SOMA (Lanskroun, Czech Republic), producer of flexographic printing presses, plate mounters, slitter rewinders and laminators, has announced the release of its Venus III.2 and Venus III.2-Turret, the second generation of its highly successful slitters. The SOMA Venus III.2 and Venus III.2-Turret are high performance servo-driven slitters that offer printers and converters maximum efficiency at high speeds for a wide range of substrates – including PET, PP, LDPE, HDPE, paper, laminates, and others. They’re designed with a web width of 1350/1600/1850 mm (53.1/63/72.8 inches) with a maximum speed of up to 850m/min (2,789 ft/min ft/min), in the case of the Venus III.2. Those larger converting companies interested in multiple slitting of medium-diameter rolls with the highest level of automation, accuracy, and productivity, might prefer the Venus III.2-Turret, said the OEM.
Both slitters are equipped with the Tenzomat III.2 tension control system that delivers precise unwind and rewind tension control during the entire operating cycle, in a closed loop. In doing so, the Venus III.2 slitters can slit extremely thin and difficult substrates. The Tenzomat III.2 system can operate in two modes. One is based on tension preference, where the system automatically adjusts the speed to reach the highest possible tension. The other is based on a maximum speed preference, where the Tenzomat III.2 system automatically limits the tension to reach a desired speed, for special applications such as pressure-sensitive substrates.
The Venus line shares a unified electronic platform of precise control, increased safety, and boosted efficiency with energy savings. Venus slitters deliver exceptional productivity with automatic knife/blade positioning to ensure quick and precise knife settings, and automatic laser core guiding, for precise and quick core settings for new jobs. There are also several handling systems to make work as easy as possible for the operator. Venus slitters are safe to operate, with an overhead web path suitable for pharmaceutical and food packaging, where stringent hygiene and clean-room standards are mandatory. Several control panels help to operate the machine, including two touchscreen panels for rewinding and slitting – one panel in the unwind section and a portable control panel for parent-roll loading. Their automated features make it easy for short runs and quick changeovers, while operating more efficiently and at increased speeds.
