Masterflute Power Aligner – Alignment Unit for Litho-laminator

Project description

Helbling developed an alignment unit for Asitrade (now Bobst Grenchen) that is used on high-performance litho-laminators to precisely align and synchronize preprinted sheets with the continuous corrugated board line. With its revolutionary mechatronic process, the Power Aligner ventures into entirely new dimensions of performance. Helbling worked together with Asitrade to draft initial ideas, designed and built the unit, and drew up the full range of production documents. Once the first systems had been set up at customers’ premises, Helbling took over project management on behalf of Asitrade.

The alignment technology previously in use, which involved front stops and side lays, had reached several different limits, namely with regard to speed, precision and the types of paper that could be used. Asitrade approached Helbling with a desire to overcome these limits through innovative technologies and, in doing so, significantly boost the system’s performance. This kind of multidimensional improvement in performance is an objective that Helbling is very familiar with from many other projects. What qualified Helbling for this specific project was the company’s solid mechatronics expertise, which is evident in many different examples of high-performance mechanical engineering systems. Other decisive factors included Helbling’s neutral point of view as an outsider, as well as its ability to incorporate the customer’s expertise into each and every phase of the development process.