Ferrostaal said today that Shanghai Electric’s fully automated, high-speed line of paper cutting systems are now part of Ferrostaal’s growing portfolio of solutions for commercial, in-plant and package printers in the U.S. and Canada.

Shanghai Electric’s Shen Wei Da Machinery manufactures three state-of-the-art cutting systems in 11 models.  They will be sold and serviced through Ferrostaal and its network of printing equipment dealers.

The technologically advanced, high-precision cutters are for use before or after printing. Shen Wei Da’s largest cutting system is now widely used by package printers worldwide.

Shen Wei Da is one of the Top 5 global manufacturers of paper cutting systems by sales.  The company is a unit of Shanghai Electric Group Co., the largest diversified equipment manufacturing group in China and the country’s largest producer of printing and post-press equipment.

“Paper cutting systems tend not to attract much attention,” said John Torrey, president and CEO of Ferrostaal Equipment Solutions North America.  “But cutters have evolved to be technologically advanced—the best ones are not just simple guillotines anymore.  They deliver printers significant improvements in job quality, efficiency, throughput and profitability.”

Torrey cited Shanghai Electric research that shows 95% of printers use a single paper cutter.  However, efficiency with older models tends to be low, labor use disproportionately high, and the machine is idle on average 70% of the time.

“Fast, highly automated cutters can have a positive impact on efficiency, including labor allocation, across pre-press, pressroom and post-press operations,” said Torrey.

The Shen Wei Da cutting systems sold by Ferrostaal can accommodate paper and other substrates in five separate sizes ranging from 24.8 x 34.6 inches (630 x 880mm) to 47.6 x 63.8 inches (1210 x 1620mm).  Following is an overview of the three main cutting systems:

• The S Series, featuring five models, has a maximum cutting width ranging from 30.7 inches (780mm) to 61 inches (1550mm) operating at up to 45 cutting cycles per minute.

• The F Series, featuring three models, has a maximum cutting width ranging from 36 inches (920mm) to 54 inches (1370mm) operating at up to 48 cutting cycles per minute.

• The L Series, featuring three models, has a maximum cutting width ranging from 65.4 inches (1660mm) to 86 inches (2200mm) operating at up to 42 cycles per minute on a variety of substrates.  They work in conjunction with large format presses and have strong demand from package printers.

Peripherals available include pile lifters, air tables, jogging machines and unloading systems.  Shen Wei Da paper cutting systems feature computer controls made in Taiwan and the USA, hydraulics made in Germany, and specialized safety features.