Product category:
Print Finishing (Binding, Folding, Inserting, Stitching, etc.)
News Release from: Graphic Arts Equipment | Subject: Horizon APC-61II programmable hydraulic guillotine
Edited by the Printingtalk Editorial
Team on 04 April 2008
Guillotine Provides Speed For Print
Franchise
The need for speed prompted Alphagraphics' Sheffield print franchise to install one of Horizon's APC-61II 61cm fully-automated programmable hydraulic guillotines.
Supplied by Graphic Arts Equipment (GAE) the UK firm said that one of the Horizon's features that appealed was its icon-based touch-screen with 99 job memory (and 99 steps per job) Alphagraphics said that Horizon machine's functions include even divide cutting, total cutting, repeat cutting and compressing
This article was originally published on Printingtalk on 7 May 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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A servo-motor driven backgauge is said to ensure accurate positioning and the centre-driven backgauge system is dust-proof to ensure accurate performance.
The clamping pressure is adjustable and knife angle and cutting depth adjustments are made from the front.
For safety, GAE said the Horizon APC-61II is activated only when the two cut buttons are operated simultaneously within a half of a second of each other.
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If either of the two buttons is released during the cutting sequence, the knife automatically returns to the home position.
The company added that all those features helped to meet the needs of the Alphagraphics operation, which is seeing an increase in demand for personalised and short-run work, 60 per cent of which, despite the continued growth of digital print, is still printed offset litho.
John White, who opened the Sheffield franchise in 1999, said: "We wanted more production and greater accuracy with the new guillotine.
Now we get through a lot more jobs and it means there isn't a bottleneck at the guillotine any more.
It has given us an ease of operation we hadn't enjoyed before." Printing litho and digital work, the business has to ensure it can meet tight turn-round times for a customer base that includes national and local government bodies and educational establishments, as well as local business and commerce.
Work ranges from brochures, folders, pads and leaflets, as well as posters.
The decision to opt for the Horizon system from GAE followed research of the options available,as White explained: "We looked across the market because in this format there is a lot of choice.
We settled on the Horizon because it's so robust and it represented the best value for money.
The touchscreen was one of the best we looked at and it has made operation quite a lot faster.
We can store jobs now and use them for repeat work, which has improved the workflow and increased productivity." And he continued: "Another aspect of the machine for us is that it is fully compliant with health and safety legislation and that is very important.
Legislation changes so quickly but this machine will be compliant for many years to come.".
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