Bag Maker Improves Quality & Saves Money with Better Trimmed Edge
Several years ago, a major producer of printed paper bags
was struggling with poor edge quality. The edge on rolls being provided
by the company’s supplier wasn’t consistent enough to print close to it
without trimming, and the rudimentary trim system that came with the
machine delivered poor cut quality. It was a simple blade rotating at
the speed of the web without enough control or stability. Operators
couldn’t get consistent results when print needed to bleed to the edge
of the paper. When they tried to print close to the edge, they would end
up with messy ink on their rollers and excessive material waste due to
unacceptable finished bags.
Precise edge trimming was the key
to ensuring that words and images would not be cut off or folded over
when the paper was trimmed, glued, and formed into paper bags. The
company needed a solution that would guarantee dependable edge quality
for all of the paper grades that they run (30 – 100 point).
Mario Cotta’s “Kobe” edge trim system was the solution. The Kobe is
specifically designed for trimming edges of continuously moving webs
with a motor-driven bottom knife assembly. The system features pneumatic
upper knife holders for shear cut precision. The Maintenance Manager at
the plant explained that they invested in the first system as a test.
The test went so well that they have since purchased ten systems, and
plan to buy many more. “Ultimately”, he explained, “every line in the
plant will run with the same system.”
In addition to solving the edge quality problem, the Kobe systems
have also allowed the company to increase their line speeds and improve
throughput. The blades on the knife holders last a long time and
maintenance on the system is rare. The Maintenance Manager at this
particular plant chose the manual positioning model with
digitally-assisted rack and pinion positioning, but motorized digital
positioning and fully automatic positioning systems are also available.
For more information, please
contact Double E, the exclusive distributor of Mario Cotta
slitting equipment in North America.
