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40,320 pieces - the biggest Ravensburger puzzle

From the Disney film to the biggest Ravensburger puzzle
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From the Disney film to the biggest Ravensburger puzzle

The biggest Ravensburger puzzle shows ten film excerpts from famous cartoon classics, selected by an international team of experts from Disney and Ravensburger. Production of the puzzle in a 6.80 by 1.92 meter format is a masterly achievement, made in Upper Swabia, Germany. The picture story below tells how “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, “Dumbo” and “The Lion King” made it into the giant 40,320-piece puzzle:

Stage 1: The illustrator at work

The ten Disney film scenes were meant to form a single picture, so an illustrator authorized by Disney redrew each scene by hand. He spent around 650 hours sitting at the computer before he could send his completed work to Ravensburg.
The illustrator at work

Stage 1: The illustrator at work

The ten Disney film scenes were meant to form a single picture, so an illustrator authorized by Disney redrew each scene by hand. He spent around 650 hours sitting at the computer before he could send his completed work to Ravensburg.
Initial image-proofing by the editors

Stage 2: Initial image-proofing by the editors

Two editors inspect the first color-consistent 1:1 press proof of the image. They consequently check whether the color reproduction is correct, if there are any blurred areas or spots, etc. and whether the transitions between the individual scenes are optimally aligned. Not before everything is exactly as they want it will they approve series printing.

Stage 3: From illustration to pre-press artwork

Series production begins: the scenes for Snow White and friends have arrived at at the pre-press stage for offset printing. Here, a member of staff at the PC initiates the exposure of the printing plates for the image. This means that for each of the four print colors, the puzzle image will be transferred as a light-sensitive layer to the aluminum plates, using a chemical process. A separate print plate will be exposed for each of the print colors cyan, magenta, yellow and black.
From illustration to pre-press artwork

Stage 3: From illustration to pre-press artwork

Series production begins: the scenes for Snow White and friends have arrived at at the pre-press stage for offset printing. Here, a member of staff at the PC initiates the exposure of the printing plates for the image. This means that for each of the four print colors, the puzzle image will be transferred as a light-sensitive layer to the aluminum plates, using a chemical process. A separate print plate will be exposed for each of the print colors cyan, magenta, yellow and black.
The image goes into the printing press

Stage 4: The image goes into the printing press

The printer mounts the corresponding print plate in each of the four color towers. It is then automatically drawn in. After ten minutes of set-up time, the press is ready to print.

Station 5: Pallets of paper

Once the press is set up and the test proofs are flawless, the printer fills the offset printing press to ready it for series production with linen-embossed paper from the Black Forest, specially made for Ravensburger.
Pallets of paper

Station 5: Pallets of paper

Once the press is set up and the test proofs are flawless, the printer fills the offset printing press to ready it for series production with linen-embossed paper from the Black Forest, specially made for Ravensburger.
Proof printing

Stage 6: Proof printing

Once the press is set up and the test proofs are flawless, the printer fills the offset printing press to ready it for series production with linen-embossed paper from the Black Forest, specially made for Ravensburger.

Stage 7: A rainbow of colors for Cinderella and friends

Yellow, cyan, magenta and black. The four color towers of the press roll one color after the other at high speed onto the white sheets of paper. Up to 18,000 sheets an hour are printed. The prints are then varnished, dried and stacked.
A rainbow of colors for Cinderella and friends

Stage 7: A rainbow of colors for Cinderella and friends

Yellow, cyan, magenta and black. The four color towers of the press roll one color after the other at high speed onto the white sheets of paper. Up to 18,000 sheets an hour are printed. The prints are then varnished, dried and stacked.
Nicely laminated

Stage 8: Nicely laminated

With absolute precision, the laminator glues sheet after sheet of puzzle images on to the characteristic Ravensburger puzzle backing – the blue cardboard that is so well-bonded that the puzzle tabs will still withstand even the umpteenth puzzle assembly: crease-free, void of air bubbles and with precise edges, even in XL format.

Stage 9: Multiply that by 10!

Snow White, Bambi, Peter Pan. All ten Disney film scenes go through the same procedure, until – as here – they are printed and laminated and ready for the biggest challenge in the manufacturing process: punching the pieces to form a puzzle!
Multiply that by 10!

Stage 9: Multiply that by 10!

Snow White, Bambi, Peter Pan. All ten Disney film scenes go through the same procedure, until – as here – they are printed and laminated and ready for the biggest challenge in the manufacturing process: punching the pieces to form a puzzle!
The toolmaker keeps track of curves

Stage 10: The toolmaker keeps track of curves

The workshop for the giant puzzle: the master of his trade bends steel band blades by hand to form puzzle tabs. Each curve is unique. Bend by bend, he knocks them into the wooden support with a hammer. This takes about 400 work hours.

Under pressure: punching the puzzle

A member of staff places the laminated cardboard sheets of the first film scenes into the puzzle-punching tool. Two edges have already been pre-cut in the typical interlocking cut. With the weight of a thousand tons behind them, the sharp steel band blades cut the picture into 4,032 pieces, which fall directly into a plastic bag. To prevent anything from staying stuck in the machine, a rubber part reliably presses out the punched pieces.
Under pressure: punching the puzzle

Under pressure: punching the puzzle

A member of staff places the laminated cardboard sheets of the first film scenes into the puzzle-punching tool. Two edges have already been pre-cut in the typical interlocking cut. With the weight of a thousand tons behind them, the sharp steel band blades cut the picture into 4,032 pieces, which fall directly into a plastic bag. To prevent anything from staying stuck in the machine, a rubber part reliably presses out the punched pieces.
Final quality check

Stage 12: Final quality check


Are the seams of the bag properly sealed? Are all the puzzle pieces punched? Manual inspection will decide whether this bag is approved to go into the puzzle box with the nine others.

Put the lid on and we’re done

All ten images are punched, ready in their bags and being packed together with the image reference and instructions into an extra large folding carton. Then we can put the lid on the biggest Ravensburger puzzle of all time. With a weight of around 20 kilos, it is also the heaviest by quite a margin and needs two strong people to heave it onto the pallet. The pallet has only enough space for eight such puzzles.
Put the lid on and we’re done

Put the lid on and we’re done

All ten images are punched, ready in their bags and being packed together with the image reference and instructions into an extra large folding carton. Then we can put the lid on the biggest Ravensburger puzzle of all time. With a weight of around 20 kilos, it is also the heaviest by quite a margin and needs two strong people to heave it onto the pallet. The pallet has only enough space for eight such puzzles.
Employees and the Ravensburger puzzle
Ravensburger puzzle production

Stage 14: From the warehouse out into the world

A special conveyor vehicle moves the record-breaking puzzles into storage in the company’s own high-bay warehouse – ready for delivery to eager puzzle fans in Germany, Europe and around the world.
From the warehouse out into the world

Stage 14: From the warehouse out into the world

A special conveyor vehicle moves the record-breaking puzzles into storage in the company’s own high-bay warehouse – ready for delivery to eager puzzle fans in Germany, Europe and around the world.
Made it! The biggest Ravensburger puzzle!

Stage 15: Made it! The biggest Ravensburger puzzle!

If you can manage to assemble the 40,320 pieces, you will end up with a puzzle carpet that’s almost seven by two meters, telling fascinating Disney film stories. As a reward, you can search for a little Mickey Mouse symbol that’s included in each scene.

Great challenge, tiny cardboard pieces

Siglinde Nowack, international product manager at Ravensburger, talks about the special aspects of choosing the image and producing this world record-breaker, as well as about the puzzle fans who are prepared to face the challenge of assembling the puzzle.
Interview
Siglinde Nowack, international product manager at Ravensburger

Great challenge, tiny cardboard pieces

Siglinde Nowack, international product manager at Ravensburger, talks about the special aspects of choosing the image and producing this world record-breaker, as well as about the puzzle fans who are prepared to face the challenge of assembling the puzzle.
Interview
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