Book Manufacturer Cushing-Malloy Invests in MBO K8RS Folder to Fully Automate Signature Folding Process
MBO, a global leader in high-performance post-press finishing solutions, announced that Cushing-Malloy, Inc., a manufacturer of short to medium run books and publications, has added an MBO K8RS with auto stacking A80 delivery to its fleet of MBO folders. A long-time customer of MBO, the Ann Arbor, Michigan book printer chose to invest in the MBO K8RS Combi Buckle/Knife Folder for its ability to completely automate its signature folding process, reduce labor issues and get to market with greater speed and accuracy.
The MBO K8RS is designed with a pallet style feeder which significantly reduces touch points to load and feed paper. Also included is MBO’s Autopilot Control System that removes manual input for same pallet signature changes. Autopilot is engineered to accommodate a signature production process where many signatures can be printed on the same pallet with only a data code separating the jobs. The folder watches for the code change and cycles to the next signature format using an automated, stepped process when found.
“After seeing the K8RS in action, we knew it was the perfect solution for handling the way books are built,” said Connie M. Cushing, chairman of the board for Cushing-Malloy. “Its ability to provide quick changeovers for the different paper weights we use and automatically ensure the accuracy of lining up the pages of the book is huge in our business. That type of work was previously carried out manually by our operators and will now be automated, significantly decreasing the chance of human error. The benefits of reducing human touch points means we can get products to our publishers faster and experience less waste, which is of extreme importance during this paper shortage, and ultimately be more profitable.”
The MBO K8RS combi-folder is capable of production speeds up to 275 meters per minute (16,650 sheets per hour on a 25” x 38” standard sheet) allowing the folder to keep up with modern offset presses in a near 1:1 production ratio. Along with the advanced drive system of this folder, it is designed to use both buckle-plates and cross-fold knives in succession to make the folds, ensuring the paper is always under positive control, even at high speeds. Labor and footprint requirements are reduced, making it possible for a single operator to manage all processes on the folder, including the delivery, at full speed. Additionally, the MBO K8RS can be scaled to automate the folding process further by adding the CoBo-Stack robotic palletizer, Datamanager 4.0 and VT-90 Signature Quality Inspection system, removing the labor requirement to load jobs, perform quality checks and stack the signatures on a pallet, and moving towards a plan for a single operator to run multiple folders.
“Cushing-Malloy has a well-deserved reputation for being a high-quality short run book manufacturer by providing its customers with the highest caliber of services,” said Lance Martin, vice president of marketing for MBO America and Komori America. “We are proud that the MBO K8RS folder will be a central part of Cushing-Malloy’s move to automation and look forward to our continued and successful relationship.”
The preceding press release was provided by a company unaffiliated with Printing Impressions. The views expressed within do not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Printing Impressions.
