Extrusion International 5-2019

81 Extrusion International 5/2019 GN Thermoforming Equip- ment, a leading manu- facturer of servo-driven, roll-fed thermoformingma- chines for the production of plastic packaging, will launch its new GN580 Ther- moformer at the K 2019 exhibition in Düsseldorf, Germany. The new form/ cut/stack thermoformer is ideal for food, medical, and industrial packagingmarkets. The GN580 Thermoformer is a smaller version of the company’s highly regarded GN800 launched at K 2016. The launch of the new GN models, part of GN’s strategic growth plans, has proven to be very successful, accord- ing to Jerome Romkey, President of GN Thermoforming Equipment. “Our customers have fully embraced the new products and the GN800 is regarded as a highly produc- tive and reliable machine within the industry,” said Rom- key. “We continue to provide an industry-leading level of service and support, giving customers added confidence when launching new machines like the GN580.” At K 2019, the GN580 will run 100% post-consumer re- cycled (PCR) PET with a common-edge tool, producing meat trays with minimal scrap. Over the years, GN has perfected the common-edge-cut tooling technology for their line of thermoformers. Common-edge tooling offers the ability to form a series of square or rectangular trays in a row or multiple rows while eliminating the web be- tween the products. The GN580 that will be exhibited during the K show has already been sold to a Central European packaging manufacturer for the production of food trays and blister packs, according to GN. The high-production GN580 thermoformer with integrat- ed steel rule cutting press and stacking station is used for the cost-effective manufacturing of packaging products made from all thermoformable materials. The most dis- tinctive features of the GN580 are the high degree of au- tomation as well as the ease of tool change. The GN580 has a forming area of 580 x 465mmand a cycle time of 45 cycles/min at full stroke. The machine forms 120 mm (4.7-in) deep parts above and below the sheet line. It also features an operator-friendly HMI with integrated diagnostics and remote connection, an energy recovery system incorporated in all drives, and maintenance-free precision roller bearings in the toggles. “While the GN580 offers many of the same features as our highly successful GN800, it is well suited for unique production runs and has a smaller footprint for factories where space is a challenge,” said Paul Phillips, GN sales and marketing manager. The GN580 offers additional options suited to specific customers’ requirements and it can be further custom- ized for certain applications. The thermoformer provides additional flexibility by accepting tools from many of the competitors’ machines. GN’s family of thermoformers continues to offer ad- vanced technology while being flexible and user-friendly. “We listen to our customers as we develop new equip- ment to satisfy their requirements whether they supply packaging for the food, medical, or industrial markets,” said Phillips. Among the top priorities of GN’s customer-focused ap- proach are improving productivity and ensuring that customers produce the most finished parts per pound of sheet. GN Thermoforming Equipment www.gncanada.com New Form/Cut/Stack Thermoformer K 2019: Hall 3, Booth A36