The latest advancement in 3D technology has landed down under – Allkotes 3D Optix. Allkotes describes it as a visually stunning patented lens technology, and says it is the first of its kind to be on offer for the Australian market, it exclusive to Allkotes.
Allkotes says the idea of 3D Optix is to engage your creative skills by combining your artwork design with a 3D shape or pattern placed into the background, thus creating the perception of depth. 3D Optix creates an eye-catching result. There are no tricks or smoke and mirrors, the whole printing process is via conventional offset printing.
3D Optix has the ability to shift colour or flip from colour to colour in selected areas. Printed colour changes from blue to red or black to white. It is as easy as changing your viewing angle or flipping your printed piece to see 3D Optix transform right before your eyes.
Allkotes has its own 3D creative standing by ready to place the finishing touches into your artwork. As an added service, and for a small cost, Allkotes can provide a GIF of your design with 3D Optix. This clever visual animation allows you to grab a real perspective on how your finished product will be seen.
3D Optix has multiple applications, including next poster, POS piece, Header Card, DLX promo card. This technology is also proving a real hit with the label market, opening new doors and creating new ideas for label printers.
Allkotes says its best to talk it at the concept stage, and says it is important to work together to achieve the best result.
BCS- Graffica supplies Century in Australia, a range of flat bed die cutters for carton board and corrugated from 800 wide through to 2100mm.
The larger 1650, 1850 and 2100 machines do not use gripper prongs so a wide variety of stock can be processed. The Century machines are available in full auto and semi auto.
The flagship machine pictured below was installed in Melbourne at a large display company.
BOBST MASTERFOLD AND MASTERCUT
Bobst says it has launched the world’s most productive folder-gluer and most highly automated and productive die-cutter.
The Masterfold 110 folder-gluer has fast makereadies, product quality and throughput, something that the company says Masterfold has offered ever since its arrival on the market. Now, the world’s best folder-gluer has got even better, making it possible to produce up to a million, perfectly folded and glued cartons, in a single shift.
With running speeds of 700 meters per minute, Matic setting, a host of uprated systems, and configurability, Bobst says Masterfold is the fastest, most highly automated and most versatile folder-gluer available today. Its open-frame construction, avant-garde, integrated podium, built-in safety systems and a Human Machine Interface HMI makes it safe and easy to set and run. Masterfold can be also augmented by a range of Bobst peripherals that let carton makers make the most of its productivity.
The Mastercut 106 PER – Autoplaten die-cutter has a host of brand new systems, each designed to either maximise uptime, speed up production or improve quality. Bobst claims this Mastercut is the fastest, most automated and most versatile die-cutter available today. It has easy set-up and and run not least because intuitive Human Machine Interface. With its new generation Smart Feeder 3 intelligent feeder, more powerful Power Register 3 sheet registration system and automated Matic settings, the Mastercut 106 PER delivers consistent die-cutting at speeds of up to 11,000 sheets an hour, and considerably increases machine up-time.
Both Bobst systems are available through Print & Pack in Australia and New Zealand.
CURRIE GROUP – HORIZON SMARTSLITTER
The Horizon SmartSlitter is an all-in-one smart sheet processing system that can slit, gutter cut, edge trim, cross-cut, perforate, and crease all in one pass.
Perforation and creasing can be performed in both horizontal and vertical directions in the same pass. Skip perforation feature can produce T-and L-perfs ideal for coupons, tickets, and business reply cards.
The system can deliver multiple up greeting cards with or without creasing, table tents, invitations, and more with both matrix and rotary creasing. For accordion fold applications or perfect bound books, up and down creasing can also be performed in one pass.
Standard size business cards can be printed 21-up on a sheet and processed to a receding stacker for easy handling. Print mark registration adjusts for digital print image shift from sheet to sheet. The colour touch screen features a simple user interface for easy operation including job set-up via barcode.
There are a number of features that Horizon stresses, including the ability to run partial perforations both across and along the sheet to create tear out coupons for example. It can take a sheet to 670mm in length (370mm across), so coping with the increasing number of 6pp digital presses installed.
The sheet is fed on to a registration table and registered using conventional side and front lays. A camera reads a barcode to pull down information about the settings for that sheet. It can be a stand 1D, 2D or data matrix code. As the sheet moves forwards, an image shift is accounted for, moving both X and Y axis if necessary. It also registers to the previous action, a crease to the previous crease for example.
Access to the slitting, creasing and perforating models is through panels on the side of the machine. The cassettes slide out and back in rather than being lifted in and out of the machine. It is possible to replace blades rather than replacing the cassette itself.
There are three slitter modules, each with twin blades. This enables the SmartSlitter to remove the gutter between business cards as well as handling full bleed cards for example. Business cards are delivered into a special stacking module. Products are otherwise fed to a conveyor delivery.
There is a touch panel interface to set up jobs with the option of a Smart Connect module to both accept JDF jobs and deliver JMF data back to the workflow. The operator can store and retrieve setting and step and repeat settings for multiple up jobs on a sheet. It can also accept a PDF file and use this to overlay the position of creases, cuts and folds and so on.
Hohner has been manufacturing print finishing equipment in Germany for 80 years, local supplier Cyber says its latest range of saddlestitchers and digital finishing systems are testament to their experience, precision and ability to listen to customer’s needs in a rapidly changing market. There are three ranges available; the HSB 9000, the HSB 13000, and the Digifinisher.
The HSB 9000 is a flexible, easy to use A4 Saddlestitcher. The main advantages are that it incorporates an efficient and operator friendly method of set up from one job to another without the need for tools, reducing changeover times drastically. A compact footprint is always an advantage in a modern print shop, even more so when considering the maximum format of a 360 x 350mm. Flexibility is also key to any buying decision, as extra feeding stations, stackers or a wide range of accessories at a later stage.
HSB 13000 is the flagship Hohner machine. A fully automatic A3 saddlestitcher where all adjustments are made through an easy to use interface. Feeders, three knife trimmer, cover feeder, compensating stacker and even stitching heads will adjust themselves within less than a minute once the information is input. Regular jobs can be memorised in the machine’s memory.
Hohner Digi-FS 8 – As the digital printing revolution sets new challenges for the future of print, Hohner has itself risen to that challenge with a completely different method of finishing stitched books. A machine that incorporates collating, stitching and trimming. Books can be produced in consequential variable sheet thicknesses, Books can be manufactured from one single sheet, or indeed from cut sheets printed on a continuous reel.
The high-speed cutter Perfecta 92 Premium line is promoted as an entry into the small format guillotine sector. Numerous options enable a perfect customisation of the machine on your product.
Best suitable for sheets such as paper, board or even films and foils, rubber, leather, sandpaper and many other materials in the form of piles or in single. In addition to their outstanding mechanical basic concept, user-friendly operation and high safety standards are significant features of Perfecta high-speed cutters. Being in worldwide use, Perfecta products are not only employed as single machines but are also integrated in cutting systems.
The Perfecta Cutpit offers particular convenience for the processing of various cutting jobs. Depending on what kind and extent of the work they have to do, users can choose among three different operating modes. Being the central control element, the user interface of the touch screen can thus be matched to individual needs. Clearly understandable symbols make the machine easy and intuitively to operate. All working processes before, during and after cutting can be centrally monitored and evaluated. This guarantees you a smooth and efficient workflow and is a significant building block for an economic production process.
The slotless Perfecta cutting table facilitates gentle stock handling and prevents paper dust or debris building up in the mechanical system. Its cladded surface of corrosion-free stainless steel protects the machine from wear and damage. The Perfecta ServoDrive guarantees precise positioning of the cutting material by a servo-based linear backgauge drive system.
The Ferag EasySert as sold by WRH Global Australia is a versatile and universal inserting machine that has something to offer a range of markets, from newspaper mailrooms to direct mail houses and commercial printers.
It is comprised of several components based around the central EasySert module. The main product or ‘jacket’, which holds the inserts, is fed into the system via a main product hopper. Inserts are fed into JetFeeders. The JetFeeders are attached to the FlyStream that, rather than a conventional conveyer, uses pockets to assemble each set of inserts. The use of these pockets, which grip the inserts, makes for a more robust and reliable operation.
From the FlyStream the collated inserts pass into the EasySert for insertion. After the EasySert, the final product is then transferred to a stacker, followed by strapping, wrapping if required and then conveyed ready for distribution.
A function called Intelligent Repair Control (IRC) checks the integrity of each set of inserts before it enters the inserter – if a set is found to be missing an insert, it can send them around the FlyStream again to be fed from the appropriate JetFeeder before inserting. The machine can be programmed to stop if a certain number of consecutive inserts are missing to enable the problem to be identified.
Starting out with two inserting stations, the modular concept is designed to allow gradual expansion to create inserting lines with up to 40 hoppers. The repair function integrated into the collating process ensures absolutely reliable completion quality. With three opening processes, the choice of jacket products is practically limitless.
It runs at 30,000 copies per hour, offers both online and offline production, can produce an end product of 200 pages broadsheet or 400 pages tabloid. The format width for preprint and main product is 240 to 450 mm, the format length for preprint and main product 170 to 310 mm. It allws for two to 40 feeders from RollStream or FlyStream.
The I-Press Series is the new generation of high technology presses made by KBA-Iberica. This press is built to Iberica’s high exacting standards, using original production processes 100 per cent developed in Barcelona, to ensure long life and high productivity.
The I-Press Series can be equipped with the new OPMR (Optical Print Mark Register) for the front and side-lays registration. A fully automatic non-stop feeder and a full logistics system, completely removes manual handling of incoming and outgoing piles.
The versatility of the I-Press Series gives the possibility to die-cut several types of substrate including paper, plastic, board and corrugated material.
The comprehensive range of optional equipment allows the configuration of the optimum Die-Cutter giving our customers the ideal machine for all of their requirements.
According to the company the new blanker I-Press 106 K is the most technologically advanced blanker for customers who look for high speed production combined with registration, high quality standards and easy handle and fast preparation.
This new generation of Iberica blankers is equipped with new tooling technology to do sheeting in a fast and easy way. This is the result of the synergy and collaboration with local die-makers, for the continuous improvement of the units.
The latest generation of die-cutters designed and equipped with the Varioplan System of Iberica. The presses are adjusted by hand at the Barcelona plant and built using the best European materials guaranteeing customers long life and maximum strength for their die-cutter. They have 300 tonnes of punching pressure.
KBA-Iberica also offers a size six die-cutter, the I-Press 144.
MBO a household name in print shops around the world has been manufacturing folding machines for over 50 years and continues to innovate and build folding equipment to meet the demands of today’s market.
MBO is known particularly for its reputation of manufacturing high speed, reliable, robust equipment which many printing companies have profited from for many years. With almost no maintenance required thanks to the belt drive technology, MBO is arguably the most reliable folding machine with lowest operating costs. Add in long-life expectancy even with a heavy-duty cycle of multiple shifts and you have recipe for a successful finishing department.
The top position at MBO is occupied by the model K8RS, which the company claims is the fastest folding machine in the world. MBO K8 Series has the most comprehensive standard configuration and offers the greatest level of automation options.
With the version K8 Super KTZ, folding impositions which previously would require folding on an all buckle folder (which takes more floor space) can be produced at high speed with a small footprint.
This configuration was developed to enable a greater selection signature folding impositions in a small factory space at much higher speed than a buckle folding machine, in particular 16pp signatures to be processed from those perfecting printing presses which require a downward final fold on a buckle folding machine.
Morgana Systems is a UK based company building finishing equipment to meet the demands of short run digital print orders through to large commercial runs. Morgana have the experience to understand and combat issues that occur during the finishing process of digitally printed products.
Morgana deliver immediate results to even the highest quality prints particularly when folding is required. Many of the printed brochures produced today have a very high tendency to crack the paper they were printed on. In order to combat this common issue, Morgana offer a large range of creasing solutions to meet almost any budget.
The top selling model in the Morgana range is the Digifold Pro which offers creasing and folding in one pass without cracking the substrate or the toner. This result is sought after, particularly by the print shops with high customer demands for quality.
Morgana Digifold Pro is the fastest crease and fold machine available in its class and comes standard with an intuitive touch screen providing set up times of less than a minute in most cases. The robust construction of the Morgana range provides for a long-life and the internal components bring reliability.
Morgana equipment range offers a vast list of print finishing solutions the range is offered on a multi level platform, meaning customers can choose a piece of equipment that can match their print volumes and budget without compromising on the quality of the finished product.
Muller Martini says the Vareo is the ideal perfect binder for print finishing specialists and printing plants that use conventional printing modes or are engaged in digital printing.
The three-clamp perfect binder with a mechanical performance of up to 1,350 cycles per hour provides maximum flexibility. Be it for medium, short or ultrashort runs, right down to runs of one copy, the Vareo is an all-rounder for high-quality results, regardless of whether brochures are produced using offset or digital printing.
The flexible equipment of the Vareo enables diverse applications. Photo books, personalized catalogs and high-quality brochures can be produced cost-effectively thanks to short setup and production times, which are indispensable for ultra-short and one-copy runs. This allows you to produce high-quality books within a short period of time, with the very first book having first-class quality. In addition, the Vareo has a modular design, which means that the machine can be easily extended and adapted to meet future production requirements.
Advantages of the Vareo Perfect Binder include individual drives for optimal motion, use of hotmelt and PUR, a modular design with numerous extension options, integrated book thickness measuring system and format size measurement station, automatic book block feeding, barcode matching of content and cover, glue application monitoring for PUR nozzle, and a crash station.
Thanks to its modular design, a customer-specific cooling section and a three-knife trimmer can be added to the Vareo to turn it into an integrated production line. That enables the cost-effective production of perfect bound brochures even in the ultra-short run segment.
The automatic feeding of book blocks increases the productivity of the whole perfect binder and eases the work of the operator. The manual feed remains freely accessible and can still be used. The automatic book block feed comes with a book thickness measuring system by default and an optional barcode camera to ensure that the content and cover match. The book block feed enables the Vareo to be connected directly to digital printing presses or the print finishing systems. The finished signature stacks or loose-leaf stacks are then transferred directly to the clamps of the perfect binder.
With an average of 22 cutters and systems installed annually over the last 10 Heidelberg says Polar enjoys a market share of 90 per cent, with printers having no hesitation when it comes to upgrading their cutters, particularly when they have enjoyed decades of reliable and accurate cutting
The simple cutter has continued to evolve through its computerisation and user friendly operating system, making life for all owners and operators simple and intuitive. What used to be complex programming is done with the touch of a screen or via smart JDF files downloaded through Compucut, with all cutting data exported out of the imposition software automatically to the guillotines cutting program via the Ethernet.
New in Polar is the N Pro with 22“Touch-Screen. It comes with a completely new operator interface with animated icons, and cutting visualisation showing actual sheet image. There is straightforward user guidance, an open platform allowing future upgrades, the 22“ TFT Color display with touch screen and process visualisation, programme storage is unlimited. The N Plus comes with an 18.5“ TFT Color-Display with touch operation. Up to 1,998 programmes can be stored, there is menu guided knife change, progress control, production report. It also has programme copy, programme protection, format size listing, automatic knife prepared/active, clamping time before cut, clamping without cut, and clamp optimization.
TRIMATT FOLDLINE 9000
Integrating printed items into a single self-mailer unit once took time and any number of staff. Now, print companies can add value without worrying about time spent double or triple handling their clients’ products.
The new Trimatt FoldLine 9000 system offers the latest in integrated media packaging through a print finishing system that produces compelling, creative packages that drive revenue and build customer loyalty. Ideal for financial, retail, bindery/fulfilment, magnet, self-mailers, gift card and greeting card applications.
This versatile system offers the finishing capabilities that take printed products stand out in a crowded market and give users the capabilities to produce finished products at speeds up to 18,000 products per hour.
The new Trimatt FoldLine 9000 can be configured for your applications today, and because the system is modular you add more features in the future to win more business and satisfy even more applications.
Trimatt Systems is an Australian manufacturer and distributor of finishing solutions designed to add value to printed media. Other solutions available include letter inserting, polywrapping, gluing, labelling, inkjet numbering, inspection systems, feeding systems, plough folding, and collating.
WATKISS POWERSQUARE
The Watkiss PowerSquare 224 production booklet maker is an integrated booklet making solution for digital print applications. It produces SquareBack books of 8 to 224 pages thick, that lie flat, stack easily and allow printing on the spine.
Supplied in Australia by AGS it is designed for high production reliability and ease of use; and it has the ability to handle long runs without any operator intervention.
Options include a high capacity book stacker for unattended operation; and the 2-knife trimmer to produce full-bleed colour booklets in a single pass.
It is available in inline, nearline and offline configurations.
PowerSquare 224 customers benefit from increased productivity, reliability and quality with a superior inline booklet maker that is designed and engineered for the production environment with robust reliability and consistent performance.
They can also finish a wider range of work, with the ability to process jobs up to 224 pages. The PowerSquare 224 handles thicker stock and more pages than other booklet makers, making it perfect for high pagination and for heavy stocks. By inserting up to six stitches per book, books can be produced 2-up or 3-up for peak efficiency. Inserting multiple stitches also improves the quality and durability of thick books.
Improved quality is a defining feature of the PowerSquare 224 – dynamic automatic adjustment for page count ensures perfect stitching and folding quality regardless of the book thickness. Jobs with different page counts can be streamed without any compromise to quality. Only the PowerSquare 224 uses patented technology to create the square spine at the same time as folding. The result is a sharper, better quality finish.
Thanks to the ergonomic footprint that delivers books close to the normal operator position, operators benefit from stress-free operation and also from fast setup via the easy-to-use colour touchscreen.
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