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newspapers. And these systems are accelerating toward record paces for color output too, including applications such as direct mail and magalogs. "Our finishing partners, such as Magnum and Muller Martini, are on a trajectory to hit the [necessary] speeds," says Doug Sexton, manager of global publishing market development at HP's Inkjet Highspeed Production Solutions (IHPS) division. "They're already there with 800 fpm in mono[chrome on uncoated stock], and color is coming." Today, "a single press [can] feed multiple near-line finishing solutions," Sexton notes, "as roll-to-roll output is taken to a secondary finishing device at 400 fpm to 500 fpm." Andy Fetherman, division manager of digital solutions at Muller Martini, concurs: "The trend is there," Fetherman acknowledges, citing an increase in coated inkjet paper supply as evidence. (See separate article, "Coated Paper Chase," on page 15.) "Color will migrate quickly, like [monochrome] book work has over the past three to four years," he predicts. "We hit speed milestones every year in the book space." Fetherman adds that with the capability of high-speed, inline processing via its Sigmaline perfect binders, Muller Martini can get up to 800 fpm. "Color won't run that fast at first," he cautions, because the slicker coated stocks require an optimization process. "These aren't workbooks," Fetherman notes. "There may be more static issues, and the [paper] transfer process needs to be evaluated." Open House, Open Minds Canadian finishing manufacturer Magnum was present at an open house that digital print innovator Strategic Content Imaging (SCI) hosted in New Jersey last winter, just before a major storm hit there. Steve Fyfe, director of digital development and owner of Magnum Digital Solutions, reports that a large part of the event's focus was inkjet for commercial and retail applications. SCI, a subsidiary of Command Web Offset of Secaucus, NJ, employs several digital presses, including models from Kodak (Digimaster), Xeikon, and HP—Indigo as well as T300 and now T350 inkjet web presses. In addition to one-off products for its more traditional healthcare and financial customers, Fyfe explains, "SCI is producing customized, four-color [inkjet] print on coated stocks for retail inserts and onserts for Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Lord & Taylor, and Christian Dior." The firm has output 680,000 copies at full speed on its 30-inch HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press, he adds. SCI is investigating adapting its Magnum Flex Book system, installed inline two years ago on the back of the T300 inkjet web, to finish other types of inkjet-printed products. Flex Book provides an efficient method for the production of high-quality, fused book blocks. Using cut-sheet technology, it produces blocks free of the common shingling and bottling problems found in folding technologies utilizing signature solutions. Blocks are made durable with its digitally controlled, sinusoidal fusing technology and can be fed inline to a binding system or offline. "Color will migrate quickly, like monochrome book work has over the past three to four years. We hit speed milestones every year in the book space." Flex Book was developed with the future of digital printing in mind. The finishing system is capable of a web width up to 43 inches and speeds up to 800 fpm. This was the design goal in mind from its origins more than three years ago. The anticipation was that high-speed inkjet technology would evolve to these specifications over time, says Fyfe. Digital Staples So far as standard saddle-stitching for Hunkeler UW6 / UW7 Unwind Module Magnum FlexBook The Magnum Flex Book provides an efcient method for the production of high quality fused book blocks. Utilizing cut sheet technology, the Flex Book produces a high quality book block free of the common shingling and bottling problems found in folding technologies that utilize signature solutions. Book blocks are made durable utilizing Flex Book's digitally controlled sinusoidal fusing technology and can be fed inline to a binding system or ofine. The Flex Book is capable of a web width up to 43 inches and speeds up to The dynamic unwind module from the latest POPP generation is especially suitable for fexible, high-performance use. Easy handling, thanks to automated loop control and user guide with touch-panel, reduces setup time to a minimum. Rolls with diameters of up to 1,370 mm can be loaded semi-au- 800 fpm. This was the design goal in mind from the beginning anticipating tomatically. A triple loop control guarantees that high speed ink jet technology would evolve to these specifcations over optimal and precisely tensioned winding of the time. paper web and helps with the processing of Flex Book's ribbon control section can process as many as eight ribbons light as well as heavy paper weights. The loop and makes maximum use of the printed web utilizing fve or seven ribbon run- weight is fully decoupled during neutral mode, ning (depending on product size) to increase throughput on digital print runs. thus guaranteeing optimal feed, also on high- MyPRINTResource.com/10985677 24 AUGUST 2013 • INKJET'S AGE performance digital printers. MyPRINTResource.com/10984908 www.MyPRINTResource.com