VSR
Mark Andy
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New features streamline operation, maintenance, and repair procedures
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Redesigned control panels create discreet points of operation
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Sleek style matches design language of Mark Andy's XP printers
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Engineered to leverage Mark Andy's manufacturing strengths
Mark Andy needed a competitive slitter rewinder machine to compliment their XP printers.
Objex married the best features of the KOR technology with improved interfaces, function, and style to make a splitter rewinder with unparalleled performance.
Where they were
Where we took them
Mark Andy was enjoying a good deal of success with their new XP line of industrial printers; however, their customers were still looking elsewhere for machines dedicated to auxiliary processes such as slitting and rewinding. Since they wanted to position themselves as a single-source printing solution company, Mark Andy bought some existing slitting/rewinding technology (designed by KOR) and hired Objex to work their magic to create the best slitter/rewinder money could buy.
Opportunity
Research
Objex met with KOR engineers to get some background on how their machine is made and operated. We inspected the existing CAD models and got a rundown on some of the technical details before we toured sites where the KOR machines were being used. We interviewed operators, took a turn running the machine ourselves, and captured a ton of data on use patterns, ergonomics, and known problems.
Upgrading Function
After reviewing and digesting the information gleaned from the research phase, Objex identified a number of areas where they could fix problems or just generally upgrade the existing product. Some of these were obvious, like Hey, maybe we should put a jog control on the rear of the machine so the maintenance guys can stop using that jerry-rigged broomstick (true story). But most of the opportunities were less apparent things like unifying the style and interface of controls, replacing mechanical clamps with more reliable pneumatic pistons, reorienting the inspection lamp to reduce eye strain, rearranging components and controls to create specific points of operation, and adding features to accommodate small parts used during maintenance.
Unifying Styling
We proposed our solutions to Mark Andy, and they gave us the green light as well as some additional suggestions. While our engineers got cracking on creating CAD models of the functional solutions, the design team began the delicate work of making a 3-ton machine that would rip your fingers off look like something that just walked out of a Printhouse magazine centerfold. We liked the clean, simple lines and tough-looking anodized black surfaces of the KOR machine, but the jumble of control styles and general static style would not do. In addition to being visually dynamic and coherent, the final machine needed to speak the language of the Mark Andy brand..
After a number of styling concepts, we landed on a sleek, modern design that really fit in with the XP printing line. We refined the CAD models to incorporate the final style, and then we were ready to move into production. Objex engineers made technical drawings for all parts and assemblies, and we worked with Mark Andy fabricators to establish the machining processes that would be used. Some final details were nailed down with feedback from the fabricators, and pretty soon, Mark Andy was proud to introduce the VSR Slitter Rewinder to the world.
Roll Out
Objex Service Scale
