51 rapid setup, while programmable memory simplifies repeat jobs, boosting efficiency on short-run, fast-turnaround work. Saving just a few minutes per job can significantly increase overall capacity, a critical advantage for binderies managing tighter deadlines and smaller batch sizes. “Ongoing innovation continues to prioritise the user experience, making operation and paper handling as smooth, efficient, and effortless as possible. This is key to maximising productivity and expanding capacity for today’s demanding short-run, quick-turnaround production.” With this, Keane draws attention to the latest and most popular offerings from IFS, which includes the high-end BaumannPerfecta collection of high-speed guillotines. These range from the compact BaumannPerfecta 80 cm model to the large-format BaumannPerfecta 225 cm. At the heart of the new design is a large, inclinable, menu-guided touchscreen interface that helps simplify control of a host of cutting jobs such as single cuts, programmed sequences, repeat cuts, clamping without cutting, and automatic actual-value transfer. Another standout feature is the cutting cell, which extends knife life through a specially engineered damper system. With its modular design, each guillotine can be integrated with peripheral equipment to create complete, fully automated cutting systems. IFS also exclusively offers the GrafCut G73H (73cm) and G80H (80cm) guillotines, featuring 10” touch screens and hydraulic operation of both the blade and clamp, providing more cutting power with less moving parts. Hydraulic clamping pressure is also fully adjustable and the servo-driven back-gauge provides the highest level of cutting precision with speeds up to 135mm/s and 160mm/s. In addition, IFS exclusively represents HPM guillotines, which range in size from 92cm up to 188cm. These mid-range guillotines can be configured as stand-alone models or combined with automatic-loaders and automatic-unloaders, pile turners with jogging for greater production efficiency. “Ongoing research and development will continue to prioritise the user experience, ensuring that operation and paper handling are as smooth, streamlined, and intuitive as possible,” Keane says, adding: “This is crucial for managing short-run, fast-turnaround jobs. The automation of the cutting process will keep advancing, along with the integration of intelligent quality-checking systems designed to minimise operator errors and enhance production reliability.” Don’t Risk Your Reputation Elsewhere, Christopher O’Brien, director at AfterPrint, warns underinvestment in this type of kit can result in machines that cannot deliver consistent, high-quality, and precise cuts. This, he continues, leads to jagged edges, uneven cuts, and poor-quality production, which requires costly reprints and wasted materials. “Time lost to troubleshooting, reprinting materials, and performing frequent extensive maintenance can lead to significant inefficiencies and a higher overall operating cost compared with the initial savings on the equipment,” he warns. “It takes years to build to a good reputation but minutes to destroy one. In professional print environments, imperfections from poor cutting are immediately noticeable. Inconsistent, low-quality results can have lasting effects with your client, thus damaging your reputation as a business and ultimately costing you customers. As such, ensuring you are purchasing a high-quality guillotine is essential to the success of any print business.” So, what makes a “quality” guillotine? O’Brien says the most important factors to consider are a proven reliability record, robust build quality, ease of use, and ongoing costs for the service, parts, and blades, which he says is an area that is often overlooked. “Quality is often hard to define, and it Printers have been using guillotines to cut materials for almost 200 years 200 ▲ IFS exclusively represents HPM guillotines, which range in size from 92cm up to 188cm GUILLOTINES | ROB FLETCHER Before making a purchase, printers should assess how the latest technology can enhance performance and deliver measurable productivity gains www.printmonthly.co.uk Issue 358 - January | February 2026
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