Smarter ink control for a self-built paper packaging production line

Project summary: Retrofit of narrow-web paper packaging press with chamber systems and ink pumps

A US-based food packaging converter operates a self-designed narrow-web converting line with inline two-color flexo printing, producing paper trays for the food industry. The existing open doctor blade system caused ink contamination, inconsistent water-based ink properties, and limited production speed. AkeBoose replaced it with the NOVA TK chamber system combined with an EPP 100 peristaltic ink pump – a straightforward, reliable solution engineered to fit seamlessly into the customer's custom-built equipment. The result: higher throughput, reduced waste, better print consistency, and a system that operators adopted without friction.

Initial Situation / Challenge

When a US food packaging converter approached AkeBoose, their production setup was anything but standard. The company had designed and fabricated their own narrow-web converting line in-house – a series of two-color flexo presses with a 280 mm print width, each running inline with a platen die-cutter to produce paper trays for the food industry.

The line ran on water-based ink, and ink application was handled by an open doctor blade system. In practice, this created three persistent problems: the open system was prone to contamination, water-based ink properties varied unpredictably during production runs, and the setup couldn't deliver the print speeds the operation needed to meet output targets. The result was too much waste, too much variability, and not enough throughput.

Approach & requirements

The challenge here was both technical and contextual. This was a self-built, highly customized production environment. Any solution had to integrate cleanly into existing equipment without requiring major modifications, be straightforward for operators to learn and work with daily, and remain easy to maintain without specialist support on-site.

Over-engineering was never the answer. AkeBoose supplied the NOVA TKmini chamber system paired with the EPP 100 peristaltic ink pump – a combination chosen specifically for its simplicity, reliability, and compatibility with water-based ink. The closed chamber design eliminated contamination at the source, while the peristaltic pump ensured consistent ink supply and made cleaning fast and predictable. Integration with the existing line required no structural changes.

Outcome

Once installed, the line ran noticeably better – across every metric that mattered. Output increased, print speeds improved, and ink consistency stabilized across production runs. Waste dropped. Operators found the system intuitive from day one, and maintenance remained minimal.

This project is a clear example of what the right technology match delivers: not the most complex solution, but the most effective one. A closed chamber system and a reliable ink pump, correctly specified for the application – and a custom production line that finally performs the way it was always meant to.