Hundreds of graphic arts professionals were able to "take the controls" and trim their own best seller.

Attendees looking for ways to increase productivity-as well as select some leisure-time reading-were anxious to visit the Muller Martini booth during Graph Expo. There, they participated in an interactive demonstration of the fully automated SigmaTrimming Center, taking the controls to trim a best-selling title of their choosing. With more than 500 best sellers given away, Muller's "trim your own best seller" promotion proved to be both a powerful and highly popular demonstration of just how easy and fast digital book manufacturing can be.

The SigmaTrimming Center is designed for commercial-quality finishing of both offset- and digitally produced books in a one-off, short or large-run workflow. At the Muller booth, visitors also experienced a variety of the SigmaTrimming Center's capabilities, including:

• Industry-first zero makeready delivers true 1,000 fully variable books per hour production
• Infinite trim variability within the machine specifications easily accommodates non-standard trim sizes
• Groundbreaking barcode intelligence ensures real-time error-free data input and machine setup, minimizing production delays
• A fixed-position knife station design with limited moving parts helps eliminate wear and provides high-end commercial trim quality

For facilities using multiple inline trimmers, nearline trimmers or flatbed cutters to trim books, the SigmaTrimming Center is a particularly advantageous solution since it consolidates the entire process-without any additional production planning and with considerable labor savings. It is a remarkably cost-effective solution for the efficient production of high volume, one-off or ultra-short-run perfect bound books, whether they're produced digitally or offset. And, it can be integrated with Muller's award-winning Scalable SigmaLine technology for a complete digital book manufacturing system, one that can grow as business grows.

Muller Martini's theme at this year's Graph Expo was "New or Renewed: Engineered for Greater Productivity." Equipment demonstrations showed printers and finishers how they can remain competitive and relevant through investments in either new and innovative print and finishing equipment, or in upgrades and other enhancements that can increase throughput in existing machines.