中文In the early 1960s, BOBST revolutionized large-format corrugated packaging production with the launch of its Autoplaten flatbed die-cutters for format VII, handling sheet widths of up to 1,650 mm. Sixty years later, the Swiss machinery manufacturer is breaking new ground again — this time in partnership with German packaging manufacturer Leopold, through the pilot installation of a MASTERCUT 165 PER Dual Stream at Leopold’s Plant III in Marbach. The machine’s ability to process both solid board and corrugated board with the same high speed and quality, while performing rapid job changeovers between material types, sets entirely new benchmarks for format VII die-cutting.
The Dual Stream Concept
The MASTERCUT 165 PER Dual Stream is the result of close collaboration between BOBST and Leopold. The core innovation is the combination of rear blank delivery and lateral high-pile delivery in a single machine — the source of the Dual Stream name. This dual delivery configuration gives Leopold the flexibility to produce correctly counted and separated stacks of blanks at the rear of the machine, or to deliver full sheets and high piles at the side, depending on the job requirements and material type.
“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,” explains Valeri Lach, Plant Manager at Leopold GmbH Verpackungen’s Plant III in Marbach am Neckar. “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.”
Seamless Material Switching Without Changeover Work
Perhaps the most significant practical feature of the MASTERCUT 165 PER Dual Stream is its ability to switch between solid board and corrugated board with no special changeover work. All machine devices are designed for both material types, meaning operators do not need to reconfigure the press, change tooling setups, or adjust feeding systems when moving from one substrate to the other. This is a genuine hybrid capability rather than a compromise that favours one material at the expense of the other.
The machine 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. Sheet formats range from 600 × 520 mm up to 1,650 × 1,300 mm. Its high cutting force of up to 5.5 MN combined with low pressure on the sheets means even laminated materials with sensitive coatings can be processed without damage. The specially adapted sheet-feeding system handles all these materials gently and reliably.
Strategic Advantage for Dual-Strategy Customers
“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,” Lach states. “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.”
This dual-strategy trend is significant. Brand owners increasingly specify different packaging materials for different markets, channels, or product variants — solid board for premium retail presentation, corrugated for logistics and e-commerce, laminated materials for barrier protection. Converters who can handle all three from a single production line have a clear competitive advantage over those who need separate equipment for each material type.
Automation and Sustainability Features
Automated setup procedures simplify job changeovers, and the contactless POWER REGISTER — specially adapted for corrugated and laminated corrugated board — ensures unique register accuracy. The SMART FEEDER automatically matches stack positioning and sheet synchronization to the register values. Up to 5,000 repeat jobs can be stored in the MATIC control system and quickly recalled via the SPHERE human-machine interface.
BOBST also developed movable racks and an Easytransfer system specifically for this machine, simplifying the movement of large-format die-tool sets to the machine and mechanically lifting them onto the 1.8m platform. This makes operator work easier, safer, and more efficient.
On sustainability, 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 consume no power. Tooling synergies also contribute — the machine can operate in both format VI and format VII and is compatible with tools used on Leopold’s MASTERCUT 145 die-cutters.
Connected Production and Future Potential
Several BOBST machines at Leopold, including the MASTERCUT 165 PER Dual Stream, are connected to the BOBST Connect digital platform. Beyond remote technical support through Helpline Plus, this connectivity enables performance monitoring and, looking ahead, production process optimization. The TooLink option will further reduce setup times for repeat jobs by storing job data on chips embedded in die-cutting tools.
Leopold currently achieves speeds of up to 7,000 sheets per hour with the MASTERCUT 165 PER — for both solid board and corrugated board — and offers customer-specific pallet configurations via the PALLETIZER, fully automatically. Across its three plants, Leopold operates more than 17 die-cutters and 16 folder-gluers from BOBST, making it one of the machinery manufacturer’s most deeply invested partners in Europe.
Source: whattheythink.com / bobst.com
