Heidelberg Unveils Eurobind Pro with Book Production Line from Hunkeler
11/15/2011
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Adhesive binder offers exceptional flexibility by switching
from digital to offset printing in inline operation
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Cost-efficient production for all run sizes
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Digital and offset combine to deliver top-quality
products
At the Postpress Commercial Information Days in Leipzig,
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) will be unveiling an
inline system combining a digital book production line from
Hunkeler AG, Switzerland, and the Eurobind Pro adhesive binder.
This makes it possible to switch between digital and offset print
content on a single adhesive binder. The exceptional processing
quality of print products on the Eurobind Pro ensures both
production types deliver the same high quality in the end product.
Thanks to the combination of minimum makeready times and high
production speeds of 6,000 cycles per hour, only one adhesive
binder is needed for the cost-effective production of short and
very short runs and long industrial-scale runs comprising up to
50,000 copies. This exceptional flexibility is tailored to the
needs of innovative print shops as well as specialist manufacturers
and service providers focusing on digital printing, publishing, and
document management. "This adhesive binder allows our customers to
offer a broader range of products and boost their added value. The
open interface of the Eurobind Pro and the modular design of the
gathering machine will make it possible in the future to add a host
of other creative postpress solutions," explains Thomas Krischke,
Head of Postpress Commercial at Heidelberg.
Switch between conventional offset and digital printing at the
touch of a button
In the face of ever-shorter print runs and increased
deadline pressures, books must be produced as quickly as possible
to ensure maximum cost-effectivenes. With the Eurobind Pro and the
inline book production line from Hunkeler, customers can switch
between the production of conventional offset signatures and
digitally printed book blocks at the touch of a button. This
flexibility broadens the application spectrum of the adhesive
binder and also increases its capacity utilization - both
prerequisites for the economic operation of such a system.
The range of applications for web-printed digital brochures
stretches from operating instructions and scientific publications
to conventional softcover brochures (e.g. paperbacks), which are
printed decentrally and in run sizes that suit demand. Web-printed
digital jobs are folded inline, gathered into book blocks, and fed
into the adhesive binder, once again in an inline process. This
eliminates the conventional steps such as cutting, folding, and
gathering - either manually or using the gathering machine - and
the resultant storage of intermediate products. A single roll can
accommodate one or more jobs one after the other, which enables the
cost-effective production of very short runs and medium-sized runs
comprising up to approximately 5,000 digitally printed copies.
Thanks to its exceptional degree of automation for minimum
makeready times, the Eurobind Pro is ideal for processing a variety
of very short runs that are typical of digital printing. Essential
adjustments, such as the book block and format settings, are
completed fully automatically on the Eurobind Pro. What's more,
the servo-driven feeder modules on the gathering machine enable
parallel setup on the fly, so only the feeders actually required
for the current production cycle are used. The other feeders
meanwhile can be prepared for the next job.
Digital book production line from Hunkeler
Roll unwinding is the first step in the production line.
The Hunkeler UW7 unwinder unwinds the digitally preprinted paper
rolls with a web width of up to 762 mm (30 in). The subsequent PF7
Double Plow Folder is a double folding module designed specifically
for book production. This unit enables the production of signatures
with 1, 2 x 4 (double production), 6 or 8 pages. Depending on the
paper grade and fold type, the PF7 double folding module can
process substrates weighing up to 150 gsm. The following CS6
cross-cutting module cuts the folded paper web with a rotary action
and the utmost precision.
However, the key to connecting the book production line to
the adhesive binder in an inline configuration is the signature
gluing process in the newly developed SD7 nonstop stacker. A
starwheel delivery is used to gather the cross-cut folded sheets at
a speed of up to 200 meters per minute and to create book blocks
via the integrated signature gluing unit. These book blocks are
then stabilized for safe transfer to the adhesive binder, where
they are processed into the end product.
Figure 1:
At the Postpress Commercial Information Days, Heidelberg
is unveiling the Eurobind Pro adhesive binder with the digital book
production line from Hunkeler.
Figure 2:
The PF7 Double Plow Folder module from Hunkeler is
specially designed for book production and enables the production
of signatures with 1, 2 x 4 (double production), 6 or 8 pages.
Images and further company information are available in the
press portal of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG at
www.heidelberg.com.
About Hunkeler
Hunkeler AG has a workforce of 250 and produces advanced
prepress and postpress solutions for digital high-performance print
systems for print-on-demand, data centers, and direct mailings. The
company has many years of experience in paper processing and
finishing, and also develops highly customized engineering
solutions.
Founded in 1922, the family business in Wikon near Lucerne,
Switzerland, is owner-managed by Franz Hunkeler and Stefan Hunkeler
(2nd and 3rd generation).
Further information:
http://www.hunkeler.ch/
About Heidelberg
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) is the world's
leading solution provider in the print media industry. All over the
world, the name Heidelberg is synonymous with state-of-the art
technology, top quality, and closeness to the customer. The
company's core business covers the whole value-added and
process chain with equipment, services, and consumables for
sheetfed offset printing and digital print solutions. In fiscal
year 2010/2011 the company achieved sales of EUR 2.629 billion and
had a global workforce of around 16,000.
Further information:
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Corporate Public Relations
Hilde Weisser
Phone: +49 (0)6221 92 5066
Fax: +49 (0)6221 92 5069
E-mail:
hilde.weisser@heidelberg.com
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