In-line Press enhancements
Today’s print buyers want their jobs printed in high- quality, using cutting-edge technology, and they want them finished now. Quicker than now; they wanted them yesterday. How can anybody keep up? These days, a lot of innovative techniques such as laminating and foiling can be created in-line, while the job is running on press. This can save you time and money, while still giving your clients top-notch finished work. Why not check out some of the latest in-line equipment available in the industry? They could not only compliment and enhance what you have to offer customers, but also make production run more efficiently.
Kodak’s MICR Technology
What does it do?
Kodak has recently incorporated in-line Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) technology to its Versamark Printing System. The MICR process uses magnetic ink that can be read and decoded by computers. A special 14-character font must be used – each number or symbol occupies exactly 1/8 of an inch. This technology is particularly useful for the banking industry to print and track items like cheques, but can also be used for items like coupons, airline tickets and credit cards.
Benefits
These new capabilities offer benefits for transactional and commercial printers offering cheque printing and security printing services to its customers. Kodak’s system is different from others on the market because it uses a separate in-line MICR accessory rather than replacing the standard black ink. According to the company, this makes MICR printing more productive and affordable.
Specifics
The MICR printing process requires high-quality and conformance standards. Compatible with the Versamark VL2000 and 2200 printers, the process takes place in-line at speeds from 246 to 492 fpm. Turnaround time can be reduced because the printing takes place in-line.
Goss Ecochill
What does it do?
Ecochill is a press enhancement from Goss, created for heatset web press dryers. It is designed to eliminate condensation on chill rollers and to prevent print defects such as smearing and ink picking. Using the Goss Ecocool dryer technology, the compact device eliminates the requirement for a smoke tunnel and is available for several models of dryers.
Benefits
This type of accessory means that web presses can run at higher speeds. According to Goss, the Ecochill is easy to install and has minimal downtime. Increased web control can be achieved because the greater degree of wrap raises surface pressure and maintains tighter contact. Optional remoistening capabilities are also available.
Specifics
The device is placed between the existing dryer and chill roll stand, mounted to the existing chill roll frame. It includes three additional small-diameter concave aluminum chill rollers. They are non-driven, meaning that they don’t require any additional power. The units are available in 40, 57 and 80-inch widths.
Muller Martini in-line Laminating
What does it do?
Muller Martini has an in-line laminating system for its Alprinta-V web offset press. This press is format-variable and is suited for producing flexible packaging and labels. The laminating station has an unwind unit for rolls with diameter up to 31.5-inches – allowing nearly double as many continuous feet per roll when compared to a 24-inch roll. Web tension can be adjusted as well for optimum flatness of the finished products.
Benefits
Because the press is format-variable, virtually any print length can be produced. The in-line lamination system makes it more versatile for label and packaging printers. Because the laminator works at press speed, production costs can be reduced as well as the time it takes to finish each job.
Specifics
The in-line laminating station is located on the press’s new flexo unit. During production, a UV-curable laminating glue is applied via the flexo unit to the substrate. Afterwards, a film is dispensed onto the web in the laminating station that runs through a UV lamp, where the glue is cured with UV radiation. Speeds of up to 1,200 feet per minute can be achieved.
Ryobi in-line UV-LED curing system
What does it do?
Xpedx, a distributor of Ryobi products from Japan, offers in-line LED-UV curing on several of its presses. This technology replaces conventional UV lamps with long-life UV light-emitting diodes. This Ryobi system was the first curing unit to use this technology.
Benefits
According to the company, this system cuts power usage by around 70 percent compared to conventional UV lamp systems. Not only is this more environmentally friendly, but it lowers the electric bill. Not to mention that the lamp also lasts approximately 12 times longer than conventional lamps. It eliminates ozone emissions and uses ink with no VOC solvents. UV cured printing also has a lower drying time.
Specifics
The Ryobi LED-UV system produces no infrared radiation, which minimizes the effect of heat on the substrate and ink, as well as the press itself. Since there are no ozone emissions, exhaust ducts and blower boxes are not needed.
KBA QualiTronic
What does it do?
QualiTronic is a camera-based in-line sheet-inspection system that is available for all KBA presses up to the Rapida 162a. It scans each sheet as it enters the delivery or perfecting unit, comparing it with a reference sheet. The device is ideal for printers who have particularly discerning clients who insist on continuous monitoring and top quality performance for applications such as brand packaging.
Benefits
Some of the benefits of QualiTronic include waste and cost savings, since quality deviations are signaled as they develop. Rather than finding out in the delivery feed that a printing problem had occurred, press operators can take action to correct the problem while the press is running.
Specifics
The QualiTronic is capable of working at maximum press speed. The CCD camera focuses on the running sheets and images of each sheet are sent to the console. The system identifies transient deviations, such as ink splashes, hickeys and paper defects, as well as permanent deviations like tinting, low ink and over/under inking.
Offset Presses
Money is tight these days. Not many companies can afford massive multi-million dollar presses, let alone the production facility space that their footprint requires. In this section of Featured Markets, we’ll explore some of the smaller and more economical offset presses out there that you may not have heard of yet. Don’t underestimate these pieces of equipment either; some of them come with all the latest bells and whistles, but without an eye-popping price tag.
Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 52 Anicolor
Overview
The Speedmaster line of presses is certainly well-known in the printing industry. The SM 52 is a 4-unit press with a small footprint, renowned for its quality and performance. A concept that industry professionals may not be familiar with, however, is Heidelberg’s recent developments with its Anicolor inking unit technology. This is a zoneless short inking unit that Heidelberg designed to combat decreasing run lengths.
Specifics
As opposed to a conventional 18-roller inking unit found on many Speedmaster 52s, the Anicolor unit has far fewer rollers. All of the Anicolor rollers are the same circumference as the plate cylinder, maintaining consistency and eliminating ghosting. Precise volumes of ink are controlled with a format-size screen roller, which can be heated or cooled to meter the ink. This way, ink usage is optimized, reducing production costs. No special consumables are required either – any conventional plates, inks and dampening solutions can be used. Pantone spot colours can also be printed.
Benefits
With the Anicolor inking technology, Heidelberg says that makeready times can be reduced by up to 40 percent. Fewer rollers means that it takes less time to ink up and less sheets of paper required for setup. Job changes can be completed faster as well. The range of applications in which offset is used for cost-effective short runs can be broadened with this type of technology.
Presstek 4995A-ICS
Overview
Presstek’s 4-colour device from AB Dick was developed in response to market demand for a portrait-format offset press. It can be used for short-run, multi-colour jobs and its speeds go up to 10,000 impressions per hour.
Specifics
This press can handle both metal and polyester-based plates. The machine features semi-automatic plate loading, which reduces the amount of registration adjustments. It also has an Ink Control System (ICS), which allows remote control over ink fountain keys from a stand-alone console. Maximum paper size is 13.39” x 17.72”.
Benefits
The ICS system ensures consistency by allowing the operator to “dial-in” the ink feed rate for precise image coverage. The press itself is quite compact and is able to run a variety of stocks because of its vacuum-enabled stream feeder.
Hans Gronhi GH 524
Overview
Hans Gronhi is a company that is relatively new to Canada, but has been designing and manufacturing presses in China for over 30 years. Hans Gronhi’s 52-series of presses are very economical and feature a wide variety of upgrades. Its GH 524 press is known for its strength and durability: its base and side frame castings make it the heaviest 52cm offset press in the world.
Specifics
This 4-colour press is quite compact and has a small footprint. It tops out at speeds of 12,000 sheets per hour. The machine has all the important features that operators expect such as a vacuum belt feed table, semi-auto plate changing and touch-screen axis register adjustment on the run. Hans Gronhi’s ink key system also accepts CIP3 data from the Ink Profiler.
Benefits
The Gronhi 4-colour press reportedly sells for about the same price as a 2-colour from some of its competitors. It offers a variety of automation features that can speed up production and efficiency. It is great for small companies starting out who are looking for a basic press model that can grow as the business grows. All optional upgrades are available after installation as on-site retrofits.
Komori Spica 29
Overview
Komori’s Spica 29 is another economical compact 4-colour press. The 29 model is also available as a Spica 29P – with perfecting. At speeds up to 13,000 sheets per hour, it offers a competitive alternative in the short-run printing market. It is ideal for printers entering the multi-colour market, or it could even be used as a complimentary press to handle overflow work.
Specifics
The press has full CIP4 data compatibility, allowing implementation of advanced digital workflows for prepress, press and postpress operations. The Spica has a lot of automation features such as tool-free plate clamping, automatic ink roller and blanket wash, as well as a fully automatic change-over between straight printing and perfecting for the 29P model.
Benefits
The Spica is geared towards short-run, fast-turnaround work. It is reportedly more easy to use than some of its competing presses on the market. Its advanced operation cuts down turnaround and makeready time. It offers quite a good value for the money – high productivity and low cost.
Manroland Roland 50
Overview
The Roland press is the first of its kind in 36/52 format. A variety of models are available with two, three, five or six printing units. The presses are equipped with double-size impression and transfer cylinders to enable contact-free sheet travel.
Specifics
The Roland 50 has a maximum printing speed of 13,000 sheets per hour. It is capable of remotely adjusting lateral, circumferential and diagonal registers. It also has automatic plate loading and optional automatic blanket washing, which reduces makeready time. The machine is robust in its build, made with cast side frames, making it very sturdy.
Benefits
This press offers one of the highest deliveries on the market, with a maximum pile height of 700mm. Because of its double-size printing and transfer cylinders, the Roland 50 is capable of printing on thicker substrates (from 0.04mm to 0.8mm). This opens up a wide variety of possibilities for printers, expanding upon what kinds of jobs they can offer.
