Major Technological Advances Including New Feeder on the
Speedmaster SM 102 and
CD 102, and Innovative Coating Unit Features and New
Delivery on the Speedmaster CD 102. Productivity Increased by Eight
to Ten Percent Depending on Job Spectrum.
At drupa 2004, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) is
to unveil its flagship Speedmaster
SM 102 and CD 102 with a number of new developments. These
include the completely redesigned Preset Plus feeder for both
series and - also completely remodeled - the new Preset Plus
delivery for the Speedmaster CD 102. For the Speedmaster CD 102,
there are two new developments to the coating units. A new coating
system allows the last printing unit of the press to be converted
for working with dispersion coatings. This entry-level solution
means printshops will in future be able to offer their customers
print products with a protective coating. The coating units
themselves have been enhanced and are specially adapted for rapid
setup.
These innovations open new doors for Speedmaster users,
putting them in a stronger position on today's highly
competitive market. The Preset Plus feeder and delivery
dramatically reduce makeready times, at the same time boosting
sheet travel efficiency. Depending on the job spectrum, these
components can enhance the productivity of the press by between
eight and ten percent. The safety features of the Speedmaster
SM 102 and CD 102 have also been fundamentally redesigned.
They now already comply with future safety standards of the
European Union and Employment Accident Insurance Funds.
The global market launch will take place following extensive
field tests at drupa 2004, where Heidelberg is to present even more
innovations, in particular new developments to the eight to
twelve-color perfecting presses in the Speedmaster SM 102 ranges,
providing a further boost to quality and productivity. "With
the new Speedmaster 102, we are offering our customers the latest
state-of-the-art technology," says Heidelberg Management Board
Member Dr. Klaus Spiegel. "Productivity is enhanced by a
synthesis of increased automation and simplified operation. In the
field of application technology too, customers can look forward to
some completely new ideas at drupa," he adds.
Heidelberg is set to continue forging ahead with its
customized ranges concept for straight and perfecting printing. Its
highly flexible range of printing stock and inline production
options makes the Speedmaster
CD 102 the highest-selling 3B-format straight printing press.
The Speedmaster SM 102 dominates the eight to twelve-color
perfecting press market. The Speedmaster 102 portfolio is augmented
by special machines such as the Speedmaster Duo which combines
flexographic and offset printing, offline coating and other
finishing machines or the CutStar sheeter. Machines with UV
configurations for processing UV and hybrid ink systems are also
available. These machines are helping to shape the current market
trend for increased specialization.
It is already the case that every second straight printing
press in 70 x 100 format comes from Heidelberg. For eight and
twelve-color perfecting presses, the market share is over two
thirds.
The new feeder - higher productivity and minimum makeready
times
The Preset Plus feeder is the first feeder in 70x100 format
to use a central suction tape without guide rollers. As well as
allowing shorter makeready times, it also makes the feed process
far more stable.
The Preset Plus feeder provides a whole raft of innovative
solutions, not least the high-performance suction head and a
completely new suction-tape control and sheet-alignment system. The
sheet-alignment system features an automatic sheet-arrival control
system, 65 percent sheet slowdown and a pneumatic pull lay even at
top speed with perfect feed registration.
Air and format settings on the Preset Plus feeder are
automatically preset using the preset function. The control system
receives the required printing stock parameters from the electronic
job ticket which is based on the industry standard PPF/JDF (Print
Production Format / Job Definition Format). This saves precious
setup time and enhances reliability in production.
Combining the Preset Plus feeder with the CutStar sheeter
also allows users to process low-cost reel stock from Bible paper
and foil to 300-gram per square meter light cardboard. Other
add-ons provide access to extended special applications that make
plastic and foil easier to process.
The new delivery - perfect sheet travel and precise pile
stacking
The sheet travel, sheet drying and sheet deposition systems
on the new Preset Plus delivery have been completely redesigned.
Sheet travel in future will be performed using gripper bars whose
aerodynamics have been perfected in wind tunnel tests and computer
simulations. The combination of these optimized gripper bars and
the Venturi guide plate will mean sheets can be transported
extremely smoothly. The development of the new generation of
DryStar 3000 dryers also forms part of Heidelberg's
comprehensive approach to developing the new sheet-travel system.
It is finely tuned to the air guidance system of the delivery and
with 30-50 percent more power can reliably dry even the most
demanding dispersion coating. The dryers and all the other
peripheral units such as powder spray devices are centrally
controlled from the CP2000 control console. Additional control
panels on the sheet guide plates also allow fine-tuning of the air
guidance and direct visual control of sheet travel.
The eddy-free delivery air system and new sheet joggers
precisely align the edges of the pile which saves a great deal of
work at the finishing stage. As with the feeder, all air and format
settings are performed automatically via the preset function on the
CP 2000 Center. This includes the sheet brakes which are adapted
automatically to the selected format and can be used both for card
and thin paper. As with the new feeder, changes to preset values
can be saved for repeat jobs.
High levels of flexibility in the final printing unit - printing
or coating
The Heidelberg solution for the CD 102 is a modular coating
system which enables the final printing unit of the press to be
converted for full-area protective coatings. The dispersion coating
is applied directly to the blanket via a screen roller system.
The modular coating system thus offers an attractive
entry-level solution for processing dispersion coatings on
five-color and six-color presses. Companies only wanting to apply
protective coating to around 20 percent of their jobs can therefore
choose whether to set the final printing unit to print or to coat.
This flexibility increases the range of services they can offer
their customers.
Innovations for coating units - faster register and short
makeready times
Heidelberg has also further enhanced its coating units proper
for professional inline coating. Innovations include the remotely
adjustable diagonal register and the modified screen roller system.
The diagonal register on the CD 102 is controlled via the CP
2000 Center and is the only available system enabling register
corrections of +/- 2 millimeter in circumferential and lateral
directions and +/- 1 millimeter on the diagonal. Coating jobs with
spot coating or fine fonts can thus be set up much faster.
Makeready times are also cut by the modified roller system which
enables the screen roller to be changed within as little as three
to four minutes.
Image:
Preset Plus Feeder
The Preset Plus feeder works with a central suction tape and
enables shorter makeready times and a far more stable feed process.
For further information:
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Corporate Communications
Hilde Weisser
Tel.: +49 (0)6221 92 50 66
Fax: +49 (0)6221 92 50 46
E-mail:
hilde.weisser@heidelberg.com