This 22″ Comco 8-color press with integrated rotary die-cutting has undergone a full Converting Alternatives International controls retrofit, bringing modern automation, precision, and reliability to a proven production workhorse. Originally equipped with aging Mitsubishi PLCs, each station was completely upgraded to a Weidmueller remote I/O architecture, all controlled through a powerful Rexroth Indramat MLC motion controller. This allowed our engineering team to implement seamless communication, simplified diagnostics, and far more robust system performance.
To elevate print quality and production accuracy, CAI integrated full servo registration on both the infeed and the rotary cutting module. This upgrade ensures tighter tolerances, faster corrections, and consistent alignment across all eight print stations—even at high speeds.
Every print station now features its own dedicated HMI, each with intuitive color selection tools. Operators can manage station-level registration directly from the main operator HMI located at the cutter/delivery section, greatly improving workflow efficiency and reducing downtime caused by manual adjustments.
Beyond the controls retrofit, our team engineered and installed a CAI Askew unit to cleanly remove cartons from the cutter before transferring them to our cost-effective stacker. The result is a fully streamlined finishing system capable of running and stacking at speeds exceeding 800 lineal feet per minute—a major performance enhancement for a press of this age and configuration.
This retrofit showcases what’s possible when advanced motion control, modern HMIs, and intelligent system design are applied to legacy equipment. The upgraded 22″ Comco press now delivers high-speed output, precise registration, simplified operation, and long-term reliability—all without the cost of purchasing a new machine.
