Technological watch

Kiefel will be presenting machine, tool and automation solutions for processing recyclable materials at this year's K trade fair from October 19 - 26 with live demonstrations. The company is also showcasing new digital services, solutions for the medical and pharmaceutical industries and research activities on the topic of sustainability. In addition, Kiefel is offering insights into processes for closing the cycle at "The Machine" in the VDMA Dome.

"At Kiefel, we keep our eyes on the megatrends of digitization and sustainability," explains Cornelia Frank, Head of Sustainability at Kiefel. "That's why we are particularly pleased to be presenting solutions at this K trade fair that ideally match this year's focal topics of circular economy, digitization and climate protection."

Laboratory machine NATUREFORMER KFT Lab.As well as classic, bio-based and recycled plastics, Kiefel steel rule and tilting machines can also process paper. In live demonstrations of the KMD 78.2 Speed steel rule machine, the company will illustrate how high-quality, sustainable packaging products are made from recycled film - thus making a contribution to tray-to-tray recycling. This is made possible by in-house, unique tool technology and smart automation concepts. Kiefel is unveiling the new Kiefel Speed Automation (KSA) at the K. Beside customer-specific automation solutions, the company thereby offers completely modular standard automations based on a building block principle for the most common applications.

In addition, visitors can discover more about the latest packaging technology from Kiefel, fiber thermoforming of natural fibers, which is in high demand worldwide. Large numbers of the NATUREFORMER KFT 90 machine, which deploys this technology, are already operational worldwide. At the K 2022, the KFT Lab laboratory machine will be used to illustrate the production process and suitable food and non-food applications for the technology. With its own material and technology centers, Kiefel offers extensive capabilities for proofs-of-concept, which will also be featured.

Service: Machine status and maintenance at a glance - 24/7In Kiefel's After Sales division, the range of digital services has been expanded. The Kiefel Portal is the central online platform that allows customers to keep an eye on their machine status around the clock using the "Maintenance Dashboard" and plan upcoming maintenance. Furthermore, users are also informed about suitable machine upgrades. The Kiefel portal can also be used to identify and request machine spare parts, 3D machine documentation and new interactive online training courses on all aspects of machine operation.

Medical & Pharma: Production of Bioprocess BagsSimultaneously, Kiefel is presenting innovations for the medical and pharmaceutical industry. At the K trade fair, the company is exhibiting its expanded portfolio of bioprocess bags with the requisite machine technology. The 3D and 2D bags can be made from PVC-free materials such as PE or PP, or from PVC or EVA, depending on the customer's requirements. Depending on the customer's requirements, a wide range of options can be implemented, e.g. semi-automatic or fully automatic machines, disposable bags for the storage of stem cells, cell cultures, mixing or separation, in 2D or 3D designs or hose/port connection components.