On-demand digital printing

Due to the large initial investment in traditional offset printing, so far, traditional offset printing has rarely performed known printing in small batches due to cost issues. However, the current trend is clearly moving in the direction of short-run printing. Publishers want to reduce a few risks and reduce the amount of known prints. Large and small book sellers also need to reduce their inventory. Many print products for different markets, such as brochures, catalogs, financial reports, documents, and instruction manuals, will be designed separately and printed separately. There are also many publications that need constant updating, such as medical textbooks, legal books, product manuals, operating instructions, textbooks, and notes.

Thanks to the new Sigma production line, the benefits of short-run printing are now possible. The production line is a good solution for Book on Demand (BoD), even with a very small number of jobs. All can be very economical production, with the help of digital printing to complete pre-press document processing and printing process, and then to the whole process of post-press processing, perfect binding or saddle stitching. The basic principle of this high-performance system developed by MÇ–ller Martini is very simple: the pre-press data is continuously processed on the digital press. Single-sided printing can be realized with webs, and it is also possible to accurately fold and post-process on an integrated bookbinding machine or collating stapler. Work data from prepress operations can automatically adjust the entire system.

The smart network of individual processing units: Digital printing has actually been around for several years. The emergence of intelligent networks between various digital processing processes has created new solutions for print production. Thanks to the Sigma production line, all production tasks can be completed with a simple operation through a set of continuous production line control systems.

In order to adapt to this trend, MÇ–ller Martini has integrated high performance from pre-press to post-press. Due to its modular structure, the BOD system also provides a high level of flexibility.

Continuous production line control system: The core of the Sigma production line is the Sigma continuous production line control system. All the processes can be operated and monitored by a Windows PC with a touch screen. It is also possible to operate single or partially connected machines. Due to the compatibility of JDF, efficient process flow is guaranteed. All kinds of products are printed one after the other: The beginning of production is a highly integrated Sigma digital web press. Its design speed is up to 450 pages per minute (137 meters), and it can provide printing cylinders to constantly re-image, in order to complete different Product printing. Image processing uses industry standard formats.

The production line control system can process JDF work data and coordinate all aspects of the production line. Different manufacturers' presses can be fully integrated into the control system. The MÇ–ller Martini system is suitable for all web printing systems. At drupa, the system was demonstrated with Delphax's CR2000 digital press. After the product passed the printing press and the bookbinding machine produced by Sigma, the product was perfectly bound. The signatures produced by the Sigma folder have a high degree of precision.

The Sigma collator with automatic size setting can perform high-quality binding and can handle 3 to 40mm sizes. It can guarantee that there will be no interruption, continuous operation, and the thickness of the book processed in each cycle can be different.

The Sigma automatic high-quality bookbinding machine uses hot melt technology to glue on the spine side of the book, producing 1,000 books per hour. Sigma contacted the cooling tower with a Sigma binding machine to facilitate rapid book cooling and glue drying. Sigma automatic book block trimmer can change the style of books between each cycle. It can handle books ranging from A4 to A6, and the maximum thickness cannot exceed 40mm. Sigma's page-fixing and linking motivation can staple 6,000 books online or 10,000 copies off-line. In online mode, there is no continuous folding and collating unit to ensure the synchronization of products.

Many other modules can also be flexibly selected, such as cover sheet feeders, gluing machines, and card folding machines. The selection of these units means that a wider range of products can be produced. Collation stapler is equipped with a new type of optional staple mechanism, the maximum thickness of the post-printing product is 13mm.