From high-volume commercial work to short-run digital print, guillotines remain an essential part of the finishing process. Rob Fletcher looks at how the latest generation of cutting systems are helping printers get more from every sheet MAKING EVERY CUT COUNT WITH GUILLOTINES Guillotines might not always attract the same attention as presses or wide-format printers, but they play a critical role in determining the quality of the finished product. A precise, clean cut can be the difference between a job looking professional and one falling short. As such, this makes cutting technology an important consideration for print companies. As print rooms handle increasingly varied workloads, flexibility has become just as important as outright cutting speed. Modern guillotines are designed to deal with everything from standard commercial applications through to more specialised work. At the same time, automated setup and programming can help operators manage multiple jobs with greater consistency. Manufacturers continue to focus on improving productivity and reducing the amount of manual intervention required at the finishing stage. Connectivity, intuitive controls, automated positioning and safety features are helping bring cutting into a more streamlined production workflow. Here, Print Monthly considers some of the latest advancements in this area. Essential Automation Up first to comment is Ed Hudson, UK general manager for Plockmatic Group, which has several leading brands under its umbrella, including Morgana and Intec. Hudson says print has shifted toward shorter runs, faster turnarounds, and greater application versatility, with guillotine technology moving from purely mechanical cutting to intelligent, softwaredriven systems. “At Plockmatic, we’ve responded with machines like our EBA68-LT Guillotine, which handles sheets up to 680mm x 680mm while maintaining precision at speed,” Hudson says, adding: Touchscreen interfaces, programmable settings, and automated blade adjustments mean operators spend less time on setup and more time producing. The real evolution is that finishing is no GUILLOTINES | ROB FLETCHER 60 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk Issue 363 - November | December 2026
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