Innovative finishing solutions from Ferag
-marking high efficiency and added value in
newspaper and magazine printing
For realizing the astounding quality of the products, the finishing solutions play vital role. Ferag Verfahrenstechnik GmbH (located in Leipzig, Germany), a centre of excellence owned by Swiss-based Ferag AG, is effectively contributing to the industry by developing and building innovative solutions for postpress processing magazines and newspapers. Using creatively, these solutions are characterized by high efficiency and high added value for the customer.
It will soon be twenty years that Ferag Verfahrenstechnik has been part of the Ferag AG group in Hinwil, under WRH Walter Reist Holding AG. At the outset, only system components were assembled for the parent company. Shortly afterwards, however, with the development of the stitching unit for the gatherer-stitcher drums and rotary trimming technology for the upper circulation and performance range, the range of tasks steadily increased, so that with time a highly qualified and progressive centre of excellence was born.
Many milestones…
Simulations in the test laboratory and trials under practical conditions with
customers are crucial when proving the market readiness of new systems, and that applies to the second-generation MultiLog, too.
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The development and construction department is backed by a prototype assembly section. When proving the market readiness of new systems, simulations in the test laboratory and trials under practical conditions with customers are crucial. Many development milestones mark the road travelled so far by this skills centre. For example: 1993- rotary trimming technology (with two rotors) for the high-speed production of newspapers and magazines as well as the stitching unit for the gather-stitcher drums; 1997- SNT-U trimming drum (with one rotor only); 1998- UTR simple conveyor system (forerunner of the PrimeLine system) for signatures; 2002- MultiLog log stacker and 2-up deviation unit; 2004- Stitching unit for the inline StreamStitch stitching system; 2005- SmartStrap strapping machine; 2008- second generation MultiLog log stacker; and 2009- SNT 50 trimming drum (with one rotor).
In addition to a number of patents, the innovations featured on such a list come with several user benefits: for example, the swivel radius and opening angle of the conveyor grippers were the first to enable the gripping and extremely flexible transfer of single-copies to the various processing systems.
Latest developments…
SNT 50, the new Ferag trimming drum with only one rotor, can be used for high-pagination products with maximum formats of 500x320 mm (untrimmed).
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A counting system, first realized for Mohn Media, that provides a cost-saving overview of the number of products still in the conveyor grippers on their way to the SNT-U trimming drum and then hence to the UTR delivery station before final stacking onto pallets. Ultimately, this is the number of copies needed to make up – and not exceed – the prescribed production volume.
With the second MultiLog generation, optimum accessibility for operating and service personnel has now been realized to its full potential. What’s more, there’s been further optimization of a few prime MultiLog features such as the variable copy lap with defined separation sequence and the loose log structure with gap closure at full speed. No copy looping and no smearing of products mean that gentle handling is assured.
And the very latest development: the SNT 50 trimming drum with only one rotor can be used for high-pagination products up to an untrimmed format of 500x320 mm (trimmed, max. 450x300 mm). In the commercial sector, the SNT-50 is ideal for trimming catalogues and magazines, and in the newspaper sector for trimming magazines and advertising brochures on newsprint with or without a cover in an enhanced and heavier paper quality. Market acceptance of the innovative SNT 50 will mean that the successor to the SNT-35, SNT-42 and SNT-48 drums has arrived.
And a whole range of projects…
All over the world, there is a demand for the economic advantages of design innovations by Ferag Verfahrenstechnik. The use of two conveyor lines, two MultiLog log stackers and an SNT-U trimming drum with the world’s second installation of a 96-page web offset printing machine (in Spain) is also worth a mention. So is the fact that four SNT-Us have been delivered to France, where eleven trimming drums have also been sold during the past business year within a period of only two months, along with ten MultiLog units within a very short space of time.
There are also plenty of projects in the pipe line that encompass conveying, trimming and log stacking, despite frequent caution throughout the graphics industry when it comes to larger investments, due to the effects of the 2008/09 financial crisis.
