When The KSP Group wanted to increase its large format flexibility, product range & services along with improving its market reaction time, the bespoke printer & finisher invested in a DYSS X7-1630C Digital Cutter from AG/CAD.
The Banbury company had already installed an Oce Arizona large format flatbed printer with a 2500mm x 1250mm bed. However, the company's existing Kongsberg digital cutting machine had a relatively small bed size and cutting capacity in comparison and couldn't cope with all the jobs rolling off the Arizona. The incompatibility between printer and cutter prompted a search for a suitable solution, which resulted in the company being tempted away from the previous cutter manufacturer to Winsford-based AG/CAD and its DYSS range.
Commenting upon the situation, Director at the KSP Group, Mr Jason Cleary says: "KSP has been established for over 30 years and has spent more than 10 years evolving its digital expertise alongside its traditional screen and litho operation. Our Arizona flatbed is only a couple of years old and we are already looking to install another 3m wide digital printer in the next few months. As the new DYSS has a 3,050 by 1,650mm bed with a roll facility, it will comfortably accommodate jobs from our existing Arizona and also the next machine we are planning, so will keep us ahead of the game for years to come."
Discussing why the company opted for the DYSS, Mr Cleary continues: "We saw the X7 cutter at the Sign & Digital UK show and then afterwards we spent a full day putting the machine through its paces at AG/CAD’s demonstration suite where it really impressed. Naturally we looked at other machines, but the DYSS X7 stood out due to its build quality, tooling and above all the precision and finesse of its finishing which surpassed our previous cutter. The AG/CAD team were very responsive and were happy to make custom modifications to the DYSS to suit our exact requirements, showing their commitment to our needs. Added to all this, the Kasemake CAD software supplied with the machine stood head and shoulders above anything else. With all these reasons falling into place, there wasn't anything else that came close to the DYSS."
Since installing the DYSS X7, the digital aspect of the business has grown considerably, as Mr Cleary continues: "The litho and large volume print industry is very cut-throat and invariably comes down to price. By offering bespoke large format digital services, we can differentiate from our competitors. We use cutting formes for jobs in quantities beyond 100 to 200, but our press can only support up to A2 and B2 sizes. The large capacity, productivity and turnaround times possible with the DYSS are a winning formula for us.”
"A typical example of this is a set of large jigsaws that we recently made for the Travelodge chain of hotels. The prototype marketing exercise for the customer needed to be turned around quickly, and as it was a concept idea, the cost had to be minimal. We developed the design with our Kasemake software and immediately turned out the jigsaws."
"In addition, we do a lot of work for the Jaguar Land Rover Group (JLR) who have exacting standards. We had to invest in getting the international ISO: 9001 quality certification and the ISO: 14001 environmental accreditation to work with JLR. We do a lot of digital print and finishing, polypropylene products, ring binders and divider sets to name a few for JLR and much of this wouldn't be possible without the DYSS. This work can be fast turnaround with low volumes and the DYSS enables us to deliver to the necessary international quality standards and certification demands of a global group."
Meeting these stringent requirements is easy for the KSP Group due to the high accuracy and repeatability of the DYSS and its K-Cut Vision System. The intelligent K-CUT camera system calculates cut paths that perfectly match the print giving precise and consistent results time and time again.
In fact, with the new, highly versatile DYSS, the KSP Group can now offer precise high speed die less cutting of virtually any material up to 20mm thick. This includes rolls of unlimited length as the precision cutting of jobs longer than the table can be accommodated with the automatic roll feed and conveyor system on the DYSS that works in synergy with the K-Cut Vision Software to maintain impeccable quality and precision levels. The clever tooling on the DYSS also easily copes with consistent kiss cutting of thin self-adhesive PVC.
As Mr Cleary continues: "The size and limited power of our previous machine prevented us from cutting certain jobs. However, we are frequently cutting Polypropylene, banner grade vinyl, 20mm foam PVC, Lexan Polycarbonate, 18mm birch plywood, mark resistant PVC’s, 10mm cast and extruded acrylic, semi rigid PVC’s, aluminium composite, 10mm thick corrugated board, self-cling PVC’s, 3mm display board self adhesive vinyl’s, 5mm Correx fluted Polypropylene and much more. Cutting all these materials on the DYSS with speed, precision, quality and flexibility is a huge advantage for our business."
"This versatility is now enabling us to look at new sectors such as cardboard engineering, PoS, bespoke packaging, FSDU's and much more. Furthermore, our customers are delighted with the 3D rendered PDFs that we can generate using the KASEMAKE software. By combining artwork with the structural geometry into a 3D format, customers like JLR can be sent a 3D PDF mock up. This allows them to rotate and zoom in to check the artwork positioning and show it to other internal staff to sign-off before coming back to us. This is fast, efficient, eliminates errors and enhances our service and commitment to our customers. We are very happy indeed with the DYSS X7 and the Kasemake software - now we just have to make sure the whole market knows about all the things we can offer!"