14-Jan-2010
United Printing & Publishing (UPP) is in full-throttle with a series of several new investments during the past few months. New arrivals at UPP’s facility include a 16-page Rotoman 65 commercial web press, delivered to the print house in October 2009; Meccanotecnica Aster 150/51 sewing machine; Autobind Mini 105 TH laminator; and Kolbus KM 412C perfect binding machine along with a ZU 841 gathering machine and three knife trimmer HD 153.P, commissioned from Dynagraph.
The Rotoman press, to be utilized for high-quality magazine printing, is equipped with a 1:3:3 folder with single drive, and has the option of magnetic brakes in quarter fold; the machine delivers a speed of up to 65,000 copies per hour when in the A4 production mode. The press is highly flexible, with inline finishing modules for spot color coating and UV coating, gluing and die-cutting, in addition to plow folding units and sheeter for delivery.
The Meccanotecnica Aster 180/51 sewing machine has a size of 320x510mm. The machine, which operates at a speed of 180 cycles/min, is equipped with a Siemens PLC S7 Swivel touch Screen colour control panel; it stores up to 30 different sewing programs that can be recalled during production. An automatic compressed air control and treatment system, with a pressure regulator and filtering device, is fitted at the entrance to the sewing machine, capable of separating any condensation and impurities coming from the external supply.
The Kolbus binding line comprises a KM 412C perfect binding machine with 30 clamps, paired with a ZU 841 gathering machine with 24 stations and a three knife trimmer HD 153.P.
The KM 412C can reach speeds of up to 15,000 cycles per hour and process a large material range; it is equipped with the Kolbus Copilot System, which includes features such as a touch Screen display; +/- keys for fine adjustments on the individual stations during production runs; remote diagnosis for implementation of remedy measures in case of malfunctions, automatic format and hang-out adjustments, and the Kolbus 3.60—the master control centre technology software which gives the operator information on the production data such as the degree of utilisation, operating times, downtimes, and production quantities.
The binding line includes a Kolbus ZU 841 gathering machine with 24 gathering stations and 24 STA 840 bundle feeders. The sections or single sheets are transported directly and straight in the transport direction of the gathering chain. Additionally it is equipped with a reject unit model AS 841 for the automatic delivery of incorrectly or incompletely gathered products/length and width monitoring.
The HD 153.P three-knife trimmer facilitates high-performance production with a speed of 6,600 cuts per hour. Equipped with the Kolbus Copilot system, it assists the operator allowing inter-machine data exchange as well as automatic machine settings. A fully automated and versatile PL 771 Palletiser handles any volume of books or brochures at a speed of 1,800 stacks per hour.
UPP is the first in the Gulf region to have acquired the Kolbus front cutting machine XCR 100 (max. 6,000 cycles/h), which horizontally cuts the front side of the book with the gate fold cover, for the production of flap brochures.
The book production line employs the Kolbus BF 512, which includes a book forming and pressing machine, running at 30 cycles per minute. The product is transported via the star feeder, where the pushers grips the block and pushes it into an upright position into the next station. At the rounding and backing station, a symmetrical and perfectly shaped block is formed. The subsequent steps include gluing, gauzing and head and tail applications. Subsequently, the book block passes through the casing-in station, and when aligned in the forming station, it finally goes through joint forming and form pressing.
A Kolbus casemaker DA 260 with semi-automated settings handles hardcover binding of books. For products cutting, a PK 170 board cutter and XKS cloth cutter are employed. The PK 170 model is operated in two manual operating cycles: longitudinal and cross cutting, with adjustable infeed and cutting speed.
The Autobond Mini 105 TH can laminate a high range of products from A4 to 105x76cm and 90 to 650gsm at a speed of 60 meters/min. The laminator is made of 25mm thick steel side plates and is equipped with a Heidelberg Speedmaster rising pile back separation stream feed head with a vacuum feed table and Siemens electronics.