Ahmedabad-based Creative Printers retrofits AMS UV curing system

Packaging specialist, Creative Printers, has installed the Air Motion Systems (AMS) sheetfed Peak 3 UV curing system on its Komori LS 529, a five-colour plus coater with extended delivery, which made it easy for the retrofit. The system is installed by Faridabad-based APL Machinery, Indian representative for AMS.

18 Aug 2015 | By PrintWeek India

The pre-owned Komori LS 529 was installed at the firm’s premises in Ahmedabad two years ago. The Creative plant also boast of a two-colour Heidelberg press; Maxima, Heidelberg and Shivshakti die-cutting machines; Bobst and Cartonal folder-gluers and among others.
 
The over five-decade old firm manufactures cartons, labels, packaging inserts and promotional materials for clients from the pharma and textile industries. Before the retrofit of AMS system, the firm outsourced its coating requirements.
 
“We were looking for a system that would quicken our turnaround time, wouldn’t pile on our already constraint space, save on electricity, as well as save on wastage we have had to incur while outsourcing,” said Raj Mehta, a director at Creative. “The AMS has done exactly that. Also after sending the extra sheets, there was no way we could find out how many sheets have come back. Short number meant we had to reprint the job all over again, even for small quantities. And given the space constraint, an offline system was not an option.”
 
While there are Indian manufacturers, like APL in India, who manufacture such cassettes, the AMS P3 two-cassette system incorporates features that are adapted to the demands of high speed printing. “One, it’s the speed at which it dries. In the APL system, the machine can be run at a maximum speed of up to 7,000sph with three cassettes at 100% intensity while in AMS at 13,000sph with two cassettes with 60% intensity. That means half the number of lamps required to cure the sheets. That’s reduced our energy cost,” said Mehta.
 
The P3 module components can be changed, checked and cleaned quickly, without tools, said Mehta. “The plug-and-play-style locking mechanism made for easy installation easy and maintenance, making it a flexible system to have.”
 
The company has invested in a site in Ahmedabad’s printing hub, Changodhar, where it will eventually move with plans of installing more AMS systems on the press. “The idea was to start with an online cassette on the machine, and if it works, we add more cassettes after each unit, to enable us to use UV inks. We are on course for that move,” said Mehta.

Creative produces 15 packaging jobs per day converting 100 tonnes of paper and paperboard per month.