Since their introduction in 2004, Heidelberg’s family of Dymatrix die cutters have consistently proven their mettle. From the Dymatrix 106 Pro to the 57” Dymatrix 145, Heidelberg’s Dymatrix die cutting and embossing systems answer the demand for speed, productivity and flexibility in the production of premium-quality packaging.
 
Meeting the Challenge of A Changing Market
Heidelberg continues to invest in new postpress technology to minimize makeready times. To meet market requirements and the trend towards shorter runs, Dymatrix die cutters minimize makeready times by saving job data—format, type and properties of materials—so that it can be accessed later for repeat jobs. The machine is then set up automatically for a new job, thus minimizing the amount of manual input required.
 
ABOX Packaging (Kaufman, Texas), credits a Dymatrix 106 CSB die cutter with helping the company achieve an increase in productivity of around 25 percent. With the Dymatrix 106, company president Keith Thompson said at the time, “We can die cut, strip, and blank, and go directly to the gluer. There’s no more manual scrapping or offline blanking. The Dymatrix 106 CSB is incredibly efficient.”

Likewise, when folding carton converter Proteus Packaging (Franklin, WI) installed a 57” Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 145 VLF press in 2009, its next move was to acquire a 57” Dymatrix 145 die cutter with Heidelberg Logistics.
 
“We installed the Dymatrix because of the sheet size and to add to our die cutting capacity,” said Tim Wayman, executive vice president and COO. “Our industry is always about matching size. We always knew we would add 57” die cutting once the VLF was up and running. The Speedmaster XL 145 gave us more sheets/hour while increasing our overall throughput. The combination of the XL145 and the 145 CSB will give us more blanks per sheet at a higher rate of speed.”

Early on, the company compared 21 die cutting jobs previously run on competitive equipment and determined that “[It was] between 15 percent and 25 percent more productive on exactly the same jobs with the Dymatrix.”
 
Dymatrix die cutters are designed from the ground up to help packaging printers and converters meet the growing demand for shorter runs, frequent job changes, and stringent demand for product quality. These testimonials underscore Heidelberg’s claim that investing in a Dymatrix can pay off handsomely in efficiency, increased production flexibility, reduced costs, and higher profitability.
 
Hepack Druck and Verpackung GmbH took delivery of a fourth Dymatrix 106 CS to accommodate continued growth and the trend toward shorter print runs. The new Dymatrix joined three other Heidelberg die cutters also on site, including a pair of Dymatrix 106 CSB and a Dymatrix 142 CSB. Hepack specializes in the mass production of packaging, primarily for the food industry and consumes around 20,000 tons of solid board up to 600 gsm each year. While print runs are generally in the region of 100,000 to 300,000 folding cartons per job, said Managing Director Peter Heim, “There is a clear trend toward shorter print runs. We ordered the new Dymatrix without blanking because manual separation is more economical when it comes to dealing with lots of short print runs. The main reason behind our decision to opt for a fourth machine from the same series was the fact that we have enjoyed many successful years with the Heidelberg Dymatrix and its quiet operation and high die cutting quality.”
 
Minimal Setup Times Yield Greater Productivity
Heidelberg Dymatrix die cutters are notable for shorter makeready times due to precise, simple setup. All controls are ergonomically optimized and arranged to give the operator a clear overview of what is happening. In the cutting station, thin cutting plates (adjustable via the touchscreen) are held securely by vacuum to ensure precise die cutting and creasing. The optional hydraulic chase system enables tools to be quickly and easily fitted.
 
Pharming A.S., one of the Czech Republic’s leading packaging manufacturers, relied on a series of competitive die cutters until a modernization project prompted the company to investigate a wider range of offerings.
 
“We were pleasantly surprised by the robustness of the Dymatrix, which boasted high precision cutting and a long service life. The installation went ahead without any hitches and the system currently is working to full capacity, just as we had hoped,” said Pharming Director Václav Klomínek,
 
Added Joseph Knobloch, head of production and sales, “While it can take up to three hours to set up the older machines, the Dymatrix needs no more than an hour for the entire setup process.”
 
A Singular Offering
Hammer GmbH in Lübeck, Germany installed a pair of Dymatrix 106 Pro CSB die cutters from Heidelberg to handle the output from a Speedmaster XL 105-6+L press. Hammer’s production operations focus on demanding jobs with long runs and high finishing quality, and are geared primarily towards producers of branded goods in the food industry.
 
“To be successful in this market segment, we need the most cost-effective and technically advanced solutions,” explained Plant Manager Ralf Linnerth. “The technical reliability of the machines plays a key role for us because we work in three shifts 5.5 days a week. That's why we need a partner [that] is able to meet these requirements reliably in the long term - and can also provide us with fast, efficient service after the sale,” he added. “We opted for two new die cutters from Heidelberg thanks primarily to the company's complete end-to-end concept, which no other manufacturer was able to offer on the same scale.”
 
Heidelberg Dymatrix die cutters offer precise, reliable automatic die cutting with minimal tolerance to ensure optimum results. High register accuracy means that each sheet is die cut at exactly the same position. The universal, end-to-end Heidelberg control concept enables fast, intuitive operation. Heidelberg Dymatrix die cutters feature a nonstop high-performance feeder for secure, end-to-end transport of the die-cut sheet into the feed station. Combined with the fast, intuitive operation, this ensures maximized productivity with greatly reduced downtimes.

Just-in-Time? No Problem
August Faller KG took delivery of two new Dymatrix 106 Pro CSB die cutters at its folding carton PharmaServiceCenter in Waldkirch, Germany. The installations enable Faller to boost its productivity and delivery capability.
 
“Investing in two Dymatrix die cutters from Heidelberg underscores our strategy of focusing on our just-in-time manufacturing philosophy,” said Waldkirch plant manager Nikolaus Reichenbach.
 
Depending on the model in question, Heidelberg Dymatrix die cutters can process a range of sheet formats up to 57”, as well as cut, emboss, and score paper from 80 gsm board to 2,000 gsm, and corrugated board to .16” thick. Each works according to the principle of a mobile upper platen, and features an innovative register system in all stations. Motorized fine adjustment of the die cutting plate enables optimum reproducibility with minimal makeready times, particularly for repeat jobs.
 
“We need to achieve greater efficiency in maintenance and service expenditure in terms of lean management,” said Dr. Michael Faller, Managing Director of August Faller KG. “Competition in the pharmaceutical packaging market is fierce and we are committed to using state-of-the-art production technology to successfully retain our competitive edge.”