Diana X 135

Diana X 135 Folder Gluer from Heidelberg Demonstrates Benefits for Customers in Field Trials

Ease of use, high production reliability, and up to 50 percent increased productivity

A & R Carton in Kriftel near Frankfurt has been testing the Diana X 135 folder gluer for over three months with positive results. Presented for the first time at drupa 2004 by Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg), this machine boasts a new safety and automation concept and integrated gluing and quality control. The modular design of the Diana X 135 makes possible customized solutions, enabling the printshop A & R Carton, which produces a wide variety of complicated packagings, to adapt the machine to its specific requirements. This full-service print shop employs 150 staff. Two-thirds of production is for confectionery and cosmetics packagings while the other third is divided between food and non-food. Up to 20,000 tons of board leave the plant every year. "We specialize in high-quality packaging solutions and cater for the entire value-added chain," says Plant Manager, Ralf Schmidt.

The Diana X 135 has blended seamlessly into the production process. The separate servo-drive technology in each module enables the machine to be configured flexibly and without complications to manufacture a wider range of packaging designs than had previously been possible at A & R Carton. The rotating module opens up the possibility of manufacturing complex cartons which need to be rotated during processing. Some specialty cartons used to need two separate production passes but can now be produced in a single pass using the turning module. "As a result of the Diana X 135, we are able to offer our customers an improved level of service and more efficient production," enthuses Ralf Schmidt. The higher reliability in production provided by add-on units such as the glue line inspector and code reader ensures higher output, with an increase of between 15 and 50 percent over the previous gluer, depending on the type of carton. In the configuration option without a rotating module, the Diana X 135 achieves a performance of 650 meters per minute, which corresponds to an output of up to 200,000 cartons per hour. With the integrated rotating module, the machine can reach production speeds of up to 450 meters per minute. The maximum working width is 1,350 millimeters (53 inches). A key advantage is the four-meter folding section, which allows large carton formats to be processed too. The alignment station allows blanks to be aligned to the left or right.

There has also been a warm reception for the user-friendliness of the machine, which is generously dimensioned and can be easily accessed from all sides, enabling easy adjustment. For example, a belt can quickly be replaced at the feeder without removing shafts and maintenance is made easier. The machine is set up using the AutoSet positioning system. Production data is stored so that, in the case of a repeat job, the machine automatically moves the upper and lower roller bars to the correct position. This saves a lot of time, especially when working with complicated cartons. In order to generate the maximum number of folds and prefolds, the Diana X 135 at A & R Carton features a multi-purpose 150 module and a lockbottom module, thereby enabling four and six-corner collapsible cartons to be processed. "The machine has more than surpassed our expectations," concludes Ralf Schmidt. "It's just the machine we need for a bulging order book for the coming Christmas period," he continues.

The Diana X 135 is designed for packaging printers and postpress specialists. They can choose from four standard versions - the standard machine, a powerful compact machine, a universal machine for all standard carton styles, and a machine with a turning module for processing specialty cartons. The modular design of the Diana X 115/135 also allows for tailor-made configuration of the modules to suit customer needs. The last version is of particular interest to users who wish to gain a competitive edge with innovative and unique cartons.

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