Ready for dispatch in two days!

manroland web systems and HP organised an Open House at their joint customer Hucais Group, Hong Kong. Visitors from China, South East Asia, USA and Australia were impressed by the rapid performance and production flexibility of the digital printing system from HP and also by the FormerLine, the finishing solution from manroland web systems. While the number of titles is constantly increasing, the single editions of books are frequently going down. This causes an immense cost pressure on conventional offset book printing presses. At small runs, digital printing cannot only keep up with the costs, but even generate – partly significant – possible savings. A modern digital printing system in connection with the finishing system FormerLine produces complete book blocks within one integrated workflow – if required also pre-glued. Therewith, compared to conventional book production, costs can be saved significantly. As digital printing enables short and minor runs, one can print on demand what also helps putting the costs for logistics, storage and overproduction aside. Hence, digital printed books can be produced and delivered in a flexible and fast way. Ready for dispatch in two days– that is reality with digital printing. New, web-based order systems support the print-on-demand and therewith clear the way for the new business model in book production: large format digital printing presses linked with workflow and finishing solution for industrial production.

Success story: Hucais

Team Hucais Group, HP and manroland web systemsWith printing sites throughout China, Hucais sets the benchmark in packaging printing. No matter if cosmetic-, beverageand cigarette packaging: Hucais stands behind the high-end and innovative. Developing and implementing packaging according to clients’ specific preferences is a central part of the company’s philosophy. Flexibility and innovative capacity are the key aspects of success for Chen Chengwen, CEO at Hucais, “As a successful packaging printer, we have established digital printing at our company during the last years. We constantly develop our business and invest in future-oriented solutions. With the digital printing presses from HP and the FormerLine from manroland web systems we can remain flexible and support our customers with high-class products that are cost effective – also for small runs.” manroland web systems is pleased about the confidence of the customer and about the fact that this project sets a sign in the market. “With this project, we show the cost effectiveness of the production with the FormerLine,” explained Alwin Stadler, head of sales and business development, Digital Printing at manroland web systems.

One FormerLine – numerous
various production possibilities

manroland web systems developed its FormerLine for digital book production on an industrial scale. The system was especially designed regarding the requirements and the intended book production of the customer Hucais. In general, the FormerLine convinces by its variability, enabled by the continuously adjustable cut-off from 145 mm to 420 mm. Together with the lift collator RS 34 from RIMA, the system produces stapled signatures or up to 8,000 glued and stapled book blocks per hour with up to 70 mm magnitude in a highly efficient way and with great performance. According to requirements, Hucais can choose whether the web runs over two or three formers.

Therewith 4- to 8-page or 8- to 16-page signatures can be printed and finished to book blocks. The first lines at Hucais are constructed to work with pre-printed reels. For future requirements of book printing also configurations for inline productions will be provided.

In keeping with the preferences of the Middle Kingdom, the FormerLine is fast, flexible, and productive. The FormerLine runs with a web speed of up to 300 m/min. The combination of a variable cut-off and a maximum web width of 1,067 mm (model with three formers) shows the best