Hardware - Print Finishing

When Find Signage was acquired by Anthony Cockcroft in 2011, the new owner quickly recognised there was an urgency in evolving the company's established reputation as market leader in the mental health sector by creating new product innovations. In the last three years the company, which is the world’s first developer of dementia-specific signs, having previously worked closely with numerous mental health experts at Sterling University and Bupa to create a range of signage, has diversified its offerings which now include revolutionary dining products, clocks, visual communication boards and memory boxes for those affected by dementia and cognitive disabilities.

Establishing these products overseas, Find Signage has witnessed exponential growth for its innovative product lines and particularly the visual communication boards that include menu boards, pain assessment charts, personal orientation boards and activity cards. With many of the Forex®/Foamex, acrylic, aluminium and DIBOND® boards requiring the insertion of a variety of different visual aid cards, Find Signage was witnessing a bottleneck between its wide format printing and the hand cutting of small quantity cards. This is why AG/CAD's DYSS X7 cutting table was acquired to deliver savings.

As Find Signage Managing Director, Anthony Cockcroft comments: "We realised that while our large quantity print runs could be cut with industrial routers, smaller quantities and prototype work was labour intensive. It was clear that we needed a flexible and accurate cutting solution and we opted for the DYSS X7-2230C Superhead cutting table. We fully reviewed the various vendors and found the DYSS solution with its innovative KASEMAKE software to be exactly what we needed."

With regard to its food menu boards for dementia patients, the Foamex and DIBOND® wall mounted boards have pockets for patients to select their next meal from a selection of card images and position on the boards. Printing post-card images of meals from 3 by 2m large format printed sheets, the card quantities of up to 200 per sheet were previously cut manually with a knife and ruler. This labour intensive task would take upward of four hours. By installing the DYSS, this task now takes 5 minutes with precision, consistency and cut quality also improved. Furthermore, capacity has been increased and staff can be allocated to alternative tasks.

The design variation and quantity levels of visual boards and signs produced by Find Signage has also caused capacity and lead time issues for the Leeds based company. As Mr Cockcroft continues: "Our visual boards are available in a wide variety of dimensions, designs and colours, so production of each type rarely stretches into double figures. In addition, a lot of the visual boards and signs are prototypes and development projects where we are creating samples for customers. This caused extended lead times and quality deviations prior to the installation of the DYSS X7."

With varied schedules, the DIBOND®, Acrylic, Aluminium and Foamex boards that can be up to 20mm thick, were either externally produced by the company's die manufacturer or they were machined on the two heavy duty routing machines at Find Signage. By using the external supplier, lead times for prototypes were extended and response time was outside the control of Find Signage. For the production of heavy duty signage boards that were machined in-house on the routing machines, the issue was edge finish and precision. This led to extensive secondary hand finishing.

With the arrival of the 3.2m by 2m bed DYSS X7, Find Signage has cut the cost of external suppliers by over 20% by reducing the work passed to subcontractors. It has also reduced the reliance on platens/dies for small quantity production. A benefit of this is the drastic improvement to the lead times on prototypes and development work. Find Signage can now produce samples internally by printing its signs and then cutting on the AG/CAD machine. In addition, the removal of work from the heavy duty routing machines has improved capacity on the machines whilst the quality of finished product straight off the DYSS has eliminated the secondary hand finishing operations.

Anthony Cockcroft continues: "The benefits of the DYSS cutting table are evident throughout the company. It has improved productivity and capacity, reduced lead times and labour requirements and streamlined our operation. Furthermore, the KASEMAKE software enables us to conduct 3D rendering samples for customers. It gives the customers a better visual perspective of the project at hand and helps to prepare estimates for end users. The software also enables our shop floor to generate better layouts of our work, so we can make material savings by producing more parts from each sheet. We are delighted with the DYSS machine and software."

Corrugated box manufacturer Sheard Packaging has installed a Zünd G3 L-2500 digital cutting system to accelerate its sample-making processes.

Based in Halifax, West Yorkshire, Sheard Packaging is the largest single-site sheet plant in the UK. The company upgraded its existing sample maker to a modular Zünd G3 L-2500 cutting system, which can also be used for short production runs wherever necessary.

The Zünd G3 L-2500 digital cutter is designed for heavy-duty 24/7 operation on materials up to 50mm thick with minimum operator involvement. With a modular construction enabling a bespoke combination of tools, the G3 is designed to maximise the productivity of each individual user.

"Sheard Packaging are an extremely agile manufacturing plant and our operational strategy is built around this," comments Lee Shackleton, Operations Director at Sheard Packaging. "We needed a replacement table for our incumbent one and after research across the market we bought a Zünd. We bought it for its speed, versatility, build quality and service support.

"It has certainly sped up the process of sample making and this has allowed us to increase our daily capacity for samples."

Lee Shackleton adds that Zünd was recommended to Sheard Packaging by both its suppliers and other corrugated box manufacturers. "We started working with Zünd when we placed the order for the table," he says. "The process dealing with sales, installation, commissioning and training was seamless, with minimal interruption to our design facility."

Peter Giddings, Zünd UK Sales Manager, comments: "We're happy to have helped the country's largest single-site sheet plant increase its capacity even further with the installation of the G3 L-2500 digital cutter.

"It's a very versatile, flexible machine that has already seen Sheard Packaging expand its production speeds so we're looking forward to seeing their new innovations."

For further information on the Zünd G3 L-2500 or to book a demonstration, please email sales@zund.co.uk or call 01727 833003.

The increasingly growing demand for ever more sophisticated production tools has inspired Esko to develop the i-cut Production Console. This newly developed front-end operating system will be the common platform for all Kongsberg digital finishing systems. It combines the feature set of the XL-Guide tailored for packaging applications and i-cut Vision Pro, the industry standard front-end for cutting and short run productions. Designed for all operations on all Kongsberg tables, the i-cut Production Console forms a solid foundation for any future developments.

The i-cut Production Console (iPC) drives all functionality found on Kongsberg tables, such as camera control, machine set up, tool recognition, calibration and tool adjustments. “These tried and tested features are industry favorites, and are now incorporated into a much more intuitive operating system for users,” explains Tom Naess, Esko Product Manager CAM. “We want to help customers simplify their approach so they can maximize their capabilities. Ease of use is about making complex tasks easy. A good portion of accomplishing this is hidden in great software design created completely from scratch, consulting with user interface specialists to build an efficient system. The iPC instinctively supports the machine operator and displays colors with a meaning, which draws focus to the right area at the right time. It will change the way operators finish a job, and allow them to get even more out of their machine: they will get up to speed faster while improving the output quality. It all leads to less downtime and more efficiency - with less training or service intervention.”

The i-cut Production Console is ingeniously designed to guide and support the operator, and incorporates a number of logical, user-friendly features: from its icon-based graphical interface with color coded alerts and updates, to the ability to follow production progress from a distance. “This enables one operator to do other tasks while overseeing the production on a Kongsberg table,” explains Naess. “With clear display functionality and easy to understand icons, every step of operation can be readily identified for a smooth process.”
The legacy of i-cut Vision Pro software along with the Esko XL-Guide that operated previous generations of Kongsberg tables has created a firm base for theiPC to deliver on Esko’s Highest Flexibility promise – one common user interface for all tables and all applications, allowing users to easily understand how to expand the capabilities of their machine into different business areas. “It's a platform designed to help operators get jobs done faster and easier, with more options,” explains Naess. “For example, they can pause a run, complete an urgent job or quick prototype, and return to the first batch of work. The result is maximized capacity and uptime with increased efficiency.”

"As Kongsberg users work with a greater variety of production tools, they want to be prepared for any job and be more efficient, whether they are working on packaging or wide format displays,” concludes Naess. “The development of the i-cut Production Console is also based on extensive input and testing from our users who contributed to the system’s specifications. Their experience was very valuable to identify particular user features that bring ease of use to a next level. The iPC will add even more to the already high popularity of our tables and help customers become more productive than they already are.”

The i-cut Production Console is available now, worldwide through all Esko sales and distribution channels for Kongsberg XN and V Series tables. Beginning in 2015, it will become available for most Kongsberg models, including upgrades for existing customers.

Fine Print has installed a new Zünd G3 L-2500 cutting machine to expand the capacity of its display department – an addition that impressed David Cameron when he visited the West Oxfordshire print company in September.

The Zünd G3 is part of a major investment made recently by Fine Print which also includes Heidelberg XL75 and HP Indigo 7800 printers and the appointment of three new apprentices. The Zünd G3 is a modular, flatbed digital cutter designed to automate all cutting and trimming processes in industries including graphics, packaging and aerospace. The heavy-duty machine, constructed to meet the specific requirements of each user and their customers, exceeds all safety standards and minimises waste and energy use.

Fine Print's G3 L-2500 was installed this summer to take the business's display department to 'the next stage', Managing Director Dan Bakewell explains, as formerly the team had been hand-cutting posters, panels and stickers. Additionally, Fine Print's litho department is using the G3 to produce prototypes, a process previously outsourced.

"Out of all the investments we've made recently, the Zünd is the one that has really changed our business," says Dan Bakewell. "It's taken us into new areas and the throughput is incredible – we've significantly reduced turnaround times."

Fine Print invited David Cameron, MP for Witney, to its premises on September 19th to see how a local business is succeeding following the recession. Fine Print ran a demonstration on the Zünd G3, cutting pre-printed pieces of a three-dimensional rocket centrepieces made specifically for the visit.

"He was very charismatic and surprisingly knowledgable about print," says Bakewell. "And he (possibly) now has a rocket on his desk cut on a Zünd!"

"This is a great business success story," said David Cameron during the visit. "An example of a small business working hard, winning new business and creating jobs. This is the working success story of Great Britain. We haven't conquered unemployment yet but we're on the way. It's businesses like this that make a difference."

Peter Giddings, Sales Manager, Zünd UK, adds: "It's great to know Zünd cutting equipment is part of Fine Print's expansion – one that has even caught the eye of the Prime Minister. Mr Cameron was obviously impressed by the Zünd G3 as well as by Fine Print's successful growth."

For further information on the Zünd G3 L-2500 or to book a demonstration, please email sales@zund.co.uk or call 01727 833003.

Graphics specialist Logoshack has installed a new Zünd S3 L-1200 cutting system, tailor-made to meet its present and future needs.

Phill Davies, Director of Stoke-on-Trent's Logoshack, experienced the Zünd S3 in action at Sign and Digital UK 2014 and saw its ability to speed up production processes. Zünd UK's Product Manager Nick Reed then went to Logoshack's HQ to ensure the machine was built to the customer's specifications; thanks to the S3's modular construction it can grow with graphics businesses as their requirements expand and change. 

"Nick identified our needs and made sure our machine was tailor-made with the necessary modular tools," says Phill Davies. "This piece of equipment has given us the ability to diversify into different markets – namely POS – and sped up our production processes. We're now doing split shifts as it can work longer hours."

The Zünd S3 L-1200 automated cutting system is suitable for a range of applications including graphics, packaging, architectural modelling and aerospace. With the ability to cut materials up to 25mm (1") thick, it is ideal for the aluminium, rigid substrates and vinyl used regularly by Logoshack for its blue chip clients. The team is using the Zünd S3 predominantly to die-cut or kiss-cut digitally and screen printed displays, moving from traditional hand trimming and sub-contracting finishing to bringing it all in house.

"It's a super piece of kit – very nicely engineered," adds Phill Davies.

"We're pleased to welcome Logoshack as a customer and are looking forward to seeing the company diversify with the S3's help," says Peter Giddings, Sales Director, Zünd UK. "With its modular tooling system Logoshack will be able to move easily into the point-of-sale arena and beyond; many S3 users look to packaging for an additional revenue source, for example."

For further information on the Zünd S3 L-1200 or to book a demonstration, please email sales@zund.co.uk or call +44 (0)1727 833003.

Graphics producer John E Wright has upgraded its ten-year-old PN L-2500 machine to a new G3 XL-3200 system from Zünd, increasing the business's speed, efficiency and capacity.

Nottingham-based John E Wright opted to replace its older cutter as its manual workflow meant operators had to edit clients' artwork to add camera dots and apply colour management. The new Zünd G3 was fitted with Prepare-it software to automate workflow, allowing John E Wright to significantly reduce its studio time preparing files for ripping and cutting.

"Better nesting saves money, as there's no manual guessing. What took hours now takes minutes as there's no physical cutting or preparing," says Alan Edwards, John E Wright's Technical Director. "There's virtually no manual cutting in the building at all now."

Edwards explains that new printing equipment expedited the requirement for a cutting equipment upgrade. "We replaced our HP flatbed printer with a new EFI VUTEk and the increase in speed resulted in a backlog in the cutting department," he says. "Zünd cutters are solid, reliable machines, built for heavy-duty work so we decided to stay with the manufacturer and chose the G3. Our workflow has sped up to the extent that we now have capacity for another new printer."

In addition to the print-to-cut workflow software Prepare-it, the machine was supplied with Zünd Cut Centre software plus a wide range of tooling including the 1KW router, V-cut tool, universal cutting tool, creasing tool and kiss-cut tool for vinyl. The G3 XL-3200 itself is designed with time-saving features including unobstructed access on all sides and an ergonomic control panel.

The G3 has enabled John E Wright to keep more work in house – formerly substrate manufacturers would cut materials to size – and to use thicker substrates. The company now uses more Dibond and 10mm acrylic in its display graphics work, which includes production the of banners, posters, POS and roll-ups – plus, recently, disposable furniture.

Zünd also supplied Packz software with the G3, giving John E Wright the opportunity to offer its clients an alternative product: packaging mock-ups. These are achieved 'in a matter of clicks', says Edwards.

Since installing the new G3, John E Wright has won a number of new prestigious retail contracts through improved workflow and a lower, more efficient, cost base. Temporary and permanent signage, POS displays and a host of other graphics using packaging tools are currently being produced for retail stores, with installations taking place overnight to allow them to stay open throughout these projects.

"It's great to see John E Wright use the upgrade to offer its clients more products and services," says Peter Giddings, Sales Director, Zünd UK. "We've had a relationship with the business for the last decade, servicing its previous PN system twice a year, and while it's still a reliable machine the automation of the new G3 offers many more opportunities."

Edwards adds that John E Wright's operating team was heavily involved in the decision-making process and three operators visited Zünd's St Albans demo centre on John E Wright's second trip to try out the G3, eventually recommending the purchase of a smaller model than originally planned. "The operators have been very complimentary," he says. "I've been surprised by how quickly we adapted to new machine and software – it ticks all the boxes and dropped in seamlessly."

For further information on the Zünd G3 XL-3200 or to book a demonstration, please email sales@zund.co.uk or call 01727 833003.