by Melissa Donovan
Automation takes digital printing to corrugated board to the next level. Digital finishing components automate the back end—and even material handing mechanisms that move the media both at the front as well as the end of the process benefit from evident efficiencies.
Above: The Kongsberg Feeder & Stacker combination speeds up short-run production by eliminating manual handling bottlenecks and reduces both material damage and waste, without additional labor costs.
Due to the nature of corrugated board—it’s bulky and subject to warping—maintaining a consistent print and finishing process with little to no manual handling is key to processing large production runs as well as shorter, more customized orders.
Importance of Automation
Whether inline, near line, or offline, automated finishing and material handling is an important part of the corrugated digital printing equation. It is helpful to rely on automation to move these large sheets of media before and after the printing process.
According to Randi Kerkaert, product manager, Summa, “automation, whether inline, near line, or offline, is crucial in modern corrugated digital printing. It enables both personalization and standardization, reducing the minimum volume required for customization.”
“Automation of the corrugated print process is crucial for maximizing efficiency, reducing labor costs, and ensuring consistent quality,” explains Martin Thornton, executive sales manager, Zund America, Inc.
Consistency across every finished print is imperative. “Automation ensures consistency in both quality and production speed. For instance, the 100th or 1,000th sheet is processed with the same precision, accuracy, and efficiency as the first sheet eliminating variations caused by human errors. This is especially important in corrugated digital printing, where maintaining uniformity across large or short runs is key to meeting customer expectations both in quality and lead time,” explains Nimil David, product manager, robotics and automation, Kongsberg Precision Cutting Systems.
Specifically, automating the front end of the process “streamlines job preparations, reducing setup times and errors, which is essential for handling short runs. Automated material handling eliminates bottlenecks in loading materials into printers, ensuring consistent throughput,” shares David.
On the back end, David says “automation guarantees effective and efficient stacking, preventing bottlenecks that could slow down production. In order to achieve a smooth workflow with minimal manual intervention, performance of the automation machine is critical. For instance, the stacker should be able to pick up all cut details to avoid any disruption of the workflow.”
Automating both the delivery and unloading of media is key to achieving maximum productivity and quality. “Large format boards are easily damaged when manually fed to printers and cutters. Automation not only improves throughput but also reduces waste and improves the quality of the final product,” explains Rick Stark, owner, Infinite Motion Control, Inc.
It’s important to point out how influential automation is today in the labor force. “With rising labor costs and a shortage of skilled operators, front- and back-end automation ensures a 24/7 production workflow, offering a significant competitive advantage, especially in high labor cost markets,” adds Kerkaert.
“Having the correct machine to get this done quickly and efficiently is vital to a well-functioning shop. Automating the cutting is not only more efficient but necessary for high production or complex contoured cuts,” admits Jason Friesen, national CNC sales manager – sign segment, Laguna Tools.
Board Talks
Automation can be useful no matter what material is being processed, but corrugated board is a prime candidate.
“Corrugated boards are generally large and bulky, especially in larger quantities, making manual handling inefficient and labor intensive. Automated systems, such as robotic loaders, stackers, and conveyor systems reduce the need for manual intervention, improving productivity and consistent output quality,” says Thornton.
Due to the physical nature of corrugated media, it is susceptible to issues like warping and moisture variations. “This can significantly affect the quality of the final product. This also poses challenges to automated material handling, therefore, automation solutions should be developed in a way that mitigate these challenges,” explains David.
The size and structure of corrugated board makes it nearly impossible to manually load well. “As printing speeds increase it is no longer possible to manually load large format boards to match the throughput of the printer. Automation in the corrugated industry is essential in reducing human exposure to repetitive motion task injuries. Automatic feeding and stacking virtually eliminates the need for human touch,” says Stark.
According to Keith Verkem, national sales manager/senior product manager, Colex Finishing Solutions Inc., “because corrugated is usually knife cut it is ideal for conveyor belt systems to load and offload the material.”
Friesen seconds the advantage of using a knife for cutting corrugated. “This material is perfect for CNC’s equipped with a knife system. Corrugated board can be cut quickly and efficiently whether it is straight cuts or complex contoured cutting,” says Friesen.
“Pieces of corrugated board require precise cutting, creasing, and scoring to ensure proper folding and assembly. Automation ensures consistency and accuracy, reducing waste and ensuring structural integrity in packaging applications,” summarizes Thornton.
Options Aligned
Automated finishing and media handling components can run inline, offline, or near line to a digital printer. Each option has its advantages as well as disadvantages.
Inline
In this scenario, finishing and media handling mechanisms are connected directly to the printer.
“Inline pallet-to-pallet processing stands out for its efficiency, requiring the fewest touches and even enabling lights-out production,” admits Stark.
Thornton says a seamless workflow should eliminate the need for manual intervention between printing and finishing. At least in theory, there is a faster turnaround since printed boards move directly into finishing, eliminating any handling delay.
“Inline finishing ensures seamless alignment between print and finishing processes, improving quality control,” notes David.
The issue with inline is speed mismatch, admits Thornton. “More often than not, digital printing and finishing processes differ in speed, which leads to inevitable slowdowns in one or the other.”
Integrating finishing directly into the printing process also creates dust accumulation, which requires continued maintenance, according to Kerkaert.
Another disadvantage to inline is it limits flexibility. “Inline systems are designed for specific processes, making it harder to accommodate complex finishing needs—as opposed to e.g. simple slitting operations,” notes Thornton.
There is higher risk when investing in a fully connected, inline process. “If one part of the system—printer, cutter, automation—fails, the entire production line may be affected,” cautions David.
According to Thornton, the best fit for inline is a high-volume, standardized corrugated packaging operation with minimal finishing complexity.
Offline
When finishing and material handling tools are kept completely separate from printing it is referred to as offline.
Maximum flexibility is the biggest advantage here. “Different finishing equipment can be used depending on job complexity. Each system—printing and finishing—operates at its maximum speed, avoiding slow downs of one or the other,” shares Thornton.
“Offline provides the highest level of flexibility, making it ideal for complex or high-value projects. However, it requires additional handling, which may slow down production,” agrees Kerkaert.
Lack of connectivity is also a disadvantage in offline configurations. “Offline requires manual handling or additional automated transport systems, adding potential labor costs and delays. There is slower overall production workflow compared to inline/nearline solutions,” states Thornton.
“There is a longer overall turnaround time and space restrictions could be possible as additional storage and floor space might be needed to accommodate materials from each stage,” suggests David.
Near Line
Finishing is separate but close to the printer in a near line configuration, and may be connected via conveyors or some other means of automation.
Reduced downtime is a positive. “If one part needs maintenance, the other can continue operating independently,” says David.
Near line finishing balances speed and flexibility. “It allows for automation without fully integrating into the print line, offering the ability to handle multiple job types efficiently,” explains Kerkaert.
A big advantage here is that if you are considering adopting more complex finishing methods beyond slitting operations, it is easier to implement without influencing the printing process, notes Thornton.
A challenge with near line is that it “requires sophisticated technology and space for additional material handling and transport systems,” admits Thornton.
The best fit for near line is “medium- to high-volume production with varied job complexity, where automation is a priority, but inline finishing is not practical,” recommends Thornton.
Stark believes near line offers the best of both inline and offline. “Near line processing retains many advantages of inline while adding the capability to store or accumulate material overflow, which when automated can be seamlessly reintroduced into the workflow when feed rates between printing and finishing are not aligned.”
Future of Finishing
The power of automation continues to expand. It is only logical that its integration into the entire print process closes the gap, moving from offline to near line and eventually inline.
“Automation in near line or offline finishing remains highly important to keep up with the high-speed digital printing process. With further innovations in robotic material handling automation—the critical component that links the two systems—it will no doubt be possible in the future to create flexible, yet fully integrated inline production workflows,” admits Thornton.
Automated inline finishing solutions meet the needs of the industry. “With industry trends favoring shorter runs and rapid delivery, inline and near line solutions are becoming increasingly essential,” states Kerkaert.
To keep pace with the increasing speeds of digital printing and finishing components, “we see the need for automation that allows for lights out production,” notes Stark.
“Looking ahead, it is crucial to stay aligned with emerging corrugated production methods and industry innovations and to have a proactive and adapting approach to these advancements, future-proofing our business,” concludes David.
Jun2025, Industrial Print Magazine
