Fujika Co., Ltd. was founded in 1970 as a paper wholesaler and currently sells printing paper and paper products and performs print processing. Since 1987 they have actively invested in equipment, including the introduction of over 10 Komori machines, and in January 2023 they introduced the new Apressia CTX132 Programmable Hydraulic Clamp Cutting System.
We interviewed President Yoshiaki Kato, Operating Officer and Production Control Division Manager Kouji Kato, CD Section Leader Toshimitsu Yonezaki, and Production Control Division Printing Team Leader Masayoshi Katayose about the effects of introducing this machine and the Lithrone G37P advance 37-inch Convertible Perfecting Offset Printing Press introduced around the same time.
"The introduction of the Lithrone G37P advance increased production volume, and smooth production, including cutting, was made possible by the Apressia CTX132", says Yoshiaki Kato, President
Automated, easy-to-use cutting machine solves the issues of aging and lack of successors
Engaged in both wholesale paper sales and printing on consignment, Fujika leverages its solid knowledge of paper and extensive knowhow and paper-related experience to propose optimal paper and print processing to its customers. President Kato said, "We are working to enable printing companies to focus on planning and production by taking on part of their print production." The company has been actively enhancing their equipment to complement their customers' manufacturing. Aging cutting operators and the lack of successors were the background to the introduction of the Apressia CTX132 this time. A high volume of cutting is required for both the paper supplied to customers and the cutting required by the printing process. As a result, the cutting machines are characterized by an extremely high frequency of use. However, retaining skilled personnel and passing down their expertise has been a long-standing challenge, as the role of a cutter involves a high degree of craftsmanship."
When Kato saw the announcement of the launch of the Apressia CTX series, he was excited and thought, "This is the first time I've come across a paper cutting machine that can be automated and requires no skilled labor. I wanted to try it. If we can automate cutting work with a high degree of precision, it might complement the skills of craftsmen."
The Apressia CTX132 is equipped with unique technologies such as Apressia Front Loading and the Apressia Rotary Gripper. While automatically transporting and cutting the paper, the operator can stack the paper onto the jogger, enabling one-person operation. Division Manager Kato explained, "Previously, we needed an assistant worker, so for two machines we required a team of four persons, but now we can operate the one existing machine and the Apressia CTX132 with a team of three people. This is possible because the Apressia CTX132 allows for one-man operation without the need for an assistant. By assigning the freed-up person to the newly installed shrink-wrapping machine, bottlenecks in the processing department after cutting were eliminated, smoothing the production flow. The cutting production volume increased by 130% in the three months after installation compared to the three-month period prior to installation."
Automatic cutting with single operator system
President Kato also said, "In addition to covering the increased printing volume with the Lithrone G37P advance, the flexibility and efficiency of personnel have improved, giving the impression that overall productivity has increased by about 50%."
Division Manager Kato looked back on the pre-introduction days, stating: "Cutting was completely manual work, and specific skills and experience affected precision." CD Section Leader Yonezaki evaluated the precision of cutting today, saying, "By using front loading and side pushers, the variability among operators has been eliminated, and uniform precision can be achieved." He added, "Automated cutting has eliminated the need to rotate the paper, significantly reducing the physical load. Also, thanks to the AWR (Automatic Waste Removal) function, there's no need to stop work to dispose of waste, allowing time to be spent on training and taking care of details, so we can always move with the flow of activities in mind for efficiency. Also, the paper alignment on the unloader is very good, helping to stack neatly. I think it's a very good machine."
President Kato also appreciated the support system, saying, "Like the printing presses, it responds quickly, which is reassuring."
Handling the increase in printing volume with the Lithrone G37P advance
The company introduced the Lithrone G37P advance in December 2022. President Kato said, "The increase in the workload with single-sided presses alone had reached a limit. The Lithrone G37P advance, a one-pass double-sided printing press, contributes with overwhelming productivity that is about 50% higher per hour compared to conventional machines." Division Manager Kato also added, "Compared to the existing 40-inch press, the 37-inch press has a smaller plate size and it uses less electric power, achieving energy-efficient printing. Since we originally used the Lithrone A37, the operation is the same and operators quickly mastered it." Printing Team Leader Katayose said, "The fans in the delivery can be finely adjusted, making air adjustment easy, and stable production at the highest printing speed of 15,000 sph is possible. The function that maintains density during printing makes it easy to stabilize the color, so even young workers with less experience can be assigned with confidence. High-quality printing can be maintained, so I think it was very good to introduce it."
Future plans to fully pass on cutting technology with comprehensive support from Komori
In the future, the company plans to fully pass on cutting technology by utilizing the JDF linkage function of the Apressia CTX132. Division Manager Kato expects, "By utilizing the function that automatically calculates the cutting process from imposition data and guides the order and position of cutting, the burden on instructors will be reduced and the time required for training can be shortened."
Finally, President Kato said, "We will stick to our role as the 'stagehand' that complements our customers' factory functions. We aim to be trusted by promoting further automation and workforce reduction to improve productivity. We will also work on environmental issues and creating a comfortable work environment for our employees, promoting a company that can contribute more to society. We look forward to continued support from Komori in terms of machine support as well as the best proposals regarding quality, productivity, and competitiveness."
