Heidelberg's Graph Expo 2012 exhibit will represent the last word in hybrid, color-managed production from web-based order entry all the way to finishing. Visitors to Booth 1214 not only will learn about Heidelberg's extensive portfolio of commercial postpress solutions-the largest in the industry-but also will see Heidelberg finishing solutions handle materials printed on a Speedmaster 52 Anicolor press, as well as output from its toner-based Linoprint Pro C901 cut-sheet electrophotographic and EFI Rastek large-format digital inkjet devices.

Customer-Pleasing Results
It is hard to overstate the role played by finishing systems that support both offset and digital printing in a hybrid environment. In enabling print providers to adapt to customers' changing requirements, these supple, results-oriented systems add quality and value to the printed piece, bring cost efficiency to bear on the finishing process, and keep profit margins high.
 
At Graph Expo, Heidelberg's flexible, automated solutions-perfectly adapted for handling digital output-will include the new small-format Polar 56 NET version with P-NET, Compucut, Bar Code Reader and Process Visualization, and a Stahlfolder TH 56. Of special note will be daily demonstrations showing the finishing of materials for a simulated retail campaign produced using both conventional and digital equipment. The Linoprint Pro C901 also comes equipped with Bookletmaker and Cover Interposer for high-quality, in-line finishing.

The JDF integration of finishing equipment is critical in digital printing, where manual set-ups can compromise both efficiency and profit margins in the production of multiple short-run jobs. In the Prinect hybrid workflow, elements of Heidelberg's simulated campaign will be routed through a common interface (Prinect Digital Print Manager), queuing the production of offset printing plates for the cover of a clothing catalog, and digital variable printing for the inside pages. These elements will then be united and stitched in-line on the Linoprint C901's Bookletmaker accessory. Other parts of the promotion include a eight-page brochure with tipped on coupon, glued and finished on a Stahlfolder TH 56; a high-end carton produced on a Speedmaster XL 105 with UV drip-off coating, die-cut on a KAMA ProCut, then folded and glued on a KAMA ProFold; and a tri-fold mailer, produced digitally on the Linoprint C901, then folded on the Stahlfolder TH 56.
 
Integrated Cutting
The sturdy, new programmable cutter POLAR 56 (NET version) with hydraulic drive is equipped with an 18.5'' touch-sensitive display and is the ideal machine for digital printers. Designed for one-shift operation, it can be connected to a house current wall outlet. The POLAR 56 easily cuts small formats up to SRA 3, and comes with digital workflow integration via P-NET and Compucut. In order to start the cutting program automatically, the machine is furnished with a Bar Code reader, enabling near-zero setup times. Process visualization gives the operator a graphic indication of the material handling, greatly minimizing the possibility of error. Compucut takes the cutting data supplied as PPF or JDF files direct from prepress and generates the cutting program automatically. Repeat sequences can be saved and adapted at any time, thanks to the availability of nearly 2000 memory positions.
 
Presto Change-O
The Stahlfolder TH 56 sets a new standard in folder productivity for smaller formats and is an ideal tool for digital printers. The TH 56 is being shown at Graph Expo in a pile-fed 6/4 configuration (Six plates with pre-slitter shaft in the first station and double rear mounted slitter shafts with lift kit; and four plates in the second station) with Level 3 automation and pressing, batching and counting stream delivery. At Graph Expo, demonstrations will emphasize the ease with which users can change over from job to job to compete in the short-run arena.
 
The modular platform of the TH series offers unmatched flexibility and the fastest makeready times while delivering superior fold quality. Accessories can be adapted to suit changing business requirements, for example: pre-slitter shafts in the first, second, or third station; single-mount rear slitter shafts; lift kits on the folding station; even popular rear-mounted slitter shafts lift kits. An EAP crossbar for timed perfs, as well as slitting and gluing heads, can be installed on the folding stations. All of these features are designed to deliver maximum flexibility, productivity, and performance while keeping the investment economical.
 
Flexible integration and process standardization via Prinect enables providers to collaborate with customers on high-quality, high-value projects that cut costs, raise efficiency, and drive profitability. As the only print technology vendor that can move a file from web-to-print input through finishing, Heidelberg encourages printers to look beyond individual machine specifications to grasp the bigger picture and bottom-line benefits of end-to-end production integration.