This year's PacPrint13 printing technology expo in Melbourne is continuing to yield results, with the announcement that printing specialist United Labels of Cambellfield, Victoria, has installed a Rotoflex VLI label finishing machine from Aldus Engineering.
The company selected the Rotoflex machine following a strenuous evaluation process after first pin-pointing the machine at PacPrint, to find a new technology suite to help it meet increasing demand to deliver labels using a variety of different finishing materials including pressure-sensitive label stocks and both laminated and unsupported materials.
United Labels' owner Mark Doupe said the company realised earlier this year it needed to upgrade its label finishing capabilities to meet increased and more demanding customer requirements.
“We knew of the many machines out there, but which would provide us with the versatility that we required?” he said.
“Given the range of varying materials we need to finish, we visited Pacprint to see what was on offer, as well as visiting other companies in the industry to obtain an understanding of what was being run successfully and more importantly, efficiently.”
The Rotoflex VLI is controlled using servo technology and sports a touch screen control facility to ease operation.
It also includes features such as automatic tension control, job save and job load, missing label detection, a slitting cartridge system enabling simple change between shear and razor slitting, differential rewind shafts for winding of unsupported films and fluted idler rollers to diffuse the air between the web and roller surface.
Having settled on the Rotofolex machine, Doupe said the company then conducted stringent trials with Aldus to ensure it met all requirements.
Aldus sent materials supplied by United Labels to Rotoflex for testing, where the trials were videotaped and the finished rolls were shipped back for evaluation.
United Labels production manager Lee Gorman said these pre-installation trials ensured the machine was able to go right to work soon after delivery.
“The machine was delivered on time, immediately installed and up and running the very next day,” he said.
United Labels' operator Judy Gorman and production manager Lee Gorman, show off the company's new versatile Rotoflex VLI label finisher.
