Binding and Finishing: Shifting Gears

Spartanics focused on speed and versatility with the unveiling of its Finecut hybrid roll/sheet laser diecutting machine. Users can convert from roll to sheet or vice versa in 15 minutes without changing out dies, according to Mike Bacon, vice president of sales and marketing. Spartanics has already sold a pair of the combination units.

"We're running jobs at 100 meters per minute. And it's not just for digital, either; it can be used for flexo and rotary," Bacon remarks. "We're just trying to get the word out."

David Spiel, president of Spiel Associates, was quite surprised by the volume of impact customers that frequented his company's booth. Much of the interest centered around the new Sterling Digipunch with variable pile lift. The Digipunch punches up to 60,000 sph, buoyed by a touchscreen that provides automatic setup and changeovers.

After a slow start to the weekend, the Sunday action turned out to be bustling for Standard Finishing Systems. Mark Hunt, director of marketing, noted a strong movement toward augmenting the folding aspect of operations, and that attitude was reflected in Standard's equipment on display in Chicago.

"If your aim is to be a major player in the postpress space, you need a full complement of folding gear," according to Hunt. "The more intelligence we can build into our folders, the less expertise is needed from the operator. We've baked into the machines all the folder operator know-how," he adds.

"Times are tough and margins are tight, so you have to scrub expenses out wherever you can. Our machines provide labor savings."

Among the laundry list of new Standard products was the Horizon AF-566T4F folder, a fully automated six + four buckle folder that accepts sheets up to 21.9x34˝. The AF-566T4F includes an intuitive, icon-based 10.4˝ color touchscreen. Its stepper motors drive end steps and fold plates to the exact location for the sheet size and fold style selected.