Swanline deploys industry-first Bobst Connect across a mixed equipment portfolio
Bobst Connect combines data and digital services into a single, connected platform, providing a real-time overview and management of a company's production process.
It integrates raw machine data with Bobst knowledge and expertise to improve printing and packaging productivity.
Bobst said Swanline's integration demonstrates that the Connect platform can be implemented across Bobst and non- Bobst machines.
The company has connected its two Bobst Visioncut 1.6 die-cutters and Bobst Expertfold 165 folder-gluer, along with a Bobst laminator and a non- Bobst die-cutter. Importantly, two of the oldest machines have been retrofitted with novel Bobst technology enabling the machines' analogue signal to be translated into digital data.
Chris Brown, manging director, Swanline Group, said: "By capturing and interpreting data across a broader range of equipment, we'll be able to optimize processes that were once based purely on experience or assumption. It's a big step toward building a more connected, responsive and data-informed manufacturing environment. This opens up exciting potential to bring a new level of intelligence to areas of the business that previously operated without that kind of visibility."
Bobst Connect is designed to improve packaging and printing productivity via improved planning, better-informed decision-making, faster and more effective intervention, and continual optimization. As a cloud-based platform, users can connect to the system through any internet-enabled device. "The data can be literally in the palm of your hand, any time you need it," Paul Stevenson, digital performance solutions manager, Northern Europe, at BOBST, said.
"This is the first time our platform has been deployed across a mixed equipment portfolio, proving that true digital integration is possible regardless of machine type or age. It reflects our vision of shaping a packaging industry where data flows freely, processes are transparent, and decisions are driven by insight. We are proud to support Swanline as pioneers in this transformation."