by Olivia Cahoon
Part two of four
The printing market continues to expand into new technologies and features. Recently, the industry convened at Graph Expo 2016, which was hosted in Orland, FL for the first time.
Last week we reviewed some of the print engine related happenings and debuts, this week we focus on finishing for digital print and production environments.
The Challenge Machinery Company
The Challenge Machine Company demonstrated the CMT 330 Three-Knife Trimmer for trimming books from multiple binders. It has a new optional book pile feeder and vertical stacker modules, ideal for soft-cover bound books. With full digital control of the trimming process, the CMT 330 stores up to 99 jobs for fast set-up.
The Challenge CMT 330 also comes with the options of a book pile feeder, vertical stacker, multiple book upgrade, high-speed size change, external waste system, barcode size changes, inline finishing capabilities, and exclusive DMD5x knives to maintain sharpness up to five times longer than HSS knives.
C.P. Bourg
C.P. Bourg demonstrated book and booklet-making print finishing solutions with the Bourg Preparation Module. The module has a scalable sheet preparation unit that eases the creation of bound and stitched books and booklets.
Finished books of all sizes can be produced with no operator intervention by connecting the Bourg Preparation Module to an Inline Bourg binder or booklet maker.
Colter & Peterson
Colter & Peterson featured their new products, Prism 7E 28-inch paper cutter and the Microcut Cutter Control System. The Prism 7E is intended for lighter duty applications and incorporates an electric knife and clamp drive. It also has a Mitsubishi computer control package. It is priced under $20,000.
The Microcut Cutter is designed for customers with paper cutters from 30 to 112-inches and is modernized by electrical and safety standards. The cutter delivers cuts within 1/64 of an inch.
Duplo USA Corporation
Duplo showcased the 600i Booklet System, 600i PRO Digital Booklet System, and the iSaddle PRO Digital Booklet System. The 600i Booklet System produces professional side, saddle, or corner-stitched booklets, and letter landscape applications. It can produce up to 5,200 booklets per hour or collate up to 10,000 sets per hour into a stacker.
The iSaddle Pro is a sheet-fed saddle stitching system with high-speed performance to support consistent feeding of a wide variety of paper types. It can produce up to 4,500 books per hour and can saddle stitch and trump up to 30 sheet booklets. It has a 24-inch high capacity stacker and is equipped with the DSF-6000 Air Management System.
Th company also displayed the new 350R Inline Booklet System which integrates the DBM-350 Bookletmaker and Trimmer with the DSF-2200 Sheet Feeder. It is ideal for applications from monochrome and color digital presses. The DSF-2200 two paper feed trays allow the combination of main content pages with covers that have been UV coated, laminated, offset printed, or printed on a separate digital press.
Duplo also previewed its Digital Spot UV Coater featuring a CCD camera recognition system.
Graphic Whizard
Graphic Whizard featured a range of short-run digital print finishing systems. By combining anti-toner cracking impact crease systems with added functionality such as slitting, cutting, perforating, and folding, it offered a machine to fit every printer’s unique needs.
A product highlight is the PT335SCC Multi Slitter/Cutter/Creaser/Perforator, which is an all-in-one finishing system for full-bleed applications. Versatility and efficiency are combined in all machines; whether it is binding, UV coating, folding, creasing, numbering, slitting, cutting, or paper banding.
Harris & Bruno
Harris & Bruno featured their ExcelCoat series of offline and inline coaters for UV and aqueous. It includes a Modular Circulation System that allows quick changeovers between UV, aqueous, and primer. It also includes an optional Corona Treatment Unit for primers and coaters to adhere to substrates or inks like plastics, synthetics, and metal.
The coater has 50 memory set-points and a linked PLC Control System through all of its components. The full length vacuum system prevents fires and a sealed lamp cools wit adjustable air flow. The company invited attendees to see the ExcelCoat series product coating samples.
MBM Corporation
MBM demonstrated finishing products to meet the demands of today’s digital and offset print finishing industries. The product line included triumph cutters, Aerocut digital print finishing systems, folders, creasers, collators, and booklet makers.
The company also introduced air purifier to its portfolio.
Muller Martini
Muller Martini showed how variable magazines and books contain sheet-fed offset, web offset, and digital printing components, and how they can be produced using a fully automated machine line up.
The company highlighted Finishing 4.0, which encompasses game-changing technology in digital networking, and end-to-end touchless workflow from printing to finished product, which represents the cornerstones of the new age of print production. Live equipment demonstrations showed how digitally and offset printed signatures are processed concurrently using a smart, highly automated workflow.
MGI
MGI demonstrated a range of products, including the JETvarnish 3D Evolution, the Meteor Unlimited Colors Press Series, and the AIS SmartScanner intelligent registration system. The family of JETvarnish 3D enhancement presses, including the new label roll-fed JETvarnish 3D W, was also exhibited.
All of the MGI JETvarnish products produce personalized embossed foil and customized decorative special effects with no dies or screens required. Each sheet, box, and label can be uniquely decorated with vibrant, sensory data and images. The new MGI Meteor Unlimited Colors Press series is a powerful new synthesis of digital press and post press technology that produces a virtually unlimited number of colors via the blending of CMYK toner and the reflective qualities of foil—including a rainbow spectrum of metallic, glitter, and holographic effects.
Rollem International
Rollem International showcased the Insignia 5 for die cutting and package technology. It offers speeds up to 5,000 sheets per hour and will die-cut, kiss-cut, and score-cut products like labels, shaped direct mailers, folding cartons, magnets, point of purchase displays, presentation folders, event passes, and custom greeting cards.
The machine runs up to 15×20 inch sheets and is equipped with a single magnetic cylinder. It includes an optional stripping device for skeleton and waste removal as well as an optional inline folder and gluer for cutting, stripping, and feeding directly into the folder and gluer unit.
Rhin-O-Tuff
Rhin-O-Tuff debuted the Tornado Autopunch EX, an automated collating punch system. It was developed in partnership with BDT Print Media GmbH and uses the company’s advanced media handling technology to automatically feed, collate, punch, and deliver offset book stacks that are ready for binding.
The Tornado Technology handles hard-to-run media like plastic coated covers, and heavily printed media. It consists of two media interposer bins and one high-capacity main bin that can hold up to 2500 sheets. The system can punch up to 10,800 sheets per hour with nine interchangeable die sets which include an RFID chip.
With a media range of 60 gsm to 312 gsm, the system handles on demand, short runs and includes easy programmable job set-up, monitoring, and changeovers. According to the company, the Tornado Autopunch EX system saves bind service providers up to 40 percent in process efficiency and reduce costs.
Scodix
Scodix featured the Scodix Foil digital foiling station inline with the Scodix Ultra Pro. The Scodix Foil Station is a hardware module that runs inline with the Scodix Ultra Pro Digital Press. The press includes nine different creative options to expand revenues.
The company exhibited the nine different field money-makers to attendees. They included Scodix Sense, Foil, Spot, Metallic, Glitter, VDP/VDE, Braille, Crystals, and Caste and Cure.
Standard Finishing Systems
Standard Finishing presented bookletmaking, binding, and trimming during live demonstrations that focused on workflow from creation to finishing. They highlighted the short-run capabilities of individual systems and end-to-end workflows. Demonstrators trimmed book blocks off of the Standard Hunkeler roll-to-stack system and turned pre-printed rolls into saddlestitched booklets.
The company also featured the Standard Horizon RD-4055 Rotary Die-Cutter, which produces a variety of unique applications and can achieve up to 6,000 cycles per hour on sheet sizes up to 15.74×21.65-inches. It can die-cut, crease, perforate, slit, hole punch, and round corners.
Therm-O-Type
Therm-O-Type introduced two new products, the NSF Ultra high-speed platen press and a new waste stripping attachment that runs inline with a NSF Elite platen press. The NSF Ultra flattens foil stamps, blinds, and foils emboss, die-cuts, scores, and perforates. It can run sheets 23.5×29 inches with a maximum impression area of 16.5×23.13 inches.
The NSF Elite attachment can be installed on all new or used Elite presses. It is able to automatically strip die-cut products from waste and has the ability to die-cut up to eight positions.
Functional Finishing
Graph Expo 2016 featured exciting new finishing solutions that continue to impact the industry. From cutters to varnishing, vendors continue to produce quality products. Next week, we take a look at consumables featured at the show. dps
Sept2016, DPS Magazine
