With five to six job changeovers per day, the highly automated E-version of the new Primera saddle stitcher family at the Brülisauer Buchbinderei AG in Swiss Gossau demonstrates its full strength.

The bookbindery has been running a 321 saddle stitcher from Muller Martini already since 1993. After stitching more than 100 million times the company founder and owner Franz Brülisauer decided last year to invest in a new machine. “We were very satisfied with the 321 over all the years. That is why it was clear to us that we, as Swiss company, again wanted a Swiss saddle stitcher from the Muller Martini company.”

The Ideal Time
And, according to Franz Brülisauer, it is part of the mission statement of the company to always make use of the latest machine models, the new saddle stitcher generation from Muller Martini came just at the right time. The new Primera E140 was installed in Gossau shortly before drupa – as worldwide second of this machine type and then still in red. Because, Muller Martini revealed the well-kept secret about the new machine color, Laserblue, only later at drupa in Düsseldorf.

Innovative Three-Knife Trimmer, Comfortable Operation
For eight months now the Primera E140 has been producing at the Brülisauer Buchbinderei AG. The production manager, Peter Klingler, quickly came to appreciate the new line with eight feeders with their automatic signature image recognition and barcode recognition Asir 3, cover folder feeder, thickness control, SEMKO and shingle delivery. Two aspects especially impressed the finishing pro with 35 years of professional experience – a technical, and an ergonomic one.

• “On the one hand, the new three-knife trimmer 459 with center cut has surprised me positively. Muller Martini has succeeded here in producing a significant technological innovation. The fully automatic set-up convinces me just as much as the perfect trim quality, considering that the products are being trimmed at zero speed.”
  
• “On the other hand, the operation of the entire line is very easy for the machine operator. Without needing any tools, the machine is almost fully set-up on the monitor.”

Company Founder and Owner Franz Brülisauer (middle): “It is part of our mission statement, to always use the latest machine models. That is why, for us, the new saddle stitcher generation from Muller Martini came at exactly the right time.” On the right, Production Manager Peter Klingler, on the left Roland Gautschi, Sales Manager Muller Martini Switzerland.

A Wide Product Range
Since the Brülisauer Buchbinderei AG changes over their two saddle stitchers – since the year 2000 also a Bravo S with six feeders, cover feeder and card gluer is running – five to six times per day, the highly automated E-version of the new Primera saddle stitcher family really is a benefit to them.

The Brülisauer Buchbinderei AG needs to changeover so many times a day because the product range is very wide both in terms of sizes as well as run quantities. “In addition to operating manuals, program guides and newspaper-similar brochures, we also stitch many special products from 63 x 105 mm up to A3, with low folio lap on the front or back, accordion folds and zig-zag folds”, says the company boss, Franz Brülisauer. These special products, with runs between 100 and 300,000 copies, are also regularly die cut with a BOGRAMA machine. Additionally, there are many periodicals, which contribute around 30 percent to the production volume.

Asir 3 Adds Additional Security
According to Franz Brülisauer, a trademark of his company is the high net output. “As a pure finishing company, we are used to producing with little production waste. The signature image recognition Asir 3 gives us now additional security that the signatures are not positioned incorrectly.” The Primera E140 has also been run with jobs with over 13,000 products per hour. “However, since we have so many small fold products”, says Peter Klingler, “the average production speed lies at around 7,000 and 8,000 cycles per hour.”

“The Most Important Operating Elements are Quickly at Hand”
“A lot easier than in the past.” With this brief description, Peter Klingler, Production Manager at Brülisauer Buchbinderei AG, describes the advantages of the operation on the new saddle stitcher Primera E140. And he adds: “The most important operating elements are quickly at hand.” It is clear to Peter Klingler, however: “Although the operation – I’m thinking, for example, of the menu navigation or the icons on the touchscreen and the HMI – has been drastically simplified, a certain amount of professional experience is an advantage.”