The CreaseStream mini series has won the International platinum award for design at the 2013 British Inventions Show (23-26th October) at the Barbican Exhibition Centre, London.
Graham Harris, Managing Director of CreaseStream and Tech-ni-Fold, commented: "My team is thrilled at this new award, considering that such an accolade is usually bestowed upon companies who create solutions on a wider consumer scale. We were delighted to reach the Grand final and to collect such a prestigious award, sharing the lime light with Scientists, Professors and entrepreneurs, some of whom had developed potentially lifesaving and enhancing technologies.
"The judges told us that we had 3 to 5 minutes to present our products and to explain why we felt they were inventive and innovative, and they were still with us 15 minutes later. I think they were impressed with how we had evolved our technology to develop a range of machines based on a simple rubber o-ring concept that had already served us so well to crease materials and combat the threat of cracking in the offset market. It helped that we could demonstrate the three mini machines, two of which required no electrical input, and could feed digitally printed sheets without using vacuum pumps, avoiding the problem of marking the sheets during transportation. Both judges seemed to appreciate how we packaged our products and included instant instructional video technology, something of which they hadn't seen before."
The CreaseStream mini Quick-feed has also won the 2013 gold medal in the commercial and industry category at the International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva in April.
Video Card Technology
The CreaseStream mini series provides three desk top models that deliver creasing and micro-perforating for low to medium volume work. Competitively priced, two out of the three models are handle operated to offer greater choice in its working location.
Each CreaseStream model comes with the latest instant video card which starts playing as the new owner opens the box. The video is loaded with information on unpacking and installation, how to achieve the best performance and trouble-shooting tips.
Graham Harris added: "We are the first company in our field to be using the instant play video technology to make installation and its use as easy as possible for our customers. The portable video in the card has a three hour battery life and works through magnetic connections, which only plays once this is disconnected through opening the cover. There is a USB lead included that connects the video card to desk top computers for easy recharging."
Rotary Creasing Technology
The CreaseStream range incorporates the rotary creasing method, developed by its sister company Tech-ni-Fold, that totally eliminates fibre cracking - the plague of the printing industry.
Introducing the CreaseStream Range
• The Standard model is a hand cranked version that requires no electrical input, and will start to produce perfect results straight from the box. The handle rotates sheets through rotary shafts tooled up with rubber creasing wheels, instead of the 'conventional' push down handle creasers.
• The Quick-feed version is also hand cranked and requires no electrical input. However, speed of output is accelerated considerably, thanks to a unique sheets separator that allows the user to continuously load a stack into the feeder during hand winding production. The operator can wind through up to 3,000 sheets per hour.
• The Auto-feed version is powered by a motor, making it possible to reach output speeds of up to 4,000 sheets per hour. This model has incredible potential and will appeal to those that produce longer print runs.
Environmental Appeal
The mini Standard and Quick-feed versions require no electrical input, yet out produce many solutions that do. The fact that two models are hand operated offers greater choice on its location and has international appeal for overseas customers who require a hand powered machine because of limited available resources.
