Presse-, Druck- und Verlags-GmbH – Reliability in securing goods for transit in the print sector

In the print industry strapping technology has proven to be cost efficient in the use of energy and materials and in most cases the lowest cost method of securing goods for transit. Therefore many well-known print and publishing houses rely on strapping technology from MOSCA, such as Presse-, Druck- und Verlags-GmbH in Augsburg / Gemany:

Among other newspaper products the „Augsburger Allgemeine Zeitung“ is produced with a total print run of 370,000 paper sheets and 24 regional print runs and is one of the biggest subscription newspapers in Germany. Modern rotary printing machines produce newspapers with up to 48 pages in a four-coloured print and the so-called “Palatinate“ format. Up to 15 target-group inserts can be commissioned per copy. Every year 25,000 tons of paper and 350 tons of print colour are processed at Augsburg. All automated components have to cooperate perfectly and above all avoid a bottleneck when sending the packages.  Modern technology is necessary not only during the print of the newspapers, but also during the process in the dispatch room at Presse-, Druck- und Verlags-GmbH. This is an important aspect for the daily press as nothing is as old as yesterdays news.

Strapping machine with integrated top sheet dispenser

The Swiss company FERAG was tasked with sourcing the despatch room technology. An important topic was the security in transit which should guarantee a high measure of flexibility. Thinking about fully automatic strapping machines, FERAG decided to buy the latest innovation from engineering specialist MOSCA: the print specialists’ 12 dispatch lines are equipped with fully automatic SONIXS-TRI strapping machines including upstream laser printer and integrated top sheet dispenser.

“This integrated top sheet dispenser with upstream laser printer for our delivery notes was an important factor in our decision”, explains Robert Scheuffelhut, head of the Processing Centre at Presse-, Druck- und Verlags-GmbH. “After all we could save between 60 and 70cm space for each line and the yearly print costs of the dispatch notes could be reduced. Furthermore the top sheet is fixed by the longitudinal strapping immediately after being dispensed; the sheets do not slip or get lost. In addition the machine is very flexible. If requested, special top sheets can be manually fed and if a delivery note has to be discharged it is not a problem at all.“

The longitudinal strapping is connected to the stacker. The integrated (adjustable) lateral guidance of the machine prevents the newspaper bundles, which can be up to 35 cm high, from slipping before being strapped. “This is a special advantage for newspapers with numerous inserts“, says Scheuffelhut. The bundles are dispensed with the top sheet, longitudinally strapped, packed in a film and then laterally strapped by the SONIXS-TR strapping machine.

Ultrasonic sealing technology: efficient, energy-saving and reliable

Both machine types use the latest ultrasonic technology to its full capability – a technology that also convinced the Augsburger company: “Ultrasonic sealing does not only provide speed advantages”, emphasises Scheuffelhut. “There is residue build up to dispose of due to melting strap when using the uncontrolled heating system, the sealing quality is reduced and additionally the heat-weld sealing heads require additional maintenance. Ultrasonic sealing requires no heating time. Energy is only needed during sealing as opposed to the heat-weld system; no special temperatures have to be maintained. This results in energy saving“, says Scheuffelhut. „SONIXS-machines run in stand-by-operation when only a few bundles are processed. As the ultrasonic sealing head is immediately ready for operation, the machine has to be activated during sealing only. Furthermore the strapping machines are equipped with electromechanical presses and backstops – thus the energy and cost-intensive pneumatics can be spared.” 

And last but not least the energy consumption is reduced as the sealing heads operate with maintenance-free brushless DC motors. At the same time the direct drives reduce the amount of mechanical wearing-parts previously used, therefore keeping the maintenance effort to a minimum. 

Pallet strapping machine with integrated stretch wrapper

The strapping machines in the dispatch room work at a speed of up to 30 cycles per minute and could be easily integrated into the automated lines; they have also proven to be the most efficient and economical method. The customer in Augsburg is satisfied with the selection and they will plan further projects with MOSCA GmbH in the future.

“We will also use the advantages of the ultrasonic sealing technology for the palletised print products. Two fully automatic pallet strapping lines, type KZV-111 with integrated stretch wrapper will be installed to secure palletised good during transport to the end-customer”, says Scheuffelhut. The multi-purpose combi-lines can vertically strap up to 40 Euro-pallets per hour. In addition to the stretch wrapper a 2.6m wide packing press is installed.