Inkjet & Digital Printing
LEIBINGER numbering machine innovations put on a show at drupa
Thursday 16. June 2016 - Double monitoring prevents waste in security printing
German numbering machine and marking specialist Paul LEIBINGER received an overwhelming response from visitors to this year’s drupe trade fair. Professionals from the printing industry visiting the event showed great interest in the LENservo electronically controlled random numbering system with a new, double-monitoring function and the variants for passport printing. Additionally, LEIBINGER presented its camera and marking system at the world’s leading trade fair for printing and cross media solutions.
The Paul LEIBINGER company, located in Southern Germany, developed a worldwide unique feature for its LENservo electronically controlled random numbering machine. The number wheels are checked for movement and accuracy by an additional monitoring process using magnets and a sensor strip. Additionally, an encoder continues to monitor the servo motors of the LENservo.
This double monitoring process gives printing companies the most effective position monitoring at machine startup and during production. The printing machine’s numbering cylinder switches itself off before any incorrect numbers can be printed. The latest development from the LEIBINGER company is truly a quantum leap, especially for banknote and security printing where there is absolutely no room for waste. Additionally, the high level of the LENservo’s flexibility was on display. While mechanical numbering machines offer only two options – counting forwards or backwards – the LENservo gives you complete flexibility when programming the numbering sequences.
Paul LEIBINGER also presented LENservoP variants for numbering passport documents and for single banknote numbering to the public for the first time at drupa. The numbering machine has 10 motorized number or letter wheels instead of 7 and is designed in such a way to ensure it is ideally suited to be installed into passport machines. The LENservoP is also available with 11 wheels on request. Additionally, each individual part in the LENservoP is designed to meet the specific requirements of passport printing. Number wheels, motors and lubricating grease must withstand temperatures of over 100 °C in the often-implemented hot-foil process. Visitors were able to experience the function of the LENservoP directly at the trade show stand in a simulated passport printing process.
The drupa is a tradition for the family-owned company from Tuttlingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. LEIBINGER’s first trade fair appearance at drupa was in 1954. Back then, LEIBINGER numbering machines were presented exclusively. Camera verification systems and industrial inkjet printers were added to the product portfolio in the 90’s. This year, over 79 % of the inquiries came from companies located abroad. This number shows how important the innovations from the LEIBINGER development department in Germany are in an international context.
In the verification area, LEIBINGER presented its LKS 5 camera system at drupa. This image processing system is a reliable solution for printing control and monitoring fixed data as well as variable data such as digits, letters, barcodes, 2D codes as well as for presence and logo control. The high-resolution cameras carry out the checks, decode the information and compare it with a database for correctness during ongoing production. The LKS 5 is used in the graphic, pharmaceutical and in general industry for mailing production and for the production of products relevant to safety.
Trade show visitors were given the opportunity to become familiar with the verification system on site during a live demonstration. Additionally, LEIBINGER presented the LKS 5 in a rotating system and, in doing so, simulated the real-world process in automated production as closely as possible. As an example, the numbering sequences of banknotes as well as codes on package inserts were checked on the reroller.
The LKS 5 camera system can be used as a standalone solution or in conjunction with a LEIBINGER continuous inkjet printer, which was also presented at drupa. The LEIBINGER JET3up and JET2neo inkjet printers mark all possible products and materials such as cardboard and paper – without ever making contact – imprinting fixed and variable data such as expiration dates, LOT/batch numbers or codes. The marking process takes place during ongoing production. Different product surfaces, regardless of whether they are convex, concave, rough, flat, smooth or structured, can be labeled in this process. LEIBINGER inkjet printers are known for the highest levels of reliability thanks to the automated Sealtronic nozzle seal. This technology prevents ink from drying, even during long shut-down periods. During pauses in production, the gutter and the nozzle form an airtight circuit. This ensures the printers themselves are ready to go within a minute after long shut-down periods – and without cleaning cycles.