Tony Bell, Sales Director of A B Graphic International Ltd in the UK stated: “Many of the major retailers are aiming to source packaging from only sustainable and renewable sources and printers are becoming increasingly aware of concerns about the environment. This is a complex issue in many aspects of manufacturing and everyday life and the Vectra Glue-less line can certainly help printers meet some of the criteria”.

The glue-less start Vectra SGTR has been designed to meet the increasing demand for a clean breakaway of labels from the core. A specially designed system automatically holds the labels to the core at the start of a new roll without stopping the converting equipment. This eliminates the hot melt glue bath and associated refill stoppages and since there are no glue transfer wheels, set-up is faster. The machine is optimised for processing applications that will not tolerate any traces of glue on the web such as with thermal printers where traces of glue can build-up and damage the processing heads.

Comments Al Spendlow, VP of A B Graphic International Ltd’s operations in the USA: “In the States we have addressed environmental issues with our glue-less turret range that has seen renewed interest in the Vectra SGTR model and increased sales. Obviously, the focus has been the eradication of glue and in some cases cores by simply changing the rewind mandrels”.

The Vectra SGTR can be supplied for web widths of 330mm (13”), 410mm (16”) and 510mm (20”). Options include a closed loop tension control system with servo drive technology coupled with load cell rollers to enable delicate and perforated webs to be rewound without breaking and a print and apply labeling system that will close the finished rolls with a printed label.

An automatic core loader is also available that enables transfer of the cores from a vibratory bowl feeder directly onto the rewind spindles. This enables the cores to be correctly positioned on the rewind mandrel, even when spaces are required in between the cores. To complete this fully automated line-up, a delivery conveyor can be specified to take the finished roll from the rewind spindle directly onto a packaging conveyor, eliminating the need for handling the finished rolls between operations.