Tidland Corp.

Augment slitting/rewinding operations with these recent technology releases. Automated edge trim unit Tidland Corp. (800) 426-1000; Fax: (360) 834-5865 Tidland's Automated Edge Trim system allows exact repositioning of knives, simultaneously and bi-directionally, using touch screen controls. Changes to the knife position are made away from the slitting process and require no operator contact with the slitting equipment, increasing safety. Operators do not have to stop the press to reposition knives, avoiding costly re-starts and wasted materials. Absolute repositioning of knives in exact increments increases accuracy, and changes as little as 1⁄8˝ to 1⁄16˝ can be made in ratio to the movement of the

What products and companies were most sought-after in 2001 by packagePRINTING readers? Here's the scoop on the year's most-wanted technologies, ranked below based on responses to both editorial features and display advertising.*** TOP 10: Prepress Equipment 1. Anderson & Vreeland—Photopolymer plate processing systems, rubber plate molding presses, flexo platemaking materials, digital imaging systems and software 2. DuPont Cyrel—Photopolymer plate and prepress systems, including Cyrel FAST thermal technology 3. BASF—Nyloflex® and nyloprint® equipment combinations for processing flexo and letterpress plates and sleeves 4. MacDermid—Sheet, liquid, digital, and water-wash photopolymer plates, platemaking equipment, sleeves, and plate mounting systems for flexo printing 5. CreoScitex—PDF-based packaging

Options abound for printers seeking to bring the slitting department up to par with newer presses and other primary equipment. by Susan Friedman When it comes to equipment upgrade priorities, package printers have traditionally pushed slitters toward the back of the line. Technology is now in place to end productivity imbalances caused by using older slitters with more advanced pressroom machinery. "The slitting department has become a bottleneck because slitting equipment made in the 1960s has stayed in use while presses, laminators and other equipment are being updated," observes Randy Wolf, sales manager at Titan Converting Equipment, Cumming, GA. On-par productivity Advanced slitter productivity