Summa launches the F Series Vantage flatbed cutters at FESPA 2026, featuring a 3.7kW router and automated blade recognition
Summa officially unveils the F Series Vantage, its next-generation flatbed cutting platform, at FESPA Global Print Expo 2026 in Barcelona. Developed to address common commercial pressures such as rising material costs, skilled labour shortages, and expensive operator mistakes, the new machinery line introduces higher cutting speeds, enhanced automation, and an open, modular system architecture.
The manufacturer states that the F Series Vantage can deliver up to a 40% gain in overall finishing productivity. This increase is driven by an extensive tooling library alongside automated setup routines that minimise human error. The system launches immediately in two configuration sizes: the compact F1612 and the larger F1625 model. Both systems feature GoProduce operational software, which uses a simplified interface designed to allow new operators to learn the equipment controls in under an hour.
Geert Pierloot, Managing Director at Summa, said, “We worked closely with customers and partners to understand their biggest challenges, which came down to preserving margins amidst rising costs, seizing new business opportunities and keeping safety a non-negotiable in the workshop. That’s why we designed the F Series Vantage with the goal of keeping your operation moving and empowering operators. It’s the easiest to install flatbed we have ever made and it’s more intuitive to use than ever.”
To help sign and display businesses diversify into industrial manufacturing and rigid substrates, the platform introduces several heavy-duty tooling options. These include a high-frequency 3.7kW router capable of processing dense materials like aluminium, alongside Fast+ and Core+ tangential modules, rigid material cutters, and high-precision cutout tools. Operational speed is further supported by an upgraded motion control network, automatic blade recognition, and a built-in media thickness sensor that automatically calculates substrate depth to prevent tool damage.
Randi Kerkaert, Summa’s Product Manager, noted, “Everything about the F Series Vantage is built for speed and flow. Every choice, from firmware architecture to tool design, eliminates friction. The result is a system that moves faster across the entire finishing process, delivering the quickest ROI imaginable. Paired with one-click Action Sets and the new LED feedback strip, it offers precision without interruption.”
The machines also incorporate an advanced health and safety framework designed to prevent workshop injuries from contact with moving parts. The automated safety parameters are fully integrated into the chassis, making them impossible to bypass during high-speed operation, which protects staff whilst avoiding unnecessary machine downtime.
To maintain compatibility with third-party automated media handlers, the series utilizes an open software ecosystem. Through Summa’s GoConnect and GoData applications, the tables can interface directly with any standard industrial feeder or sheet stacker, allowing print shops to gather real-time analytical data and predictive maintenance insights.
Kristof Tilleman, Software Development Manager at Summa, added, “Integration is everything. With GoConnect and GoData, the F Series Vantage becomes a part of your ecosystem, open to any feeder or stacker. Automation, analytics, and predictive insights are now a certainty.”
The new flatbed cutting systems will be demonstrated live throughout the week on Stand E30 in Hall 2 at the Fira de Barcelona.