Finishing & Screen Printing
Autobond Reveals Latest Laminating Technology at Total Print
Thursday 28. August 2008 - Autobonds recent philosophy of incorporating finishing processes within its laminators has resulted in a substantial increase in worldwide sales for the Derbyshire manufacturer, which reported that drupa 2008 was its most successful exhibition since the companys formation 30 years ago.
At the forthcoming London show, Total Print, October 14th – 16th, Autobond will demonstrate the new Mini 76 TPM – Thermal, Perfector, Magnet – revealing yet another process that is an option within its product portfolio.
Several of Autobonds new models are world-firsts, which represent a major breakthrough in finishing technology and the Mini 76 TPM is no exception. This model is capable of laminating one or both sides of a sheet in one pass, or laminating one side and applying a magnetic film to the other. Autobond expects a significant growth in the market for this type of work, which enables the creation of items such as fridge magnets and magnetic business cards in one pass.
“The flexibility we have within our production facilities here in Heanor means we can easily build models to suit customers specifications and the new Magnet version could be supplied as a Mini 36 or Mini 52 for the smaller offset or digital market,” says managing director John Gilmore. “By using the same high quality components and heavy duty steel parts for the frame, we ensure that even the smallest models are extremely robust and reliable.”
Make-ready on the Mini 76 TPM is so quick that it can be carried out using only two or three sheets, so wastage is incredibly low. The machine is highly cost effective for short and long runs and the significant pressure and temperature that can be generated in the nip rollers means the laminator can be used successfully with stock printed on digital presses.
The Mini 76 TPM can hold a 500 kilo reel of magnetic material, equivalent to around 750 metres (approximately 1,680 SRA3 sheets). The magnetic material can be separated using the laminators standard bump separator, and this has helped to keep the selling price low – Autobonds Mini series starts at £33,000. Sheet sizes ranging from A4 to 76 x 102 cm and stock weights from 90 gsm to 650 gsm can be laminated at up to 45 metres per minute. The small footprint – 2.9 x 1.5 metres – makes the Mini 76 TPM suitable where space is limited.
The Mini 76 TPM is fitted with a bottom separation, continuous suction Heidelberg Stahl drum feeder. Accurate feeding is aided by blowing air into the pile from the bottom and sides so that the pile floats on a bed of air, while top loading is easily carried out to enable continuous running.
Autobonds range includes B3, B2 and B1 models, available in single-sided or perfecting mode and as water-based or thermal machines. Laminators can be portrait or landscape and the latter gives the option to extend the sheet size up to 105 cm x 1.6 m. There are wide selections of different feeders, joggers, sheeters and ancillary items. Equipment is straightforward to operate and normally in production within a couple of days of being installed. Autobond has introduced another world first with the addition to all new laminators of a wireless webcam and Skype phone facility, which takes the concept of remote diagnostics to new levels within the industry.
“New Autobond laminators are supplied with a wireless Panasonic Network Camera, which is simply clipped on to the side of the machine when not in use,” says John Gilmore. “When required, the operator can pick up and move the camera around as instructed by the Autobond engineer over the Skype telephone, which provides free unlimited telephone calls over the Internet.
“This means if a customer is experiencing difficulties, he can call Autobond on the Skype telephone and be put straight through to a highly experienced engineer. Even if the engineer is away from the Derbyshire factory, he would be able to view on his monitor every part of the laminator and instruct the operator to carry out certain procedures, including removing covers etc to see inside the machine. The system has a built-in microphone and this means the engineer can also listen to the sounds of the various parts of the laminator.”
Autobond is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of sheet-fed film laminators, both thermal and water-based, and is a major supplier of thermal and water-based films and manufacturer of adhesives, which can be used on most makes of laminator. The company has customers in more than 145 countries.