Highcon launches Euclid at Drupa

Highcon has introduced the first fully digital cutting and creasing production option for folding cartons. The Euclid will be running live on the Highcon stand, Hall 4, Stand B28, at drupa 2012.

With no requirement for a die, and job change-overs measured in minutes rather than hours, the Euclid is said to radically change the business model for folding carton converters. It also enables converters to meet increasing customer demands for faster turnaround times and short run lengths, as well as gain additional and profitable work from both new and existing customers.

The Euclid accepts work from common production design software packages, fitting seamlessly into current workflow environments. Visitors to the Highcon booth will be able to see sample jobs prepared with the cooperation of industry leaders – board, software, digital printing and folding gluing machinery manufacturers – produced on the Euclid by its beta site, Graphica Bezalel.

With economic runs up to 10,000 sheets at 3B/ B1 (76cm x 106cm; 30” x 42”) format, the Euclid is said to handle work profitably from both conventional and digital presses.
Using standard CAD cutting and creasing information, Highcon’s patent-pending Digital Adhesive Rule Technology (DART) and precision laser optics, cutting (and perforating) and creasing can be carried out within 15 minutes of the final data being entered into the machine.

DART polymer is rapidly extruded onto a DART foil to accurately create the crease lines and then the machine is ready to run. In a constant flow, the board is creased, then automatically cut with high quality and precision by an array of lasers utilizing sophisticated and specially developed optics. The jobs then pass to the stacker ready for collection.
In addition to the many benefits of fast turnaround and short to medium run production, the Euclid can cut complex shapes not possible with conventional dies. The company added the ability to produce different cut features for each pack results in high added value.

By eliminating the bottleneck caused by waiting for die deliveries, associated delays and costs for last-minute changes, with consequent production rescheduling, the Euclid is said to increase throughput, reduce turnaround times and enable late changes.

According to Highcon, ‘The ability to cut days from production schedules means that the Euclid changes the whole economic model of folding carton converting. Typical set-up on the Euclid is projected to cut costs by up to 80 percent compared to conventional die-making costs.’

Aviv Ratzman, Highcon CEO, added, ‘Bringing digital technology to folding carton converters represents a major shift in the market. The implementation of this new technology will create numerous new packaging opportunities for converters, packaging printers and brand owners.’

Read more on Highcon here.
Read more on Drupa here.