Koenig & Bauer, together with its joint venture partner Durst, has put the VariJET 106 press for digital folding carton printing in action at virtual.drupa for the first time since its launch.

The hybrid press from the Koenig & Bauer Durst joint venture integrates the proven Durst inkjet technology into the platform of the Rapida medium-format presses.

The 6,000 sheets per hour hybrid press, which has been operating in beta, also comes with inline finishing, bringing unique flexibility to digital package printing. It can produce personalised and individualised print products and can easily alternate between short and medium runs.

At the currently ongoing online tradeshow, the press manufacturer will also be presenting its packaging workflow and intelligent digitisation solutions, among other highlights.

Packaging production is the focus of the virtual trade fair for Koening & Bauer, with the company showcasing its suitable press solutions for various applications such as folding cartons, corrugated board or films.

The entire workflow, from printing and die-cutting to gluing, is carried out on Koenig & Bauer presses: the Rapida 106 X, the CutPRO X 106 and the Omega Allpro 110.

Visitors will also be able to gain an insight into packaging and decorative printing with the RotaJET single-pass digital press and flexo printing for short and medium runs with the Evo XC. In the segment of corrugated printing and converting, Koenig & Bauer will be presenting the CorruJET, CorruCUT and CorruFLEX at virtual.drupa.

Koenig & Bauer will also be giving a presentation on how networked machines, the use of artificial intelligence and other data-based services can help printers make their processes even more efficient.

Koenig & Bauer head of corporate communications and marketing Dagmar Ringel said, “With our live demo, a lecture and a panel discussion, our experts will bring a bit of the atmosphere of the real trade fair to the screen”.

Koenig & Bauer has also launched its predictive maintenance services for printing press owners.

“We use the information contained in already existing press data for automated analyses. This makes it possible to identify and rectify potential problems before they occur,” Koenig & Bauer head of service Thomas Potzkai said.

Service managers are provided with full details of the situation on a given press. On this basis, arrangements can be made for remote maintenance interventions or service calls, as necessary.

A technician subsequently rectifies the fault within the framework of a scheduled assignment, averting the risk of unplanned stoppages. Any necessary downtime is scheduled for an already production-free period. The customer benefits from greater production reliability and increased press availability.

The company said predictive maintenance adds a further dimension to the Koenig & Bauer service concept.