There’s a green plastic sensor that sits on the ridge of the gathering chain on all Muller Martini stitching machines these days. To someone like me who doesn’t know the anatomy of a stitching machine, it looks like it’s maybe a guard of some sort, but it’s actually a pretty sophisticated piece of technology that is improving quality control during the stitching process.
The green sensor is Muller Martini’s patented Stitch Monitor—and embedded in its non-abrasive plastic mold is a series of sensors that detect stitching wire. At running speeds of up to 30,000 pieces/hour, the system detects and rejects any product that does not have the right number of stitches. For those using older stitchers that do not have low wiring indicators, the machine will even be stopped if the unit counts a preselected number of consecutive products with insufficient staples.
The monitor does a tremendous job of improving quality control in the stitching process, preventing bad product from getting through and into the hands of the client.
An added bonus is that the product is rejected before it goes through the trimming process, which means there is a possibility (depending upon the individual product and paper choice) that the rejected piece can be taken apart and sent through again, minimizing waste.
“When we first developed this technology a few years back, it was optional,” says Doug Stryker, division manager for Print Finishing Systems at Muller Martini, “but we had such great response to the Stitch Monitor in the field that it is now a standard feature on all of our stitching machines—from entry level to our highest output machines.”
For those who don’t have a current Muller Martini stitcher, this feature can be retrofitted for about $2,500.
To learn more about the Stitch Monitor, or to inquire about retrofitting the technology, please contact your regional Muller Martini sales manager by calling 1-888-2MULLER.
