The SigmaLine was showcased at the Hunkeler innovationdays with a combination of the SigmaBinder, SigmaTower and SigmaTrimmer.

The book market is experiencing change: while sales figures in general remain virtually unchanged, the growing number of titles is leading to demand for increasingly shorter runs. Therefore, the big challenge facing book manufacturers is producing smaller quantities–with a run of just one in the most extreme case–in a cost-effective way as well. The SigmaLine from Muller Martini is a unique modular system that economically produces high-quality, digitally printed books and offers short lead times – from short to medium runs or Book-on-Demand. The demonstration at Lucerne featured a combination of the SigmaBinder perfect binder, the SigmaTower cooling tower and the SigmaTrimmer three-knife trimmer.

Adhesive binding
The SigmaBinder processes book blocks to form softcover books. Its systematic automation makes the dream of producing ultra-short runs economically a reality. The SigmaBinder processes various book sizes and thicknesses without interruption, without empty cycles and at full production speed. Its robust construction enables multi-shift operation and ensures a reproducible, high product quality you can rely on.

Drying
The compact SigmaTower replaces the conveyor belts used with traditional adhesive binders, and is used for the necessary cooling of books and drying of glue in a way that saves space. Since the lift system is cycled, the line control can monitor products right down to each copy as they pass through the cooling tower to the three-knife trimmer.

Trimming
The fully variable SigmaTrimmer uses an innovative cutting principle. It comprises three independent knife elements and enables the size and thickness to be changed during production with no empty cycles. Each book is guided by a clamp to the individual cutting stations, and the books are permanently held in place. Its innovative circle principle first cuts the foot, then the front and finally the head. The entire cutting length is pressed; this and the swing-cut technology against a cutting stick ensure that the end products are of the highest quality.

Measuring Station
The measuring station upstream from the perfect binder records the book data (size/thickness) of each individual book block and uses this data for the automatic adjustment of the perfect binder, offering precision for each cycle. The book block is aligned at the spine and the top of the book. A pad used to measure the thickness presses the air out of the book block. The book block can also be ejected if the specified dimensions and the measurement do not tally.