KBA Reports Some Rapida Sheetfed Clients Are Achieving 20,000 sph Run Speeds

DALLAS — May 3, 2016 — KBA North America is pleased to announce that it is a dominate force in the North American market with its Rapida sheetfed press line that offers a high-run speed of 20,000 sph. About a dozen presses are in full production among some of the best known and highly respected printers in the country where this lightning-fast speed is being met on a daily basis.

Allied Printing Services, a full-service commercial/financial printing firm located in Manchester, Conn., is operating three 41˝ KBA Rapida 106 high-speed presses running at 20,000 sph equipped with UV and conventional coating.

“Higher run speeds equal more production,” notes Chris Travis, director of technology. “Our presses are built with the most impressive technological features unique to KBA giving them the ability to accomplish this feat. The math is simple: high speed presses equal faster print jobs, higher quicker production, and more jobs in one day.”

To move into this enviable position, KBA has developed significant new technology for the Rapida 106, dubbed the ‘makeready champion of the world’ due to its innovative enhancements that boost its performance, flexibility and cost efficiency and make it the most productive press in its class. For example, the KBA DriveTronic SIS (Sensoric Infeed System) is a patented sheet infeed system that electronically controls lateral sheet alignment providing integration into an automatic format setting, which eliminates all need for operator intervention. Its pneumatic drive elements provide precise positioning of the sheet, all at maximum speed with its patented Venturi system that can be found before the feed line providing smooth sheet infeed.

“The KBA DriveTronic SIS has become one of the most important and popular pieces of technology giving KBA printers the edge over their competitors,” comments Walter Chmura, KBA VP of technical sales. “Its mode of operation is ingeniously simple: a sensor determines the lateral position of the sheet on the feeder board, and as the sheet approaches the transfer point to the first printing unit the gripper on the transfer drum aligns the sheet with the side position specified at the console. This revolutionary technology provides simultaneous process and fast running speeds to our printers who benefit with the ultimate offset solution.”

KBA titans of the print market that are benefiting from the Rapida 106’s 20,000 sph include examples such as Royal Paper Box, Multi Packaging, Access Business (Amway), Allied Printing Services, All Packaging Co., Wingate Packaging and Winston Packaging, just to name a few.

“While some run lengths are decreasing, the majority of packaging print work calls for large run lengths in which speed and high productivity are differentiating factors,” explains Chmura. “We’ve been able to demonstrate fast job changes with our revolutionary technology such as DriveTronic SPC simultaneous plate changing as well as parallel washing and simultaneous makeready processes to printers who can see how this unique KBA technology makes the difference in turnaround and their bottom line. Most of these Rapida 106 customers have logistic systems so they can feed and deliver at this amazingly high speed that provides the ultimate offset solution.”

One of the first printers to utilize the fast speeds on the Rapida 106 was Winston Packaging, a fourth-generation family-owned printed paperboard packaging company located in Winston-Salem, N.C., which set a new world job production record on its six-color, 41˝ KBA Rapida 106 press. “I’m very impressed with our Rapida 106,” says James Gordon, president of Winston Packaging. “This press combines the best of both worlds in that it has very fast set-ups and best-in-class run-speeds of 20,000 sph. We were pleased to congratulate our employees for their record-setting performance on the KBA Rapida 106. We are proud to be operating this high-performance KBA Rapida press at our facility. This amazing record reinforces our purchase decision to go with a KBA and clearly shows that we have the most productive press in the 102-106 size on the market.”

John Sommers, president and CEO of Allied, remarks, “We’re very proud to be operating three KBA Rapida 106 presses in our pressroom at Allied Printing Services." He continues, “These machines running at 20,000 sph are equipped with onboard register, inline color control, and auto-register and provide us with the ability to deliver fast turnarounds. Having the unique KBA automation on our press is crucial. These capital expenditures increase our capacity and make Allied more efficient and productive for our customers.”

When All Packaging Co. installed its Rapida 106, it proudly advertised that it was utilizing the fastest sheetfed offset printing press in the U.S., and the first to reach speeds of up to 20,000 sph. The added quality and efficiency of this latest technology helps to make All Packaging Co. one of the best manufacturing companies of paperboard folding carton product packaging.

About KBA North America
KBA North America is located in Dallas, and is a member of the KBA Group. Established almost 200 years ago in Wuerzburg, Germany, Koenig & Bauer AG (KBA) is the oldest and second largest press manufacturer worldwide. KBA's banner, 'People & Print,' reflects its dual focus as a leading innovator for print entrepreneurs. The group's product range is the broadest in the industry; its portfolio includes sheetfed offset presses in all format classes, commercial and newspaper web presses, inkjet systems and presses, flexographic presses, special presses for banknotes, securities, metal-decorating, smart cards, glass and plastic decorating.

Source: KBA North America.