Pearl’s innovative Lightning “snap-and-change” punch technology provides manufacturers with the ability to produce bags with speed and safety in mind.
Savannah, NY (August 10, 2023) . . . Century Tech is a Hempstead, NY-based plastic bag machine maker. The company is always looking to offer its customers a competitive edge and they saw a prime opportunity to do so in partnering with Pearl Technologies on incorporating the company’s Lightning-fast punches innovation.
During a recent live demonstration, Century Tech showcased a Pearl Lightning Punch with wicketing attachment, which ran and punched 350 bags per minute.
“Faster is the way everyone wants to go these days,” said Louis Mastrangelo, Vice President and Owner of Century Tech. “And the Pearl wicket punch technology enables this.”
While most bag manufacturers prefer to run 250 bags per minute, Mastrangelo said the idea was to show that it can be done successfully at up to 350 bags per minute. A typical loaf of bread is housed in plastic that has two holes at the top of the bag. Pearl’s wicket attachment and punches makes these holes at almost six bags per second, which equals to 350 bags per minute.
“When bag makers see that, they are impressed and have no doubt that this technology will work well for them when they run 250 bags per minute, which is a more typical speed,” he said.
Lightning-Fast
Pearl Technologies, part of the EDGE Industrial Technologies group of companies, is a leading manufacturer of punches for the converting market. The company’s patented Lightning “all-in-one” punch technology creates precision cuts at lightning-fast speeds for bag and pouch applications like wicketing, venting, and tear-notch.
This innovative Lightning “snap-and-change” punch technology reduces punch changeover time dramatically. The punches are available in a performance, impact or value punch grades as well as supplied in any shape, specification, or punch-to-slit ratios.
Designed with safety in mind, all punches come with a safety box, which helps eliminate cuts and injuries due to handling, installation, removal, or maintenance of the punch, keeping workers safe and simplifying the changeover process.
The speed and safety of changeovers is thanks to the Lighting Units tool-less installation, allowing punches to be changed out in seconds. The Lightning units and punches can run on Pearl equipment, as Century Tech is doing, or can be used on existing equipment. Pearl makes an adapter that allows anyone to run Lightning Punches on their line.
Experience Matters
The faster the machine goes, the less time the punch has to make the holes. This is why it’s crucial to partner with a company who understands both safety and efficiency along with a proven history to back up all claims. Mastrangelo says the Pearl punches are the best in the industry, including best designed and engineered.
“We make bag making machines, and we value Pearl’s technology,” he said. “Pearl has been doing this a long time and is a specialist—it’s what they do and they do it well, which is to design and manufacture high quality punches. Also, the fact the company’s technology is made in the U.S., is also very important to us.”
Mastrangelo says that after their successful display, Century Tech placed a blanket order for Lightning Units and Lightning Punches with Pearl and will use the company’s Lightning Punches on every wicket machine they sell.
“We value the high quality technologies that Pearl provides; their machinery makes our machinery better,” he said.
Video of the Pearl Lightning Wicket unit running at 350 bags per minute can be found here. The two-hole configuration shown was for bread bags, however, it could suit a wide range of products as this technology can be used for virtually any plastic bag. Not to mention, the tool-less punches can be retrofitted to any existing line with the use of a Pearl adapter.
About Pearl Technologies
Pearl Technologies is the world’s leading manufacturer of punches for the converting market. Pearl also designs and builds standard and custom high-speed machine attachments for punching holes, perforating, and slitting for the converting industry. The company also offers blown film extrusion process enhancements that improve film quality at higher outputs and reduce maintenance. In 1985, Pearl began as a small company in Savannah, NY. Now, Pearl is recognized as a leader in the plastics industry with more than two-dozen patents and a lineup of over 3,000 solution-driven products.
About EDGE Industrial Technologies
EDGE Industrial Technologies is comprised of three industry leading brands – TGW International, Pearl Technologies Inc., and Leverwood Knife Works. EDGE companies are leading producers of industrial machine knives and blades, industrial punches, and related equipment, for a wide variety of markets including packaging, processing, converting and print, as well as for general industrial applications. EDGE Industrial Technologies is a global leader in the manufacture of these products, with plants in Europe, North America, and Asia.
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