Packwell uses digital solution from Marbach. More efficiency in packaging production with CONNECT|M.

With our product CONNECT|M, we have a digital solution on the market with which manual die-cutting processes can be replaced by digital ones. Packwell Schwepnitz has recently started using the CONNECT|M "Tool Management" module together with an optional work preparation station. They are very satisfied with CONNECT|M, which ensures greater process efficiency.

Technician Hans-Jürgen Eckart has been with Packwell since 2002 and is responsible for cutting-die management, which involves purchasing tools in the work preparation area. He reports: "As a modern packaging company, we at Packwell have focused heavily on the topic of digitalization in recent years. We first became aware of the Marbach CONNECT|M solution on the Marbach online platform "Experience Hub". Having visited Marbach, it was clear that this solution offers very good starting points for us. Particularly the module Tool Management was very interesting for us. We wanted a system that would digitally map our workflows for tool reorders and make them more efficient. In our previous processes, everything was done manually. We see great potential for optimization in the digitalization of processes. Based on our requirements for such a system, we came up with the idea of combining the CONNECT|M Tool Management module from Marbach with a separate, central workstation and operating it offline. Together with Marbach, we developed this idea step by step."

The result was a new, digital workflow that helped Packwell Schwepnitz to significantly optimize the areas of tool repairs and reorders. The new process ensures that each individual tool is checked directly after it has been used on the die-cutting machine. Following this inspection, a decision is made whether the tool can be stored directly or whether tool optimization or reordering is necessary. Each tool is marked accordingly and documented with a photo. If reworking or reordering is necessary, the desired optimizations on the tool are stored digitally and can be considered directly when reordering. This means that every tool is perfectly optimized to suit the individual requirements and conditions on site. A positive side effect: a life file is created for each tool, which is constantly being updated in Tool Management and can be used as a basis for future decisions. In addition, the reproducibility of already optimized tools is made much easier when reordering thanks to the complete documentation. 

Hans-Jürgen Eckart continues: "We have been using the Marbach system since 1st January, 2024 and can already report successes after this short time: Thanks to the digital documentation, communication with the tool manufacturer is now much quicker and easier than before. If a tool needs to be reordered, an e-mail will automatically be sent to the work preparation department containing all the important data for a tool order in a structured format – including a photo and optimization notes. This new process saves us more than 50% of the time for each individual tool reorder compared to the previous manual process. In addition, the structured data transfer means we have a tool quality that optimally meets our requirements. This is because the new, digitalized process ensures that every tool stored is perfectly prepared for the next order. We therefore benefit from shorter set-up times and less downtime when the next tool is used, as well as high die-cutting quality. Another advantage for us: initial evaluations shows that since using CONNECT|M, we have had to regrind far fewer nicks on the tool set-up in the die-cutting machine than before. This saves us even more machine downtime, as the nicks have to be inserted while the machine is not running. We can now use the time saved efficiently for the production of our packaging."

Packwell Schwepnitz is therefore very satisfied with the Marbach solution. 

Hans-Jürgen Eckart concludes: "But this is just the beginning for us. CONNECT|M has further functionalities that we are not yet fully utilizing. Over the next few months, we will continue to establish CONNECT|M and introduce additional functionalities such as real-time access to tool CAD data, digital delivery and invoice editing and additional automation functions. This will allow us to benefit even more from CONNECT|M. Many thanks to Marbach for this solution and for the professional cooperation with the Marbach project team – Thomas Kandlbinder and Jannik Lampe."

More information about CONNECT|M is available here: experience.marbach.com/en/blog-detail/die-cutting-40  

About Packwell Schwepnitz
Packwell Schwepnitz is a successful medium-sized family business in the packaging industry. Founded in 1994, the company has been part of the Palm Group since 2007, which unites 39 locations with a total of 4,200 employees in Europe. The Palm Group is a leading supplier of newsprint, corrugated base paper and corrugated board packaging. Packwell GmbH & Co. KG in Schwepnitz (Germany) produces innovative and sustainable corrugated board solutions, many of them with sophisticated print images, for attractive and functional packaging and displays. The company supplies customers e.g., from the food and luxury food, hygiene and technical industries. Packwell Schwepnitz is a specialist for die-cut and glued articles, among other products, which is one of the reasons why Marbach gladly develops and tests new ideas for its cutting-dies with this plant. Thanks to continuous investment in employees, machinery and the plant's infrastructure, Packwell Schwepnitz is one of the most modern and productive packaging plants in Germany.