GRAPH EXPO & CONVERTING EXPO 2004 Offset Printing -- Perfector
By Mark Michelson
Editor-in-Chief
Don't chalk up the sprint-speed pace of buying activity reported by many Graph Expo and Converting Expo 2004 exhibitors to the Chicago Marathon that just happened to coincide with the opening day of the show. More likely, credit the desire for printers to make capital expenditures again to signs that the U.S. economy and graphic arts industry are finally rebounding, as well as the fact that Graph Expo provided U.S. printers with the first chance to see state-of-the-art Drupa introductions in action.
Perhaps nowhere was this more apparent than within the booths of traditional sheetfed and web offset press manufacturers.
The buying frenzy can be credited to several reasons. First, many printers that have sat on the sidelines the past three to four years, waiting to see business pick up again before committing to any expenditures, are poised to upgrade their pressrooms with increased capacity or, more often, new iron that can replace several older, outdated presses. Buyers are also looking to further reduce head counts with more automated equipment and to install machinery that can fulfill customers' ever-tightening turnaround time demands.
And, finally, they're seeking pressroom capabilities such as the operating cost benefits of perfecting, increased color units, larger press size formats, running speeds to 18,000 sph, self-diagnostics for increased uptime, enhanced feeders and deliveries, JDF compatibility, as well as hybrid and dedicated UV printing and coating capabilities.
Take Komori America, for example. Visitors to its booth saw two new sheetfed perfector solutions that were introduced at Drupa: the new six-color Lithrone S40 perfector and the more entry-level, four-color Spica convertible perfector.
The LS640P couples features of the Lithrone S40 series with Komori's double-size, three cylinder perfecting mechanism. Capable of speeds to 15,000 sph, the LS40 perfector is available in four-, six-, eight- and 10-color configurations with or without coater.
The cylinder configuration is said to improve print quality by reducing the chance of marking, and prevents ink from coming into contact with the ribbed vacuum cylinder. The perfecting mechanism itself transfers the sheet stress-free, and air controls along with ceramic jackets on the second four impression cylinders assist in mark-free passage of the reversed sheet through the delivery.
Show Floor Press Sold
ABS Graphics, of Addison, IL, purchased the six-color LS40P that was on display at Graph Expo. Formerly an all-Heidelberg shop, the $20 million, 110-employee commercial printer offers complete services ranging from graphic design through fulfillment.
In addition, Komori inked a purchase agreement during the show for the first North American installation of its new Komori System 38S web press. Prodigy Graphics Group, located outside Toronto, will install a four-unit version of the 16-page, 60,000 iph press.
The System 38S features extremely fast changeover times through fully automated, one-step register adjustment, color matching, fold adjustment and plate changing. First shown at Drupa, it incorporates Komori's new KHS-AI with Advanced Intelligence that has self-learning software to further reduce job changeover time, costs and workload.
Likewise, Goss International promoted cost-effective, short-run versioning and web offset makeready efficiency with its on-the-run Automatic Transfer (AT) option for Sunday 2000 presses, which allows version changes or complete four-color job changeovers without stopping the press for a conventional makeready.
Operators can bring one or more Goss Sunday 2000 AT units on impression while simultaneously taking another unit, or group of units, off impression. The AT system maintains a straight web lead, without air bars or diverters. This allows unlimited versatility in unit placement and eliminates print quality issues associated with touching or diverting the web.
Presses with two AT units can be used for single-color version changes. A press line with eight AT units can complete four-color changeovers without stopping.
Atlanta-based Geographics will install a Sunday 2000 AT-equipped web press in early 2005.
Sheetfed perfecting was also a major theme at the Mitsubishi Lithographic Presses (MLP U.S.A.) booth. Stevens Graphics, reportedly the third largest directory printer in the United States, purchased the new eight-color, 40˝ Mitsubishi Diamond 3000TP Tandem Perfector with tower coater that was demonstrated in the Mitsubishi exhibition area. It was delivered to Stevens Graphics' manufacturing plant in Birmingham, AL, at the conclusion of the show.
The four-over-four Mitsubishi Tandem Perfector prints two-sided work at 13,000 sph without reversing the sheet. In addition to coating capabilities, the Stevens Graphics press incorporates automated plate changing, Mitsubishi's DiamondLink III automated control system and a spectrophotometer-based, closed-loop color control system.
MLP U.S.A. also welcomed guests at a reception held during Graph Expo 2004 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the company's first Mitsubishi press sale and installation in America. The press, a six-color, 40˝ sheetfed model, is currently owned and operated by CartonCraft Inc. of Barrington, IL.
The centerpiece of the KBA North America booth was the newly designed Rapida 105 sheetfed press. During live demonstrations, the 41˝ press performed fully automatic plate changes in less than four minutes, and was running at 18,000 sph. KBA has expanded its capabilities to include a new extended functionality to control sheet infeed at the control console; a motor-driven shaftless feeder; an optional side lay-free infeed; the ability to print stock from 40-lb. paper to 48-pt. board; as well as the new Qualitronic II in-line sheet inspection system, video register, Densitronic closed-loop color control and ink temperature control for optimum print quality.
Another show highlight was the new 20˝ KBA Genius 52 offset press designed for the short-run color market. Visitors were impressed with its ultra-short makeready times of less than five minutes, high-quality print results and low startup waste of less than 10 sheets. Daily shuttle trips to CrossTech Communications, a local on-demand printer, were also available to view the KBA 74 Karat digital offset press with coater in action.
Unimac's New Attack
KBA also reported strong sheetfed buying activity. Unimac Graphics, a commercial printer located in Carlstadt, NJ, purchased two new KBA presses: an eight-color, 56˝ KBA Rapida 142 perfector with coater, as well as an eight-color, 41˝ Rapida 105 perfector with tower coater. This will be Unimac's third and fourth KBA presses.
Commercial web and sheetfed printer Lithographix Inc. signed on for a six-color, 81˝ Rapida 205 with coater for its new 275,000-square-foot facility in Hawthorne, CA—the first super-large-format sheetfed press of its kind on the West Coast. The new press is due to be delivered in the spring of 2005. And Challenge Printing, Eden Prairie, MN, bought the first new Drupa-model, six-color, 41˝ Rapida 105 sheetfed press with aqueous and UV coating that was on the show floor.
The sheer weight of the heavy iron in the Heidelberg booth underscored that company's commitment to sheetfed innovation. Anchoring Heidelberg USA's presence was a multimedia presentation in its 70-seat main theater, where eight sheetfed presses played to packed houses several times each day.
North American Debut
Two members of Heidelberg's Speedmaster family received extensive makeovers earlier this year, the results of which were revealed to the North American market at Graph Expo. The highly automated Speedmaster SM 102-10 PC2S perfector emerged with ergonomic enhancements and extended preset functions designed to minimize makereadies.
Also on display were the Speedmaster CD 74 with optional perfecting in 20.87x29.13˝ and 23.82x29.13˝ formats, and the 27.5x39.4˝ perfectors in the Speedmaster CD 102 series, featuring new Preset Plus feeder and delivery systems, as well as coating innovations.
The new Perfecting Coating System (PCS) allows simultaneous four-color printing and aqueous coating on both sides of the sheet in one pass. PCS functions without additional printing units by integrating an anilox coating system into existing offset units.
In addition to these highly automated, long-run presses, a pair of Heidelberg Quickmaster QM 46-2s—one with in-line perforating and numbering and another with specially designed guards—attracted attention, as did the 13.38x18.11˝ QMDI 46-4 Pro direct imaging press. The Printmaster PM 52 and the six-color Speedmaster SM 52 perfector with coater represented Heidelberg's capabilities in the 20˝ category.
Heidelberg designed and printed a total of 56 jobs during the four days of the show, drawing on a supply of 650,000 sheets of paper, 500 pounds of ink and 300 gallons of various coatings. A total of 1,050 violet plates made from Heidelberg Prosetters were run.
Jobs ranged from donated work for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, letterheads and envelopes, 32-page brochures, high-end posters, packaging work, and an application brochure highlighting particular jobs. Within hours of the conclusion of Chicago Marathon, the manufacturer also printed samples of a poster of the winners on the Speedmaster CD 102.
With the help of a display called "Product Life Cycle Services," Heidelberg demonstrated its comprehensive support services. Visitors to its systemservice display saw more than 180 demos, including simulated service calls between the "customer" and a Heidelberg expert at the Technical Help Desk headquarters based in Kennesaw, GA.
In addition, the team launched a complete portfolio of service products, including several new options such as Web-based remote service that extends the availability of Heidelberg's interactive Global Remote Service solution via Intelligent Device Management (IDM), its Info Scout electronic parts manual and ESelfhelp, the next generation of Heidelberg's eSupport online troubleshooting service product.
Heidelberg handed over the 10,000th Printmaster QM 46 to Linda and Paul Ramirez, owners of the PIP Printing & Document Services center in Paramus, NJ, during a special ceremony at Graph Expo 2004—which also marked the 10th anniversary of the entry-level press. And, just following the show, Heidelberg announced sales that included a Prosetter 74 platesetter, Printready system, six-color Speedmaster CD 74-6P+L perfector with coater and a TH66-4/4/4C Stahl folder to Akron, OH-based Digital Color Imaging; a six-color Speedmaster CD 102-6+LX perfector with coater and extended delivery to Oliver Printing, Twinsburg, OH; and a six-color CD 74-6P+L perfector with coater to Roberts Printing, of Clearwater, FL.
Computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) was the major theme at the MAN Roland booth, where it created a prototype plant employing the latest advancements from EFI, ppi Media, Creo, MAN Roland, MBO and Muller Martini. MAN's CIMcity pavilion featured a six-color, 41˝ Roland 700 now capable of speeds to 16,000 sph.
Premiering products included a double coater module, Eagle Eye in-line quality control, a digitally controlled in-line sorter, the QuickChange makeready accelerator and the Prindor in-line foiler.
The digitally driven, in-line sheeter reduces raw material costs for sheetfed printers by enabling them to use web rolls in place of more expensive cut sheets. Cost reductions of up to 20 percent can be achieved. The device also reduces paper waste because it can dimension sheets precisely to the specifications of each job, eliminating the need for trimming.
This new digital version lets the press operator switch the cutting format in a matter of seconds by just introducing the format on the control panel. No tools or gear changes are required.
MAN Roland's new in-line sorter streamlines makereadies and improves quality control during press runs by identifying and diverting waste sheets before they wind up in the delivery pile. That means press crews don't have to stop the press to eliminate rejects from the product stack. The in-line sorter functions as a second delivery on the Roland 700 so the press can continue to run producing saleable sheets, as waste sheets are automatically removed from the production stream.
Quality Assurance
Working in conjunction with the in-line sorter was EagleEye, a video-driven inspection system that checks the quality of each sheet—at full speed and on-the-fly—as it exits the last printing unit and before the coating unit.
To guarantee precision results, the device examines the entire sheet length-wise. When an anomaly is spotted, EagleEye activates the in-line sorter to divert the problem sheet.
QuickChange was introduced as a new makeready productivity option on the Roland 700, capable of reducing makereadies by an additional 30 percent through an integrated bundle of seven modules. QuickChange reportedly makes it easier and faster than ever to transition from one job to the next. Just as importantly, QuickChange reduces waste dramatically.
MAN Roland's prototype DirectDrive concept also made its North American debut. Visitors witnessed how DirectDrive decouples the plate cylinder from the press' main drive on a demonstration unit. The result: all of the plates on a Roland 700 with DirectDrive can be changed simultaneously, instead of one at a time, considerably slashing makeready time.
Also shown was the new Prindor in-line foiler that automates the application of foil and metallic effects to printed products by incorporating the process in the printing cycle. That eliminates the need for hot foil stamping and the time and expense associated with that technique.
For the web offset sector, a PECOM simulator utilized a newly designed Rotoman control console. The PECOM Print Manager (PPM) was deployed to pre-set print projects from JDF job tickets. The productive result: PPM lets a press operator makeready the next job for a MAN Roland web press while a current project continues to print.
The MAN Roland pavilion was also productive from a sales point of view, serving as the site of several major press purchases. Finlay Printing of Bloomfield, CT, purchased two Roland 700s: a 10-color perfector with OptiPrint Jackets and a six-color with in-line coating. Finlay is also installing a printnet digital backbone from ppi Media to advance its CIM capabilities.
An upturn in new business prompted Knepper Press in suburban Pittsburgh to extend its production facility by 10,000 square feet and purchase a new 10-color Roland 700 perfector. The press will be equipped with MAN Roland's OptiPrint Jackets and the new digital in-line sheeter system, which allows the press to print on web stock. Cheektowaga, NY-based Dual Printing bought a 10-color Roland 700 perfector to complement the 10-color Roland 700 perfector it installed two years ago. And Van Lanen Printing, of Green Bay, WI, acquired a six-color Roland 700 with in-line coating.
Others Press Ahead
Highlights from other press manufacturers included:
* Akiyama promoted the eXtreme sheetfed press, which offers speeds of 16,000 sph for both commercial and packaging work. Its unique cylinder configuration reportedly delivers cardboard printing with much higher quality than a conventional, one-sided press. The sheet transfer mechanism employs a double diameter impression cylinder and triple diameter transfer cylinder, ensuring higher productivity. A total of three inker temperature control rollers are provided.
* Grafitec America ran demos of a five-color Polly Prestige 574, with semi-automatic plate changing, running an optional dampener coater on the fifth unit that allows five-color printing or coating. Also offered is the Polly Prestige 74.
* Hamada of America touted its B Series of 14x20˝ sheetfed presses featuring semi-automated plate changers, automatic blanket washers, running register and stream feeder with swing gripper infeed for achieving fast makereadies.
* Sakurai USA introduced a new production press designed to optimize the printing of short runs and on-demand turn times, with its five-color, 23x29˝ 75 series with coater. The six-up format size and 15,000 sph speed present an economical alternative to running jobs on a 40˝ press. The 575SD features automatic plate changers, roller washers and blanket washers, as well as a fully automated coating recirculator. Its remote ink console is also CIP4 compatible.
* WinAmerica Inc. introduced the four-color, 20˝ WIN 504 landscape-format press that represents U.S. technological input coupled with the economies of Chinese manufacturing. The affordable press incorporates WinMatic dampening, which was co-designed by Kompac and Essex Products Group. Three confirmed orders were signed at the show.
* In the xpedx/Import Group booth, the Ryobi 524GX (four-color, 20.47x14.76˝) press was on display in the U.S. for the first time. It's part of the 520GX series, which features a top printing speed of 15,000 sph and is also available in two-, five- and six-color configurations. Perfecting configurations are available for all but the two-color model.
Other features include semi-automatic plate changer, automatic program inking, suction tape feeder, and presetting of impression pressure and pull side guide. Also shown was a Ryobi 755XLP "D".
Graph Expo provided the various press manufacturers and their distributors with some much-needed orders. But the real test will come in the weeks and months ahead as they race to convert leads generated at the show into actual press sales. Stay tuned.
