Mark Andy has expanded the global debut of its award-winning die cutting system, Quick Change Die Cut (QCDC), showcasing it at this year’s Labelexpo Europe in Brussels, Belgium.  Earlier this year, QCDC was awarded the 2013 FTA Technical Innovation Award, marking the third innovation award for the Performance Series flexo line of equipment since 2011.

QCDC is a completely rethought design of die cutting technology that has proven to drive extreme efficiency from faster die set-ups and changeovers to even more precise die cut accuracy and high speed matrix stripping. Upon installation, converters will immediately see productivity improvements in quantifiable job changeover and set up times, as well as a significant savings in material waste.

Mark Andy R&D teams analyzed the various processes of the cumbersome and lengthy work flow of traditional die cutting systems. With QCDC, operators are able to reduce setups by 60% through its effortless die cassette workflow, open guarding system, simple matrix web path, and superior ergonomics.

Available in a single- or dual-die station configuration, the QCDC allows for dies to be quickly loaded, automatically registered with servo technology, and running full production in a fraction of the time. Die exchange is simple with the quick change cart, specifically designed for the Performance Series platform. The station’s design allows for accurate loading of dies either off-line during job changeover (single die station) or in a second station while the press is running a job (dual die station), further enhancing production efficiencies for the converter. The simple load design also helps to reduce damage to the die traditionally caused by a cumbersome load process, resulting in a significant reduction in die repair costs.

In addition to these benefits, QCDC delivers considerable waste savings. The unique design offers trouble free matrix stripping and winding to reduce web breaks, as well as enabling customers to easily strip difficult die shapes. QCDC can easily adapt older Mark Andy dies as well as most dies from other press manufacturers.  The unique adaption design provides rigid mounting of narrower adapted dies, providing more consistent die quality than previously achieved with adapted tooling.

Since its launch at Labelexpo Americas 2012, more than 40 presses have been installed with the new QCDC technology. Demand was heightened since expanding the debut across Europe at the exhibition held in Brussels in September 2013.