Drupa 2024 live: Bobst leverages machine learning and AI for packaging optimization

28 May 2024 --- Bobst is demonstrating how machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) can be harnessed to elevate packaging production at the ongoing Drupa 2024 in Düsseldorf, Germany. We caught up with Christian Zeller, head of marketing for the Printing & Converting business unit, on the show floor to explore the Swiss machinery company’s latest solutions.

“Overall, Bobst is active in four packaging industries: folding cartons, flexible packaging, corrugated board and labels. At our Drupa booth, we have one area for each of the industries and one centerpiece because what is common for all these industries is that we are connecting all the machines together with Bobst Connect, our cloud-based software platform,” Zeller tells Packaging Insights.

At the event, the company launched two major new features for Bobst Connect: Workflow with Job and Recipe Management enables customers to seamlessly integrate Bobst machines in their production and design workflows and benefit from bi-directional job and recipe data synchronization for fast set-up and increased productivity.

Meanwhile, the Energy Monitoring feature allows customers to measure their energy consumption and costs in real-time by collecting data across various jobs, settings and connected machines.

“With Bobst Connect, we add a data layer to the mechanical machine layer and thereby close the loop from the PDF to packaging to understand what was produced and if it matches with the packaging specification from the beginning, ensuring 100% quality and supporting our claim of ‘zero fault packaging,’ for example, in folding cartons,” explains Zeller.

“We also have our Job and Recipe Management system, where you can say, this is the job and the recipe for new or repeat orders, and I want to print or fold or cut, and define the areas where you need the quality to be checked. Then, at the end, our system called Accucheck compares everything that has been produced with the master PDF file to ensure the quality.”Bobst Connect, a cloud-based digital platform, forms the centerpiece of the company’s Drupa 2024 display.

Focus on flexibles
At Drupa 2024, Bobst is showcasing its latest flexible packaging solutions, including a new machine for enhanced digitalization and automation. The Smartgravure innovation helps to overcome the important set-up time and tuning needed with gravure printing, which requires high level operator skills.

With automated color management, digitalized set-up and controls and connectivity with Bobst Connect, Smartgravure can increase productivity and output consistency, reduce downtime and complexity and offer sustainability benefits, according to the company.

“Our vision for the packaging industry is mainly about four pillars, matching with the big trends like sustainability, connectivity, digitization and automation. We have good examples of how we are realizing and implementing machine learning and AI, such as the new Bobst intelligent Metallizing Assistant,” says Zeller.

“In flexible packaging, the big trend is toward monomaterial. We use AI and machine learning for an automated process that optimizes the vacuum metalizing production and delivers 100% quality every time.”

The Bobst AI-driven intelligent Metallizing Assistant represents a breakthrough in machine-integrated process expertise for vacuum metallizing. It supports the machine operator by automating the deposition process, resulting in more output and consistency of the end product and ensuring that customers always have the best operator on their machine.Bobst focuses on four packaging industries: folding cartons, flexible packaging, corrugated board and labels.

Sustainable machinery
Meanwhile, Bobst’s commitment to sustainability — both for its own operations and helping its customers to achieve their sustainability goals — is reflected across multiple streams and in all the new solutions on display at the show.

The company has stated that all new machines purchased in 2024 will benefit from at least 10–20% efficiency and productivity improvements, including reductions in waste, substrate and energy usage.

Bobst is also exhibiting a new machine with new elements of digitalization for folding carton production, which increases performance by up to 20% with increased throughput and a positive sustainability impact.

In the corrugated board space, the company now offers a wide range of robotic solutions for loading and palletizing, which will allow configuration of complete and seamless production lines for its customers.

By Joshua Poole, with live reporting from Louis Gore-Langton at Drupa 2024 in Düsseldorf, Germany

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