From left to right: Valeri Lach (Leopold), Hans Dreistein (BOBST) and Markus Bonna (Leopold)
In the early 1960s, BOBST revolutionized the production of large corrugated packaging with the market launch of its Autoplaten® flatbed die‑cutters for format VII,for sheet widths of up to 1,650 mm. Sixty years later, the company is once again breaking new ground, together with packaging manufacturer Leopold, through the pilot installation of a MASTERCUT 165 PER Dual Stream at Leopold’s Plant III in Marbach. With its flexibility in processing both solid board and corrugated board, this high‑performance die‑cutter for format VII sets entirely new benchmarks.
“With the MASTERCUT 165 PER Dual Stream, we can operate on two tracks and die‑cut both large‑format cartonboard sheets and corrugated board sheets. For both material types, we achieve the same high speed and quality, while performing rapid job changeovers. BOBST has combined optimal processes for both materials in this flatbed die‑cutter - successfully pulling off a real balancing act,” explains Valeri Lach, Plant Manager at Leopold GmbH Verpackungen’s Plant III in Marbach am Neckar.
Customer‑specific adaptations
MASTERCUT 165 PER Dual Stream is the result of close collaboration between the experts at BOBST and Leopold. The machine, featuring a rear blank delivery, was additionally equipped with lateral delivery functionality. The combination of both pile delivery and high‑pile delivery is the source of the machine’s Dual Stream name.
By installing a comparable MASTERCUT 165 PER Dual Stream, including PALLETIZER, at its Packaging Center in Mex, Switzerland, BOBST was able to thoroughly test technical modifications before applying them to the pilot machine at Leopold. Further strengthening its support, a BOBST technical specialist was continuously on site at Leopold during the first few months of operation.
“Over time, Valeri Lach and his team repeatedly approached us with requests and ideas that were incorporated into our development. Ultimately, this resulted in a machine that is truly unique on the market,” recalls Hans Dreistein, Sales Manager at Bobst Meerbusch. Today, across its three plants in Ludwigsburg, Bad Lauterberg, and Marbach, Leopold now operates more than 17 die‑cutters and 16 folder‑gluers supplied by BOBST.
Maximum flexibility
The innovative Dual Stream technology gave the company a new level of flexibility in delivery. Lach explains: “With the MASTERCUT Dual Stream, we have two options: the delivery of correctly counted and separated stacks of blanks at the rear of the machine, or the motorized high‑pile or full‑sheet delivery at its side. In addition, when processing solid board, there is the option of blank separation with single or double cuts and dynamic waste ejection. As a result, with just one machine, we can now respond to our customers’ requests more flexibly than ever before in our production and cover their requirements from a single source.”
The MASTERCUT 165 PER die‑cuts solid board with basis weights from 300 to 2,000 g/m² and corrugated board with thicknesses from 0.5 to 7 mm. The processable sheet formats range from 600 × 520 mm up to 1,650 × 1,300 mm. Thanks to its high cutting force of up to 5.5 MN combined with low pressure on the sheets, even laminated materials with sensitive coatings pose no challenge. Its specially adapted sheet‑feeding system pulls all these materials into the machine gently and with maximum reliability.
“More and more of our customers want to pursue a dual strategy and bring products to market in packaging made from both solid board and corrugated board, as well as sometimes including laminated materials. Thanks to the hybrid operation of the MASTERCUT 165 PER Dual Stream, we can meet their requirements in both areas with a level of flexibility that was previously unattainable,” Lach states, describing the strategic advantage for long‑standing customers.
Currently, depending on the die‑cutting job, Leopold achieves speeds of up to 7,000 sheets per hour with the MASTERCUT 165 PER - both for solid board and for corrugated board. Leopold also demonstrates a strong customer focus by offering customer‑specific pallet configurations with folding carton products via the PALLETIZER - and all of this fully automatically.
“There is no difference at all. The MASTERCUT 165 PER requires no special changeover work when switching materials. All of its devices are designed for this level of flexibility,” notes Markus Bonna, Deputy Head of Plant III and Head of Logistics at Leopold.
Greater sustainability thanks to operator convenience
Among other things, BOBST developed movable racks and an Easytransfer system specifically for this machine. The racks simplify the movement of large‑format die‑tool sets to the machine and back to their storage location. The Easytransfer tower mechanically lifts them onto the 1.8m machine platform. This not only makes the work of machine operators easier, but also safer and more efficient. With the MASTERCUT 165 PER, Leopold opted for the maximum possible machine elevation in order to fully exploit the maximum stack height of up to 2,000 mm at the delivery.
Automated setup procedures simplify job changeovers. The contactless POWER REGISTER, specially adapted for processing corrugated board and laminated corrugated board, ensures unique register accuracy. Stack positioning and sheet synchronization are also automatically matched to the register values by the SMART FEEDER, guaranteeing maximum precision during die‑cutting.
The easily accessible machine offers a high level of operator comfort through its versatility. Up to 5,000 repeat jobs can be stored in the MATIC control system and quickly recalled. Machine operators simply change the die-cutting and stripping tools and make fine adjustments via the SPHERE human‑machine interface with intuitive navigation.
Tooling synergies and energy savings also help to support sustainability in the plant whenever possible. Leopold can operate its new die‑cutter in both format VI and format VII. It is even compatible with the tools used on the company’s large‑format BOBST MASTERCUT 145 die‑cutters. In addition, the MASTERCUT 165 PER features high energy efficiency: Leopold can switch off any process that is not required, ensuring that unused modules and peripheral equipment use no power.
Fully harnessing development potential
Until now, packaging made from solid board has been Leopold’s core business. With the MASTERCUT 165 PER Dual Stream, the company has ventured into new territory.
“With the MASTERCUT 165 PER Dual Stream, we generally have the latest die‑cutting technology at our disposal, but we have not yet completed its implementation in all areas,” Lach explains, citing one example: “This applies, among other things, to the TooLink option, which will allow us to further reduce setup times for repeat jobs.” Several die‑cutting tools have already been equipped with TooLink data chips. which store job data. When the tools are inserted, sensors read the data from the chips and automatically transfer them to the human‑machine interface.
Several BOBST machines installed at Leopold’s plants are connected to the digital platform BOBST Connect - including the MASTERCUT 165 PER Dual Stream. Beyond the Helpline Plus service for remote technical support, this connectivity allows the packaging manufacturer to monitor the performance data of these machines. Looking ahead, it offers a range of potential opportunities to optimize production processes.
Bonna summarizes, “It is part of our philosophy to feed our practical experience into the development of new machines from our suppliers and thus help ensure that the potential of innovative technology is fully exploited. We don’t know what the market will demand from us in the future, and for that reason alone, we want to open up every possible option.”
Leopold GmbH Verpackungen
Leopold GmbH Verpackungen, which currently employs around 235 people and operates more than 58,000 m² of production space, was founded in 1974 by Reiner Leopold in Ludwigsburg, Baden‑Württemberg. Its range of services extends from all types of folding cartons, crash‑lock bottom cartons, and erectable boxes to patented new developments, as well as customized special packaging made from solid board, corrugated board, and laminated packaging materials.
Continuous growth over the years led to the establishment of additional plants in Bad Lauterberg and Marbach. The Marbach site began operations in 2007 with a printing press and a SPRINTERA 145 flatbed die‑cutter from BOBST - at the time the top model in format VI. The newly constructed production hall for format VII was commissioned in April 2024.