Epic Print has installed a Horizon RD-4055DM die-cutter as part of a drive to streamline production and enhance quality. The die-cutter, which was purchased through IFS, joins an AFC-566F combination cross folder and an MKU-38 mobile knife unit at Epic’s Dorset site.
The RD-4055DM, which boasts dual magnetic cylinders, is designed to simultaneously die-cut and crease/score short-run work from both sides of the sheet. Running at speeds of up to 6000 cycles per hour, it can also perforate, slit, hole punch and round corner in one process for digital and offset printed sheets up to 0.5mm.
Epic, which is active in sectors including cosmetics, food, hospitality, manufacturing and professional services, produces digital work on an HP Indigo 7900 and is also able to call upon a Scodix digital print enhancement press. Recently the company has been producing more and more personalised products and believes the RD4055DM will provide ‘a significant edge in quick makeready with one sheet approval, as well as speed of throughput coupled with excellent die cutting quality.’
Jon Formon, technical director, explained, ‘In our post-press department, we were experiencing bottle necks with our existing machinery. We also wanted to improve our response times whilst maintaining quality. We were impressed with the quality of the folder so we were comfortable buying a machine from the same stable. We were already familiar with the software. The robustness and footprint were also impressive. I looked at a number of machines but kept coming back to the Horizon. We liked the step and repeat feature meaning we use a one up die on a three up format sheet. This saves a considerable amount on the cost of dies.’
He concluded, ‘It will help us spreading the load. We perform a large amount of die-cutting and versioning and the quick make ready assists in maintaining efficiency. We have been very impressed with the machine – its kiss cutting is fantastic.’
