Soma Engineering is a dynamically developing company with a rich history and a comprehensive range of high quality products for printing and converting. With over a century of expertise in machinery manufacture the company is a respected and well established supplier to the flexible packaging industry.
Launched in the early nineties, the Soma range of machines for flexible packaging production include flexographic printing presses, slitter rewinders, laminators, coaters, plate mounters, sheeters and die cutters. All products are manufactured and assembled entirely in-house enabling the company to oversee all aspects of production and quality control.
Continuous growth over the past few years has seen the establishment of a new production and administration complex encompassing both research and development. More recently new innovations in product design have resulted in further growth leading to investment in the Soma Globe centre where customers are able to run product and development trials using the latest machines in the Soma range. The company is committed to developing new products with added value and to providing long-term service and maintenance to ensure the longevity of its products.
Participation at key industry exhibitions has been instrumental in building a strong sales and support network of distribution channels throughout the world leading to 90 percent of product going to export. The company’s ethos is based on good business practice and high quality products supported by a work force trained to the highest standards in their respective fields.
DRUPA 2012 SHOW REVIEW
PROFIT MAKING TECHNOLOGY IN FULL WORKFLOW MODE SELLS ALL EXHIBITS ON THE SOMA STAND
SOMA Engineering reported on a successful Drupa 2012 where the company launched its new Premia flexographic printing press and the latest version of its Lamiflex E laminator. These were complemented by new Pluto and Venus slitter rewinder models and a Flexmont S mounting and proofing system.
The machines were demonstrated running together in full workflow production mode with data for job parameters from initial job preparation to finished product monitored through the company’s new Soma Connection monitoring software. All combined to maximise efficiency and reduce waste over all aspects of the printing and converting cycle.
“Drupa 2012 was a major project for us and proved to be a great success,” says Marketing Manager, Petr Blasko. “Visitors were able to see how the Soma concept of ‘profit making technology’ works through demonstration of the equipment in full work flow production from PDF graphic files through to proofing, printing, final converting and waste and efficiency monitoring. We sold all the machines on show to customers in the MEA, Finland, Holland and Czech Republic and also finalised important projects for China and Japan as well as taking a number of enquiries for ongoing projects that are very promising. Our next major project will be the opening of the Soma GLOBE technology and training centre scheduled for the last quarter of 2012.”
The Premia press offers a cost effective combination of high technology and engineering for short and medium print runs. The 1270m wide press exhibited featured 915 mm print repeat for speeds up to 500 m/min and was shown with INK-READY feature that allows preparation for the next job while printing the current one. INK-READY covers wash-up, blade and sealing exchange as well as anilox sleeve changeover. The press was equipped with eight printing units, shaft-less unwind and rewind, automatic wash-up and viscosity control systems, sleeve ejecting device, and various quality check systems such as 100% web inspection, in line spectrophotometer, PDF verification and INK-FIX. The INK-FIX system allows colour correction if the print is out of specification.
The new Venus III slitter rewinder for flexible packaging materials is available in web widths from 1100mm to 1850mm and features overhead web path for enhanced clean room conditions and is optimised for food and pharmaceutical packaging applications. A waste management system connects quality check systems between the flexo and slitter rewinder and allows the operator to cut off waste material during the slitting procedure.
The PLUTO llI is available in widths from 1100mm to 1600mm and is a high performance machine designed for quick change overs. Both machines are aimed at greater efficiency and equipped with clever design features to reduce waste and down times.
The eco-friendly Lamiflex E laminator uses a two part, solvent-free polyurethane adhesive that sets via chemical reaction. This avoids VOC emissions and also eliminates the need for a heated drying tunnel saving on both energy consumption and machine engineering costs while also reducing carbon emissions.