Esko unveiled the first of their completely redesigned Konsgberg digital finishing system at the SGIA 2013 Expo in Orlando, Florida, with the installs expected to begin early 2014.
- The new Esko Kongsberg C64, debuted at SGIA 2013 in Florida
The first in an entirely new range of super-wide finishing tables, the Kongsberg C64 clocks in 3.2 metres wide and is a response to industry pressures for increased productivity, faster turnaround times, greater flexibility with a variety of materials. For the new Kongsberg C range Esko have gone back scratch and reinvented the wheel, tackling current industry challenges and requirements from first principles. Developed in close consultation with their extensive customer-base, Esko views the Kongsberg C as the fastest and most versatile table in its class.
Tom Naess, Esko product manager CAM, explains, “This is not scaled up from a light duty finishing table – it’s a completely re-engineered platform after a decade of the highly successful and well-known Kongsberg X-series. We wanted to make sure that it was designed for 24/7 production and semi-industrial environments. Along the substantial flexibility, the new, wider format perfectly fits modern 3.2 metre wide format printers, working with wide rolls and wide sheets.”
The Kongsberg C64 model works with 126” wide x 126” long (3.210 mm by 3.200 mm) materials, perfectly fitting modern wide format printers. Also available is the Kongsberg C60 model, accommodating 126” wide x 63” long (3.210 mm x 1.600 mm) sizes. Covering more than 10 feet across the table, a unique, extremely rigid, carbon-composite traverse beam assures excellent precision and supports high speed, fast acceleration, high quality creasing and exclusive, powerful 3kW milling capabilities. The Kongsberg C always produces high quality finishing results, with no left/right/middle variances due to traverse bending. Optimised for a wider range for more demanding materials, the production speed is able to remain constant through even the most complex jobs, without sacrificing quality or throughput.
The Kongsberg C also offers strong versatility for all sign, display and packaging applications. New tool covers offer clean, fast changing of the full range of Kongsberg XP tooling. Customers no longer need to invest in different digital finishing devices for different applications, the Kongsberg C suits all production needs – rolls, sheets, corrugated, milling – offering a more effective and smaller footprint solution than multiple system alternatives.
Not only has the new solution been completely re-engineered, but the design has been fully reworked to apply to highest standards of industrial design and meet operators’ needs for ergonomics and safety. Despite its size, control for the Kongsberg C has been effectively streamlined, from a new, simple interface to the ease of replacing interchangeable tools on the table, helping to reduce operator error.
The new workstation mounts on any corner of the machine. A new maneuvering concept places an integrated joystick and operator panel on the traverse. It can be mounted on either side of the table, and a second operator panel can also be added. For easy loading and unloading, the new conveyor option can be manually jogged in both directions.