All converters are looking to improve their set-up times, but many overlook one important point that influences this. Rust builds up inside the platen (on the upper and lower beam) and is a continuous process. The rust molecules have a thickness 10 times more than iron and are not stable. Rust, combined with dust and lubricants creates unstable zones in the machine and results in more patching time, problems obtaining a good cut quality for difficult jobs, higher pressure and a shorter life time of the dies. But now there is a solution, from Box-Office BVBA.
Depending on the state of the machine it is possible to reduce patching by up to 60-70% and work with lower pressure. Also, the cut is cleaner so less problems of angel hair. To obtain these results it is necessary to regularly clean the platen upper and lower beam. But this is not always easy to do, due to the limited space between the beams.
Dirk Heselmans, an ex-Bobst technician, developed a system so that customers can clean their die-cutters themselves without fear of damaging the platen and without the need of a skilled technician to do it. The chain of the machine does not have to be dismantled to use this cleaning system and so cleaning can be done quickly, limiting production stops.
Since the development of this solution, more then 100 systems have been sold worldwide. One of the largest global converters purchased more then 25 systems for their different plants. With more than 100 die-cutters in production, each minute lost in set-up time costs money. Previously, they felt that cleaning 2-3 times per year was sufficient but now they tend to clean each month to ensure the shortest set-up times possible.
To limit the set-up time and patching to a minimum, zone patching is recommended after cleaning. An important item to check is the state of your chase plates. If you can feel, with your fingernail, the imprint of the first knife, then it is time to change them. Estimated lifetime of a chase plate running on three shifts is between two and three years – working longer with the same plate will damage dies and will cost more in set-up time.
The BCS beam cleaning system is a complete system. It comes in three parts, is light weight and very easy to set-up. The upper and lower beam are cleaned at the same time by an upper and lower pad that can be covered with sand paper (for first cleaning) and Scotch Brite for final cleaning. In between, there is a pneumatic cylinder that exerts about the same pressure as if you were rubbing it by hand, so damaging the platen is not possible. The movement of the system is manual (push-pull). An eccentric sander completes the system for cleaning the chase plates and support plate/die-cutting plate. The cleaning and lubrication products that complete the system are food safe (even Halal).
The system is plug-and-play. Not all die-cutters have the same maximum opening of the beams. To make the set-up and use of the system as fast as possible, the pressure is pre-set based on the type of machine. When cleaning regularly, the cleaning can be done in less then one hour. For more information, visit this page.
