Finishing & Screen Printing
Automatic Loading with Logs and Rollers Significantly Improves Efficiency
Friday 04. December 2009 - Muller Martini offers cost-effective solutions for finishing systems
Both automatic loading and an efficient take-off are essential for cost-effective production of printed products. With log and roller loading, Muller Martini offers two customized loading systems that make a significant contribution to ensuring a quick and trouble-free production process.
Shorter processing times for magazines, brochures and leaflets and the reduction of labor costs are quickly negated during the labor-intensive finishing process if the feeder loading process cannot keep up. Even improvements to system efficiency, such as a printing press, saddle stitcher or perfect binder, have little impact here as high production speeds also demand an automatic loading process. Manual loading is not only more labor and time intensive, but it is also more prone to errors.
Clearly Measureable Effects of Automation
The stream feeder from Muller Martini is a system for continuous loading of feeders in saddle stitchers and perfect binder lines. Stream feeders are particularly suitable for supplying sections, individual sheets and cards. An optional attachable stream feeder extension converts manually loaded stream feeders into a log-loaded system in just a few minutes. This enables sections to be automatically fed into the feeders via logs. “The log technology and the resulting fully automatic production process for log formation lead to clearly measurable automation effects downstream of the printing press and in finishing processes,” says Patrick Treyer, Saddle Stitcher Product Manager at Muller Martini. “The benefits are noticeable even in the area of personnel costs. When manually loading feeders, multiple work steps such as alignment, jogging and inserting sections are involved. At 14,000 cycles per hour with sections of 64 pages, an employee can simultaneously load a maximum of two feeders. If logs are used instead, one person can easily load up to five feeders.”
Up to 20 Percent Higher Net Output
Controlled, reliable log formation provides a uniform, high-quality supply of sections, and this in turn ensures trouble-free finishing. Another advantage is that by turning the logs through 90 degrees when stacking using the log stacker, the overlap is horizontal. This means that it cannot be damaged when stacking the logs. When loading the stream feeder, the log is turned back through 90 degrees using the innovative turning bar, also available from Muller Martini. “This increases the net output for saddle stitcher systems by up to 20 percent,” says Treyer. Muller Martini has many years of experience in the development of such systems. This wealth of experience guarantees simple handling and consideration of ergonomic requirements.
One Forklift Operator for Five Saddle Stitcher Lines
Roller systems offer the highest level of automation when loading saddle stitchers and guarantee a continuous and highly efficient workflow. The PrintRoll roller system from Muller Martini offers the key to fully automatic finishing for web printing. This cost-effective system was developed to wrap products in the A4 range on rollers. Alongside saddle stitchers and perfect binder lines, inserting machines, rotary trimmers and folding and addressing systems can also be integrated. Rollers allow finishing systems to be loaded particularly cost-effectively. Patrick Treyer cites an example of a saddle stitcher system with eight feeders: “One forklift operator can simultaneously load up to five saddle stitcher lines with rollers.”
Separating Processes
Rollers are also particularly suitable for use with unfinished goods, which are finished internally due to the high capacity and independent loading of the rollers. The rollers can be easily stored and transported while still maintaining the quality of the rolled-up sections. The PrintRoll system therefore enables flexible finishing independent of the printing time and separates the two processes. As they offer the highest degree of automation, rollers are primarily used for time-independent loading of saddle stitchers in the high-output range. They are also suitable for use with inserting machines in the mailroom and offline trimming lines.
Muller Martini also offers a wide range of different transport and logistics options for both loading systems – logs and rollers. They can all be tailored to meet the individual needs of the company and combined using the modular system.