Duplo has shown off a new version of its B3 embellishment press at its two-day Discover Duplo open house. The machine is an evolution on the DuSense 810 rather than a new machine entirely, so becomes the DuSense 810 Pro.
The changes are intended to address issues that have been reported by users of a machine that is now a decade old. The build scope has been expanded from 20-80 microns to a 15-80 microns for the tactile effects.
This is accompanied by a new controller and interface that is derived from the B2 DuSense DDC8000. This allows a user to instantly identify the differing heights of the UV cured polymer, through different colours on which items on the sheet are to be enhanced.
There is a way to manually adjust the height of the applicator heads on the machine. These were previously fixed. The feature will be useful when the sheet to be varnished is not completely flat when the heads need lifting slightly and when surface tension issues can be tackled by reducing the throw distance to the substrate.
These developments and others to iron out features of the first version will be on all machines going forward. What is missing is the ability to apply foil inline, something that the larger machine can do and which is possible on rival machines.
Duplo is tackling this by partnering with Bagel on a 3D foiler. The Spanish company is best known for its robust laminator which Duplo distributes. The standard laminators can apply foil on the laminated film, this being something that can be a retrofit to a machine in the field. The Foiler 3D is a device designed specifically for Duplo to partner with the DuSense for customers that want to be able to offer foiling.
This will apply foil on all heights of the polymer. The foil is applied via a silicon heated roller which enables the device to cope with the variable height of the varnish, which a more conventional chrome heated roller might not be comfortable with. It is also relatively fast at 9 metres/minute.
The combination of machines was put through their paces at last week’s Discover Duplo open house which to a large extent replicated the spread of products that Duplo showed at Drupa. The samples being put through the DSM1000 B2 die cutter after embellishment on the DDC8100 for example were those that were at Drupa.
While the Multigraf machines, which serve the smaller responsive end of the market were on show, with the sale of a Touchline CF375 creaser/folder announced to Wembley printer Apprintable, Duplo is very much now also tackling a production led market. The rapid changeover flatbed die cutter and digital embellishment appeals to B2 commercial printers shifting into short run carton production. As a result the event attracted larger print businesses that would not previously have considered Duplo as a suitable supplier.
