Uflex’s engineering business showcased four machines at the 5-day exhibition, IndiaPlast 2019, held at IndiaExpo Centre in Greater Noida from 28 February 2019 to 4 March 2019. The first is the CI flexo press, a top-of-the-line upgraded machine at speeds up to 400 meter per minute. It’s an upgraded model – ideal replacement for imported machines, according to the company. The second machine is the extrusion coating and lamination machine, which again is a 400 meter per minute machine. The other machines displayed at the show are solvent-less laminator and plastic waste recycling machine.
CI flexo press
Engineering business of Uflex displayed four machines at IndiaPlast 2019. The first is a CI flexo press, Uflexo, with high automation level in the form of sleeves and anilox removal system. The press is an upgraded version of its earlier models. “The press runs at speeds up to 400 meter per minute and all its drives, PLCs and complete electronics system are sourced from a single manufacturer. This gives customers the advantage to look at a single window for any type of problems. Further, these systems are very well synchronized since they are from a single brand,” said Ajay Tandon president and chief executive officer, engineering business at Uflex Limited.
The 120-mm thick side frames of the press provides stability while running and contribute to reducing the cylinder bounce. “The level of automation in Uflexo is higher than any other comparable machines. The press is easy to operate, and offers very fast registration. Users can learn to run the machine under a very short learning curve,” said Tandon.
Uflexo Elisa is the resultant of a technology transfer agreement that took place during drupa 2016 between Uflex and Italy-based Comiflex SRL to manufacture CI Flexo printing presses in India. “The project of CI flexo was started by us several years ago. We had scouted around the world for a proper technology considering the needs of the Indian market as well as the latest possible features at an Indian cost of manufacturing. This is how we came across Comiflex. We decided to bring a technology which is latest in features where operator intervention is bare minimum. In other words, the automation level has to be high. We decided this and brought a suitable technology to India where not only the compensations for plates and analogs can be given in an auto mode but same can be set through for the washing and inking system, and for the chamber doctor blades. Job change over time has been reduced to a matter of minutes against hours. These are certain achievements which make the press highly operator friendly,” said Sanjay Sabharwal, executive vice president, engineering business, Uflex Limited.
Extrusion coating and lamination machine
Engineering business of Uflex presented its top-of-the-line extrusion coating and lamination machine EX LAM 400 at the event. With a sturdy, heavy structure to handle thick and thin laminates, EX LAM 400 has been designed with line speed of 400 meters per minute. With significant improvements made against its older variants, the modified machine with European designed features have especially been made suitable to the Indian conditions.
“This is a product which the Indian market needed for a long time. With the support of our management, when we decided to give this product to the Indian market, we became the proud first company to launch it. We have been able to shift buyers, where they had no choice but to buy an imported machine, to an Indian extrusion coating and lamination machine. People have been trying to use polymer for lamination instead of adhesives for several reason including cost. So there has been a demand for more and more extrusion coating lamination in the market. We have already sold about six machines since its launch at PlastIndia 2018 about a year ago. Three more machines are on the shop floor while a few more are in the pipeline,” said Sabharwal.
Solvent-less laminator
The third machine that was on display at IndiaPlast 2019 was the solvent-less laminator, Super-S-1300. “We have been making this machine for last 15 years. The machine displayed here is again with certain improvements to give value to our customers,” said Tandon. Super-S-1300 has added features of running metalized structures up to a speed of 300 meters per minute, whereas all other structures can be run up to a speed of 450 meters per minute. The machine offers microprocessor based thermo-regulation system to maintain optimum temperature of steel rollers. Its unwinder, rewinder, coating, lamination and metering are all controlled by digital drive and motors.
MLP recycling machine
In addition to the three machines, Uflex also displayed a recycling machine at the Green Pavilion of IndiaPlast where multi-layer plastic waste was recycled into pellets through a fairly simple method. The subsequent process of pellets being manufactured into useful industrial and household products was showcased simultaneously. For this, a injection moulding machine from another company was put adjacent to the Uflex recycling machine showing products being made from recycled granules. Essential products manufactured from recycled pellets like benches, floor and wall tiles, ladder etc. were displayed at the Green Pavilion highlighting how multi-layer plastic waste can not only be recycled, but also re-used.