FULL STORY
At NorthPrint 2007, Duplo International has launched the ASM 500 'squareback' finisher, designed to produce a professional, perfect bound book finish on saddle-stitched and folded booklets from both digital and litho printing devices. Duplo also showcased a variety of modular products for both offset and digital print finishing requirements such as folding, binding and cutting.
The new ASM 500 was demonstrated running in Duplo's digital finishing zone, inline to Duplo's nearline bookletmaking solution. An adapted solution based on Duplo's flagship System 5000 bookletmaker, the Nearline Bookletmaker incorporates the DSF-2000 dynamic sheet feeder for pre-collated digital output, Duplo's unique SCC module and the DBM-500 bookletmaker. The ASM 500 can be connected to any Duplo bookletmaking and trimming unit or can be used as a hand feed stand alone unit.
The ability of the ASM 500 to handle a wider range of paper stocks and thicknesses, from 1 to 6.5mm, makes it ideal for a range of applications such as magazines, brochures, journals and catalogues. In addition to providing a sleek, professional finish, the booklets can be opened flat without damaging the spine and can be easily stored and stacked thanks to their flat appearance.
Commented Peter Jolly, Duplo's UK marketing manager, ‘We've been approached by a large number of litho and digital customers who wanted to obtain the professional look and feel of a perfect bound book, with the added security of stitching. Adding the new ASM 500 to our finishing range simply provides printers with another cost-effective, easy-to-use option to add value to their print finishing.
‘There is also the opportunity to print on the spine of each book cover so that the booklets can be more easily identified. At Northprint, the device was demonstrated with our nearline bookletmaker, aimed at digital users, offering a unique solution for the marketplace.’
Bookletmaking and collating
In its traditional print finishing zone, Duplo demonstrates its most advanced addition to its bookletmaking family - the System 5000 Bookletmaker. Developed to meet UP3i standardisation, it is aimed at the offset market and incorporates DC-10/60 collating towers, and the dynamic DBM-500 bookletmaker. Designed to maximise productivity, this fully automatic solution operates at speeds of up to 5,000 booklets and is extremely versatile, able to feed up to 300gsm covers a variety of sheet sizes.
For lower production volumes, Duplo showed the popular System 2000 bookletmaking solution, an entry level system designed to meet Duplo's modular approach to business, offering the user the ability to grow the system as their operation expands.
Slitting/cutting/creasing
Within its digital zone, Duplo presented the DC-645 Production Colour Finisher, its second generation intelligent finishing solution which is unique in combining the functions of slitting, trimming, creasing and most recently perforating within one single pass. Specifically designed to match the output of high end production digital presses, the DC-645 is suited to the finishing of business cards, postcards, greetings cards, full bleed brochures, CD inlays, paperback covers as well as a host of bespoke direct mailers.
Duplo recently launched a perforating module to the DC-645 which enables perforation to be carried out at the same time as the other finishing operations, allowing extremely cost effective production of printed material that requires tear-off sections such as direct mail pieces with reply forms.
The vacuum-fed DC-645 uses built-in cameras to automatically read the printed image and adjust set up to compensate for image drift and also boasts an optional PC based user interface and JDF connectivity.
‘Staying at the forefront of advanced finishing solutions that suit the requirements of traditional offset, digital or hybrid printing houses and that help drive and support a dynamic industry, has been the key to Duplo's continued success over the years,’ added Jolly. ‘Our print finishing specialists demonstrated our products to NorthPrint visitors throughout the show, and we hope they have walked away with an even better understanding of how to make profit from finishing and why it's more important than ever to re-evaluate current finishing options to remain as competitive as possible.’
Other show highlights
Other highlights on Duplo's stand included the DB-200 Compact Perfect Binder, which has the ability to produce up to 200 books per hour and is specifically aimed at servicing short-run and on-demand printing applications. Also on display was the JUD MR720i, the first truly fully automated perfect binder for the on-demand/short run book binding market. Single unit runs are now possible thanks to the machine's intuitive set-up which automatically adapts varying book thickness in less than eight seconds. Capable of running up to 500 books per hour, variable nipping time, milling and scoring are all available to achieve a professional book.
Also featured on Duplo's stand were a range of high-volume Ideal guillotines, as well as a range of folders and creasers from Multigraf and the GMP Protopic 520 Digital Laminator.
Duplo International is represented throughout Southern Africa by Antalis Graphics division. Additional information is available at: www.antalis.co.za or in other regions from: www.duplointernational.com
© Graphic Repro On-line, 27 April 2007.
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