JDF in the Bindery: Are We There Yet?

It All Comes With A Cost

So, are the challenges worth the investment? Of course, when talking to equipment manufacturers/distributors, the answer is going to be yes, but there must be a reason why manufacturers are investing so heavily into the future of post-press automation.

“The new data-enabled equipment is outstanding, but it is also a lot more expensive than it used to be,” points out Don Piontek of Finishing Resources, Inc. “Gone are the days of the $35,000 folding machine. A new automated one can cost up to $200,000. But you may be surprised to hear that the automated bindery equipment is selling very well because it’s more productive on all levels. If we’re talking about the efficiencies of the new binders/folders, it’s pretty amazing. The data for the next job is sent while the current job is in progress. It actually takes longer to clear away the previous material than it takes to set up the next job. Makeready and waste go down dramatically.”