Finishing equipment can encompass a wide range of products that are crucial in today’s label converting industry. Whether talking about diecutting, lamination, hot-foil stamping or a host of other functions, label converters have access to a bevy of machinery options designed to optimize the final printed label.

The newest finishing equipment boasts increased speeds and automated capabilities, all designed to make the operator’s job easier. This also takes into account label converters who might be dealing with staffing shortages. Therefore, simplicity and efficiency are paramount.

“In the label finishing machinery market, innovation and technology have evolved so much in such a short period of time,” states Enrica Lodi, sales and marketing, Cartes. “Converters want a machine that offers quick job changeovers and automation that helps to reduce costs while maintaining job quality – especially when it comes to small to medium-size runs.”

“Finishing can be the process where large amounts of value are added to the printed label, or it can be the bottleneck in your operation that cancels out all the great work done by the press,” explains Uffe Nielsen, CEO, Grafisk Maskinfabrik (GM). “Most label companies sit somewhere along that scale, with more or less room for improvement in productivity through higher machine efficiency, more automation and better workflows.”

Simplicity is paramount when operating the newest finishing equipment. “Our finishing equipment is always designed with quality and maximum efficiency in mind,” states Matthew Burton, global sales director, A B Graphic (ABG). “We like to think the learning curve is minimal. Ease of use is high on our agenda when developing our machines, and as we design and manufacture all machines in-house, we can easily keep this front of mind. We firmly believe that operator comfort is intrinsically linked to improved productivity and efficiency.”

Modern finishing equipment must be versatile and agile, capable of converting a wide range of materials. These might include pressure sensitive labels, unsupported films, tube laminates and more. Of course, the surge in digital printing has necessitated greater finishing options to give a luxurious look to these labels.

“Customers are looking for finishing equipment that can meet the demands from their customers. The ability of new finishing equipment to be able to run different and challenging substrates, such as thin liners and thin unsupported films, is important,” explains Kevin Gourlay, vice president, Rotoflex. “They also look for equipment that makes it easier for their operators to run, such as quick setup times, automatic setup and overall efficiency.”

“The role of finishing has become more important in recent years due to the adoption rate of digital presses and the higher quality demands that come with it,” adds Chiara Prati, sales and marketing director, Prati Company. “Another factor is that 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 a finished roll of labels.”

For LemuGroup’s product line, operators just need to answer several basic questions on the HMI to properly set up the unit. This might include roll diameters, box sizes, etc. All of this information is subsequently stored within the system for repeat job runs, which further shortens downtime and setup.

“Like all equipment and new technology, there is a training and learning period that comes with this type of operation, but this machinery has been engineered to be simple and comprehensive,” says Andre Beaudoin, North American sales and marketing, LemuGroup USA. “The ease of operation comes with understanding the basics and telling the system what it needs to do. One single operator can operate a complete converting and packaging line. This accounts for unwind to packaged, identified and palletized product that is ready to ship. If you include a Martin Automatic butt splicer, you now have a turnkey system capable of running 24/7, non-stop.”   

Support is critical, as well, notes Dave Grenwis, marketing manager, Delta ModTech. “If you want to be efficient and make high-quality products you need to have dependable equipment, precision controls, and a responsive support team,” he says. “It takes more than a good machine to make you profitable – you need a team at the ready to help with anything that may come up.”

Equipment checklist 

With many finishing products on the market today, knowing where to start is crucial. Following the initial research, label converters must find a collaborative partner that will ensure the machine’s capabilities are suited to the printer’s unique needs.

For starters, the needs can vary greatly from converter to converter. A prime label for a beverage bottle will have vastly different requirements from those of pharmaceutical labels.

“It is important to underline that each market segment has its own requirements, and the finishing equipment has to be a fit for them,” comments Chiara Prati. “The pharmaceutical market segment, for example, requires accuracy and security while logistics and retail require a high productivity level.”

“At GM, we speak to our customers to understand exactly what their needs are, so we can recommend a solution that is stable, robust, and most of all repeatable,” says GM’s Nielsen. “This is a holistic approach that considers the entire operation to ensure our customers fully exploit the benefits of our technology and make it work for them to lay a solid foundation for future growth.”

Understanding the latest products on the market is a necessity, as well. “Converters need to truly research equipment that needs minimal operator/human interface, which slows the process down,” adds Lemu Group’s Beaudoin. “Lemu’s philosophy is one where we are more than an OEM selling a product. Our philosophy is one whereby we partner with our client and treat each transaction as an individual project. We become intertwined in their short- and long-term objectives for growth and profitability.”

“We recommend that converters not only consider their current needs but also look to the future,” adds Delta ModTech’s Grenwis. “Technology and the marketplace are volatile and in order to stay relevant and take on new opportunities, flexible equipment is a must. Delta ModTech machines are extremely flexible, and with hundreds of modules available, they allow converters the capability to pivot to take on new jobs quickly.”

Doing more with less 

While finishing equipment has always been pivotal to a label converter’s operations, the challenges of the last two years have only exacerbated the importance of this machinery. Whether dealing with the effects of Covid-19 or the continued workforce challenge, the automated and robotic nature of the newest line of finishing machines has enabled label printers to do more with less – ultimately driving quality and efficiency when staffing has been an obstacle.

“Operator efficiency and maximum uptime run capability are of the utmost importance,” states Beaudoin. “As finding people to work in the production environment has become an impossible task, machinery that requires little-to-no human interface and that can maximize output above and beyond utilization with personnel is where converters need to be focused. This has become the new manufacturing reality, which truly enforces the need for Lean Manufacturing.”

Prati has prioritized connection with its customers throughout every step of the finishing process. “Prati Remote Training Support and Remote Control System have given our customers a terrific boost to let them stay in touch with Prati and be guided step-by-step during the sometimes remote installation and training of their new machines by our experienced in-house technology team,” remarks Chiara Prati.

Meanwhile, ABG Connect is available on all ABG products and can provide automated job changeovers, live production data transfers and reduce operator and machine interaction. ABG Connect leads to reduced downtime and waste, a smaller workforce and less overhead, among other benefits.

“Automation continues to grow in importance as space and people are currently at a premium,” says ABG’s Burton. “We all recognize how hard it is to recruit at the moment, and this trend is likely to continue. By automating processes as much as possible it means that we can reserve our people for higher-level tasks.”   

Even though automation is a newer trend in recent years, converters are increasingly outfitting their facilities with these capabilities to handle the ever-changing demands of the market. “Laser cutting technology continues to become more commonplace, and we have integrated many machines with barcode readers for automated changeover of cut patterns and slitter setup,” says Delta ModTech’s Grenwis. “There is a demand on the horizon for RFID antenna placement on many different types of labels. With this, we’ve seen continued interest in in our Island Placement technologies for use with RFID tags.”

GM’s automated LC350 Compact Laser Finishing unit features enhanced laser cutting technology to replace traditional methods, as well as the associated high costs for tooling and tooling storage. “This machine offers varnishing and spot varnishing with the SmartFlexo semi-rotary module, as well as lamination, cold foil, web slitting and dual rewind,” says GM’s Nielsen. “Other options include a corona treater, SmartSlit slitting module with an automatic knife positioning system and a barcode reader for fast job change or quick recall of existing jobs.”

The role of servo technology cannot be overlooked here, either. “With technology quickly getting better, it allows for finishing equipment manufacturers to become more automated,” notes Rotoflex’s Gourlay. “Servo technology has allowed customers to achieve better output and quality from their new finishing equipment.”

What’s new?

At ABG, the DigiLase 4.0 has new decal options, allowing the company to offer sheets of labels, as well as individual pieces. This provides further flexibility to digital print businesses. The SRI3 has been redesigned and now has fully modular options, too, allowing converters to retrofit elements at a later date. ABG is also now offering a wider Digicon.

“Our non-stop winding range, new to ABG since the last Labelexpo, has also seen some further improvements as we can now offer five options to suit all customer needs,” explains Burton. “Plus, the Ecoleaf module from ACTEGA is also a new offering, providing an environmentally-friendly approach to foil embellishment.”

Cartes has developed its new Jet D-Screen, which features the company’s Digital Embellishment Technology. This is offered on both Cartes’ Gemini and GT machine platforms. “Our Jet D-Screen Technology allows the management of variable data, the creation of multi-level relief effects, such as spot varnishing, Braille printing, security applications, complex tactile effects and high thickness, high precision foil stamping application, and 3D foiling with very fine detail,” comments Lodi.

“Finishing machines must solve problems, not create them,” adds Lodi. “To do this, they must offer innovation and advanced technology. Cartes’ technology and innovation helps to ensure our customers get the best results in terms of precision, speed and versatility, fully responding to the production needs of large and small-size runs.”

Delta ModTech has updated its base machine platform to improve operator ergonomics and ease process changeovers. The company has also enhanced its HMI touchscreen to help with setup and operations. The Crusader Converter and EDGE laser converter are being featured prominently at Labelexpo Americas, too.

GM has introduced the DC350Flex for finishing. This cost-efficient label finisher has been built for volume production of added-value labels. With cloud connectivity and Industry 4.0 compatibility, the machine gives converters automated label production on a flexible modern platform, with quick setups and minimal waste, and the ability to produce digital foiling, spot varnish and lamination.

“The agility offered by laser cutting is especially suitable for short and ultra-short runs of digitally printed labels, as it matches the fast time-to-market advantages of the digital press itself,” adds Nielsen.

LemuGroup has engineered and developed a series of roll label packaging automation robotic products that span both traditional and digital label finishing and packaging solutions. As with all Lemu products, Beaudoin notes that these solutions are modular and can be configured to address multiple press lines feeding into a centralized packaging system or a singular press performing high volume work.

LemuGroup’s equipment can also easily interface with existing equipment on the floor. “Lemu can also provide turnkey solutions that can package and palletize roll labels and then robotically transfer boxed product directly to warehouse racking systems for pick-and-pack operations,” adds Beaudoin. “With Lemu, quality is a given. Where we see the biggest impact in run efficiency is in the consistency of run time with little-to-no stopping, which clearly affects quality and efficiency of the product getting into the customers’ hands.”

Prati machines are highly automated and use the latest servo motor technologies and sophisticated software to ensure consistent tension control throughout the finishing process, adjustable to exactly what a customer and their application requires.

The modular DIGIFASTone allows an unlimited number of instant upgrades to safeguard customers’ initial investment and adapt the machine to any market scenario. It is built on Prati’s FUTURA platform, which is the standard-setting concept for the next generation, the company says. Plus, the DIGI COMPACT is more of an entry-level machine with flood coat, lamination and semi-rotary diecutting.  The new Digifast 20000 is ideal for the finishing of 30″ wide printed webs. 

“We are able to integrate a lot of different processes into our Prati DIGIFASTone machine, such as assuring both the inspection control and the accurate defect placement,” says Chiara Prati.
Meanwhile, Rotoflex is launching several new products at Labelexpo Americas. The company is introducing a new, fully automatic 4-spindle turret system, which has been developed based off significant customer feedback.