Mex, Switzerland – Avoiding imperfections in packaging production is essential for all sectors. Packaging ­should – at least in theory – have no defects from the outset. Cartotecnica Jolly Pack is a leading company in the paper industry and over the years has become highly specialized in packaging for the food and cosmetic nutraceutical sectors.

“We have always applied the Lean Production methodology to improve our processes – explained Luca Festini Sughi, CEO of Cartotecnica Jolly Pack – by simplifying and automating the communication procedures between design and product manufacture. That's why we were looking for a folding-gluing machine that could support this simplification and lead us to the optimization of our production processes. BOBST – underlined Festini Sughi – provided the technological support we needed to leverage the skills and experience of the company's human capital to make the leap into the production of the future”. That's the reason why they opted for an EXPERTFOLD 110 A2. “It is a very efficient and versatile folder-gluer. With the particular configuration we decided on, we can produce a wide range of packages applying the most varied types of gluing. Compared to its competitors,” went on the company's CEO “it is easy to use and has simple settings, facilitated by the integration with the company’s own ERP system. At Jolly Pack, we rely on the EXPERTFOLD 110 A2 folder-gluer, obviously with the new ACCUCHECK quality control system.”

The new ACCUCHECK allows all eventual defects on cardboard blanks to be checked when they first enter the BOBST folder-gluer and is compatible with the latest MASTERFOLD 75|110 and EXPERTFOLD 50|80|110 versions. As a matter of fact, BOBST was the first company to develop, and then to perfect, an innovative quality control system that enables manufacturers to obtain zero-fault boxes. This system is ACCUCHECK, which over the last few year has proven itself as the world's first integrated quality control device: zero-fault quality for gluing-folding machines. After introducing the first generation of ACCUCHECK, BOBST continued its drive to innovate both itself and its products; it recently launched the new ACCUCHECK, thus making defect-free packaging production a reality.

Quick and easy to use, ACCUCHECK is extremely flexible, allowing the inspection of different areas of the boxes based on quality criteria selected by the manufacturer or its customers. Claude Tomà, Technology Sales Manager of BOBST, said: “We are aware that, as a consequence of current market dynamics and mobility, machines need to be equally agile and ready to respond to the demands of distributors and brands. The ACCUCHECK technology,” Tomà continued, “constitutes an enormous step in making that possible. Integrated into the folding-gluing line, it allows the elimination of every non-conform item, even when the machine is working at high speeds. The result is a considerable saving of time and resources. Thus, the system demonstrates all the key qualities of a high-level automatic integrated line.”

By allowing a continuous progression of operations and additional quality control steps outside the process, “this quality control system was able to meet all our requirements and therefore satisfy all our expectations,” continued Festini Sughi. According to the CEO of Jolly Pack, “we chose a folding-gluing line that is configured to adapt exactly to our production parameters, and we were immediately convinced by its features. The quality of the production process improved significantly, while the operating costs of quality control are reduced. Defective boxes are filtered, rejected and then automatically ejected, guaranteeing complete quality control of production.” In this way, as production quality processes are improved, operating costs are drastically reduced.

Pierre Binggeli, Product Line Director for Folder-gluers at BOBST, further underlined the performance of the ACCUCHECK technology: “The solution enables defect-free production without impacting the production flow. Thanks to ACCUCHECK, our clients will be able to optimize their efficiency, reduce waste and ensure excellent service to their customers”.

As with the first generation, the new ACCUCHECK ensures complete quality consistency at a significantly higher speed than its predecessor. “ACCUCHECK,” claimed Luca Festini Sughi, “is the fastest in-line system available on the market, with an inspection area that in our version is up to 800 mm. With respect to other control systems currently on the market, we were convinced by the simplicity and intuitiveness of the customized parameter settings.” It is in fact possible to set up different operating modes to suit different needs.

The ACCUCHECK system can be regulated to adapt to any business segment, with different features and control speeds, and even with different levels of sensitivity. “In fact,” explained Festini Sughi, “it allows the fine tuning of the control activity through the choice of different sensitivity zones on the same package and, therefore, the execution of different types of packaging processing and embellishment within the same production line”. Among other features we should highlight the advanced reporting function, the PDF function and the new intelligent text inspection, which is able to track down even imperceptible defects such as incorrect words or numbers. Furthermore, BOBST introduced specific controls for embossed, metallized and varnished surfaces. These setups can be saved and then recalled in order to perform repetitions within a very short time. ACCUCHECK also includes HMI SPHERE, which offers several operating modes in which to apply customized settings and intuitively operate the machine. “In addition,” continued the CEO, “ACCUCHECK allows us to run control reports according to our validation targets”.

“As already pointed out,” concluded the Jolly Pack executive, “flexibility and adaptability are certainly among ACCUCHECK's greatest strengths, especially when compared to other control systems currently on the market”.