Esko i-XL

Posted in ESKO

Kongsberg i-XL-Series: unmatched performance, versatility and durability

Based on the Kongsberg XL-Series of short-run production tables, i-XL, a new series of finishing tables, integrates the Mikkelsen Graphic Engineering (MGE) i-cut® vision system. The Kongsberg i-XL complements digital printing of sign and displays with a unique finishing solution for the widest range of materials, providing automation, high productivity and outstanding precision.

Widest range of materials

Kongsberg tables are successful because of the wide variety of materials they can process. With the i-XL series of tables, you can choose between the FlexiHead and MultiCUT toolheads for high performance finishing.

Extremely robust equipment with very low failure rate

• Precision and high throughput due to rack and pinion X/Y drives and real Z-axis control
• Local and fast service response using factory-trained employees
• Easy and flexible workflows
• Unique MultiCut tooling system for maximum throughput in all substrates
• All standard tool inserts are bar-coded, meaning that any tool can be swapped in seconds

FlexiHead

The FlexiHead, with its collection of tool inserts, provides excellent functionality for finishing a wide variety of materials ranging from paper, pressure sensitive film or vinyl, to cartons, textiles, plastics, corrugated, foam board and more.

Short video introducing Kongsberg cutting tables.
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MultiCUT

All the FlexiHead tools can be combined with a high-power router in the MultiCUT toolhead in two customer configurable
stations. Operators who need an extra tool to process rigid materials such as Dibond, Forex, Sintra, PVC, wood and
acrylics up to 25mm (1”) thick, now have the most productive and versatile solution.

The MultiCUT router spindle features a true 1kW of milling power, and adjustable spindle speeds up to 60,000 RPM. It allows for milling, contour cutting, routing, drilling and engraving directly from CAD/graphics designs. Matched with heavy-duty construction and the sophisticated Z-axis control of the i-XL tables, the router delivers high quality output at an impressive throughput rate – making the MultiCUT a great tool for real production work.

Streamlined digital production workflow: i-script™

The i-scriptTM software is an additional component enhancing finishing productivity. The software connects the separated routes of the graphic design and the finishing data. It is the interface between the digital print control and RIP software, and the i-cut® digital finishing system.

With i-scriptTM, the operator does not have to re-register the toolhead for each printed file on one sheet or roll of material. The i-scriptTM standard allows digital print control software to generate and communicate key finishing data to the i-XL. Setup time can be reduced to just placing the printed material on the i-XL table and pressing the ‘Start’ button.

The complete cutting file for an entire sheet or roll, including cutting contours, nesting coordinates and paneling dimensions, is automatically generated with i-cut registration marks and a unique barcode.

To begin the finishing process, the i-cut camera reads the job number barcode, retrieves the corresponding cutting and layout data, and automatically moves to the registration marks for measuring. It is then able to automatically align the cutting paths to the graphic objects of the entire layout.

Integrated into a digital production system, i-scriptTM completely automates cutting and trimming for a wide range of flexible as well as rigid materials. It is particularly capable of finishing materials from the rapidly emerging class of large format flatbed inkjet printers, as well as other high performance roll-fed digital output devices.

Major front end and printing manufacturers have integrated i-scriptTM into their digital print control software.

Perfect registration:i-cut® vision

Kongsberg tables are successful because of the wide variety of materials they can process. With the i-XL series of tables, you can choose between the FlexiHead and MultiCUT toolheads for high performance finishing.

Printed signs and displays can get custom-shaped right on the finishing table. The shaping itself, like contour cutting, follows the graphics exactly as created by the printer.

Often with other methods, slight distortions between printed graphics and contour cut may cause unacceptable results.  With the MGE i-cut® vision system, you can guarantee a cut contour that perfectly matches the printed graphics.  The MGE i-cut® vision registration system is integrated into the Esko Kongsberg i-XL table with the i-cut camera in the toolhead. This camera first measures actual dimensions and positions on the actual printed result. Then, finishing is adapted to the shape of the graphics.

The system works with strategically placed registration marks – the dots – that are printed along with the graphics and that are used to align the cutting path.  During the finishing operation, the i-cut camera optically locates and analyzes the position of the registration marks.  Not only is registration corrected, but also i-cut vision-pro is capable of automatic and dynamic compensation of any dimensional changes, distortions or material variations, like shrinkage or stretching.

The i-cut software runs on an attached workstation that is included with the i-XL. This software automatically fine-tunes each cut contour for perfect cut-to-print. The i-cut is a failsafe, patented and proven registration method that guarantees the highest cut quality on runs from a few to thousands, and from small shapes to large sizes.