Exmore Benelux recommends KBA-Metronic marking engineering Exmore Benelux bvba, based in Beerse, Belgium, was founded in March 1993. With 24 staff and an annual turnover of € 7,000,000, the company holds a 65% market share and is growing at 20%. As a general contractor, Exmore supplies machines and system solutions to the electrical industry and to the cable and wiring industry.
DAF Trucks, a subsidiary of PACCAR Inc. USA and a customer of the Belgian OEM Exmore, needed a new cutting and insulation stripping production line for the entire cabling and brake control systems in their trucks. The key criteria in selecting this complete system were: Exmore was to be the sole point of contact for all the machine equipment, offering the greatest possible flexibility whilst saving on working time as a result and ensuring higher production output with optimal quality.
There was a need for great flexibility over the type, height and width of font used in marking the cables; the cables to be marked were PVC cables, and pneumatic and hydraulic hoses with external diameters ranging from 1.5 mm to 20 mm. The hot stamping technology which had previously been used could no longer satisfy the demand for the greatest possible degree of flexibility.
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To mark the products, Exmore decided on using KBA-Metronic. Five alphaJET C inkjet printers were installed on the production line.
For Luc Sneyders, Exmore CEO, the flexibility of the alphaJET C was the winning feature. Two cutting/wire-stripping machines have each been equipped with two alphaJET C printers, with white and black ink respectively; these are switched automatically using an xy-axis controller, and can be positioned precisely above the cable. The fifth alphaJET C is installed on a hose-cutting machine. All the devices are controlled using networked software. “The alphaJET C inkjet printers allow for highly flexible marking to position information such as truck type, production date, logo etc. on the cables and to switch quickly between different colors.”
The freely programmable alphaJET C operates using a contact-free continuous inkjet process.
Thanks to the 48-dot matrix, the optimized print head of the alphaJET C can print up to six lines at each installation position, and the individual lines can also be shifted pixel by pixel. Superscript and subscript characters are thus also possible in multi-line texts. Furthermore, text can also be applied in a 90 degree rotated position. The high requirements for resolution, print image and font quality can thus be fulfilled. There is a free choice of font matrix with font heights from 0.8 - 15 mm. All marking requirements can be met, from multi-line prints to high-quality logos or codes.
Luc Sneyders adds: “Another factor which argues for the alphaJET C is the low demand on consumables. Through the integrated recovery of solvent, the solvent not required for printing is fed back into the unit’s circuit.”
The alphaJET C can be integrated easily even into complex production lines. At DAF Trucks, the inkjet printers work in conjunction with a Schleuniger cable-cutting and stripping machine (Powerstrip PS-9500) and a Makfil (SP200) hose-cutting machine, both of which are equipped with special network software and can therefore work in a networked arrangement. As a result, it was possible to incorporate DAF Trucks specifications with the Machine Directives in production operations.
Satisfaction is the best customer reference
Luc Sneyders concludes: “KBA-Metronic was recommended to us by the cable manufacturer Eldra, which has integrated more than 15 alphaJETS into its cable production lines. The print engineering has fully convinced us and our customers. The production lines are up and running, and DAF Trucks is highly satisfied. The collaboration with KBA-Metronic and the on-site support were also excellent. We are pleased to pass on this recommendation to our customers."
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Satisfaction is the best customer reference
Luc Sneyders concludes: “KBA-Metronic was recommended to us by the cable manufacturer Eldra, which has integrated more than 15 alphaJETS into its cable production lines. The print engineering has fully convinced us and our customers. The production lines are up and running, and DAF Trucks is highly satisfied. The collaboration with KBA-Metronic and the on-site support were also excellent. We are pleased to pass on this recommendation to our customers."
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KBA-Metronic – the partner for practically-oriented solutions
KBA-Metronic AG is a mid-cap business with approximately 300 employees. It was founded in 1972 and is based in Veitshöchheim near Würzburg. The company has been a subsidiary of Koenig & Bauer AG since 2004.
As a full service provider, KBA-Metronic has specialized in the development, design, production and marketing of printing and ID technology. Renowned companies throughout the world, for example in the car, food-processing and pharmaceuticals industries, work with laser, inkjet, hot-stamping or thermal transfer devices from Veitshöchheim.
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