Goss introduces Triliner system

(NPES International Printing E-commerce Website 2008-12-26) Goss International has introduced a system designed to overcome barriers deterring many newspapers from converting to a more attractive and cost-effective compact format.

The Triliner is said to convert two-pages-around newspaper presses to print three pages around, allowing publishers to save paper and increase productivity and colour capacity while still maintaining broadsheet sectioning and the ability to accommodate standard-size advertising inserts.

Plate cylinders are modified to accommodate a single plate containing three shorter newspaper pages imaged around the circumference.

One of Goss's Superberliner folders allows off-centre folds, and adjustments can be made to post-press inserting systems to accept the smaller, asymmetrically folded papers.

Goss said that publishers can modify existing double-circumference presses to produce papers with two-thirds of the previous cut-off.

The Triliner technology is also available for new presses.

Equipping a press with two folders will provide the versatility to produce both two-around and three-around products by simply varying the number of pages imaged onto the single-around plate.

'Triliner technology offers the compact size previously reserved for tabloids, while retaining key advantages of the broadsheet format, including multiple sections and premium advertising positions,' said John Richards, Goss International's director of newspaper product management.

He also pointed out that the off-centre Superberliner folder is vital to Triliner technology, giving the folded product a familiar size and shape while allowing the larger flap to cover standard-size inserts produced on 21in presses.

'With web widths shrinking, Triliner technology also brings cut-offs into a more familiar and pleasing proportion to page widths,' said Richards.

According to Goss, converting to Triliner technology saves paper by reducing the cut-off of the finished product by 33.3 per cent.

Operational advantages accrue in both straight and collect production.

In straight operation, each cylinder revolution produces three papers rather than two, with no increase in web speed.

'A publisher producing a 22in newspaper at 50,000 copies per hour, for example, could produce 75,000 papers per hour in a 14.67in Triliner format,' said Richards.

Richards also said that the added speed could allow a newspaper to retain its current print window, while producing the full run on fewer presses.

For collect operations using Triliner sections come in breaks of three, rather than two.

The Triliner jaw folder collects the three images around the plate cylinder to produce three sections per former, providing 50 per cent more section fronts, section backs and panorama centre positions.

A second advantage, according to Richards, is a 50 per cent increase in colour pages without additional towers, due to the fact that all the new sections have colour in the same positions as the original sections.

Goss adds that Triliner includes conversion of plate cylinders, folding technology and post-press modifications.

Plate cylinders are converted to accept one plate around, in place of the existing two plates around.

The retrofit can be completed one couple at a time to minimise interruptions of production.

The three-page images are all burned onto one plate, improving register and reducing by 50 per cent the number of plates to be changed.

The one-plate-around approach also delivers the versatility to run both Triliner and conventional cut-off products with the same press, utilising different folders.

The Triliner folder design combines asymmetrical folding, shorter cut-offs and the ability to triple collect.

The folder is based on the Goss FPS folder and incorporates features from earlier Goss folders that performed the triple-collect operation.

The delivery of products from the folder with the headline up and modifications of inserter pockets allow most post-press operations to accommodate the compact format and the off-centre fold, claims Goss.