The Hunkeler Innovation Days has become a necessary event for print businesses with any kind of interest in continuous feed digital printing. All the key technology providers are present, invited to run their equipment provided that at the same time it shows off at least one item of Hunkeler technology. This might be a reel unwind, a Bookline to deliver 12pp or 16pp signatures from the printed web, or a finished, folded, perforated, trimmed and lasered direct mail communication.
The event began as a showcase for Hunkeler’s latest developments and since these have always been about reel handling and automation, the presses in operation were equally about printing on the reel. Exclusively so.
The times though are a-changing. At the last pre pandemic Hunkeler Innovation Days, the host came up with its first cut sheet finishing line. This was called the Docutrim and it was almost tucked away on the Canon stand running inline with the VP iX300 cut sheet inkjet press. The sheet entered the device directly from the press, was subject to manipulation and, after being turned through 90º was delivered as a finished product.
Nobody expected it to be there, thus the first crop of potential users was not in attendance. However there were plenty of continuous feed printers on the pilgrimage to Lucerne who also operate cut sheet digital machines to provide the feedback to tweak Docutrim to be suitable for the market. This was in 2019. Docutrim should have returned as a ready for market product in 2021, ready to ship to a beta site. Covid of course got in the way and that show will now take place in the Swiss town in February next year. Docutrim, updates included, will be part of it.
The product replicates many of the functions that printers can find on a multifinisher from Morgana, Duplo or Horizon. It will trim, perforate and cut inline and across the sheet, shifting into position from information access via a data code and reader.
The first machine is now out with a Swiss printer for field testing to monitor and verify that Hunkeler’s engineers have the specifications and parameter right. That printer has litho and digital presses with both Canon cut sheet and web fed machines and plenty of prior experience with the Swiss manufacturer. While this replicates the presentation for the Hunkeler Innovation Days, it is not prescriptive, the developer says.
“The system has already been extensively tested with Canon on VarioPress iX300/iX320 cutsheet inkjet presses. However, the system is already being used by customers in a near line process. This means that the printed sheets come from different printing systems and are processed in the DocuTrim via a sheet feeder.
“Hunkeler has a broad based partnership with all well known digital printer manufacturers. The constant contact guarantees a practice oriented and interface safe product,” says head of communications Philipp Fritschi.
The biggest point of difference between Hunkeler and other systems is speed. The Docutrim can run at 11,200sph, the Horizon SMSL 100 reaches a maximum of 3,250sph. The Docutrim is designed for finishing in the direction that the sheet is travelling. It turns the sheet through 90º in order to make it possible for all finishing steps to be carried in the direction the sheet is moving.
The first version will either have a pile feeder or buffer if running in line. The sheet is then delivered to a transfer unit to position it correctly and to read the data mark for any dynamic changes that may be needed. The sheet then enters the first of the processing units, offering perforation and creasing. It then reaches what Hunkeler calls the sequencer to stop the sheet briefly before it is moved at right angles to the previous direction of travel into the second multi-processing unit, a second perforation or for slitting. This is followed by the separator unit and the stacker to build a pile of products, up to 230mm high, before these reach the conveyor.
The maximum sheet format on this version of the Docutrim is 520x520mm with a minimum of 180x152mm. It will take paper weights from 60-250gsm, though this is application dependent at the upper end. It can deliver 1-6 perforations with a gutter cut set at 6, 8, 10 or 12mm.
Much of the functionality and the speed is derived from the technology used in the Gen8 web finishing products. Gen8 being Hunkeler’s fastest to date and is focused on high volume finishing. “In order to serve customers in a somewhat lower run length range, Hunkeler has launched its digital sheet finishing division,” says Fritschi. “A lot of technology from the high volume sector has been adopted, making the Docutrim a unique and robust finishing device.
“The Docutrim is designed for the upper end of cut sheet production printing market. A3 oversize sheets can be cut and stacked into multiple panels, for example A4, A5 or A6, with the edges trimmed. Optional longitudinal and cross perforations are also possible. A wide range of paper substrates, including heavyweight paper, can be reliably processed. Together with this high flexibility and productivity, customers achieve a new level of production printing with high performance cut sheet printers. Creative direct mail, postcards, documents, even transactional and transpromo prints can be efficiently processed on one system.”
Currently Hunkeler is ahead of the curve in terms of print production speeds. To date only the Canon iX series, the Xerox Baltoro and the Kyocera Taskalfa are capable of printing at the sort of speeds to feed a Docutrim. All are inkjet machines. Further developments in cut sheet inkjet are surely coming and will need finishing technology to match the print throughput.
A second version of the Docutrim may arrive as early as Hunkeler Innovation Days in February next year, both in terms of format and in functionality on the device. Higher speeds will also be a consideration.
This applies when running inline. In a nearline configuration a 1:1 ratio is not necessary and a printer might easily operate both a Hunkeler Docutrim as well as a multi-function device from another supplier to handle shorter runs or to produce the applications that this machine does not deliver. These will certainly follow as well as other versions as the print engines evolve and come to market. The beta testing has already fed through to modifications in the first machines which will ship this year.
“Additional features, extension of the paper range, and larger formats will be developed to follow the marked demands over the next few years,” Fritschi says. As it is the Docutrim can finish sheets from a litho press, provided it meets the requirements of the maximum format. As most have moved away from SRA3 or B3 litho printing, there is unlikely to be much demand from those adhering or investing in two-page litho.
On the other hand a flood of new high speed cut sheet digital presses can be expected, faster machines for SRA3 and B2 inkjet presses where finishing technology will be needed. Hunkeler sees an opportunity in this sector, as do others. Duplo is moving up the formats and strengthening its machines to meet heavier production requirements, Horizon is developing robots to increase automation of handling around its machines. The unknown currently is the extent to which Hunkeler limits itself to the Docutrim or whether it adds booklet making and binding to the applications emerging from the development departments in Switzerland.
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