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Duplo greeted the rise in digital print with new solutions to old problems. Where before, for the litho market, its DBM-250,-300 and -400 bookletmaker and trimmer set-ups were matched with a collator, the sequential output of digital meant in 2001 they gained a new partner in the DSF-2000 sheetfeeder, along with a barcode reader, to form the Digital System 5000.

"Our systems prior to this were all collator-fed bookletmakers, designed for litho. Digital was coming into the market and we needed a feeder that handled sequentially printed sheets intelligently for variable data," explains Peter Jolly, Duplo UK marketing manager.

With simple set-up via a PC interface, the machine boasts air-knife separation and an inverter to ensure sheets stay in order. Sheets travel from the DSF-2000 at 200 sheets per minute (spm) in a flat path through the bookletmaker in clear view of the operator who can make adjustments as necessary. The barcode reader ensures all sheets are where they are meant to be.

Further growth
By 2004, the digital market had grown still further and so the Digital System 5000 SCC was launched. This incorporated the faster DBM-500/T bookletmaker and trimmer, as well as a slitter, cutter, creaser (hence, SCC).

The SCC module could be bypassed if sheets did not need attention, but those that did were trimmed to size and scored before folding to avoid cracking. A camera system, meanwhile, ensured the unit compensated for any image shift, which can happen when printing digitally.

The demands of digital print continued to increase and by the time 2009 rolled around proponents of the form were pushing their machines into ever-longer run lengths. Again, Duplo had to respond, and did so with the Digital System Pro.

The DM-500/T remained, but it was joined with a new DSF-5000 sheet feeder designed for higher-volume work than its predecessor with a much faster 400spm speed. This took the books per hour to 3,600 books from the previous 3,250 books. 

"Digital volumes have increased, and digital engines have got faster; we needed a device to meet the output capabilities of the new sheetfed digital print engines," explains Jolly.

The new model was joined this year by the SCC Pro, a modification on the original SCC to optimise speeds of self cover jobs on the Digital System 5000Pro. On thicker books, it gives more than double the productivity of the original SCC.

The various units have proved extremely popular, with 136 DSF-2000 units, 251 DBM-500/T units, 55 SCC units and 11 of the new DSF-5000 units sold in the UK so far. All are currently still available new, with a Digital System 5000 SCC retailing for £94,515.

Due to the fact the DSF-5000 has only recently been on the market, you are unlikely to find any secondhand Digital System 5000 Pro configurations. On the plus side, as printers are rapidly upgrading to the Pro, there are a fair number of configurations featuring the DSF-2000 around, so both the Digital System 5000 and the Digital System 5000 SCC are available.

Jolly says Duplo will refurbish old models and sell them secondhand with service packages. The company holds around two million spare parts at its Esher base, so there should be no worries in that respect. Prices for a refurbished Digital System 5000 are around £45,000 with full-year warranty for labour and a three-month warranty on parts.

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SPECIFICATIONS
Sheet size
DSF-2000: 148x200mm – 320x460mm
DSF-5000: 120x210mm – 364x525mm
Paper weight 60-300gsm
Speed
DS 5000, 3,250bph; DS?5000 SCC, 1,200bph; DS?5000 Pro, up to 3,900bph
Footprint and weight
DS 5000, 6,000x800mm (1,100kg); DS 5000Pro 6500x800mm (1,300kg)
Price
New Digital System 5000?SCC, £94,515
Used Digital System 5000 with warranty, £45,000
What to look out for
• Quality of the fold rollers and trim knife
• A full service history, serviced by Duplo