Finishing Processes in Digital Printing New Growth Opportunities with Digital Solutions
The more efficient digital printing systems become, the more challenging finishing process will be. Muller Martini, the leading specialist in the field of inline finishing, develops innovative digital printing solutions that open up new growth opportunities for the graphic arts industry – for perfect binding as well as hardcover production and saddle stitching.
The Market Demands New Solutions Despite increasing diversity and a rise in the number of titles being produced, sales of printed products are declining. This situation is resulting in shorter runs, for hardcover and softcover books as well as stitched products. The increasingly tough market environment is piling on the pressure for publishers, who must minimize risk and improve stock management in order to survive in this highly competitive market. One step they are taking is to limit runs for their printed products in order to avoid overproduction. The situation represents both a major challenge for the graphic arts industry and a fantastic opportunity for it to position itself in the digital printing sector using new business models.
An Ideal Platform for Digital Printing The growing market for shorter runs offers the ideal platform for digital printing, in particular for integrated inkjet printing systems. Muller Martini has a close eye on market trends and enjoys successful partnerships with the leading manufacturers of digital printing systems, such as HP, Kodak, or Océ among others. The experience gained with the SigmaLine digital book production system over the last few years plus Muller Martini's extensive product segment have allowed ideal solutions to be created for new applications.
Inkjet offers new opportunities for higher productivity: 왘 High level of reliability and performance 왘 Four-color printing 왘 Larger web widths 왘 Increased speeds 왘 Inkjet generates lower operating costs (lower costs per printed page) 왘 Greater run sizes
Inkjet printing systems open up new opportunities.
1
Digital Solutions – New Options for Perfect Binding, Hardcover, Thread Sewing and Saddle Stitching
For the Full Range of Finishing Processes
From the Signature to the Book Block
The Signature Folder – The Most Important Connecting Link Muller Martini offers the perfect solution to join the gap between digital printing and finishing: the SigmaLine is a unique complete system for fully automated production of a whole host of printed products. The SigmaLine paves the way for industrial digital book production by networking all processes, from prepress data through to digital printing and finishing, in one complete system. One of the core elements of the system is the unique SigmaFolder. It is the world's only web-based, variable-size signature folder and forms an important link between the printing press and the finishing process. As the Muller Martini system can process signatures, the graphic arts industry is able to take advantage of the full range of finishing processes for digital printing for the first time.
High Investment Security Thanks to Modular Design The SigmaLine features a new function for pre-gluing book blocks, which can be temporarily stacked and fed offline to a perfect binder or another finishing process. The possibilities of the complete system are therefore not limited to fully integrated inline systems. The modular design (e.g. entry-level models available) supports stand-alone offline solutions that can simply be extended at a later date if the order volume changes. The extension options are one of the key performance characteristics of Muller Martini’s digital solutions. The modular design provides elegant extension options and guarantees high investment security for customers.
The signature folder opens up new opportunities for the entire range of finishing processes.
Production of book blocks: SigmaLine for pre-gluing book blocks.
2
Powerful Perfect Binder
New Options
Innovative, decoupled inline conďŹ gurations Muller Martini’s decades of experience and widespread expertise in the areas of web offset printing and ďŹ nishing really come into their own in the development and implementation of fully integrated solutions. The complex processes involved in traditional ďŹ nishing are adapted to suit digital printing – from web-handling through to cutting, folding, gathering and, ďŹ nally, ďŹ nishing. For instance: A new, modular buffer system (SigmaBuffer) intelligently separates the printing, folding and gathering process from the binding process but ensures that all the processes still remain connected to each other in line. This means that powerful perfect binders such as the Pantera and the Acoro can be integrated into the complete system.
For Hardcover, Thread Sewing and Saddle Stitching Muller Martini’s digital solutions open up new dimensions for printed products not only in perfect binding but also in the hardcover, thread sewing and saddle stitching segments. As signatures can be processed on the Muller Martini complete digital system, it is predestined for high-quality softcover and hardcover production as well as saddle stitching. This means the complete system can be coupled with a Diamant MC bookline just as well as it can with a Primera saddle stitcher. This means graphic companies are even better equipped to fulďŹ ll the future demands of their customers. What’s more, extended system functionality is making efďŹ cient production of even ultra-short runs an attractive option – for personalized photo books for example.
í˘ą
í˘ł
í˘˛
í˘´
1 SigmaLine with the Pantera perfect binder 2 SigmaLine with the Acoro perfect binder
3 SigmaLine with the Acoro and MC Diamant bookline 4 SigmaLine with the Primera saddle stitcher
3
Complete Digital Integration Using the Connex Workflow System
Whether it's softcover production with the Acoro and Pantera perfect binder lines, hardcover production with the Diamant MC bookline or saddle stitching with the highly automated, powerful and extremely configurable Primera family, the Connex digital workflow system (based on JDF/JMF) developed by Muller Martini ensures seamless interplay and optimum control of all
assemblies in all finishing processes. Connex forms the basis for the seamless integration of softcover, hardcover and saddle stitching systems into the SigmaLine complete digital system. Connex communicates with all the machines involved: it ensures high levels of safety and transparency during production, generates job data for all systems and facilitates sorting, group-
ing and planning of orders. These are indispensable assets for shorter runs in particular. Further great advantages of Connex: The close cooperation between Muller Martini and the world’s leading manufacturers of digital printing systems forms the basis for seamless integration of printing presses into the complete workflow.
New Business Models for Muller Martini Customers RR Donnelley, USA International media group RR Donnelley invested in multiple SigmaLines so that it can efficiently finish the printed products manufactured on its in-house ProteusJet inkjet digital printing press. The identical lines are equipped for the first time with a Pantera perfect binder. Another global first is the use of the SigmaBuffer technology.
Clays Ltd., England Clays Ltd. has been successfully using saddle stitchers and perfect binders from Muller Martini for many years. The traditional British company has invested in a SigmaLine with integrated Versamark VL6000 inkjet printing system from Kodak (black and white). “We’re entering a new phase in our business,” explains Kate McFarlan, Managing Director. “Whether the order is for 20 or 20,000 books, we’ll soon be equipped to handle any request.”
Rotolito Lombarda S.p.A., Italy Long-established Muller Martini customer Rotolito Lombarda S.p.A. entered the digital printing arena. The HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press will be the first full-color inkjet printing press integrated into a SigmaLine at Rotolito. The printed products will be perfect bound on the integrated Pantera. This is the world’s first SigmaLine solution to incorporate the HP T300 Color Inkjet, SigmaLine and Pantera.
Muller Martini Marketing AG Untere Brühlstrasse 13 4800 Zofingen, Switzerland Phone +41 (0)62 745 45 75 Fax +41 (0)62 751 55 50 info@mullermartini.com www.mullermartini.com
Printed in Switzerland/Digital Solutions/0910/Br2/0069.7501.71
4