Headlining the two-day event at the German manufacturer’s Oppenweiler headquarters will be the new CoBo-Stack robot palletiser. It will be demonstrated in-line on the K8RS and K8 folders and the company’s web finishing line.

Additionally, the T50 buckle folder will be unveiled for the first time, bringing MBO technology into the B2 arena.

The finishing manufacturer is represented in the UK by Hemel Hempstead-based vendor Friedheim International, which will be hosting a number of clients at the open house.

Friendheim post-press sales manager Stuart Bamford said: “It is a pre-Drupa year but MBO did not want to sit on the R&D that it has undertaken. It is worth getting something new out there now so that everyone can feel the return.

“Clients are already excited by the new innovations; they have sparked a lot of interest. It is always good to see someone come up with something new in this market, and the CoBo stacker is completely unique.

“I hope people come to the open house and see this kit in action so they can see the further possibilities for their production facilities. Everyone is happy to go abroad for the new 10-colour press, so it is good to see people give valuable time to look at finishing kit. It is all about helping people become more productive and seeing tangible return on investment.”

The CoBo-Stack is a collaborative robot that works next to and with human staff to reduce the intensity and physical demands of stacking folded signatures manually. It also reduces the need for protective measures such as fences and cages, stacking from the table and depositing into pallets.

The T50 runs at speeds up to 250m/min and can be set into both automated and manual configurations without sacrificing makeready times or fold quality.

Further debuts at the demonstration will include the KT90 curved table, which deflects folded sheets coming from the cross-fold area through 90 degrees so that changing from 16- to 32-page production only requires the delivery to be moved in one direction.

MBO will also premier the new M1 control system, which runs on all its combination folders, as well as a variety of new digital units including the UW23 unwinder, the DPS60 dynamic perforator and the DFT560 and DFW560 web folders.

Prospective visitors to the open house should register with MBO or Friedheim International before Friday 16 August.