Corrugator-integrated dust extraction improves print stability at Model Group

Corrucleaner results at Model Group, Czosnów: less dust, fewer stops, better print quality

At the end of 2025, Weducon installed a Corrucleaner® system in one of Model Group’s corrugated plants. After a few weeks, the results are clear: less dust, fewer stops, better print quality, and significantly improved production stability.

Model Group is a leading European manufacturer of corrugated packaging, known for its high standards in print quality, process control and clean production environments. With multiple facilities across Europe, Model serves demanding markets such as food, beverages, and industrial goods, where consistent high-quality packaging is essential.

The challenge: dust affecting print performance

At its corrugated plant in Czosnów, Poland, dust generated by the slitter/scorer and cut-off began to impact printing performance and overall plant cleanliness. Contamination on the corrugated sheets led to additional plate washing, reducing efficiency and product quality.

As Plant Manager Grzegorz Czarnota explained, ‘dust deposits on the sheets were negatively impacting printing performance and overall plant cleanliness. It also affected our fire prevention systems.’

When cleaning interventions are triggered by declining print quality, degradation has already begun. To prevent unnecessary downtime and maintain process stability, contamination must be removed at the source.

The solution: targeted dust extraction at two critical positions

Weducon installed a Corrucleaner system in two critical positions on the corrugator: directly after the slitter/scorer and directly after the cut-off, before the sheets enter the stacker.

These locations were selected to remove particles at the source, before the sheets begin to overlap, preventing dust-related issues in downstream processes such as printing, where contamination affects quality and increases plate-washing intervals.

The Corrucleaner system combines:

• High air velocity
• Active ionisation
• Minimal distance to the substrate
• Cleaner heads specifically developed for corrugated board
• A protective frame to prevent blockages during order changes
• Automatic height adjustment for a wide range of flute types

To integrate the Corrucleaner behind the slitter/scorer, Weducon engineered a custom support frame that fits the line without requiring structural modifications. At the cut-off position, existing components were replaced, and all mounting points reused.

The installation was completed over a weekend, with no impact on corrugator operations.

Measurable results

Following commissioning, Model’s production team monitored wash intervals and operational performance. The improvements were clear and measurable:

• Approximately 8 hours per month of additional available production time
• Significant reduction in extra plate washing caused by dust contamination
• Improved print consistency during longer runs
• No customer claims related to dust-driven print defects

For the production team at Czosnów, the main benefit has been additional available capacity on the high-quality flexo printing line, thanks to a significant reduction in stoppages for cleaning the photopolymer plates. This has resulted in improved uptime, fewer press disruptions, and more consistent output during longer runs.

The team also saw an improvement in print quality due to reduced contamination, resulting in no more customer claims about dust-related printing errors, especially on logos or large coverage areas.

In terms of time, we save approximately eight hours per month. This is driven by the elimination of extra plate washing previously required due to dust contamination and residues
originating from the corrugator’s slitter/scoring section.

Grzegorz Czarnota – Plant Manager

Careful evaluation and confirmed performance

Prior to implementation, Modal’s team conducted a structured evaluation process, including reference visits and benchmarking of alternative solutions. After several months of assessment, Weducon was selected based on overall capability, integration quality, and performance reliability.

The post-installation results have confirmed that decision.

… Additionally, since installation, we didn’t receive any customer claims related to dust-driven print defects… It is a great solution.

Conclusion

By removing dust at its source, before it enters downstream processes, Model protects the stability of its flexo printing operation.

Corrugator-integrated dust extraction delivers proven gains in uptime, reduced cleaning interventions, and improved product quality — demonstrating how targeted contamination control directly supports high-performance corrugated production.

Would you like to learn more about integrating dust extraction and sheet-cleaning systems into your corrugated cardboard production line? Please contact us; we will be happy to advise you based on your application.