From its facilities in Colorman In Dublin, the company offers fully integrated printing and packaging solutions, creating a strong partnership with BOBST Based on quality, trust, and the shared goal of achieving defect-free packaging, the company has become more connected and efficient thanks to a digital inspection table, NOVAFOIL 106, and a new EXPERTFOLD folding and gluing line with ACCUCHECK.
Founded in 1959, Colorman Ireland It has become one of the country's leading printing companies, serving the healthcare, pharmaceutical, IT, and administrative sectors with folding boxes, brochures, user manuals, and leaflets. At Colorman, quality and reliability are not mere aspirations, but the very foundation upon which the business is built.
That is the reason why the company chose BOBST nine years ago. john keatingColorman Ireland's operations director explains it simply: "We don't consider BOBST a supplier, but a key strategic partner. We decided to partner with them to equip our folding carton division, which is an integral part of Colorman Ireland's business."
Throughout the collaboration, Colorman has built a complete ecosystem BOBST in their production plant, with the EXPERTFOLD 110 folder-gluer as the central element. The machine's performance gave the team the confidence to take the next step: a fully automated EXPERTFOLD 80 line, the first configuration of its kind in Europe, equipped with EASYFEEDER, ACCUCHECK, ACCUJECT and CARTONPACK 4.
The EXPERTFOLD 80 line represents a significant step towards automating Colorman's folding carton operations. The EASYFEEDER handles sheet feeding with minimal operator intervention, while the ACCUCHECK monitors quality inline throughout the entire process. ACCUJECT automatically removes non-compliant boxes, and CARTONPACK 4 automates counting and stacking at the end of the line, reducing manual handling and delivering consistent, reliable performance. These features combine to create a fully automated production line that reduces operator workload, minimizes the risk of human error, and maintains strict quality control from the first sheet to the last.
Liam MyersColorman Ireland's cartoning director explains the idea behind the investment: "When we bought the EXPERTFOLD 110, we knew we had a good machine and wanted to continue the success we'd had with it. Having ACCUCHECK has made a huge difference."
ACCUCHECK online quality control monitors printing, registration, pose integrity, and finishes such as foil stamping, embossing, and varnishing, detecting even the smallest imperfections. ACCUCHECK checks every single blank, and in combination with ACCUJECT, non-conforming boxes are automatically ejected. “When we start a job, we can do so with confidence. We can generate reports, and our customers feel more at ease knowing that everything is monitored and recorded,” says Liam. “ACCUCHEK has improved our entire on-machine quality assurance process. With it, we are truly striving for flawless packaging.”
Since then, the hot stamping transfer press has proven its value in production. Speeds increased considerably, quality improved thanks to the ACCUREGISTER system, and ergonomics, with multiple HMI screens allowing operators to control the machine from any point, greatly facilitated daily operation.
Thanks to the collaboration with NOVAFOIL, the DMT reduces setup times, allowing operators to prepare for the next job while the current one is still running. This increases uptime and maintains production flow. In technically demanding jobs, the ability to visually verify the correct die positioning before starting the job is critical and quick.
The digital inspection table
Colorman's visit to BOBST's packaging center in Lausanne was originally focused on the NOVAFOIL, but it was there that the team first saw the digital inspection table in action and immediately recognized that it would transform their quality assurance workflow.
For Colorman, the BOBST Digital Inspection Table (DIT) has become indispensable, and is used in printing, die-cutting, hot stamping, braille engraving, and other operations. It acts as a validation layer between production stages, ensuring that every job is thoroughly checked before moving forward.
The DIT projects a digital file directly onto a physical sheet, allowing operators to make an immediate visual comparison with the approved proof. Verification of print registration accuracy, cut-for-print, folding, web position, and embossing, as well as Braille correction, is performed quickly and accurately, without the need for physical overlays or print thumbnails.
“The digital inspection table is a validation tool that ensures every job we print and manufacture is checked twice before moving on to the next process,” Liam explains. “For die-cutting, operators use it to confirm correct registration before running a job. For hot stamping, it checks that the correct dies are being used and that the positioning is right. The operators really like using it, and it improves the overall quality of everything they do.”
In addition, several functions are linked through BOBST Connect, including DIT reports and the ability to perform performance benchmarks, providing Colorman with real-time machine performance data inside and outside the plant, which is directly incorporated into the continuous improvement programs that the team carries out in the plant.
