German web offset house J Fink Druckerei has become one of the latest printers in Europe to benefit from a Baldwin MicroSet 497 contact-less, in-line longitudinal gluing system. The new equipment has been fitted to an 80-page MAN Lithoman IV, used to produce magazine and catalogue work at the Ostfildern site. Gluing is the obvious choice for about 80 per cent of the inserts handled at the site both in terms of customer demand and the flexibility to produce, for example, a 24-page product by combining an eight and 16-page section. The new contact-less MicroSet system has enabled in-line gluing to be carried out at full press speeds, while production has been aided further by the automatic cleaning facility, which eliminates the problems commonly found with other gluing systems. “We could hardly believe the results at first,” says Andreas Wulf, one of the senior managers at J Fink. “The argument for achieving higher productivity due to fewer interruptions to the press is a strong one, while the fact that the MicroSet 497 operates perfectly in a contact-less environment impressed us on the spot.” The heads incorporated in the MicroSet 497 system apply a precise, continuous or intermittent glue line in the running direction of the web from a distance of about 5 mm. Folding accuracy of the work can be improved via an optional moistening (softening) system, which also provides a smoother delivery of the products in the pile. Intermittent glue application is standard and the printer can select and program several glue patterns, while the fold softening solution and the glue can be applied simultaneously. The easy to use application heads are mounted to crossbars in the folder, and the high-speed valve guarantees uniform gaps in the glue line at all feasible production speeds. Features include programmable glue patterns, 16 pre-set glue patterns, control of glue application, the ability to handle press speeds up to 18 metres per second and glue pressure up to 6 bars, while the application head position can be altered or the position stored from the central control console. One of the major benefits cited by J Fink is the elimination of adhesive build up on the nozzles (a problem it has encountered previously with contact glue systems) which can result in tears to the paper web. The design of the MicroSet 497 head ensures an even application of the adhesive, while the rate of application is automatically controlled according to press speed. The heads can be moved via motorised drives to within a millimetre in order to position them quickly and accurately on the web. J Fink has installed an 11 head system, allowing it to apply glue in up to 11 places on the web. All of the electronics, pumps, valves and control units, as well as the supply system with the adhesive, water and folding aid concentrate, are housed in a compact cabinet. The robust membrane pumps guarantee operation at relatively high adhesive pressures, which help to prevent blocking of nozzles. However, as a safeguard, every application head incorporated within the MicroSet 497 system is connected to a flow control sensor. If the sensor detects a low throughput in an individual head the system immediately alerts the operator via an acoustic alarm. The sensors are maintenance-free and are automatically cleaned at the same time as the usual flushing processes for the application heads and nozzles.