The new Ricoh interface unit connects to more finishing solutions to helps clients maximise their production capability. Connecting finishing systems can disrupt production schedules because it takes time and that stops presses.
Jacques van Wyk, COO of Ricoh SA said, ‘Printer service providers want smooth, end-to-end print runs that seamlessly complete jobs. They lose money and make the jobs harder for their employees when they stop machines to connect different finishing systems.’
The Watkiss PowerSquare 224 booklet maker is the first third-party finishing system to be configured to integrate inline, via the interface unit, with the Ricoh Pro C9100 series and Ricoh Pro C7100x series digital colour cut sheet production systems, and the Ricoh Pro 8100 series digital mono cut sheet production system. It has fully automated settings for different book sizes and pagination, including variable stitch leg length to support different book thicknesses. Its maximum book thickness of 10.4mm is double that of conventional booklet making machines. This makes it ideal for books with many pages or those using thicker stocks.
It has a small footprint and job parameters (paper size, book thickness and number of stitches) are entered via a touchscreen. The PowerSquare automatically sets the stitch position, wire draw length (the stitch leg length), spine width and trim dimension. Operators can quickly store job specifications and recall them for efficient operation when repeating jobs.
A new high-capacity banner feed option, designed with feed specialist BDT, is also seamlessly linked for the Pro C9100 and Pro C7100x colour cut sheet systems. The new solution that can be retrofitted offers easy access, and has a 500mm depth which is more than five times the capacity of the current banner feed tray, consequently holding significantly more substrate which means fewer stops for refilling. In turn, it speeds up throughput and increases production. It will be available in Europe from September 2016.
‘There’s been a strong, positive reaction to the banner functionality for the two cut sheet presses,’ said Van Wyk. ‘We also expect to announce more finishing connectivity interface enhancements.’
