By Antony Whiteside, Managing Director, Absolute Engineering Ltd
SubscribeAbsolute Engineering have made huge progress over the last 12 months, with a 100% increase in upgrades on existing post printers in the Corrugated sector. The success of the upgrade to Woven carbon fiber chambers is due to three unique factors:
1) Woven Carbon Fiber
Absolute is the only manufacturer of Woven chambers. The material used is critical, as many post printers are only fastened to the crossbar at 3 or4 locations across the machine.
If the chamber is inherently weak, then it can twist along the unsupported sections. Obviously, a warped chamber is a disaster, and will cause huge print consistency problems. Only Absolute woven carbon fiber has the unique combination of rigidity, 15 year guarantee against corrosion, and ink repelling finish to ensure easy cleaning.
2) Innovative Clamp System
The Absolute clamp system is completely tool less, and ensures that the blade is held perfectly flat. This ensures consistent blade wear, and correspondingly perfect tone match across the web. In addition, the time taken to change blade is massively reduced. Absolute recently fitted out a Langston Jumbo for SCA North America.
Johnny Jackson, the Production Manager at this facility commented" ....our doctor blade change time has dropped from 120 minutes to 15 minutes....'' With just one factor generating a 88% reduction in downtime it is clear to see how a payback analysis on a rebuild project can be constructed.
3) Purpose designed units
Each chamber is designed specifically for the particular machine model. During 2004 Absolute supplied 3 downs for a Ward 113''Žat Great Northern Corrugated in Appleton. The installation of the chambers, crossbars and loading systems was quick and trouble free, and was followed immediately by a new customer run.
Mike Moran, production manager at GNC was delighted, confirming that "....the customer run went very well, and the 3 color printing was AWESOME" Absolute followed this with another installation for GNC on a United.
This was a completely different design, incorporating the existing crossbar arrangement. The ability to incorporate usable components of the print head and customize the design to involve minimum downtime for the install is fundamental to Absolute's strategy.
Antony Whiteside of Absolute confirmed" we produce a unique design for each machine, such as Langston, Gopfert or Bobst / Martin. This ensures that there is no compromise in performance and gives the customer the best possible solution, ensuring rapid optimisation and the fastest possible payback.
The combination of these factors present an unbeatable combination, and help to explain why Absolute are proving to be the supplier of choice for plants that demand measurable returns on investment.
Absolute now have agents in most areas of the USA, as well as a facility in Atlanta GA.