JWEI Automatic Packaging Feeder Stacker: Print specialist imageData has further enhanced its production capabilities through its strategic investment with a JEWI JCUT cutting and creasing system with automatic packaging feeding stacker exclusively from CMYUK.
This is the first installation of its kind in the UK, and the business has agreed to act as a customer demonstration site, where potential CMYUK customers can view the system in a live production environment.
The JWEI Automatic Packaging Feeder Stacker is an advanced system designed for streamlined material handling in short-run digital packaging and FSDU production. It feeds printed sheets from a stack, up to a weight of 5kg with a maximum feeding thickness of 22mm, cutting them on a vacuumed 2500mm x 1600mm conveyorised bed, and then stacking the finished panels onto a pallet. It’s fully automated, which requires virtually no manual handling, resulting in a much faster and smoother workflow.
The equipment has already delivered substantial operational efficiencies at imageData. Says Lee White, Operations Director, at the company, “The primary advantage of this machine is the automation. It eliminates the time-consuming manual tasks that frees up operators to engage in other processes, which, in turn, coincides with cost saving and resource optimisation.”
Facing the pain points
Before investing in the JWEI, imageData had already upgraded its digital printing capabilities. However, its manual labour-intensive cutting processes needed to be modernised to keep pace. With rising customer demand and increasing market pressure, improving capacity and efficiency–without compromising quality–became essential. The company required a technology solution that would integrate seamlessly with its existing production setup and deliver measurable productivity gains.
imageData has 3 X digital cutting tables in-house and gave serious thought to alternative leading manufacturers when looking to invest. The JWEI however, with a recommended price tag of £160,000, stood out as a far more affordable option without compromising on a quality finish.
Fully loaded feeder stacker
The JWEI Automatic Packaging Feeder Stacker is compatible with a wide range of materials and cuts a variety of cardboards. With a multi-functional tool head, it comes with 12 tools as standard including an electric oscillator, drag knife, and plotting tools. It offers a maximum cutting speed of up to 1500 mm per second and handles a loading height of up to 750mm.
While the JWEI brand was relatively unknown to them, imageData’s well-established trusted relationship with CMYUK—based on previous successful equipment purchases—provided the trust and confidence needed to proceed with the purchase.
“Our trust in CMYUK played a crucial role in our decision,” says Lee. “Their consultations helped us understand the capabilities and reliability of the JWEI equipment, and the competitive price point compared to other manufacturers made it an attractive investment.
“We’ve had alternative leading manufacturers for years, so we know what they are capable of. You know what sort of service you’re getting for your money, which is a big thing. It’s easy to get equipment in, up and running, but machines have moving parts, so there’ll always be challenges down the line. There are always going to be breakdowns, so it’s all about the after-service as well. We have bought print equipment from CMYUK in the past, so the relationship, trust and support is all there,” says Lee.
Bedding in the JWEI Automatic Packaging Feeder Stacker
The implementation process involved a learning curve during the first six months, but JWEI’s proactive approach to address any challenges with speed and total commitment ensured successful integration. Lee describes the level of care and support as “astounding and genuine,” in particular the way in which both CMYUK and JWEI engineers demonstrated exceptional dedication to ensuring optimal machine performance.
“JWEI and CMYUK were incredibly responsive in addressing any issues we encountered,” he explains. “Their commitment to our success has resulted in the machine working near perfectly, with timely support whenever needed.”
The JWEI has been live and running since April, but in the six months previous, the business acted as a beta site for the new technology. “Whenever we came up against any challenges, the manufacturer was all over it, they were there like a shot. They had good ideas and initiatives, and it didn’t take long to put the solution in place for us,” notes Lee.
The JWEI is used for cutting display boards, corrugated boards, Correx and small runs of FSDU, plus headers on any semi rigid materials. While the business has die cutting facilities, the speed and automation of the JWEI means that much more of this type of work is being processed through the new system.
Staff redeployment
The investment in the JWEI has streamlined working practices at imageData. Instead of being tied to a machine, operators are overseeing the process rather than being hands-on.
“With our current facilities, the operator is required at the machine whole time – feeding it, off-loading it, staying with the job from start to finish. But with the JWEI, once it’s set-up and running, it pretty much looks after itself. I’d say in most cases – you only need to return to change the pallet. It’s a classic case of the 80:20 rule, the eighty per cent of the time that the operator would have spent at the machine can now be used elsewhere in the factory. It’s freed people up, reduced the risk of damaging printed material through much less manual handling, and helped us boost output without any compromise on quality,” says Lee.
Additional standout features
Another standout feature of the JWEI is its Back Scan capability. “On our existing cutting tables configuration, the operator has to place each sheet on the bed, register it, then flip it over in a case where it needs to be cut and creased from the reverse side before cutting can begin. The whole process has to be done sheet by sheet, every single time. In comparison, the JWEI uses a back scanner that reads the printed guides from underneath, so there’s no need to turn the sheets over. It then automatically cuts and creases it, saving a huge amount of time and effort,” says Lee.
JWEI Automatic Packaging Feeder Stacker: Easy integration
The JWEI has been seamlessly integrated into the workflow and is sited next to the company’s EFI Nozomi 14000 SD super high-speed digital press. Installed last year, the Nozomi single-pass inkjet printer was purchased to ramp up the company’s sign and display volumes and joins two EFI VUTEk Q5r UV LED roll-to-roll printers supplied by CMYUK . The superfast 1.4m wide printer delivers up to 1,100 boards/sheets per hour with an effective resolution of up to 720 dpi.
“The JWEI runs continuously, and working alongside the Nozomi, our productivity has vastly increased. It’s all down to automation. The operator simply takes a pallet from the Nozomi, and lets it do its thing – feeding, cutting, creasing and stacking without interruption. Once it’s done, the operator just removes the full pallet from the back, ready for the next stage,” says Lee.
The improved production capabilities have directly impacted imageData’s customer service. “Speeding up a service always impresses a customer, and it shows potential cost savings without any compromise on quality. That’s ultimately what every customer wants – simple, fast, money saving, and no compromise on quality,” he says.
The CMYUK cornerstone
The relationship with CMYUK has been instrumental throughout the entire process—from initial consultation through implementation and ongoing support. CMYUK’s industry expertise and commitment to customer success has provided invaluable guidance during the investment decision and implementation phases.
“CMYUK’s pre-sales consultation was thorough and honest, helping us understand exactly what we could expect from the equipment,” says Lee. “Their post-sales support has been equally impressive, ensuring we maximise the value of our investment.”
Nick Reed [Finishing Business Manager, CMYUK] is our closest contact on a day-to-day basis. He’s very knowledgeable, and he’s always there to answer the questions. And one thing I want to point out is that there’s absolutely no difference in quality of service between pre-sales and post-sales – the level of support is exactly the same. CMYUK is such a personable business, and the support is good whether you’re about to buy a machine or whether you’ve had that machine for say, two years. We have no complaints at all.”
Lee concludes: “Staying ahead with technology is crucial in our industry. Our investment in the JWEI automated packaging feeder stacker through CMYUK demonstrates our commitment to embracing innovation that delivers tangible benefits for both our operations and our customers.”