Standard to Launch Integrated Continuous-feed Finishing Solutions

ANDOVER, MA—June 23, 2009—Standard Finishing Systems will premier a portfolio of highly-integrated new feeding and finishing solutions for the continuous-feed digital print market at Print 09 in Chicago, September 11-16. These solutions are the result of close technical cooperation between Horizon, a leading post-press equipment manufacturer, and Hunkeler, a premier supplier of paper handling products for continuous-feed digital presses. Standard represents both lines exclusively in North America, and will premier several innovative new system solutions on its booth at Print 09:

Standard Continuous-feed Saddlestitching Solution

The new Standard Horizon StitchLiner 6000 Digital high-speed saddlestitcher will be integrated with Hunkeler’s UW6 unwinder and CS6 rotary cutter for production of up to 6,000 high-quality booklets per hour, in-line with continuous feed printers. Based on the well-established StitchLiner technology platform, the solution offers in-line cover feeding and non-stop booklet production on a very wide range of paper stocks at up to 600 feet per minute, on pace with the speed of industry-leading continuous-feed printers. Variable sheet-count booklets can be produced using barcode scanning or mark reading.

The system features icon-based color touchscreen control and fully automated set-up. The ease-of-use of the system allows the same operators who are running the printer to easily manage post-press functions. In-line continuous-feed saddlestitching is considered an important growth area, with applications in the financial print, insurance, healthcare, and commercial print segments.

Standard Continuous-feed Folding Solutions

The new Standard Horizon AFC-566F Digital in-line signature folder—featuring six parallel and six optional cross plates—will also be shown in-line with the Hunkeler UW6 unwinder, FM6 folder/merger and CS6-II rotary double-cutter, for operation at speeds up to 600 feet per minute. The advanced folder automation and touchscreen control brings ultra-quick set-ups to high-speed continuous-feed print platforms, allowing complex, variable-data direct mail pieces to be produced in one pass.

The folder and cutter have been tightly integrated with precise speed matching. The advanced automation on both units supports ultra-quick changeovers and the ability to memorize recurring jobs for instant recall and set-up. The system also includes an innovative slide-away register table for added flexibility, so the folder can be operated off-line when the print engine is idle or delivering stacked output to the high capacity stacker.

The new Standard Hunkeler FM6 Plow Fold / Web Merge Module will also premier at Print 09, combining plow-folding and slit-merging in one compact module, with integrated perforating wheels. The web is folded or merged and then cut into sheets by the CS6-II, featuring double-cut—or chip-out—for full-bleed documents. The FM6 in-line with the new Standard Horizon AFC-566DIF signature folder allows for a virtually endless combination of folds for direct mail or other applications in one pass.

“The marriage of legendary Horizon and Hunkeler engineering, from one trusted supplier, brings new levels of integration and performance to every high-speed continuous-feed production print platform, both black-and-white and color” said David Reny, Executive Vice President, Standard Finishing Systems. “Customers have been asking for highly-reliable in-line finishing to help them eliminate manual touch-points and off-line steps. These new developments will help commercial printers, direct mailers, financial printers, publishers, banks, utilities and service bureaus achieve production cost models that have been out of reach with existing technology.”

Standard will showcase 10,600 square-feet of in-line and off-line feeding and finishing solutions under the theme “Think Intelligent Automation” in booth 2637 at Print 09. Over fifty live applications will be running to demonstrate the power of post-press automation. Standard Horizon and Standard Hunkeler solutions will also be shown throughout the halls at Print 09 in cooperation with nearly a dozen printer vendor, mailroom, verification and other graphic arts partners.

Standard Finishing Systems is based in Andover, MA and will celebrate “100 Years of Finishing Strong” in 2010. A leading supplier of print finishing systems, paper handling equipment and reprographic products, Standard utilizes a network of independent dealers and a direct sales force in the United States and Canada. For more information, call 877-404-4460. Or, visit the Standard website at http://www.standardfinishing.com.