Benson Group installs three Surfscan inspection systems

Folding carton specialist Benson Group, based in the UK, has commissioned three systems from Surfscan Technologies as part of a major upgrade of its Medica Packaging label production lines: Checkproof, Checkrewind and the new Checkpress Colour will inspect all pharmaceutical labels 100 percent of the time. Another feature of the vision system is the ability to re-inspect labels to ensure that all waste is removed and the capability to verify barcodes and consecutively number each label all in one pass.

Medica Packaging is believed to be the first company in the country to install the Checkpress Colour system, a technological advancement that enables an entire moving web to be scanned and monitored in full color with built-in zoom and the capability of PDF comparison with original artwork.

‘I had identified three suppliers of vision systems to trial for our new label production facility at Medica Packaging,’ said Charlie McGrath, the company’s label and leaflets manager. ‘The pharma industry is demanding of it's printed components and a vision system is almost a “given” in label production. Our criteria was to find a system that could meet these exacting demands and yet have the right balance for productivity and user friendliness. 

‘Being a new venture for the Benson Group, we also needed to offer our customers a comprehensive solution to quality. We decided to opt for three areas using “linescan” technology, before printing, during printing and for final inspection. We felt that Surfscan offered us the best in technology combined with the ease of use and successful integration with our equipment. Surfscan also offered a strong technical back up service and just as important, flexibility in their approach to business.’

The pharmaceutical labels line includes a Gallus EM340S press with a Scantech VisionTrack rewind in addition to the three inspection systems from Surfscan Technologies for its pharmaceutical-focused Medica packaging business.

‘We are now able to offer pharmaceutical customers the creation of cartons, leaflets and labels all from one production site,’ said Mark Kerridge, Benson Group managing director. ‘Single site production helps to ensure consistency of print quality across all three elements, as well as offering customers the facility to purchase a complete packaging kit.’

The 7-color Gallus EM340S UV flexo press is capable of a wide range of pharmaceutical label production formats, including reverse printing, printing on adhesive, edge slit, in-line die cutting, as well as printing onto a wide range of substrates, from paper to unsupported film, with weights from 25 microns through to 400 microns. The flexibility of the machine means that other printing processes and label formats such as silkscreen, foil blocking and ‘peel 'n' read’ can be added to the machine at anytime. Print production will use Benzophenone free, low-odor printing inks, suited for both food and pharmaceutical packaging requirements. Anticipated average production speed of the machine is in the region of 80 meters per minute.

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