PÅ Media streamlining packaging workflow with Summa F1612 flatbed cutter

PÅ Media, a Stockholm-based printing company, is a reliable print supplier with a focus on exclusive and creative packaging, based on over 20 years of fine expertise. Delivering high-quality products, ranging from small and medium printing sheets to branded products and large-format banners, PÅ Media tailors each solution to the customer’s need.

To eliminate outsourcing and obtain full control over their cutting jobs, the company decided to purchase a Summa F1612 in May 2019.

In-house control over the entire cutting process

Previously, PÅ Media outsourced the cutting to subcontractors which were very time- and cost-consuming. Now, the company entrusts all its cutting jobs to a Summa F1612 flatbed cutter, allowing them to execute and control all cutting jobs independently.

Thomas Pall, Owner & Marketing Manager at PÅ Media explains: “One of our main arguments was that the cutting machine needed to be able to punch small and medium-sized editions of printing sheets in SRA3, printed on our HP Indigo printer. Previously, we outsourced packaging, invitation cards, stickers and many other applications. Thanks to the F1612 we can now quickly and smoothly manufacture products for prototyping to finished editions, ready to supply to our customers and entirely controlled in-house.”

Done with manual labour and inferior cutting quality

For the company, the flatbed’s integrated camera recognition function and the Poster Trim feature are very beneficial. Poster Trim is used to cutting posters continuously without operator intervention. Before the arrival of the Summa F1612 flatbed cutter, even the company’s large-format cutting was done manually: “Cutting our large-format products by hand was extremely cumbersome and time-consuming.  With the arrival of the F1612, we could instantly streamline our large-format production and finishing. This saved us a lot of time and trouble. High-end quality is now guaranteed at all times. Then you could never obtain the same quality with manual cutting.”

Exclusive packaging obtained in an automated workflow

PÅ Media uses the F1612 flatbed cutter mostly to cut corrugated and non-corrugated cardboard to create products for the packaging industry. A true perk for companies that begin with packaging is that you get a free basic packaging library, PLM Packlib, with the Summa GoProduce software that comes with the machine. The library provides resizable standard packaging models, such as FEFCO (corrugated cardboard) and ECMA (folding cardboard). Even a few POS display designs and solid cardboards (furniture) designs are available in the library.

Thomas Pall adds: “As packaging designers, we use the F1612 flatbed to cut out and evaluate my ideas. All designs are constructed in Adobe Illustrator, which is then sent to the F1612 through the server. This automated workflow never fails and brings joy to the work. The intelligent camera system on the flatbed reads the registration marks, placed in the design flawlessly and starts to cut immediately after that.”  

PÅ Media and Color Systems Scandinavia

PÅ Media purchased the F1612 flatbed cutter from Summa’s official dealer Color Systems Scandinavia. According to Thomas Pall, the cooperation with the Summa dealer went very well. Also, the price of the F1612 flatbed is very favourable with an abundance of technology, features and benefits in return.

Thomas Pall concludes: “The installation of the flatbed and cooperation with Color Systems went perfectly. Also, the follow-up from Color Systems in the early days was responsive and helpful. Small hurdles and challenges that typically come with the installation and the first commissioning of a new machine were tackled most professionally and efficiently by the Summa dealer.”

This Summa product was delivered and serviced by Color Systems Scandinavia.