (over and against the 3 of a machine without a double unwinder).
• As for the flat bed hot foil, the main novelty lies in the speed with which the unit can be inserted into the XFlex X6 flexo/offset line, «with quality and register performance exceeding any test previously conducted on non-Omet machines», the concern’s specialists point out. Called Rhino and made by the Swiss concern Pantec, it incorporates the same blades, rotating blade holders and embossing equipment as the flat bed hot press, bringing the same production efficiency to Omet’s rotary machines. Printing and finishing are thus executed in a single step and with truly excellent quality, as demonstrated by the sophisticated wine label created during the open house.
Pantec’s Rhino embosses rough paper with a relief depth enabled by the greater deduction time of the material compared to the rotation process; the processing time can be adjusted and is independent of operational speed, while the robust structure guarantees uniform pressure even under extreme conditions. These characteristics, along with quick equipment changeover and machine startup, enable working at a speed of 120 meters/min.
Demonstrations of flexibility. During the event, considerable attention was drawn by the digital printer JetPlus. Omet took the occasion to announce the conclusion of testing on the first machine, which was being produced over the course of months by a Lecco-based label printer. The concern also announced the possibility of ordering the machine as of Labelexpo Americas 2014. In Lecco, various prints were made to demonstrate the ease of changeover, including for diecutting. The use of Monotwin Cut proved useful in this operation. The diecutting system patented by Omet requires no replacement of the magnetic cylinder, thus fostering high speeds and quick changeover, and features fully automatic adjustments both in the digital and in the flexo version.
• Alongside the new XFlex X6 hybrid with offset sleeve printing units, and the XFlex 4 (entry level machine with high level electronics paired with revamped traditional print cylinders), Omet also demonstrated two other important machines: the Varyflex V2, a modular multi-technology platform dedicated to printing flexible packaging – in this case presented as a hybrid with flexo and rotogravure units – and the XFlex X6 full flexo version.
All the machines proved how a high degree of flexibility has always inspired the technological choices made by Omet, aimed at the development of modular solutions that can be reconfigured in short time, capable of performing diverse tasks and with productivity calibrated to the customer’s specific needs. The ultimate objective of efficiency translates into in line machines in a single process and high quality printing of simple or complex tasks (with quick changeover).
Omet’s open house was supported by the following concerns, who also presented their own products in a dedicated space:
Asahi Photoproducts, Avery Dennison, ACM Carcano, Erhardt+Leimer, IST Metz, Kurz (Italia with Luxoro), Rotometrics, Praxair, Simec Group, Rossini, Tesa, Ultralen,Vetaphone, Zeller+Gmelin.
