Rofin Baasel Lasertech from Germany invented the laser perforation method using a multiplexer solution 28 years ago. To perforate cigarette tipping paper with a laser is still more expensive than for example electrostatic perforation in terms of initial investment cost. However it is extremely efficient, productive and flexible. This guarantees a return on investment within a short time.
Although it is still a niche market with a few other companies offering replica systems, Rofin Baasel is constantly improving their systems and product portfolio.
"One of the biggest developments in the last two years was invented to secure quality control with our VPM (Video Porosity Measurment)," says Andreas Schweiger, sales director of the Rofin Baasel CO2 Group. "Rofin Baasel is well known for setting the benchmark in laser perforation of tipping paper for decades. Nevertheless, most of our customers are selling their paper to the cigarette manufacturers and need a 100% quality assurance. The VPM is able to measure each single hole during maximum web speed. With its high speed camera, the operator is even able to see the holes during production." But its not only entirely new system options like the VPM that have been developed for the PerfoLas series.
"The hole system portfolio is constantly being improved and enlarged," adds Andrea Kraft, sales manager, Asia.
Kraft, has been living in China for years and is also one of the initiators of the low-to-high-productivity-volume system family.
"Being part of Rofin, one of the largest laser manufacturers in the world, we have the advantage to be able to implement all possible laser sources in terms of power and wave lengths into our systems," she said. "Rofin Baasel is the market leader in this segment and especially in China and South East Asia, it is necessary to offer laser perforation systems for all budgets and volumes."
Rofin Baasel’s basic machinery configurations are PerfoLas (high volume), PerfoLite (medium volume) and the entry model PerfoLab (lower volume). The machines incorporate the latest laser technology from and range from 100 Watt to 2,500 Watt output.
