BOBST announces Inventor Award winner

BOBST, based in Mex, Switzerland, has awarded its employee, Tim Lair, Additive Manufacturing Engineer with the company’s 2024 Inventor Award.

The employee has been honoured for his work in optimising the workflow of platen systems like die-cutters and hot stamping units which use 3D printed parts.

The winner was chosen from a pool of inventions which were awarded a patent for the first time in 2023 and were created by BOBST employees.

According to BOBST, Lair’s invention excelled in all four criteria: current and future commercial value, technical value, technical value for the customer, and product marketability.

Leonard Badet, chief technology officer at BOBST, says: “The annual Inventor Award is an incredibly important initiative within the BOBST organisation. It recognizes the high skills level, dedication and innovative mindset of our employees across the globe, which is the foundation for the continued success of BOBST and its customers.”

The annual Inventor Award scheme is sponsored by chief executive officer for BOBST, Jean-Pascal Bobst and was created to increase awareness of the company’s intellectual property.

Lair’s invention, Sealing of Bernoulli module, introduces a basic system that make it easy to install a simple braking mechanism called a Bernoulli brake at the entrance of a platen. The system means module assembly becomes much easier and can also potentially reduce the cost of machine manufacturing.

Badet adds: “With this invention, Tim is leveraging his expertise in additive manufacturing to drive development in the design of parts and assemblies, keeping BOBST at the bleeding edge of innovation.

"He also plays an instrumental part in training the next generation by transmitting his specialized knowledge in this field to our apprentices and trainees.”