SEI Laser last November 20 and 21 opened the doors of its headquarters in Curno (Bg) to deepen the knowledge of cutting and converting applications with laser technology dedicated to the world of flexible packaging, with an update on the latest innovations resulting from an in-house R&D department capable of transforming every challenge, even the most complex, into an opportunity for growth
SEI Laser’s presence in the flexible packaging sector is certainly not new, and even though there are still several aspects to explore and we are not in the presence of a mature market, the fleet of machines installed and the various partnerships with manufacturers of converting technologies put in place in recent years, have allowed the leading company in laser systems applied to packaging to expand knowledge of these technologies, contributing to increasing culture and know-how in applications where the laser was practically unknown. This is one of the prerogatives of SEI Laser, which invests in R&D and technology in every sector it develops, precisely to create for itself and its customers opportunities that were hitherto unknown. In the world of flexible packaging, laser technology has become more and more efficient and versatile with applications ranging from simple linear processing to facilitate the opening of packages, to the most complex die-cutting where laser technology marries perfectly with laminating technologies or on slitter-rewinders.
Matteo Maffeis, a profound connoisseur of the problems of the packaging sector, contributed to SEI Laser’s entry into the world of flexible packaging, during the two-day open house presented to the attending customers the latest innovations, which were born as stand-alone solutions, but then over the years have become more and more an integral part of a complete ecosystem, thanks to strategic partnerships with leading manufacturers of converting machines, but also with collaborations with companies of auxiliary equipments that contribute to the maximum yield of the entire converting process.
From standard solutions to customized technologies, here laser has no secrets!
There are more than 2800 laser installations in the world, in a variety of sectors, the latest market was corrugated board. SEI Laser offers some standard solutions but also has the capacity and expertise to provide customized solutions. The prerogative for which the laser is universally appreciated lies in the excellent precision for accurate and reliable processing, not to mention a production speed that is certainly more performing than traditional systems and with extremely reduced waste.
Lasers in the flexible packaging sector have found several applications, and not only in cutting. In fact, lasers can be used for etching, that is selective removing of a material from the multilayer of the package, or for macro and micro perforations. “Laser in flexible packaging covers a variety of needs, and we have found pleasantly that some of these applications can be done solely and exclusively with lasers due to precision, speed, versatility and minimal waste, thanks to a digital approach where no die cutting is required. This extremely versatile technology allows us to process paper, monolayer films, laminates, laminates with aluminum, a versatility that also translates into the freedom to process any type of shaping required starting from a classic file”, says Matteo Maffeis, responsible at SEI Laser for the flexible packaging sector.
Technological partnerships for maximum end-customer satisfaction
One of the main keys of the success of SEI Laser’s technologies has undoubtedly been the full integration, not only at software and electronic level, but also and above all as regards mechanics, an aspect that is certainly more complex, of the laminators or slitter-rewinders. The web passage must therefore be perfectly stable as well as the distance between laser source and film to avoid problems in the converting phase. “Working together with manufacturers is essential to provide customers with production equipment that can perfectly execute holes for fruit and vegetable packaging, micro-perforations for bakery packaging, hatchings for shrink sleeves, facilitated openings and whatever else, and the synergy that is created with manufacturers and the solutions developed together always leads to maximum end customer satisfaction”, adds Maffeis.
These collaborations are not limited to manufacturers of converting machines, which are somewhat the most prominent players in the packaging production process, but rather have also been expanded to suppliers of technologies defined as auxiliary. If we were in cycling world, we could easily talk about wingmen who carry on the hard and tiring work to support the champion to the finish line. Such is the case with BST Gmbh, which, as described by Massimo Iannone during the open house, has provided a solution for quality control and registration of laser processing. The collaboration with SEI will consist of two projects, the first one on a standard customer to ensure the cutting register through control and feedback on the laser to correct the pitch and adjust it to the incoming machine material, while the second phase will involve the mechanical integration of the BST system for control inside the SEI laser equipment.
This integration will lead the two companies to collaborate at next Print4All where the SEI machine with the BST control system will be shown.
Paolo Michelini, APS Air Packaging System, presented the Venturi system installed on the PackMaker present in the show room, and already installed at some customers for the removal of fumes from the laser cutting cabin but also for the management of scraps from the working process.
A complete range for all needs from PackMaster WD to the latest PackMaker
PackMaster WD is the entry-level system with fixed focal length laser designed to make two engravings, at variable depth, along the material direction for easy openings (easy-opening, easy-breath, MAP). It is usually installed on slitter-rewinders, to be able to work with a perfectly polymerized material after passing through the laminator, and it is a compact system that does not require any processing file but only the insertion of the correct engraving data.
Packmaster CW-WP is the technology that has decreed the great success of packaging that we have all put in our shopping cart at least once. We are talking about Giovanni Rana’s tortellini and Rummo pasta, which were the first brands to propose their packaging with the transparent laser-cut window to see the product inside the package. This machine was created for window applications for paper with 30 gr m2 at minimum + transparent film (HDPe, MDPe, LDPe, oPP, Cpp, PET). This technology can be easily integrated on the bridge of the laminators and allows for windowing and lamination in a single step, and without having to spread glue in register it is possible to choose any type of shaping. Thanks to the collaboration with the main manufacturers of laminators, SEI Laser has managed to integrate the system perfectly, simplifying the operator’s life. The laser is installed on the bridge of the laminators to create a complete system that also includes the removal of fumes and trims that SEI has developed in partnership with APS Air Packaging System.
Packmaster CW-GP, was created for installation on printing machines, laminators and slitter-rewinders for easy opening and breathability applications which are the main requests of the flexible packaging market for food & beverage, pet food and personal care. The applications range from easy-open wet wipes to toilet paper packages with a very large geometric through-hatch, which allows the package to be opened without tearing it, preserving the toilet paper rolls not taken. This is one of the lines where, thanks to the partnership with BST, a laser cutting quality inspection system has been provided, monitoring the register between laser cutting and printing, and inspection of the laminating material when the cutting window is closed. Furthermore, it is possible to record and archive all the defects found, and this is a useful step to identify and discard non-compliant material in the last step in the cutter-rewinder.
“As regards the integration of the system with the cutter-rewinders, given the large multitude of different technologies offered on the market, we have created a protocol to have all the information from the cutter to manage the laser accordingly and in relation to the working parameters of the cutter itself”, adds Matteo Maffeis.
Packmaster CW-Conveyor is the solution installed on the slitter-rewinders dedicated to reel-sheet processing of flexible materials, both paper and plastic, with a suction belt to recover all the die-cut shapes, eliminating the rest of the film which is production waste. Often these lines are sold in sectors where the laser has never been used for that specific process.
PackMaker is the latest creation from SEI and was developed on a modular-hybrid concept, mounting from 2 to 8 lasers, which can also be upgraded later. It is a divisible system, which can be installed on a cutter bridge (upper part only). The lasers of this system develop vertically, taking up less space, and are positionable.
The final result is a machine, like the one shown in the demo in the SEI Laser showroom, available for testing and trials with jobs and materials of any interested customers, with 4 lasers per side and on each laser you can independently import different processes, from micro-holes and macro-holes to engravings for easy openings, all in a single step.
“We will meet at next Print4All, where we will present all our solutions dedicated to the packaging industry, therefore for labels, flexible films and corrugated cardboard, and where we will present the latest innovations, in collaboration with our partners”, concludes Matteo Maffeis.
