Standard Finishing Systems (Andover, MA), a leading supplier of post-press and paper-handling solutions, has released the Horizon iCE StitchLiner Mark IV Saddlestitcher – which combines signature scoring and folding, saddle stitching, and three-knife trimming in one convenient system. On the Mark IV, stitch length, balance adjustment, and thickness settings can all be changed automatically from booklet to booklet during operation, for true variable-booklet production with consistent quality. Across all booklet sizes, the system’s scoring function also reduces cracking on the spine and allows for a tighter fold. The sheet-alignment section features four-directional jogging for a tighter jog and more accurate alignment across stocks. Improvements to the Mark IV’s transport system allow for more stable sheet transport across substrates, even for coated and lighter-weight sheets.
The Mark IV can run at speeds of up to 6,000 booklets per hour for A4 portrait applications, and 5,300 booklets per hour for A4 landscape applications. These production speeds can be maintained even when the system is set to variable thickness mode, or when cover sheets are being inserted. The Mark IV can run continuously even when errors like a dropped stitch or sheet misalignment are detected, by automatically rejecting the booklet to an eject tray without operator intervention. Compared to previous generations of StitchLiner saddlestitchers, the Mark IV also features a more modern design, customizable machine status indicator lights, safer and easier system access points for operators and technicians, and more flexible configuration options for both offset and digital output.
“The StitchLiner Mark IV is an exciting update to our proven line of saddlestitchers,” said David Reny, Executive Vice President at Standard Finishing Systems. “The demand for variable-booklet production has risen steadily in the past few years, and the Mark IV can easily deliver true variable-booklet production at consistently high quality, while increasing uptime and reducing the burden on operators.”