To get the answers we asked two of the most knowledgeable veterans in our industry – Michael Steele, President of Sydney Stone in Toronto, Ontario, and Kris Bovay, President of Pacific Bindery in Burnaby, British Columbia. Then we showcased some of the best products from the leading OEMs. We wish we could highlight all of them, but that would require every page of this magazine and more.
The best technology advances in finishing in 2012 were single-sided laminating machines. Having to send out small-run jobs for any additional finishing is costly. These machines now allow for application of lamination film in a number of different finishes to be completed quickly without the setup and delivery costs of outsourcing. Reduced machine pricing now allows the short-run print shop to add this as a profit centre. The major application development with laminating films is the use of a bursting roller at the rear of the machine that delivers sheeted work with no overhang of laminate. Time consuming and costly trimming is eliminated. The output can go straight into the paper cutter, creaser or to the next finishing process. Also, the latest certified adhesives like Digistick and Superstick are now available on almost all single-sided polypropylene films.
What’s hot right now?
Flat-sheet creasing has now reached 8,500 to 11,000 sph – so these machines are now viewed as digital letterpress with as many being sold to commercial litho print facilities as to digital shops. With full computer control and setup, creasing and perfing, these units are a suitable alternative to more traditional methods. All-in-one business card slitters and cutter/creasers are becoming the norm in shops that are selling print on predetermined templates. Work can now be stacked on the feeder and all slitting, cutting and even creasing can be done to deliver perfectly finished business cards or greeting cards without the labour associated with other cutting procedures. This technology is not replacing traditional cutting, but offers an efficient way for everyday jobs in a consistent format to be produced quickly and with minimal touch points. A full range of smaller cutting and creasing machines that will finish full 12” x 18” sheets will be hitting the market in 2013.
What’s coming?
Advances in bookletmaking will be the trend in 2013. Almost all bookletmakers made today use a traditional knife fold and roller system to half-fold the booklets. These units are all rated at about 25 flat sheets of 20 lb. bond. This can be a problem because some of today’s booklet output that is done offline is done on much thicker stock. A machine that had a capacity of 25 sheets of 20 lb. (80 GSM) bond has an overall capacity of 2,000 GSM. Once we move into a 100-lb. (150 GSM) stock, that capacity is lowered to 13 flat sheets before even adding a cover. The challenges in 2013 will be to produce booklets of a suitable thickness using the paper stocks that customers demand today. Also, square-back machines that can be fitted to the back end of existing bookletmaking systems – or used offline to produce a unique square-backed perfect bound look – will move from niche market to mainstream. Finally, the only other trend that I can be certain of is that my hair will continue to turn grey during 2013 and beyond.
Bindery (www.pacificbindery.com)
In 2012, we saw a series of continuous improvements from OEMs. For example, new binders now have add-ons that range from improved automatic signature image recognition (ASIR); variable automatic signature thickness controls; high performance spine preparation tools and processes; new spine-gluing and side-gluing units; updates to the cover-feeding unit and inline scoring of covers; to enhanced capability to use one machine to produce short (less than 5,000) to long runs. These are only a few of the upgrades now available. The primary bindery equipment suppliers are also building new equipment to enter new markets such as packaging and packaging-related industries.
What’s popular now and why?
The hot market currently appears to be in packaging and the binding and finishing industry is following that market. For binderies and finishers (who have skilled craftspeople capable of developing prototypes, working on creative solutions, die cutting, foil stamping, embossing, laminating, and producing finished products by machine and/or by hand), the crossover from traditional bookbinding and finishing into the printed packaging market allows a good integration of skills, experience and resources. For example, we work with clients to provide editing services for existing package design. For new packaging, we get involved in the design process early to create package die-lines and prototypes for clients to test in a production environment. We have also seen a resurging interest in adding value to printed communications pieces through enhanced techniques – such as paper laser cutting, foil stamping, die-cutting, and embossing or de-bossing. For example: the depth and size of an emboss provides better readability; printable foils can be used to add messaging and/or visual character to the marketing piece – and to engage the end client, we can print over top of that foil.
What’s on the horizon?
The market for is trending towards smaller, more frequent, on-demand print as well as transitioning from commodity to specialty. Effective marketing strategies optimize the value that print brings by engaging through touch, sight and even smell, and by creating more effective calls for action. Bindery and finishing need to play a stronger supporting role by better demonstrating the value of bindery and finishing techniques. For example, show how tipping-on a postcard or mini-folded brochure onto a perfect-bound or saddle-stitched book better engages the intended audience. We must work with printers more closely to not only find the best solution from a cost perspective, but also from a marketing objective. To be successful in the coming years, binderies will need to be more closely involved in providing real benefits to, and solutions for, their end clients.
Finishing and bindery equipment and technology
C.P. Bourg BSFEx Dual-Mode Sheet Feeder
Placed inline between a Xerox press and document finishing equipment, the BSFEx lets users shift finishing resources to accommodate jobs from multiple marking engines and produce them automatically in a JDF workflow. During inline finishing, a bypass feature sends sheets through the BSFEx to the Bourg BDFEx Document Finisher or BMEx Booklet Maker (plus optional Bourg BCMEx Bleed Crease and SQE Square Edge modules). Offline output can be loaded virtually hands-free into the high-speed BSFEx from stack carts used with Canon, HP Indigo, Kodak, Océ and Xerox presses. The offline press prints a unique barcode on a ‘banner page’ when its stacker is loaded. The operator simply scans the barcode on the banner page to set up all finishing function changeovers automatically for each job. Job stacks up to 19.7” high can be loaded. Covers or content up to 6.3” can be placed manually in the top tray. Sheet sizes can range from 8” x 7” to 26” x 14.3”. The BSFEx is designed for shops with multiple presses. www.cpbourg.com.
Muller Martini Presto II Digital Saddle Stitcher
Muller Martini’s new commercial finishing solution for small and mid-sized shops is aimed at digitally printed magazines, brochures, catalogues and direct mail. The saddle stitcher can be loaded from piles or pre-printed rolls and can also be equipped with folding modules for multi-page signatures or for single-sheet processing. Its folding units accommodate large web widths and a wide range of formats. Even a machine equipped for conventional operation with signature feeders can be expanded with pile-fed or roll-fed upstream components for digital printing. The Presto II Digital can switch between digital and conventional product types as well as combinations of both, providing digitally printed signatures with a conventional signature feeder, along with selective cover feeding. It can also be installed inline with Muller Martini’s SigmaLine digital book production system. The company is focusing on workflow options and machines to meet increased demands for short-run and one-off production. www.mullermartini.com.
Graphic Whizard’s PT Series
PT is a line of print-finishing options aimed at shops with tight budgets. This new modular series features folders, creasers and other finishing machinery, but the most popular machine has been the PT370 IKF – a floor model independent knife folder. It utilizes two folding knives to perform a variety of folds and features, and has a fully programmable touchscreen as well as integrated automatic sheet-length measurement to further simplify job setups. It can be hand-fed or paired with a CreaseMaster or other manufacturers’ creasing machines to improve productivity while keeping costs under control. Graphic Whizard reports that additional equipment will be introduced to the PT series – a simpler, more economical creaser will be available and a slitter/cutter/creaser will be shown at Print 13 September 8-12 in Chicago. www.graphicwhizard.com.
Standard’s new Horizon BQ-280PUR Perfect Binder
The BQ-280PUR offers single-clamp PUR perfect binding in a compact footprint. It features user-friendly operation through an intuitive icon-based colour touchscreen, as well as fully automated setup – clamper width, milling guide, amount of glue, nipping section, scoring position and cover position are all set automatically. The binder uses PUR glue for lay-flat binding for both offset and digital as well as coated stocks. It’s designed to handle production of digitally printed books, personalized photo books, smaller sample runs, and other short-run work. With extended spine length to 15.15” and variable thickness production up to 2”, the BQ-280 provides on-demand production with variable binding capabilities for books of different thicknesses. As one book is cycling, a subsequent book of different thickness can be measured, the data transferred, and the binder changeover is automatic. With speeds up to 500 cycles/hour (350-400 books/hour for production runs), as many as 200 different perfect binding jobs can be pre-programmed. www.standardfinishingsystems.com.
Heidelberg FoilStar inline cold foil stamping
The OEM’s inline cold foil system allows you to apply a host of surface finishes for labels, packaging and high-end commercial jobs, at the same time the piece is being printed. FoilStar applies cold foil using two offset print units. The first applies an adhesive to the sheet via a conventional offset printing plate and the roller train – much like a spot varnish would be applied. In the second unit, the foil passes under pressure between the blanket and impression cylinder and the foil is “pulled off” the roll where the wet glue is already on the sheet. Resulting advantages include short makeready times, precise inline register, reproduction of fine type and low cost per form (no die cost compared to hot foil stamping). The technology also manages up to 6 “ribbons” of foil to control foil costs while offering different applications or colours on the same sheet. Heidelberg has sold over 50 FoilStar units to date. www.heidelberg.com.