Solema is ready to provide smart, effective solutions for the digital printing sector as well.
Digital printing has profoundly transformed the market and the needs of
printers and bookbinders, introducing shorter run lengths, on-demand
production, frequent format changes, and increasingly flexible manufacturing.
To respond to this evolution, Solema has developed a range of digital solutions
designed to automate and speed up the various stages of the process: from book
block loading to boxing and palletising.
Solema Digital
Post-Press Solutions
Over the past few
years, the printing and bookbinding industry has undergone a profound
transformation. The advent of digital technology has changed not only
how books, catalogues, brochures, and other print products are produced, but
also the demands placed on the subsequent post-press stages: binding and
finishing.
Unlike traditional offset
printing, digital printing transfers content directly from the electronic
file to the paper without using plates. This technological difference has been
accompanied by an equally significant shift in market demands.
Short Runs and
On-Demand Printing: A Changed Market
Over the last 15 to
20 years, printers and publishers have had to navigate a far more
dynamic market with needs vastly different from those of the past.
Requested run lengths
have steadily decreased, while the demand for small batches,
micro-runs, and print-on-demand has risen exponentially.
A shift also driven
by changes in how editorial content is consumed. The ability to choose
from an expanding variety of titles, formats, and product types has
resulted in a more fragmented market.
Consequently,
publishers' priorities have shifted: printing large quantities and storing them
in warehouses for extended periods is rarely a cost-effective solution.
Today, it is essential to produce only what is needed, when it is needed,
while keeping inventory levels to a minimum.
This environment has
proven to be ideal ground for digital printing to thrive.
Flexibility and
Speed: The True Advantage of Digital Printing
Digital printing offers several key advantages, including the elimination
of setup costs and delays associated with plate preparation, as well as
faster execution times.
However, its greatest strength lies in its ability to handle varying
run lengths and frequent format changes rapidly and dynamically.
Specifically, digital technology enables manufacturers to:
- Manage
small and diversified production runs
- Perform frequent format changeovers
- Personalise single copies
- Reduce setup times
- Eliminate
waiting times related to ink drying
The result is a faster, more flexible production workflow in
which freshly printed items can proceed immediately to the subsequent
processing stages.
And this is precisely where digital post-press comes into play.
Digital Post-Press:
Why Bookbinding Must Evolve
If printing has
become faster and more flexible, the subsequent processing stages must keep
pace: this is why bookbinding must evolve.
For a printer
transitioning to digital technology, having an extremely flexible printing line
is not enough if the binding and finishing processes lack the same dynamism.
Fast digital printing
demands an equally fast digital post-press process. Solema has embraced this challenge by putting its expertise at
the service of digital binding lines, introducing end-of-line automation
built to meet the new demands of digital printing.
The result is an
advanced portfolio of solutions specifically engineered for digital post-press
lines, rendering them more flexible, automated, interconnected, and capable of
quick, automatic format changeovers.
This vision led to
the creation of Solema’s EVO range, alongside a dedicated robotic
solution designed for the palletising of digital productions.
Solema Solutions for
Digital Post-Press
Today, Solema’s
digital portfolio includes:
- FastBook EVO and Autoload: Digital automatic book block feeder
- Mini
Sol EVO: Compact automatic digital stacker
- Omega 693: End-of-line palletising cobot
- Smart Box EVO : Semi-automatic digital box former and taper
Four distinct
technologies designed to intervene at key stages of the process, sharing a
single goal: delivering the same flexibility to post-press as digital
printing delivers to pre-press.
FastBook EVO and
Autoload: Automatic Feeding for Digital Softcover Binding
FastBook EVO and Autoload,the digital evolution of Solema’s
historic FastBook is an automatic feeder for digital book blocks.
The machine is designed to process sequential stacks of book blocks
featuring varying formats and thicknesses, feeding them precisely and
consistently into the gathering line.
The system utilizes two barcode scanners to automate adjustments:
- The
first scanner detects stack dimensions and adjusts the drop
station.
- The
second scanner detects book thickness and adjusts the pusher.
The result is exceptionally flexible handling across diverse production
runs. In digital mode, the machine achieves a throughput of 2,000 book
blocks per hour, making it ideal for short runs with frequent format
changes.
Mini Sol EVO:
Automatic Stacking and "On-the-Fly" Format Changes
Mini Sol EVO is the digital evolution of Solema’s classic Mini Sol. It is a compact
automatic stacker engineered for softcover products, guaranteeing uniform
stacks and consistent long-term performance.
Positioned directly downstream of the three-knife trimmer, the
machine receives product format signals directly from the trimmer. This
enables the stacker grids to adjust automatically, allowing for rapid, dynamic "on-the-fly"
format changeovers.
Consequently, Mini Sol EVO is exceptionally suited for industrial
digital automation lines where flexibility and rapid adaptation to
varying product streams are fundamental requirements.
Omega 693: Robotic
Automation for Digital Palletising
With the Omega 693 collaborative robot, the flexibility of digital
printing extends all the way to the end of the line.
Omega693 is a cobot designed by Solema to automate end-of-line
palletising. Utilizing an articulated robotic arm and collaborative
technology, it is designed for palletising digital book blocks and
softcover products once stacks have been formed.
Omega693 consists of an anthropomorphic arm and a dedicated
gripping station, and is operated via an intuitive interface.
Omega693 can be installed downstream of a Mini Sol EVO on digital
binding lines. It palletises products at speeds of up to 6 cycles per
minute, fully automating a crucial stage of end-of-line management.
Smart Box EVO:
Automatic Format Changeovers for Boxing
Completing the range is Smart Box EVO, an advanced iteration of Solema’s
original Smart Box.
It is a semi-automatic digital box-packing machine designed for loading
and sealing stacks of hardcover, softcover, and saddle-stitched books.
Smart Box EVO receives the open box placed by the operator onto the stack of books and, using special guides, conveys it into the taping station, where the top and bottom flaps are aligned and sealed with adhesive tape.
The primary innovation of Smart Box EVO lies in its automatic format
changeover: the operator simply enters the box height and width into
the control panel, and the taping station automatically adjusts to the new
dimensions.
With Smart Box EVO , Solema has fully automated the format adjustment
of the integrated taping station, an operation that previously required
manual intervention.
Once sealed, the boxes are ready for palletising. An added
advantage is the machine’s compact footprint, allowing Smart Box to
be integrated into space-restricted production environments.
Smart Box EVO reduces manual interventions while delivering higher
speed and flexibility, even across highly varied production runs.
Interconnected and
Industry 4.0 Ready machines for Smarter Post-Press
The strength of Solema’s digital solutions lies not only in
individual machine performance, but also in their ability to communicate and
work together.
All four solutions, along with the rest of Solema’s equipment
portfolio, can be interconnected to transmit format changeover
data automatically down the entire line.
From perfect binder to three-knife trimmer, and from stacker
to box packer, every machine can receive and process data to adapt to
new production runs without delay.
Furthermore, all Solema machines are Industry 4.0 Ready, built to
integrate seamlessly with proprietary software and smart factory
ecosystems. Their ability to read, process, and exchange data allows
them to execute adjustments automatically and synchronously, optimizing the
entire production line.
Digital is the
Future: Solema is Ready to Lead the Way
Digital technology is set to shape the future of print manufacturing. Solema
is committed to supporting this transformation by developing solutions that bring
the flexibility demanded by today's market directly into digital post-press
workflows.
FastBook EVO and Autoload, Mini Sol EVO, Omega 693, and Smart Box EVO represent
four practical responses to these evolving production needs.
If your company is transitioning to digital printing and
searching for solutions to make your post-press operations more efficient,
flexible, and automated, the Solema team is at your service to identify
the best solution for your production line.
Contact Solema for more information: write to Email:
info@solema.it or call Phone: +39
035 654111