PS PrintService is the second user in the world to launch the operation of the new MetalStar 4
Industrial design perfection: the new MetalStar 4. (Credit: Koenig & Bauer AG)
PS PrintService has worked with metal decorating presses from Koenig & Bauer MetalPrint ever since it opened its plant in Neuhaus-Schierschnitz in the German state of Thuringia in 2004. Operating as a local, mid-size company, its main business is the decoration and finishing of metal sheets for use in the production of crown corks and aluminium screw caps. In addition, different designs are printed for food packaging of all kinds, as well as fancy cans and tins for cosmetics products.
With its investment in a new, six-colour printing line, PS PrintService is expanding its capacities in response to demand from the market. The combination of the new MetalStar 4 and a six-colour MetalStar 2 line that was installed back in 2012 lends a significant boost to productivity. The decision in favour of the MetalStar 4 was clinched by the forward-looking digital technologies it embodies, alongside the possibilities for individual customisation to the company’s particular needs.
Project manager Thomas Meuselis convinced: “The installation of a production line of these dimensions was certainly an exciting project. And it was definitely the right decision to purchase the MetalStar 4. Koenig & Bauer has done a really good job in terms of both digitalisation and ensuring ease of handling for our operators. The press enables true digital networking. The feedback from our printers was unanimously positive from the very first day of production.
It was a bold decision to invest in a press like this in the middle of a pandemic. The challenges for both sides were enormous. Together with Koenig & Bauer we overcame all obstacles and found creative solutions to meet the planned schedule.”
The latest generation of the MetalStar press series boasts a modern design and is a real eye-catcher. The production line at PS PrintService comprises a six-colour MetalStar 4 press, a sheet management system to allow ejection and re-insertion of the metal sheets, and a triple-box stacker with overhead vacuum sheet brake. It combines maximum flexibility with ultimate production quality. The functions of the individual components are automated to achieve the shortest possible job changeover times. As a result, even short runs can be handled profitably.
The line configuration was tailored specifically to the customer’s requirements. Operation of the MetalStar 4 was shifted to the drive side so that the consoles of the new line and the existing MetalStar 2 could be installed on the same side for maximum convenience. The DensiTronic colour measurement and control system, which guarantees perfect adherence to the required colour values and automatically proposes any necessary corrections during production, was configured for use with both lines at PS PrintService. At the same time, the MetalStar 4 is equipped with an efficient ink mist extraction system that removes arising ink mist directly at the source, this being at the inking unit itself.
Source: Company Press Release