Bobst launched the connected label press, M1 IoT, as the drive to incorporate the Internet of Things (IOT) technology is high in the industry. The capability to access, in real time from remote devices, a constant stream of data relating to the manufacturing process and workflow, brings countless advantages to operational profitability and the quality of the output.
Matteo Cardinotti, Head of Product Line Narrow and mid-web multi-process and converting Product Line and Managing Director of Bobst Firenze said, ‘Remote monitoring and IoT are set to become industry standards. However, although increasingly widespread, connectivity is often still only considered in the realm of a higher class of equipment. We are changing this: the new M1 IoT is the first mechanical shaft connected label press suitable for a large part of the market, bringing the possibility to tap into the benefits offered by IoT to the widest number of converters.’
All the features of the M1 IoT press were explained in detail to the audience at the Labelexpo Southeast Asia, during demonstrations of two different mock-production label jobs, which ran seven times each day of the show. The jobs addressed the requirements of the beer and perfume film labels market segments. Alongside the actual jobs being printed, one also featured cold foil and die cutting in one pass.
Connectivity of the M1 IoT is through the Bobst PrintTutor camera fitted on every unit, which delivers Artificial Intelligence capabilities to eliminate the fallacies of human intervention in setting up the press, bringing it automatically in register colour after colour and keeping the register during all phases of the production cycle. The operator does not need to adjust the register at speed variation and the register adjustment at job change is almost immediate, generating on average 20m of substrate waste during the demonstrations on stand at the show.
Federico d’Annunzio, Strategic Products Marketing Director, Bobst Business Unit Web-fed explained, ‘All the M1 IoT press production data is accessible from remote devices, such as smart phones, iPads or tablets, PC and the like, 24/7. It can be stored and shared on the company intranet and can be digitally analysed to enable active troubleshooting or streamline efficiency.’
An area of the stand dedicated to BOBST innovative services demonstrated the advantages of a range of web apps available for BOBST machines. A new Remote Monitoring App makes it possible to analyse information received in real time from a press and monitor production performance.
A Downtime Tracking App reports machine stops, analyses their cause, measures the efficiency of the intervention with a view to understand the root of the problem, correct it and improve productivity. And the Open Interface App connects with the production workshop, enabling a faster input of clients’ orders to act upon those without delay.
