swissQprint has announced its latest innovation - a new Tandem Printing function that has been developed to keep the machine running non-stop and makes waiting times a thing of the past. This new efficiency-boosting print mode is now available for all three of swissQprint's models - the Nyala, the Impala and the Oryx.
The tandem function is the ideal solution for anyone who requires the greatest possible output for continuous production. The principle is straightforward: load your precut sheets on the front of the flatbed table and start the print job. Immediately, while the machine is printing the first row of sheets, the operator loads more sheets on the rear half of the table. Once the first sheets are printed, the print carriage moves to the rear and continues printing. The operator unloads the printed sheets at the front of the work area and loads the next sheets. Production continues until the print run is complete - the machine works non-stop without interruption.
The new tandem function from swissQprint is designed for high production of precut substrates up to 760mm in height making it ideal for standard sizes such A4 ~ A1 or 600x900. The print job could be large runs of the same image, or differing images on every sheet such as in the case of variable data printing. Tandem is ideal when combining the digital process with screen or offset – allowing you to easily personalize large prints runs or apply special features like spot varnish.
The technology behind the application
To achieve such productivity and ensure the process would be simple to use and seamless required rethinking the manufacturing process and developing new automation features in the swissQprint Amber software. The printing table was divided into a front and rear vacuum zone. The front zone is active when a print job is running at the front; the same applies to the rear zone. Both zones can work completely independently or simultaneously, ensuring that precut sheets in Tandem mode, large panels of up to 3.2 x 4 metres in standard mode, or roll stock up to 3.2 metres wide in roll-to-roll mode can be processed easily.
Significantly more output
A practical test of a 1,000 panels carried out by an end user delivered a time saving equating to 37%.
Tandem operation comes as standard with the Nyala model from swissQprint and is available as an option for the Oryx and Impala models.
[photo shows swissQprint's Nyala machine]
