Integration between Label Traxx MIS and an ABG Digicon series 3 with Digilase at ILS will make finishing more efficient
Label Traxx has worked with AB Graphic International, Esko and its customer Innovative Labeling Solutions (ILS) to develop full integration between with its management information system (MIS) and the Digilase digital laser cutter.
The aim of the collaboration was to speed up job changeover and increase throughput in the Ohio-based printing company’s digital finishing department.
The integration enables ABG’s Digilase to pre-process a job in advance so that when a barcode printed on the web is scanned, the digital finisher knows which job it is running, is ready to cut the correct die line and the slitting knives are positioned automatically: Label Traxx’s new API (application programming interface) module feeds the Digilase data in real time as production is processed. Esko’s Automation Engine creates the step and repeat of the job using data supplied by the MIS. There is a trigger in the file plan that runs the API. Label Traxx then creates and transfers the job data the Digilase requires via XML and generates an SVG (scalable vector graphic) file to give the laser a path to cut. The Digilase takes the vector file and plots each burst of the laser. Set-up time on the finishing machine is therefore minimised.
‘We already have Label Traxx integrated with Esko’s Automation Engine,’ explained ILS owner Jay Dollries. ‘However, the volume of job changes has meant that a clear bottleneck was looming in finishing. We are extremely pleased with the outcome of this project.’
Ken Meinhardt, Label Traxx president, said, ‘Together we have solved a real issue for our mutual customer ILS and we have successfully miminised set-up time on the Digilase finishing machine. This will enable them to finish a higher volume of digital label jobs every day.’
