digital finishing

As this issue hits the mail, the On Demand show opens in Boston, after two successful years in Philadelphia. While On Demand started as a software and digital print showcase, the show has increasingly become a coming-out party for new concepts and systems for print-on-demand finishing.

Finishing systems for digital print have diversified along with the growth of cut-sheet and continuous-web digital print engines. The categories where digital has found a home number in the hundreds—everything from soft- and hardcover books, to health care and financial documents, manuals, photo albums, sheet music, cookbooks and many, many more.

While digital print-on-demand has been mostly applied to the shorter job run range (1,000 copies and under), this is not universal. As print engines become more robust—and especially with the adoption of roll-fed inkjet webs—some digital jobs are also tending to longer runs. This bifurcation of the workflow brings divergent views on finishing solutions.

Digital finishing differs substantially from commercial work in that systems and workflow must frequently be configured for “one-off” work where only one unique book constitutes a job. Each book or booklet may also be variable in content or page count—each recipient getting his or her unique version.

At On Demand, expect to see many new technologies, and a mix of near-line and inline solutions. Here's a run down of some high points at the show:

Standard Finishing, the master distributor for Horizon, a Japanese bindery equipment maker, and for Hunkeler, a Swiss supplier of high-end digital web finishing systems, presents its BQ-470 binder, a four-clamp device capable of cycling at up to 1,350 books per hour. The BQ-470 includes a variety of milling and notching options (for stronger bonding glue penetration), side gluing and a quick-swap PUR (polyurethane) adhesive system. PUR is becoming an attractive adhesive option for binding silicone-coated digital sheets, or sheets with high toner-coverage.

Standard also is introducing its new ColorWorks 500 Bookletmaker, an inline finishing extension for the Xerox DocuColor 5000 digital press. It collects, stitches and folds sheets into finished booklets, taking a face-trim, then stacking completed booklets. ColorWorks 500 features intuitive makeready controls using a well-designed color touch-screen interface. Standard will also show the SPF/FC-200A fully automated bookletmaker with Horizon tower collator set to feed sheets to the bookletmaker, which has a fully automated interface. All settings, including the folder roller gaps, can be accomplished through the interface.

Standard Horizon has been a pioneer in the application of bindery connectivity. The firm's i2i network software permits JDF set-up files to be ported to any one of Standard's bindery devices for a completely automated setup based on the file parameters.

Standard's Hunkeler offerings will see the premier of the rotary CS6 Gen6, which raises the bar considerably for cutter-sheeters. This 600-fpm device is fitted at the end of digital continuous web printers to cut, slit and stack-down complete book blocks (two-, three- or four-up) or to pass individual cut sheets on to inline finishers. Unique for the CS6 is its ability to produce a “chip-out” when cutting a web form—essential when processing forms with a full-color bleed, as with direct mail pieces. All its rotary cutting heads are servo-driven. The system will be shown finishing credit card statements with inline folding, using a Standard AFC-744AKT buckle folder.

MBO is showing the Digi-Finisher, an MBO folder with the Hohner HSB-7000 stitcher/heads. Options include barcode reading, accumulating and wire stitching. A three-side trimmer features automatic thickness adjustment (up to 5/16´´). MBO says it's ideal for short-run saddlestitched brochures with variable data. The machine also will be shown next month at Mailcom in Atlantic City, NJ.

Muller Martini has invested heavily in on-demand finishing, typified by the Sigma Binder, evolved from the earlier Amigo Digital model. It is an uniquely integrated bind-trim system for producing short-run soft-cover runs 24/7. An integrated Sigma Tower conveys bound books to the trimmer while giving them time to cool.

The Sigma system may feature the most heavy-duty construction of the on-demand binders. Though a short-run system, the emphasis is on non-stop short runs on multiple shifts. The Sigma is also versatile, with the ability to run off-line or inline with a continuous web printer. In the inline mode, a cutter-sheeter at the end of the printer will deliver completed book pages. A special conveyor (made by Shuttleworth) gently conveys book block stacks to the binder infeed without disturbing them.

At the binder measuring station, each incoming block has pressure applied so that the clamp will be properly set—making the Sigma binder well suited to variable page-count work. The measuring station also determines the block's actual dimensions and re-aligns it before passing it to the binder clamp.

Completing the package is the Sigma three-knife trimmer, with an innovative design in which the finished book rotates through three separate trim stations. At each position, the clamp can adjust the book block relative to the knife so that each book can have its own individual trim taken. This makes it possible to produce varying final trim sizes within the same run by using a “standard” size cover that will be trimmed to different dimensions. The Sigma Binder system will be featured running inline with an Océ Variostream 7650 CF web printer.

C.P. Bourg will be highlighting some new systems at the show, including an off-line version of the IBIS Smart-binder that can be mated with a Bourg BB3002 binder to produce saddlestitched and perfect-bound books. [Editor's note: the author represents IBIS in the U.S.]

C.P. Bourg also makes a host of inline systems for Xerox cut-sheet monochrome and color printers. The Bourg Book Factory (BBF) and Document Finisher (BDFx) have been reliable finishing options for Xerox DocuTech line; 9×12´´ cut sheets are passed from the printer directly to either the BPRF binder or the BDfx module. If intended for perfect binding, they are perforated, rotated and folded to become signatures, and adhesive-bound in the binder.

Four-up sheets can also be routed to the BDFx, which can stitch, fold and face-trim them, or corner-stitch the sets. Bourg will have its own large booth at the show, as well as many systems running in the Xerox booth.

Duplo, long a source for tower collator/bookletmaker combinations, has entered the market for adhesive perfect binders for on demand. Its MR-720 binder targets the growing demand for PUR adhesive binding, which is more effective with some of the coated stocks now used in digital printing. The MR-720 will handle either flat sheets or signatures, and is a single-clamp design that will cycle up to 600 books per hour. Maximum thickness is 1.97´´, and the clamp and nip are set automatically when the book block is inserted into the clamp.

Duplo's System 5000 continues to be its leader in the offset and digital print markets. It consists of tower collator bins that expand up to a maximum of 60 feeding bins. Duplo's Duetto concept permits the 5000 to work with either offset or digital input.

Duplo has introduced its Intelligent Multi-Bin Feeder (IMBF) software for the System 5000 line. The IMBF software consists of custom Duplo code and a touch-screen PC controller. It directly controls up to 40 tower collator bins from the PC interface and will allow the operator to select bin and feed sequence. This enables color and black-and-white sheets to be collated and merged in the proper sequence. In addition, the software can be database driven. This enables booklets to be made up of sheets based on individual data records. Mailing can be accomplished with the system by adding the optional folder/inserter unit.

Rollem International will demonstrate the Advantage model as a digitally printed 11×17´´ direct mail card is scored, trimmed and perforated in one step, offering high-quality finishing on a folded direct mail piece. The Champion ETR model will also be showing inline postcard finishing. Production is greatly increased as the multiple-imaged sheet is trimmed and cut in two directions during one process, eliminating the need for added cutting equipment and labor.

Rollem's PB-16D paper drilling model is also premiering. This modular drilling machine handles up to 13 drilling heads and offers far more standard features than most competitive drills. The computerized programmable sliding table handles longer runs, larger paper formats and complex, multiple stroke patterns. Drill positions are programmed using a touch screen for automated drilling control and a variety of jobs. It is ideal for multiple-up products including tags, tickets and labels, as well as Wire-o and Spiral-o. Print facilities (both digital and offset) will quickly realize the benefits of this feature-loaded drill.

Business card producers will not want to miss the new “JetStream” by Rollem—the most cost-effective method for cutting high volumes of business cards. Sheets with multiple business card images are trimmed and cut in two directions to produce stacks of highly accurate finished business cards. It's also ideal for other types of card products such as game cards, telephone cards and tags.

PAT Technology's Varstar (at right) is a digital UV-coating system for sheetfed presses, both digital and offset. Spot, pattern and other coating effects can be applied with just a graphic file—no plates needed. Varstar handles sheets up to 24×30´´ and can incorporate variable data at 8000 sph for 8.5×11´´.

Varstar is available in three basic models, the M5, M6 and M8, which have maximum imaging widths of 13.8´´, 16.6´´ and 22.2´´, respectively. All three configurations have integrated feeders and stackers which can handle sheet sizes from 8×8´´ to 24×30´´. In addition, all Varstar models can operate with an expanded range of paper thicknesses, from 3 pt. to 24 pt.

PAT's Rotoworx is a digital UV coater and web-fed converting system. The semi-rotary diecutting platform features the same True Digital Coating Technology (TDC) as the Varstar. The system is highly configurable for such applications as laminating, sheeting and thru-cutting onto a conveyor. With a web width of 13´´, the Rotoworx performs single-sided digital UV coating at up to 80 fpm.

DFG is a manufacturer of perfect binding and mechanical binding machines. In the post-printing sector, it is a new manufacturer, with a focus on innovative design. The firm says that its newest tabletop perfect binder, the DFG DigiPerfect, produces books with a quality that rivals commercial binderies. The machine's integrated notching process delivers enhanced results, and its modular design allows it to operate on a desk or counter, or moved around freely as a stand-alone unit.

Graphic Whizard, based in Canada, manufactures impact scoring and numbering systems. The firm also produces and distributes systems that slit, perforate, rotary score, fold, perform inkjet printing and many other finishing functions. Since 1987, the company has installed thousands of systems worldwide. Featured this year at On Demand is the popular CreaseMaster series built for the digital marketplace. These machines are designed to eliminate toner or ink cracking on digitally printed stock.

On Demand offers much more than space allows us to describe here. Attendees may want to swing by the Morgana Systems booth to see the new DocuMaster, along with the popular DigiFold creaser/folder. There's also General Binding Corp. (GBC), with its thermal and pressure-sensitive laminating films and on-demand equipment, including the StreamPunch III online punching system that's compatible with the Toshiba e-Studio 4500c/5500c color series. And, Technifold USA provides creasing and micro-perforating solutions, including the TCM Tabletop Creasing Machine.

Don't forget these three: 1) CEM S.p.A., an Italian manufacturer of web cutter-sheeters and stackers; 2) RENZ America's automated punch and wire binding machines; and 3) MBM cutters, trimmers, friction and air folders, collators and bookletmaking systems.

Last but not least, ExactBind “Professional Binding Systems,” a joint venture between ExactBind and Professional Binding Systems, offers the PBS-6000 book-binding system featuring spine milling and notching, a paper dust vacuum and an integral stand.

www.ondemandexpo.com, sdmc.com, mullermartini.com, cpbourg.com, duplousa.com, mboamerica.com, rollsystems.com and rollem.co.uk