Here at Technifold USA we’re all about coming up with ways to help you to do far more with what you already have in your bindery department. In our conversations with thousands of print finishers we often hear a recurring theme. That is, that some of their best print finishing resources are often discovered right under their noses.
Look Under the Tarp
One gentleman recently called us to discuss the need to crease digital jobs. He was an experienced bindery supervisor new to this company. While getting acquainted with the shop, he found a brand new, little-used $80,000 Rollem scoring machine hidden under a tarp. Although he had the OK to purchase a new machine, he figured a little discussion with us about upgrading this mothballed scoring machine might be a better way to go.
Of course we were able to outfit the machine with Tri-Creasers and with his experience he was able to set the machine to run short-run digital jobs. No need for another new machine.
Another fellow relayed a story about how he had purchased at auction a Technifold Speedcreaser® (predecessor to the CreaseStream Mini line of creasing machines) for $100. He said it was in the original crate and looked like it had never been unpacked or operated. Why was a $10,000 machine never used and if it really wasn’t needed, why was it never returned using our one year money-back guarantee? We’ll never know; it’s another tarpaulin mystery. Whatever the reason, it benefitted the new owner who was delighted with his $100 print finishing discovery. No problem with Return on Investment there!
Unlike the two gents above, there are many who don’t understand the full value of their tarpaulin discoveries. Those calls start something like this: “We have a Rosback perforating machine but we don’t use it because we need a scoring machine,” or “We have a Rollem scoring machine but we need a perforating machine.”
They soon learn they can do both scoring and perforating on their unused equipment. With an investment in the right creasing or perforating tools, their surplus equipment becomes a valuable asset.
Continuing along with this theme, some folks in search of print finishing equipment have no idea of the capabilities of the equipment they already have on hand. Considering the amount of new and used bindery equipment available, it’s understandable. But they make the call to do their research, explore their options, and find production capability where it exists.
The final tarpaulin discovery for today has to do with right angle sections from folding machines. Many people don’t realize that they can be used independently of the folding machine. Add an independent power box to the section. Then add a feeder or a scoring machine to run inline with the section and you have a new source of folding productivity.
Others don’t realize you can run a “right angle” straight out from the main section (or from another right angle) for additional folding capability. This is especially helpful for roll folds and other complex folds. We talk about that here in a related article.
Take a look under your tarps. Or look around the shop with the questioning eyes of a child:
- What’s this machine?
- How come we never use it?
- What do we need to make it useful?
- Can we use these two machines together?
Maybe it’s an old scoring machine that doesn’t crease digital jobs well. Sometimes it’s an old perforating machine whose perforations aren’t quite flat enough to work in laser printers or copiers.
If you’re not sure what you have or what you can do with it, give us a call and we’ll find out together if we can breathe some new life into an “old” piece of equipment. If you can’t upgrade it and it doesn’t meet your needs, then give it away or sell it.
Have a story about discovering a hidden gem in your shop? Please feel free to share it below!
