Graph Expo: A Strong Finish

THERE ARE two sets of attendees walking the show floor at Graph Expo. The first type has done his/her homework, knows all the primary players for a given product, has whittled down the equipment choices to a short list, and is at the show to see the machines in action. This person is on a mission.

The second type has been to all the booths offering freebies, has three or four posters, two flash drives, one guitar and assorted other trinkets. For him, this show is a two-day reprieve from work. This tire kicker doesn’t really have an agenda.

An educated shopper is the vendor’s best friend. Those who crave knowledge want to learn about gaining efficiencies, cutting turnaround times and reducing manpower. And the bindery/finishing department is that area most in need of automation.

At the recent Graph Expo show, the bindery vendors reported a great deal of interest in their wares. Automation and the ability to easily integrate systems was a frequent inquiry from booth visitors, according to Werner Naegeli, president and CEO of Muller Martini. Scalability and modularity aren’t far behind on wish lists for equipment traits.

“Many of the customers I’ve talked to said they were very busy work-wise,” said Naegeli, adding that booth appointments were double those of last year.

Dan Mauer, director of postpress product management at Heidelberg USA, was also impressed with booth traffic.

“Our goal was to demonstrate the breadth of our solutions, while stressing our focus on automation and the value that it creates for the customers,” he said.

Klaus Beckbissinger, executive vice president of MBO America, called Graph Expo “a true success in every sense of the word.

“For the first time in years, it was hard to distinguish day one from day three—there was so much attendance,” said Beckbissinger, who noted that MBO’s Super KTZ 800.2 combination folder grabbed the attention of many booth visitors.

Joe Vijuk, president of Vijuk Equipment, relishes the opportunity to see clients in person and get input regarding technologies and innovations for future product developments.

“The first day was very busy,” commented David Spiel, president of Spiel Associates. “We see the show as more of an educational experience for customers. The smart buyers ask the right questions.”

Innovation at a Glance

Dozens of bindery vendors covered the show floor, offering many products never before seen in public. Celebrating 90 years of business this year, Baumfolder Corp. showed a number of innovative products, including the BaumBinder 600 single clamp professional perfect binder. It produces books at up to 600 cycles/hour, with or without covers. Spine thickness can vary from 0.08? to 1.9?, with a maximum book length of 15?. The units are equipped with a slitting device for spine preparation, a hotmelt application system and a cover press. Width is automatically adjustable while spine position can be adjusted manually.

Also shown was the Baum 20 IPF independent pile feeder, boasting all of the features of the BAUM 20 series pile feed folder, including adjustable height, dual front blow bar system and non-contact pile height sensor.

Brandtjen & Kluge showed the EHG Series half-sheet press, which is available with foil stamping, diecutting and embossing capabilities, or solely as a diecutter. It can accommodate an image area of up to 22x30? and operate at speeds of 1,200 iph.

The PadMaster 2000 was exhibited by Brackett. It automatically transforms loose sheets into instant pads (or strips of pads). To make pads, the user drops in paper sheets, pushes a button and the PadMaster 2000 does all the work.

Challenge Machinery introduced its Titan 230 paper cutter, a rugged 23? cutter that incorporates the latest technology. Programming is accomplished via the user-friendly prompts on the LCD display. There are 99 channels of memory and 9,801 cut positions. The software is written in five languages (English, Spanish, German, French, and Portuguese) for operators whose primary language is not English. The Titan 230 includes Category 4 light curtains to guard the cutter opening and ensure safety for the operator.

Colter & Peterson showed the BASA 3, which features an automatic jogging system that can automatically form layers of printed sheets, align them and transport them to the subsequent cutting process. The BASA 3 is appropriate for paper from 16-lb. bond to 125-lb. tag, and is effective when combined with a modern, rear-table feeding system. Existing gripper transport systems can be retrofitted.

The Fujipla ALM 3220 laminator, an automatic document laminating system, was shown by Dry-Lam. It eliminates most conventional setup requirements. The laminator will automatically feed, process and restack up to 200 sheets in one batch. It is capable of producing both flush cut and sealed edge encapsulation to tolerances of