Patrick Treyer, Product Manager for saddle stitching at Muller Martini, presents the new Quick Setup stitching heads that will be used in all Muller Martini saddle stitchers.

A high degree of automation in the finishing process improves a company's competitive capacity. High production speeds and short set-up times are fundamental requirements in the finishing process if a company is to efficiently process printed products in large, medium and small runs – a fact which is also true for saddle stitching. Muller Martini has replaced the existing product group with its new generation of Quick Setup stitching heads, boosting productivity of its saddle stitching systems even further. The new stitching heads not only ensure perfect stitching quality, but also reduce set-up times and simplify handling.

Quick Threading
The Quick Setup generation of stitching heads, which can be retrofitted to older Muller Martini saddle stitchers, boasts numerous innovative solutions. For example, the stitching heads can be attached to the stitcher carriage very quickly and easily by means of a rapid assembly pin. The innovative wire threading concept enables the stitching wire to be threaded and pushed through to the cutting head quickly, with one hand and without the need for additional tools.

The arrangement of the setting controls, which are all accessible on the front of the stitching head, improves handling considerably. The complete stitching head can be assembled using the universal spanner. Furthermore, all other functions, such as positioning and setting up the wire advance, leg length and wire length are carried out using the same tool. The gear wheel adjustments and copiable scale settings ensure ultimate precision and a modern wire advance and braking system provides additional stability in the stitching process. Thereby ensuring there is no deviation in wire length throughout the entire speed range.

Sharp Reduction in Material Usage
The patented ceramic clincher wings also contribute to a further improvement in productivity, with double the service life of conventional steel versions. All the new features combine to make assembly easier and reduce the set-up time by up to 50 percent. Further savings can be made when it comes to the use of stitching wire: The new stitching heads also allow the use of thinner #27/0.45 mm stitching wire, meaning that material consumption can be reduced up to a third in terms of weight.

Stitching heads for special applications also benefit from the innovative features. For example, the stitching head designed for eyelet stitching has been redesigned with an additional supporting function for eyelet stitching, enabling the eyelets to be formed in a precise and stable way. Even bulky products with thick sheets pose no problem for the machines, which produce outstanding results. The three-piece interchangeable adapter is a particularly innovative feature, making it quick and easy to switch between 6 and 8 mm eyelets without having to use a different stitching head.

For stitching specific, particularly thick products, a spring-loaded aligning roller with adjustable stroke and compressing force can be fitted in front of the stitching heads. This allows even bulky products to be centered optimally and processed accurately.

When enhancing this generation of stitching heads, Muller Martini has also considered the special requirements of the toy industry. For example, the stitching heads can be fitted with benders for Lego stitching, enabling products with child-friendly, self-contained staples to be manufactured.