The competitive nature of label printing – and manufacturing in general – has significantly emphasized efficiency. The ability to do more with less, especially as the industry grapples with continued workforce challenges, is present in the newest machinery. Slitter-rewinders, for example, can better streamline a label converter’s operations, impacting the bottom line and
customer satisfaction.

“The role of the inspection slitter-rewinder is still the basic form of final inspection and finishing in virtually most, if not all, label shops today,” remarks Andre Beaudoin, North American sales and marketing, Lemu Group. “This process has been greatly aided and enhanced with higher speed capability and video/vision inspection systems that allow for the operator to be much more productive and thorough.”

Speed is not an understatement, either. One of the big benefits of the modern slitter-rewinder is its ability to operate at never-before-seen speeds. “Typically, although fundamental to overall production, off-line slitting/rewinding is often seen as an ancillary process, and as such its performance has had to keep up with the production speeds of upline processes like printing,” explains Gavin Rittmeyer, vice president of sales and marketing, Martin Automatic. “Similarly, inline rewinders, like those that Martin Automatic offers in the narrow web and label markets, are capable of slitting and rewinding at faster speeds and with more accuracy than was conceived of 15 years ago.”

This equipment must perform a variety of functions. AB Graphic International offers a range of machines that can be either simple or increasingly complex, ranging from the basic SRI, compact, bi-directional, single lane, table-top, inspection slitter rewinder, to the company’s core SRI modules offering slitting, rewinding and inspection. “We also have options for rewinding, converting, inspecting and numbering, as well as handling foil, blister material and booklets,” comments Ralf Wirtz, sales manager for ABG’s Gmbh sites.

A B Graphic and Kocher + Beck jointly acquired Enprom Solutions back in 2019 to further their offerings to this growing marketplace. The acquisition allowed ABG and Kocher + Beck to strengthen and expand their offerings in web-based processing while also allowing them to enter into new market segments. Enprom, headquartered near Barcelona, Spain, boasts a product range that includes equipment for shrink sleeve converting, slitting and rewinding, label finishing, coating and lamination and hybrid converting.

Today’s slitter-rewinder must also accommodate various intricacies in a wide range of markets. Therefore, these machines must be versatile and accurate.

“Nowadays, most labels are auto-applied, and these label application machines work within a very small tolerance window when considering web tension and winding tension throughout the label roll,” states Chiara Prati, CEO and CSO, Prati. “The modern slitter-rewinder has to be accurate and versatile to convert many different kinds of materials. That versatility is required for many different job applications currently being requested by customers, from roll-to-roll, to roll-to-stack, and roll-to-sheet.

“The pharmaceutical market segment, for example, requires accuracy and security while the logistics and retail sector requires high productivity levels,” adds Prati.

Other trends include inline winding and enhanced levels of automation, the refinement of drives and motors, advances in differential winding for slit ribbons, and advances in ergonomics and safety features. Many units now include memory setup storage for much faster changeovers and less downtime between jobs.

The machinery is easier to use than ever before, too. The ability to rely on automation has made the equipment more efficient and simpler for operators to understand. “The simplicity of design and quality of manufacture imbue Martin Automatic technology with a high degree of reliability and uptime,” says Rittmeyer. “At a time when travel restrictions made startup service and support difficult to provide in person, the company was easily able to use modern computer communication and video techniques.”

“The overall automation process has significantly improved, and many features have been added to help reduce operator duties,” adds Angie Ostler, VP of finance and marketing, Quantum Design-KTI. “These advancements help customers become more efficient and increase production throughput.”

Much like many other label and package printing equipment segments, slitter-rewinders have been optimized to reduce waste and promote sustainability. “Printers are seeking leading-edge automation and connectivity of their equipment in order to meet pressing deadlines, maintain quality and minimize their costs. Automation is also changing the game in terms of minimizing waste and errors, and it is even bringing sustainability benefits to the print supply chain,” explains Annemarie Rhodes, managing director, Bar Graphic Machinery. “For Bar Graphic, driving ease of use to deskill the operator’s role gives our customers peace of mind in delivering consistent quality, as well as maximizing their productivity and operational efficiency.”

For Martin Automatic, “waste” can be associated with a number of factors. “The term ‘waste’ covers a variety of functions: waste associated with expensive substrates lost by manual roll changes; waste from poor winding control; waste from needing to employ secondary off-line processes; wasted productivity from having to shut down the line for roll changes or from having to run slower than desired because of limited or old technology,” Rittmeyer says.

Partnering for a personal touch

Leaders in the manufacture of slitter-rewinders have relied on collaboration when designing machinery for the individual label converter. There is no one-size-fits-all unit. In fact, slitter-rewinders can be customized to meet the specific demands of the converter customer.

“Because Martin Automatic is fundamentally a design and engineering company, tailored solutions are a way of life – part of our DNA,” says Rittmeyer. “That’s how, over the past 53 years, the company has been able to develop innovative solutions for some of the most challenging web handling problems across several industries. This has seen us collaborate on so many projects that we couldn’t even begin to count them.”

Martin Automatic has collaborated on solutions to meet demand in a variety of end-use segments, from thin battery films and expensive toothpaste tube laminates to baby diapers.

Lemu Group has also emphasized collaboration, working with many well-known companies, from Mark Andy and Martin Automatic to Lemorau and BST. These partnerships help facilitate highly efficient answers to any client’s requirements.

“We treat each customer’s application as a project,” says Lemu Group’s Beaudoin. “This allows us to dissect the issue and provide much more than a simple ‘one-size-fits-all’ answer. Our equipment is simple where simplicity is enough and can be technically-advanced to address the most complex applications. Our clients are not simply customers, they are our partners.”

Prati, meanwhile, operates by the motto, “Standardize the Customization.” Chiara Prati says, “All of our machines are configured to our customers’ specific needs, and rarely are two machines the same. Based on a modular concept, each module can operate in a totally independent manner. Whatever our customers need to have or upgrade to include in a new processing function, a dedicated module is integrated without excess costs.”

Bar Graphic Machinery has prioritized a vast network of distributor and reseller partners to work locally with customers, ensuring they get a tailored product for their needs. These partnerships include technical innovation, quality and service.

“All of our machines are designed and built in-house, and therefore we have a unique ability to customize equipment to meet the specific requirements of our customers,” says Bar Graphic’s Rhodes. “These partners are invaluable to Bar Graphic, offering our customers the technical support and advice they need to procure a machine that meets their needs today and into the future. Our focus on customization and tailoring to future-proof our customers’ businesses are what have enabled Bar Graphic to become a chosen machine partner to many label and flexible packaging printing companies.”

The process is not a quick one, either, as manufacturers work diligently to ensure the converter has the right machine for their application. “Detailed discussions and online meetings about the application, including materials and specifications, help us to determine which KTI model turret would be the best for them,” notes Quantum Design’s Ostler. “At times, an evaluation of materials, and a visit may be necessary, or when requested by the customer.”

Boosting the workforce

Slitter-rewinders were on full display during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, especially since companies had trouble getting workers into their facilities. The automated nature of this label manufacturing machinery greatly assisted these essential businesses in getting product out to consumers at the store shelves.

Prati has developed its latest slitter-rewinders with automation in mind, which can provide much-needed assistance to the workforce. Prati’s Remote Training Support and Remote Control System were noticeably popular during the pandemic.

“These support tools received a terrific boost and let our customers stay in touch with Prati,” notes Prati. “Our customers were guided step-by-step during the remote installation and training of their new machines by our experienced in-house technology team.”

Lemu Group’s equipment has essentially been designed to boost companies with a shrinking workforce. “The basis of Lemu equipment is not only the ability to print and convert but to allow one-operator operation,” says Beaudoin. “This provides closed rolls of labels to be automatically boxed, sealed, addressed and palletized. We have clearly brought a system to market that fully addresses the term ‘Lean manufacturing.’ Lemu provides the converter with the opportunity to maintain current customer demand and grow productivity upwards of 40-60% with far fewer people in the plant.”

“When labor was in short supply because companies were working with fewer employees per shift, production managers really appreciated the simplicity of Martin’s operating systems,” states Martin Automatic’s Rittmeyer. “Our machinery is easy to use, easy to understand and easy to maintain, and these attributes proved highly beneficial when managers had to cross-train employees on short notice due to staffing deficiencies.”

For AB Graphic, the pandemic created a higher demand for beverage labels, pharmaceutical labels and also clinical trial labels. This increased demand required machinery capable of accommodating a smaller workforce. “As ABG is producing machinery to suit all these products, we faced a massively increased demand for our machines,” says ABG’s Wirtz. “The high level of automation helps our customers keep up with production demands, despite issues of staff shortages due to Covid-19 or recruitment challenges.”

According to Bar Graphic’s Rhodes, it’s important to note that these challenges didn’t just emerge with the pandemic. This industry has been tackling these issues for some time, especially as more skilled operators approach retirement age.

“It’s been a really interesting period for the entire label and flexible packaging printing industry,” she states. “Clearly there were challenges in recruitment prior to the pandemic, but that has only worsened as time has gone on. The print industry has an aging workforce with a considerable skills drain being seen around the world, and this is only serving to drive more demand for automation.”

Finding the right product

In order to find a slitter-rewinder uniquely tailored to a label converter’s business, it’s important to understand the numerous products currently available.

AB Graphic, for example, has used more than 20 years of experience to design its new SRI3. The fully integrated ABG fleyeVision inspection system allows running speeds up to 350 m/m on the SRI3, and the company’s continuously developed automated solutions give customers the opportunity to keep up with the increased demand for shorter run jobs. The SRI3 is available to order now, and it features a larger diameter unwind and nip roller wraparound, increased focus on operator comfort and flexibility, and it is fully retrofittable.

“The autoslit unit allows setting up the scissor knives for a job fully automatically below one minute (five knives), increasing productivity significantly,” says Wirtz. “The available JDF functionality allows an even higher level of automation. The modular concept allows additional modules, like inkjet, die station and many more, offering higher flexibility to use the machine.”

Bar Graphic Machinery has unveiled two new products: the BGM Elite 450/550 Multiflex multiple substrate inspection slitter-rewinder and its economical version, the BGM Elite 450 EcoFlex. The BGM Elite MultiFlex offers fully automated finishing capabilities on a multitude of unsupported and supported films, foils, papers and more, utilizing one machine for a variety of substrates and finishing applications.

“This machine is available with the BGM Rapidslit system – a fully automated slitting system that sets the slitting blades precisely in a matter of seconds, significantly reducing setup times and eliminating operator error when setting up jobs,” says Rhodes. “Its modular design can be reconfigured for a variety of specialist finishing applications, including booklets, tickets, tags, wraps and color chip labels, enabling converters to widen their product offerings.”

KTI’s MTR Series turret rewinder with automatic core loading and label roll closure has been designed for a range of core sizes, from .75″ to 3″ ID, and it is available in web widths of 13″, 17″, 20″ and 22″.  The machine automatically loads cores onto the machine utilizing a sophisticated design and eliminating the need for an operator to load. 

“The automatic core loading allows for faster turret cycle times, permitting shorter rolls to be run at higher line speeds,” says Ostler. “The KR2 rewinder is a perfect fit for applications rewinding a parent roll off the end of a press (finished or for secondary rewind application). It’s available in web widths of 13″, 17″, and 20″, and will rewind up to 32″ OD rolls.”

Lemu Group has partnered with Lemorau and has incorporated the ICR3 and MICR inspection slitter rewinders into its product range. “These machines are well built and priced affordably,” notes Beaudoin. “Beyond these models, they offer a very wide offering of slitter-rewinders and table-top finishing units that in some cases are modular and can be further reconfigured to address a wide variety of work.”

Martin Automatic has developed its LRD and LRH models. While the LRH is more commonly used in the mid- and wide-web categories, the LRD Automatic Transfer Rewinder model is popular in narrow- and mid-web processes for pressure sensitive label, pharmaceutical cartons, lottery tickets, flexible packaging, and toothpaste tube laminate webs, among others.  The LRD can wind from 8″ diameter rolls up to 40″ diameter rolls on the same machine.

“A key feature of this model is its automatic roll doffing function: the LRD offloads finished rolls automatically, without any required input from an operator, via one of several standard doffing ramp designs (without the need for a cart), or with an articulating arm that delivers through the side of the unit,” explains Rittmeyer.

Many LRD models are equipped with shear slitting systems for winding multiple ribbons, typical for applications in premium label, shrink sleeve, wrap around label, tube laminate, lidding, pouch, and pharma packaging, to eliminate additional downstream steps. Typical inline slitting systems installed with the LRD include shear slitters, to provide clean ribbon edges with minimal dust; driven adjustable bowed rollers, for ribbon separation and stability; removable anvil shafts, for easy off-line job setup; and web guiding, for precise control of the web into the slitting section. Martin Automatic also offers rewinders for many other markets.

Prati has relied on its vast experience to customize new products for customers, implementing its more than 40 years of experience in the company’s newest launches. Prati’s Saturn line of machines has been equipped with its new Futura technology and software, enabling an unlimited number of instant upgrades to safeguard customers’ initial investment and adapt the machine to any market scenario.

“As of today, we are implementing Futura technology to our finishing solutions in order to maximize the machines’ flexibility and support our customers in increasing their business opportunities in the easiest and most competitive way,” says Prati.

Prati machines are highly automated and use the latest servo motor technologies and sophisticated software to ensure consistent winding tension throughout the finished roll, adjustable to exactly what a customer and their application requires. “The speed was raised up to 980 fpm with camera inspection, assuring both the inspection control and the accurate defect placement,” adds Prati. “The slitting system is now available with Fastcut technology, the automatic knives and counter-knives positioning system.”