The Competitive Edge III - Inline Die Cutting |
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In part 3 of our series we will explore the increasing demand to finish printed products inline.
As print users continue to pressure producers to turn printed work around faster, can print shops afford to use traditional creasing and die cutting methods on the Heidelberg cylinder work horse?
Yes, the cylinder has been a cornerstone of all print shops for many years, but with an average running speed of under 4000sph, and press running speeds at 15,000sph, we have a productivity bottleneck that needs to be addressed.
One of the methods being used by some shops today is to crease and die cut in-line using a printing unit.
By replacing the blanket with a base plate and fitting a special jacket to the impression cylinder, (which the printer makes offline by fitting fine blades via a grid for creasing or cutting), considerable time savings can be achieved. The press can now be run close to normal printing speeds while removing the need for double handling once the sheet is printed.
There are several companies offering systems that can be fitted to a printing unit up to A1 format. Heidelberg offers one of these systems - RSP from Cito.
Another way to crease and die cut inline is by use of a dedicated inline die cutting tower. Heidelberg offers in its Speedmaster SM52 range of presses a dedicated tower which allows for inline creasing and die cutting. It also has a vacuum waste extraction so cuts can be extracted on the run. The tower has two steel cylinders, one is magnetic were a metal plate is attached, and an opposing plate is fitted to the other. Production speeds in excess of 12,000sph can be reached thus drastically reducing production times.
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Still wanting Off-Line Die-Cutting?
Setting new standards for off-line die cutting is the new cost effective Varimatrix 105 CS available from Heidelberg. The Varimatrix is able to cut, crease and automatically strip the waste in sheets from 80gsm up to 4mm thickness. Its ability to handle a maximum sheet size of 750 x 1050mm, high running speed of 7500sph and its ability for rapid job change makes it ideal for short runs.
So are the days of the Cylinders coming to an end….?
Further information
Lindsay Barnes - Product Manager Sheetfed
Tel. +61 3 9205 4111
Email: Lindsay.Barnes@heidelberg.com
John Harrison - Product Manager Packaging
Tel. +61 3 9205 4111
Email: John.Harrison@heidelberg.com
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Speedmaster SM 52
This press sets unprecedented standards. With more than 15,000 printing units sold so far it is the most successful high-end press in high-quality commercial printing in the 35 x 50 cm (14 x 20 inches) format range.
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Varimatrix
The entry-level model for economical die-cutting and embossing. Impressive quality, flexibility, cost-effectiveness and a lot more.
Product Information
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