Technology has been both boon and burden to the printing industry. It has streamlined manufacturing and workflow, and has made many arduous and traditional press duties parts of the past. But, it has also aided quick printers in continuing to slip in and swipe short-run jobs, as more printing shops are closed, bought or sold every year. Clearly, we exist in a different, online world—sending some paper-based products the way of the dinosaur. Regardless, there are still a number of ways to increase profits. For instance, post-press services offer ways to secure client loyalty and
increase efficiency. From folding to binding and gluing technology, the following post-press innovations might pad your own list of products and services, provide start-to-finish client solutions and ease burdens related to finishing—all while keeping jobs well within your grasp.
Stapler Stand adds Portability
The Printers Shopper, Kirkland, Wash., introduced its new R100 portable stapler stand. The unit holds up to two Rapid-model electric staplers. With the machines mounted on this stand, the bindery station can be easily moved to work anywhere in the shop. “It’s not earth-shattering technology, but it is a handy device,” said Kurt Coralline, general manager.
Also new is the DigiEXPRESS Perfect Binder for producing books usually requiring a full-service commercial bindery. Economical and compact, it’s aimed at printers wishing to offer superior book binding for lower-volume print runs, who want to keep the value-added service in house. The spine can run from 4" to 13", using up to 14 pt. gloss, fancy and plain cover stock.
For more information, call (800) 341-6650 or visit www.theprintersshopper.com.
Rotoflex International Enables Consistent Rewind Tension for Unsupported Film
Rotoflex International, Toronto, provides an array of innovative converting and finishing technologies, such as eDrive (electronically synchronized motor drive control) web transport.
“Tension control has become a critical requirement in label converting and package printing with the increased demand for film and unsupported substrates. Every stage—including unwinding, web transport, slitting and rewinding—demands consistent and predictable performance to improve product quality, and ultimately reduce costs,” commented Patrick Boshell, marketing manager, Rotoflex Canada.
Rotoflex offers eDrive on its entire inspection machine line, including the smaller vertical (VSI) and horizontal (HSI) inspection series to the larger, more sophisticated VLI and HLI series.
For more information, visit www.rotoflex.com.
Paper Processing Tools from Formax
Formax, Dover, N.H., has introduced a new line of production folders. The 3950 series floor-model production folders are heavy-duty systems for high-volume print shops, fulfillment centers and mailrooms that demand true “production” capabilities, reducing set-up time and increasing productivity.
Three feed options are available: the FD 3950 with a standard bottom-feed air deck for continuous loading; the FD 3950-EX with an extended bottom-feed air deck for a capacity of up to 1,200 sheets; and the FD 3950-PF, featuring a deep-pile feeder capable of holding up to 5,000 sheets of 20 lb. stock.
Standard features include fully automatic fold settings, up to 60 programmable jobs, variable speed control up to 40,000 sheets per hour, an adjustable output conveyor and a centrally located control panel.
In addition, Formax has a new FD 170 Tabletop Booklet Maker. The FD 170 is a compact unit with the power to fold up to 15 sheets, creating 60-page, double-sided booklets at speeds of up to 800 booklets per hour.
Standard features include push-button format change, semi-automatic and manual operating modes, staple-and-fold and fold-only modes, a three-digit resettable counter and fault detection. Staple cartridges hold 2,000 staples each. The FD 170 accommodates 81⁄2x11" and 11x17" sheets, and is easy to use.
For more information, call (800) 232-5535 or visit www.formax.com.
Esko’s Post-Rip Tools Increase Plate Room Efficiency
Gent, Belgium-based Esko’s Digital Flexo Suite for Labels includes a number of post-rip tools to increase efficiency in the plate room, particularly for label printers. For example, PlatePrep automatically crops, sorts and arranges labels on a large flexo plate for an efficient and cost-effective plate output, with as little waste as possible. As soon as a plate is filled with label separations, it is sent to an Esko CDI flexo plate imager. At the same time, information about the plate is sent to a Kongsberg cutting table, where the individual label separations are cut automatically. With increasing design variations and ever-shrinking print run lengths, this automated solution saves time and money for trade shops and label converters.
Esko also offers a variety of dedicated digital flexo imaging devices aimed at the label and tag markets, such as the Esko CDI Spark 2120 and Esko CDI Spark 2530, as well as the Esko Kongsberg i-XE10, a digital, dieless cutting table.
The Kongsberg i-XE Series is an automated digital finishing system based on the technology and robust architecture of the Kongsberg i-XL Series of large-format digital finishing tables. The Kongsberg i-XE10 is scaled down to a smaller format, designed to offer a fast, productive solution for digital finishing. The table can handle kiss-and-through cutting of vinyl, polycarbonate, polyester, polypropylene, carton stock and more. The work area of the i-XE10 is 800x1100 mm (31.5x43.3"), and it can accept material as large as 900x1200 mm (35.4x47.2").
For more information, visit www.esko.com.
eDrive (electronically synchronized motor drive control) web transport from Rotoflex International
The Kongsberg i-XE10 dieless cutting table from Esko
- Companies:
- Formax