“As long as the machines are kept clean and lubricated we have found that our customers need little else to keep them in good working order,” says Tom Ralph, managing director of Graph Pak, Australia and NZ. “Customers have been able to update their presses time and time again without having to change the pile turner. They are extremely robust so they have very much stood the test of time.”

The pile turner launched in 1976 by German manufacturer Busch Graphische Machinery was initially quite a large machine with the turning device run by gears. Today, Busch is the largest manufacturer of pile turners and makes about 120 each year with approximately 1,500 installed worldwide.

With the Busch Pile Turner huge time savings are achieved on a work and turn job. All types of machine pallets and feed boards can be used. As the unit also airs, it separates sheets before printing, which is particularly helpful when the pile has been compressed on the pallet. It is estimated that press performance can be increased by 4 -7% as press downtime is reduced by avoiding misfeeds.

Airing ensures that stock is at a correct room temperature and humidity, while also removing dust, debris and surplus spray powder, resulting in fewer hickies and less blanket washes. Ink and varnish dry more quickly after airing, giving a faster turnaround and a reduction in costs. Airing also neutralises odours, essential for food packaging where UV is used.

The Busch Pile Turner guarantees perfect alignment on paper and board (even PVC and plastics). The aligning gauge acts as a side lay, so the pile is aligned on two edges. If required, the aligning gauge can also be used to centre piles on larger sized pallets.