January / February 2023 26 xxxxx II have written about a number of machines in the past where the solution to increasing efficiency is to wrap a number of processes into one overall fully encompassing device. The thought process is very simple, if the lack of efficiency is due to downtime or machine capacity, then you write this out of the series of processes by doing it all in one. However, this can be misplaced and the thought process may hold up providing each process does not have a drop in efficiency. If process one is only 85% as efficient as it can be, the problem can be that the next process will only start with 85% of the whole, meaning that if process two is again only 85% efficient, the overall efficiency now drops to 72%. Add another process as efficient as the others then overall efficiency is now at 61% of the whole. This compounding of numbers can tumble into what seemed to be a good idea to only be 52% efficient overall after four combined processes. But, get each of these processes as close to 100% efficiency as you can, then the coupling up of multiple processes can not only improve delivery time, it can reduce the manning of other individual machines as well as provide delivery times at record levels. Having seen many machines fail to use of what are called Smart Trays which are a series of eleven transport carts, each holding a sheet up to B1 in size. Electromagnetic linear motors drive each of these Smart Trays around the production loop with virtually no vibration and almost perfect registration. A vacuum holds the sheets perfectly flat on the Smart Trays and there is a lot of clever engineering to ensure even though these trays are moving around a large loop, they are constantly kept flat and in register for each process. The MGI has a 4.5-tonne marble slab underneath the printing head section to ensure there is no chance of the Smart Tray or sheet distorting or vibrating. This ensures the 1,600 x 1,600 dpi print head can produce the most exciting of printed output. To enter and exit the production loop, there are infeed and delivery systems MGI AlphaJET 4.0 The new MGI AlphaJET 4.0 has been described as a complete solution for packaging, personalised print, and post-press processes all rolled into one machine. Brian Sims takes a closer look B1 Substrate size A factory within a factory live up to this utopian status, it is very pleasing to see one new concept that looks very capable of turning theory into practice, namely the MGI Digital Technology AlphaJET Factory 4.0. The machine is being released to the market in partnership with Konica Minolta and one has been installed in the new AlphaJET Democenter which has been established for demonstrations in a dedicated Center of Competence at Konica Minolta’s premises in Paris. Plenty under the surface MGI has taken the decision to attack the issue of producing high-quality fully finished work in one machine. This means taking four-colour printing, spot UV coating, flat or embossed hot foil finishing, and variable data with personalisation and do everything within one machine. The layout of what is obviously a large machine is in itself very clever. Rather than have the processes in a line making the machine extremely long, MGI has actually put the processes in a loop. The substrate is transported from one process application to another by the Rather than have the processes in a line making the machine really long, MGI has put the process in a loop (700 x 1100mm) MGI has decided to adopt water-based inkjet heads for the AlphaJET 4.0, as the company feels the future is much more aligned to the stronger eco-credentials of water-based inks The AlphaJET 4.0 was developed in partnership with Konica Minolta and MGI
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