Highlights

●Komori and SOLLAGO PMS hosted Korean packaging printers at a Japan open house to showcase smart factory solutions.
●Komori machines integrated with KP-Connect Pro addressed labor shortages and rising costs.
●The Lithrone GX40 advance EX Edition demonstrated fast job changes and automated quality control.
●The GX40RP advance EX Edition and postpress automation improved efficiency and reduced labor.

At the KGC open house, we presented solutions to industry-wide challenges such as aging technical workforce, labor shortages in production sites, and declining profitability due to rising raw material costs. These solutions were demonstrated through five Komori printing and postpress machines, integrated by the KP-Connect Pro,　manufacturing execution system.

●Demonstration 1

Offset Printing Press: Lithrone GX40 advance EX Edition (GLX-740A), 7-color 40-inch Sheetfed Offset Printing Press equipped with In-line double coater, double DU, double delivery

The highlight of the Lithrone GX40 advance EX Edition demonstration was the Super Short Make Ready (SSMR), which significantly reduces job changeover time. Switching to the next job was completed in just 13 minutes, compared to the conventional 33 minutes.
This improvement was achieved through the adoption of coater semi-APC and the replaceable ink fountain film which greatly streamlined replacement tasks.

- Coater semi-APC allows one-touch replacement of plates simultaneously with blanket cleaning, reducing the task from 5 minutes to 2 minutes with one operator.
- The replaceable ink fountain film eliminates the need for ink removal and roller cleaning by simply removing the film after printing.

Additionally, the integration of the PQA-S (Print Quality Assessment System) V5 with the double delivery enables automatic separation of good and defective sheets, eliminating sorting tasks in postpress and significantly improving overall production efficiency.

●Demonstration 2

Lithrone GX40RP advance EX Edition (GLX-1040RP-A), 10-color 400-inch Multi-color Offset Printing Press Dedicated Two-sided
MBO K80, B1 size Combi Folder
MBO CoBo-Stack, Collaborative robot
Apressia CTX132, Programmable Hydraulic Clamp Cutting System

The Lithrone GX40RP advance EX Edition's key feature is one-pass double-sided printing, eliminating the need for sheet flipping and reducing paper waste by removing gripper margins and color bars required for perfecting units. This greatly improves imposition efficiency.

The demonstration featured catalog printing, where color bars and gripper margins were aligned on both sides, maximizing paper usage.
Printed sheets were then transferred to the MBO K80 folding machine, a high-performance model capable of handling medium to large runs and complex folds with high precision.
The slitter shaft cassette allows modules to be pulled out for external adjustments, enabling a single operator to make quick and precise changes, which significantly improves overall efficiency.
Furthermore, the MBO CoBo-Stack collaborative robot, which requires no safety fence, offers automation and standardization of folding processes.

Next, we demonstrated the Apressia CTX132 Programmable Hydraulic Clamp Cutting System, which integrates with KP-Connect Pro for centralized management of postpress progress and operations.
Options such as joggers, lifters, AWR (automatic waste removal), automatic cutting program software, and fully automated paper alignment systems allow advanced automation of cutting processes.

Operators simply press a foot switch to activate the front-loading system, which transports and pushes paper into the cutter--a unique Apressia CTX feature. Only the first cut requires manual operation; subsequent four-side trimming is fully automated.
During automatic cutting, operators can simultaneously stack paper on joggers or operate folding machines, reducing manpower from two operators to one and significantly improving productivity and workforce allocation.

●KP-Connect Seminar

Manufacturing Execution System "KP-Connect Pro"

▶ The core of smart factory operations: KP-Connect Pro

Its greatest strength lies in real-time centralized management of printing schedules, progress, and performance across the entire plant. By linking with existing MIS systems, it automatically imports order data, enabling efficient planning, progress visualization, and performance tracking.

Currently, KP-Connect Pro is installed in over 60 printing companies in Japan, where its effectiveness in actual operations is highly recognized.

At Komori Machinery in Yamagata prefecture, we showcased the latest digital printing press and toured the Gear Center, where the core components of Komori offset presses are manufactured. This was the first time Korean customers saw the J-throne 29, drawing significant attention.

We also visited domestic Komori user sites. Customers commented:
"The tour of Japanese printing plants was very interesting and satisfying. What impressed us most was seeing young talent active on the shop floor, the clean factory environment with air conditioning systems, and the friendly hospitality."

This open house provided a valuable opportunity to share new possibilities and value in Korea's rapidly evolving printing industry. Going forward, SOLLAGO PMS and Komori will continue to stand as trusted partners, supporting sustainable growth in the printing industry.
We sincerely thank all attendees for joining us despite their busy schedules.