The Undercam, named for the camera that scans boards from below a glass screen, allows printers to feed through a mix of jobs without stopping production.
Due for commercial launch within the next few months – though with no firm date yet – the Undercam can be retrofitted to Zund’s mid-size cutting tables, boosting automation without requiring investment in a significantly larger industrial machine.
Daniel Bischof, Zund’s head of communications, said the machine was ideal for short runs.
“The operator can load job B while the cutter is still working on A – the system recognises it, and cuts automatically,” he said.
The machinery itself relies on technology developed for Zund’s large industrial pallet-to-pallet cutter launched in April 2023, the Q-line with BHS180 feeder.
“We thought it would be a great solution for customers who are running systems like [the G3], as well,” he added.
Zund’s booth (Hall 1-D40), is running two cutting tables, one with Undercam, and a pair of robotic systems, has been aimed squarely at mid-sized printers looking to improve their automation.
Bischof said: “We want to show off our products, but it’s not only about that – we want to show visitors how they can digitalise their workflow, from a low level, up to the very high level of the [Zund] Q-line with BHS180.”
The two off-loading tables with robotic arms likewise support this vision of semi-automated working.
The Robot PortaTable 130s can be moved around the factory as needed to support operatives in the collecting and stacking of cut materials, and, unlike heavier-duty robots, do not require a safety barrier or light fence – which makes them flexible and easy to use, according to the manufacturer Robotfactory’s managing director, Jacob Hansen.
He said: “Safety for workers and operators is key. These are collaborative robots, and that’s why we can show them on the booth like this.
“They’re designed for ease of use, too: if a customer has more cutters, you can move the robot between them very easily, without having to worry about safety fences.”
