HEIDELBERG is reporting a ‘strong response’ to its Boardmaster web-fed flexographic printing press, which was launched at Interpack 2023.
The web press is produced at Heidelberg Web Carton Converting GmbH in Weiden, Germany, and has been produced in response to the growing global market for folding cartons.
Matthias Boog, MD at Heidelberg Web Carton Converting GmbH, said, “The first systems are already producing in the USA. We have further orders from Asia and Africa, and we are receiving inquiries from all regions of the world.”
Heidelberg added that print shops that previously produced packaging for food and beverages in large-format offset are also showing an interest in the Boardmaster.
The development was said to have been driven by four aspects that currently pose a challenge to packaging printers: Productivity or cost pressure; quality and operational reliability; sustainability; and a high level of investment security.
Heidelberg explained that Boardmaster is designed for the ‘highest possible’ Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE) in non-stop operation with flying job changes. The availability of the printing press reaches up to 90%, with a maximum printing speed of 600 meters per minute, the firm added.
A high degree of automation and simple operation are said to make it possible to produce on the Boardmaster with low staffing levels and a high level of operational reliability.
Cameras analyse the flexographic printing plates ‘down to the smallest detail’. Data is evaluated using algorithms supported by AI and all setting parameters recorded by Intellimatch are transmitted to the relevant Boardmaster printing unit via a matrix code identifier. The external quality check is designed to reduce the set-up effort in the machine to zero and prevent faulty printing plates from being used.
When developing the system, Heidelberg added that it took care to ensure packaging producers can also produce sustainably. Thanks to the flying job changeover, the system works with ‘comparatively little waste’. When producing at a maximum output of 600 meters per minute, the proportion of unprinted material is less than ten meters during a job change.
The Boardmaster also works with water-based printing inks, with the web passing through a hot-air dryer after each printing unit.
The solution is based on a modular concept and can be configured according to customer requirements. One or two printing units are possible per printing unit. Modules for die-cutting, laminating or cold foil application can be integrated as an option.
The Boardmaster currently covers the segments of folding carton printing and coated cardboard packaging for liquid products. Heidelberg revealed it sees further application potential for the new web-fed flexo press in the corrugated board printing segment, for example display stands for promotional items in supermarkets, as well as in flexible paper packaging.
Following its launch at Interpack, the Boardmaster was presented to international experts in production operation at the Heidelberg Web Carton Converting GmbH site in Weiden in November. Around 100 customers from central and southern Europe, north America and Asia came to see the system’s capabilities. The machine produced three different jobs from reel to reel, switching between two jobs on the fly at full production speed.
“The demonstrations went to our complete satisfaction,” said Christian Steinmaßl, head of the packaging segment at Heidelberg, referring to ‘a number of specific inquiries with definition of the configuration’.
Several customers were interested in test runs and wanted to send their substrate and printing plates to Weiden.
“Heidelberg has really hit a nerve in the market with the Boardmaster,” added Christian Steinmaßl. “The market launch is proving successful and customer demand continues to develop very positively. This underlines the success of the Heidelberg strategy of being able to grow in new market segments in its core printing business.”
