Hauppauge, New York – There is perhaps no better way to gauge the performance and capabilities of print production equipment than to see it in person, up and running. Attendees to this year’s Graph Expo show can view live demonstrations of several of Muller Martini’s print finishing technologies by visiting the company’s booth, #1229. Among the equipment that Muller Martini will be demonstrating at Graph Expo is the Pantera perfect binder, which will be making its U.S. industry debut at the show. Also demonstrated will be the Presto saddle stitcher with Palamides automatic banding machine, and, the BravoPlus saddle stitcher with AMRYS (Automatic Make-Ready System) with inside/outside inkjet capabilities. In addition, Muller Martini will be featuring a press unit from its Alprinta with the new continuously size variable cylinder technology. “Our latest innovations, together with our commitment to partnering with customers to implement production solutions specific to their operations, can empower printers and binders to enhance their workflow speed and productivity while increasing their sales and profit opportunities,” said Werner Naegeli, President and CEO of Muller Martini Corp. The versatile Pantera perfect binder, which runs at up 4,000 cycles per hour and handles a broad range of product sizes, can be used both for conventional hotmelt binding and also for processing PUR adhesive (polyurethane reactive). The use of PUR is gaining popularity due to high pull-resistance values and exceptional lay-flat characteristics. Furthering its versatility, the Pantera can be configured with up to 28 feeder stations. Pantera can also be equipped with a drum cover feeder and an optional crash feeder station for hardcover book production. The compact, space-saving Pantera produces top quality adhesive-bound books, and set-up is fast and convenient via the machine’s Set-up Assistant Companion and an intuitively-designed touchscreen. At Graph Expo, Muller Martini will be running the Pantera perfect binder with the company’s Esprit 3-knife trimmer. Esprit is an ideal complement for binding systems in the lower performance range. Both the binder and the trimmer are manufactured in the USA at the Muller Martini plant in Newport News, Virginia. Muller Martini’s Presto saddle stitcher runs at up to 9,000 cycles per hour with 17-inch chain pitch. Make-readies on the Presto are speedy and simple using Presto’s touchscreen. Presto can stitch a diverse array of different products in a wide range of sizes. And to bring even more flexibility to print finishing workflows, Presto’s twin feeders operate in one-to-one or one-to-two modes, enabling the running of difficult signatures and the ability to maintain high-speed productivity when loading bulky jobs. Up to six twin feeders (12 pockets) provide expansion capability for growing businesses. Also part of the Presto demonstration at Graph Expo will be the Palamides automatic 502 banding machine – which is specially designed to boost finishing productivity in 2-up stitching productions where the product is counted, stacked and banded. The Palamides 502 handles the small and springy products that cannot typically be put through a normal stacker. The Muller Martini BravoPlus saddle stitcher with AMRYS, which can run at 13,000 cycles per hour over its entire size range, provides unmatched automation in the mid-range class...reducing set-up times by up to 50%. BravoPlus with AMRYS features automated size settings on the feeders, the stitching unit, the three-knife trimmer and the compensating stacker. Stitching quality is superior and production flexibility is diverse, offering many different feeder configurations including: flat pile feeder, vertical pile feeder, stream feeder, card and cover folder feeder, and merchandise and card gluers. During Graph Expo, the BravoPlus with AMRYS will be demonstrated utilizing the machine’s inside and outside inkjet capabilities. Muller Martini has engineered the opening section of the BravoPlus for inside inkjetting. Outside inkjetting is performed on a Kepes servo driven mail table. Muller Martini’s Alprinta variable size web offset press delivers print quality and flexibility rivaling the quality of sheet fed presses – yet, the Alprinta has the speed of a half web at up to 1,500 feet per minute. Industry-first advancements on the Alprinta include Muller Martini’s continuously variable-format offset insert, which allows the operator to keep the printing insert in the press at all times and perform a size change by simply removing the composite blanket and plate cylinders without any tools needed. Another industry first is Alprinta’s unique varnish cassette, which mounts easily on the back side of any printing unit, instantly turning it into a varnish unit. Alprinta also has state-of-the-art servo drive technology and a robust ink train that ensures outstanding ink coverage. What’s more, Alprinta comes standard with Muller Martini’s patent-pending, fully integrated and JDF compliant MRS automatic make-ready system. Alprinta can preset such essentials as register and ink fountain profiles without prompting – letting operators complete other tasks while the machine’s unique and brand-new “artificial intelligence” takes care of the basics and handles set-ups for both new and repeat jobs automatically. Graph Expo takes place October 15-18, 2006 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. Show attendees are invited to stop by the Muller Martini exhibit (#1229) and view live demonstrations of the Pantera perfect binder, Presto saddle stitcher and BravoPlus saddle stitcher with AMRYS. Attendees can also find out more about the Alprinta variable size web offset press. In addition to the equipment demonstrations, Muller Martini experts will be available throughout the show to discuss specific ways in which Muller Martini technologies can empower printing and binding operations for greater speed, efficiency, productivity and profits.