Partnering for success

Earlier this year, the Tresu ES 206 was demonstrated during an Open House event organized by the converting division of the Danish Tresu group in Bjert. The ES 206 is claimed to be the largest, and with regards to the range of application and performance potential, the most flexible flexo press. The machine incorporates eltromat’s digital drive, register control and web inspection systems.

While Tresu was responsible for the construction, mechanical production and installation of the machine, German manufacturer eltromat took charge of the development of custom made electronics to achieve “maximal manufacturing efficiency, short make ready times, fast job changes, high print quality and low waste values”.

The new press has a production speed of 600m/min, possesses variable web widths of up to 1,400mm and is able to produce various jobs with print lengths of 300 - 2,800mm.

New concept

The shaftless in-line flexo press with 19 printing units, which was built to order for an American customer, is the prototype of a new printing machine concept. For each of the printing units, eltromat supplied the dimudrive, an individual drive system, which is said to be an innovative and performance enhancing automation concept that also includes the machine control.

With the dimudrive, eltromat motorized 66 shafts including the printing units, pulling stations, chill rollers, and perforating unit. The press also includes two dgc_750 register control systems with 21 camera sensors, and two web inspection systems – the web video_3000 incorporating three cameras.

Each of the 19 printing units was equipped with a print unit display, so that the machine operators could view the status of individual units at anytime.

The two register control systems analyze the micro dot marks and help minimize register waste. “In particular for a big machine such as the Tresu ES 206, the advantage of the uncomplicated operation of the camera sensors becomes significant,” says eltromat.

The two web inspection systems, based on a continuous modular concept, are said to offer advantages such as short set-up time and waste saving.

The Tresu press also incorporates eltromat gpmc (general presetting and motion control system) that helps in automatic positioning of all printing unit cylinders, as well as for the pre- adjustment of the length and side register. The modular concept of the ES 206 also allows for the addition of auxiliary units such as the sis_inspection, bc_barcode or the icm_inline colour measurement module.

Søren Maarssø, division manager of Tresu Converting, says: “It turned out to be a great advantage, receiving a self contained all-in-one solution from eltromat for drive, register control and web inspection, which lends an additional benefit to the machine. The customized package consisting of dimudrive/gpmc, dgc_750 and web video_3000 is a one-stop concept, which offers many performance enhancing synergy effects. “All components were developed, manufactured and pre-tested by eltromat, so that we could give our customers the requested quality and performance.”