Image Reports asked a number of key finishing manufacturers and suppliers the following question: What key technical issues/problems are large-format print producers asking you to help them with when sourcing finishing equipment – and what are you doing in terms of R&D to help resolve those? Here’s what they said…
After years as the poor relation, finishing has hit a rich seam of interest as wide-format producers invest in kit that can help them meet the full ROI potential of their printing machines. Developments have therefore been fast and frequent of late as manufacturers and suppliers rush to meet demand for finishing solutions to myriad problems. So have all the boxes been ticked, and is there now something for every need and pocket? Hardly – there never is. So we asked a selection of finishing system providers what their customers are still demanding in terms of ongoing R&D and how they are working towards meeting expectation.
Paul Bates, UK and Eire business manager for Esko feels workflow is one of the biggest issues so that it works not just for the printing machines but for the finishing kit. “Many operations have parallel workflows – one for cutting and one for digital print. We help them introduce a solution that will feed both at the same time, including working out the most productive approach. If someone is replacing a five-year-old digital printer the new system will be four times faster so the prepress department needs to be four time faster to keep it filled and the finishing department needs to be able to cope.
“The question is how do that without taking on more people and the answer is to work smarter using software (such as Automation Engine 12 and WebCenter 12). These handle administration, preflighting, and communication with the MIS. That way there is no need to spend time re-entering numbers and that eliminates resultant mistakes.”
For Melanie Enser, marketing manager at Colourgen, it’s all about being being able to meet demand for quick delivery and installation of finishing products and being in a position to be able to advise and supply the most appropriate finishing materials for the diverse range of jobs that printers/laminators face. “Correct installation and ensuring the unit is absolutely level and functioning to its optimum is a key concern as is the requirement for comprehensive operator training. Raid response to problems or breakdowns in the event of failure and the holding of spare parts and trained knowledgeable engineers to rapidly correct any problem are also prerequisites,” she says.
At Vivid, product manager Bruce Cozens says the company is “constantly being asked by potential and existing wide-format laminator users for ways to make the process easier and we have come up with some innovative solutions. At Vivid we have our own design engineer who is able to analyse the technical points and design a solution which is pivotal to moving forward quickly on suggestions to keep improving the systems for a growing market.”
He says the general technical points clients frequently come up with include: faster speeds, better feed table accessibility, easy to operate control panels and roll change capability. “Other things, like large diameter convex Silicon rollers that give a constant even pressure across the width of the machine for a flat smooth finish, have also been developed further to customer feedback. These help prevent adhesive sticking to the rollers mean less time cleaning the machine. Reel-to-reel laminating has also been in demand so we’ve taken that on board.”
Peter Giddings, sales director at Zund UK feels “the emphasis has changed over the past 18 months from different tooling to how cutting and finishing can truly integrate into the business.
“Integration is definitely a key issue on the agenda with our R&D teams, and has been for some time. To illustrate this growing demand, 100% of all our sales this summer shipped with Zund Cut Centre."
The Cut Centre dynamically guides the operator through the cutting process. It minimizes set-up times, eliminates mistakes and makes sure the cutter is running at maximum productivity levels at all times. It continually suggests best choices based on the material to be cut, available tooling and quality requirements.