Product of the Month: Automatic litho laminator from Tokyo Wenhong

What does the machine do?
The Tokyo Wenhong series automatic litho laminator machines are configured for high quality production of coloured litho boxes in the corrugated and folding carton industries. The motion-controlled, high-precision and high-speed, the litho laminator is specialised to run surface paper from as low as 100-gsm to 3-ply sheet. The machine is equipped with a patented sensor-based registration system with side lay and front lay control to efficiently run multiple applications like sheet-to-sheet pasting, 2-ply, 3-ply, 4-ply and 5-ply cartons with high accuracy.

Which are the different models?
The machine is available in two sizes — 1,500x1,400 mm and 1,700x1,400 mm. The WHL-1512 can run at the maximum sheet size of 1,500x1,200 mm, while WHL-1712 can run at the maximum sheet size of 1,700x1,200 mm.

Is there anything in the machine modular?
The machine comes with an optional attachment of a flip-flop unit. Integrated with the laminator, it facilitates non-stop automatic collection of specified number of laminated sheets in flip-flop stacking. This saves time and labour, and improves production efficiency. The servo-based mechanism and the touchscreen make it user-friendly.

When was the machine launched?
Tokyo Wenhong, has a strong team of professional management and technical R&D personnel. With long-term focus on the development of the overall box solutions, the machine was engineered more than 10 years ago, with multiple installations the world over. This is the improved third generation model launched in 2022.

What was the thought process when the machine was conceived?
With worldwide increase of high-quality packaging volumes, companies are looking for packaging which is sturdy and yet can effectively project their brand. The introduction of micro flutes triggered the demand of litho-laminated cartons, especially with E and F-flute and sheet to sheet pasting due to their aesthetics as well as functionality.

There was a requirement of a machine, which can handle high speed production, wide range of surface paper for multiple applications. Tokyo Wenhong filled in this gap by improvising its current model into high-precision litho laminator to successfully run printed laminated jobs, which demand high registration accuracy.

What is the target market(s)?
The target markets include food and beverages, fruits and vegetable packaging, liquor, games boxes, household consumable products, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, eCommerce and premium packaging, among others.

What kind of substrates can it handle?
The machine can process board-to-board, 3-ply and 5-ply production.
In board-to-board, the surface sheet can be 100-800 gsm and paperboard ≥300gsm.
In a 3-ply production the surface sheet can be 100-800-gsm and the core sheet can be N/F/E /A/B/C flute, paperboard ≥300gsm. In 5-ply production, the surface sheet can be G/F/N and the core sheet can be A/B/C/E/F/N flute.

How fast is it?
It can laminate at the speed of 160-m/min or upto 10,000 sheets per hour.

What are the USPs?
This machine adheres to the advanced technology of Tokyo packaging in Japan, and combines high production efficiency with stable quality. All their products meet the requirements of ISO 9001:2008 and EU CE certification. The most important feature of this machine is high registration accuracy. The machine adopts servo mechanism and fish scale feeding to regulate precision of paper to board/flute pasting. It auto adjusts the size upon feeding the length and width of the sheet to save makeready time. It also features independent auto correction of cross-feed paper to ensure precision.

The computer automatically sets, and tracks the distance of the two sheets, making optimum use of machine space, enhancing productivity. The computerised paper positioning system and servo compensation ensures laminating accuracy within ± 0.5 mm. There is an automatic glue controlling sensor to halt the machine to ensure quality and reduce wastage. It can use cold glue as well as starch glue.

How easy is it to use?
The machine is preset-enabled for quick makeready. The touchscreen and automatic size synchronisation add to the ease of operation.

What training and support are on offer?
The sales and service support is taken care of by Zhongke India. The equipment training and installation is carried out with the support of and under the supervision of competent specialists. Besides regular maintenance, technical support is available 24x7 to ensure least production loss.

How much does it cost?
With high production speed, high precision, quick job change-over and least glue consumption feature, the cost of production on the machine is extremely cost-effective. It gives you quality, quantity, consistency with multiple applications, at a nominal cost.

Users’ numbers worldwide? How many do you expect to increase in 2022-2023?
Tokyo Wenhong has 21 years of experience and over 10,000 happy customers worldwide, leading the industry in terms of both production and sales volume. As laminated fine fluted packaging with E/F/G/N-flute continues to show growth and dominate the packaging sector, manufacturers are keen to invest in the equipment due to its versatility to convert board to board, to 2-ply, 3-ply, 4-ply and 5-ply jobs with high precision. With already 20+ installations in India, Zhongke expects to sell more kit in the coming days.