Custom retrofit for Taiwan label converter

Wen Lung Printing Industry Co Ltd, a label printer in the southern part of Taiwan, recently installed a modified Martin Automatic STS butt splicer and STR turret rewinder on its existing Sanjo letterpress to enable non stop productivity. 

According to David Ho, general manager of Martin Automatic Asia Pacific, the customer is very pleased. ‘As with many of our first time customers, the results are even better than they expected. Mr Chang, general manager of Wen Lung, reports a 33 per cent improvement in productivity and better than three per cent savings in material usage. Non stop splicing saves material that had previously been thrown away because of stopping and starting the press, and they can run the butt rolls that they also used to throw away.’

Ho continued: ‘Mr Chang reports that printing quality has become more consistent. The benefit of greater consistency was amplified as productivity increased. The customer was very excited about the higher level of quality they now achieve as a result of adding the Martin Automatic butt splicer and turret rewinder.’

As in many Asian printing companies, limited space posed a challenge. The STS splicer and STR rewinder are already very compact. For this application, Martin designed each with a built in air turn bar to allow them to be installed perpendicular to the press line. The STS splicer also features a tension isolation dancer for improved web tension control on the press, which is more than 10 years old.

‘The customer is thinking about buying another set of the STS and STR for a second press line. This confirms the outstanding value of integrating Martin’s automatic roll changing capabilities into existing printing lines,’ reported Ho.