Diecutters: the shape of things to come

Nov 1, 2003 12:00 PM, by Katherine O'Brien, Editor | kobrien@primediabusiness.com

When it comes to diecutting, printers are no longer drawing a blank — pundits say printers are bringing more of this work in-house. Today's expanded options reflect two larger trends: a saturated commercial-printing market and customer demand for shorter print runs with faster turnaround times.

“Commercial printers are looking for more services they can offer their customers,” says Jeff Peterson, executive director, Foil Stamping & Embossing Assn. (Topeka, KS). “If they can get into foilstamping or diecutting [inexpensively], it's an attractive option.”

Vendors apparently agree. MAN Roland, for example, distributes Sugano diecutters/creasers as well as KAMA diecutters. Heidelberg, in additon to its automated Polar cutting systems, now offers Dymatrix diecutting systems, Diana folder-gluers and Steur foilstamping equipment. At Graph Expo, the company introduced a rotary inline diecutting unit for its new Speedmaster 52 press. Carton Craft also offers inline options for sheetfed presses and, in a new twist, Müller Martini has teamed its Presto saddlestitcher with an inline diecutter. Details on these and other recent introductions follow.

Bobst Group USA's (Roseland, NJ) Evoline is based on its SP 102-E 40-inch diecutter. It reportedly is priced competitively and can diecut, strip and emboss light materials as well as boxboard, making it suitable for a wide variety of commercial- printing and folding-carton applications. Evoline is fully supported by the Bobst Group USA's service, training and spare-parts organization.

Brausse Group's (Richmond, British Columbia) PE2M clamshell diecutter features a 78 × 55-inch sheet size for large specialty boxes and display jobs. Brausse Group also is building Nikko Machinery's N-1600XR (63 × 43-inch) and N-145XR (57 × 37-inch) at the IMG-Brausse manufacturing facilities as part of a joint venture agreement. The N-1600XR can cut F, E, B, C and A flute as well as litho-laminated board and cardboard that requires tight registration. Features include an automatic motorized direct-side die loading and lock-up system, LCD touchscreen panel for preset die position, automatic lock-up positioning and centerline stopper positioning, air floating cutting plate in/out assist system and a quick set-up waste removal system.

Brandtjen & Kluge (St. Croix Falls, WI) distributes Kawahara Packaging Corp.'s TXR 800/ 1100 blank separators, offline machines that automatically separate blanks on diecut sheets of stock. The TXR 800 handles a 22 × 33-inch sheet, while the TXR 1100 accommodates a 32 × 43-inch sheet. Using a pin-board system, the blank separator pushes down with equal pressure on a sheet's trim, separating the diecut shapes from the sheet. A plastic template eliminates the need for tooling and dies while reportedly enabling 10-minute makereadies.

H.S.Boyd's Perf Print Plus (PPP) (Tulsa, OK) system converts a printing unit into an inline finishing unit. It consists of a mounting jacket (“the Foil”) with a packing set (“the Base Set”); these replace the blanket and blanket packing. The PPP system lets users perforate, diecut and score at full press speed.

Carton Craft's (Alpharetta, GA) Print Craft Supply division markets its RSP inline finishing system. The RSP inline system lets commercial printers diecut, perforate and score inline on Heidelberg or Komori sheetfed presses at full running speed. Reportedly, more than 150 RSP systems have been installed since its 2000 introduction. For a video demonstration, see printcraftsupply.com.

Heidelberg's (Kennesaw, GA) rotary inline diecutting unit for its Speedmaster SM 52 lets users finish 20-inch work on press in a single pass. Magnets, rather than clamps, are used to mount the metal die on a special cylinder, which is also equipped with a system for remotely adjusting register. A positioning rule facilitates placement. The SM 52's CP2000 Center adjusts lateral, circumferential and diagonal settings so the die is aligned with the motif being printed. The CP2000 also sets the cutting depth to suit the thickness of the stock. Automatic waste stripping is offered via a vacuum that holds the cutouts on the magnet cylinder — a suction hood picks up the trim, which is then conveyed to a waste container.

Heidelberg also offers cam-driven platen-press diecutting machines in 41-, 44- and 56-inch formats for the packaging market. Its newest introduction, the Dymatrix 105 CS, is rated at 9,000 sph and features feed-to-delivery station sheet-transport that eliminates vertical movement of the cutting bed.

MAN Roland (Westmont, IL), the U.S. distributor for Polygraph KAMA, recently announced the TS 105, a 41 × 29-inch automatic diecutter, as well as a hot-foil stamping module that upgrades existing TS 74 halfsize KAMA diecutters. The TS 105 handles boxboard up to two mm (80 pt.) thick, as well as microflute corrugated. Featuring a stream feeder, it produces up to 4,500 sph. The hot-foil module is top-mounted and can handle up to 3,000 sph.

Müller Martini (Hauppauge, NY) demonstrated a saddlestitching/diecutting system producing miniature booklets from printed signatures at Graph Expo. The Presto/Multi 450 connects a Presto 9,000-cycles-per-hour saddlestitcher with a Multi 450 diecutter to create a single-pass production line. A photoelectric control system monitors the diecutting stations, ensuring precise production. Both systems can operate as standalone units. Applications include CD and DVD booklets, software manuals, and cosmetic and pharmaceutical inserts.

Spartanics (Rolling Meadows, IL) showcased its M500 wide-format diecutting system at Graph Expo. The 30-inch wide, optically registered diecutting system enables users to achieve high throughput for wallet-sized or smaller pieces on a 72- or 96-up sheet, reportedly with ±0.1 mm or better registration. Spartanics also offers the M95 Autocutter as an add-on for the M500. Equipped with laser sensors, the Autocutter lets users automatically deliver a stack of more than 500 sheets into the diecutting system at press speeds of 150 strokes per minute.

Spiel Associates' (Long Island City, NY) AMC Model H high diecutter can diecut an eight-inch lift of paper or plastic every four seconds, reportedly yielding up to two million labels, tags or cards per hour. After the operator loads a lift on the AMC's ramp, it rams the material through a hollow die. The horizontal ram with V-type hold is said to enable quick changeover and setup. Sizes can range from ¾ × ¾ inch up to 20 × 20 inches.