LARGE-FORMAT SHEETFEDS -- Size Matters

BY CAROLINE MILLER

Automation has surely found its way into the large-format sheetfed offset press arena. Over the past six years, there has been a virtual explosion in what can now be found in the 40˝ and larger size format—including automated plate changers and washup systems, as well as sophisticated press control stations with touchscreen controls.

Printers no longer have to contend with slow and labor-intensive machines, explains Mike Grego, marketing manager for Sakurai USA, which offers the 40˝ Sakurai 2102EPII press. "Automation is a must. With labor costs being one of the largest contributors to the hourly operating cost of a piece of equipment, reducing the number of press operators and increasing efficiency are necessary to optimize productivity and profitability."

As a result of these advancements, more and more printers are taking a second look at the viability of a larger format press, reveals Bob McKinney, marketing director for KBA North America's Sheetfed division, part of the Koenig & Bauer Group. Its line of large-format KBA Rapida presses includes 41˝, 44˝, 47˝, 54˝, 56˝ and 64˝ models.

"Today, if you compare a 50˝, 56˝ and 64˝ press to a 40˝ machine, you've got the same running speed and quality. But at 15,000 sheets per hour, you're essentially producing double the output you would with a 40˝ press. That's one reason why printers are starting to lean toward large-format presses," states McKinney.

For Mitsubishi Lithographic Presses (MLP U.S.A.), automating the makeready function has been the dominant consideration in the ongoing development of its Diamond Series press line. The series includes the Diamond 5000, a 51˝ press, and the Diamond 6000, a 56˝ model.

Automation Concerns
"While there probably isn't one single operating feature that customers desire most in a large-format press, a high degree of automation is certainly a dominant consideration," reports John Santie, Mitsubishi product manager. "Recent advances in automation—in particular, the automation of the makeready process and the linkage to prepress—have made big presses a cost-effective solution in the ongoing trend toward shorter run lengths and faster turnarounds.

"Whether for commercial, label or folding carton applications, a key issue that drives any company to even consider a large-format press is the sheet size. Compared with a typical 28x40˝ machine, a 37x51˝ or 41x56˝ press provides more throughput with fewer sheets and less time on the press. A larger size press also allows printers to produce combination work by ganging the same job or several jobs on a single run," explains Santie.

Mitsubishi's DiamondLink III helps ensure faster turnarounds by interfacing the press to a printer's digital prepress operation. The networkable press control system was developed to maximize the efficiency of data in a digital workflow, while ensuring compatibility with the press.

The Mitsubishi CIP3 server creates a digital bridge between Diamond Series presses and electronic prepress. An integral component of DiamondLink III, it manages the flow of makeready data from any CIP3-compliant front-end system. The CIP3 server functions as a CIP3 Print Production Format (PPF) file converter, communicating prepress data for press setup and changeover to the DiamondLink III system.

DiamondLink III accepts and holds the electronic job ticket generated in the prepress department. Job details, data for sheet size and digital ink key settings are downloaded to the makeready system. Operators preset ink keys, registration, color specifications and other vital makeready adjustments from the touchscreen display. The touchscreen also is used to direct remote-controlled functions of the press.

Online makeready instructions viewed directly on the touchscreen guide the operator through the various steps leading to startup. Operators digitally control job input, blanket washup, paper size, impression pressure and density adjustments. DiamondLink III also directs the press to a first-pull test print.

It's not just Mitsubishi that is offering all important prepress-to-press connections. MAN Roland offers the PECOM PrePressLink interface for ink presetting on each job, as well as PECOM Job-Pilot, which enables Roland customers to prepare all parameters for each job off-press and send this complete job ticket information for makeready without having to lose time programming the jobs on the press. According to Director of Marketing Christian Cerfontaine, the PECOM PrePressLink interfaces with MAN Roland 900 series machines, a 56˝ press, as well as the 40˝ 700 series models.

Getting to Color Quickly
While keeping focused on decreasing makeready time and increasing productivity, Komori America has honed in on the color portion of makeready, notes Doug Schardt, marketing manager.

"Long ago we automated the mechanical portion of a makeready, but nobody had automated the color portion of a makeready," he reveals. "That was still in the hands of operators. If they were skilled, they achieved a quality sheet very fast. If they were unskilled, it took longer. And getting to color was as individual of a process as the operators themselves. Every pressman did it a little different and, because of that, results between shifts and crews were differ-ent."

Today, color makeready is standardized by using ink key openings generated from prepress, as well as advanced pre-inking software to get to a standard density very quickly, according to Schardt. "All operators arrive at color the same way: the first sheet pulled from the press is already at standard density and matches the digital proof. When used in conjunction with the mechanical makeready automation, the printer has an almost unbeatable combination," he says.

Going After New Markets
While integration is necessary for increased productivity, manufacturers also recognizes the need for versatility in today's competitive environment. "Because large-format presses can handle a wide variety of substrates, printers can go after new markets, while continuing to take care of the needs of their current customer base," says KBA's McKinney.

"Our customers want a press that does it all," agrees Cerfontaine. In order to respond to customer demand for versatility and flexibility, the MAN Roland 900 offers the ability to work with a wide range of substrates—from light paper to corrugated flute. "Larger format presses have very large cylinder diameters to better accommodate sheet travel for the heavier stocks," he adds.

Heidelberg, which offers the 40˝ Speedmaster press line, is focusing its emphasis on the arena of one-pass productivity, reveals John Dowey, vice president product management, sheetfed. "We see more and more customers moving toward long perfecting presses, which are eight-, 10-, 11- and 12-color machines. With one-pass productivity, a printer is able to cut in half his production time while lowering his manufacturing costs by 15 percent to 20 percent."

While increased automation, productivity and flexibility are all touted as reasons to consider a large-format press (and many manufacturers are planning to develop even larger formats), Sakurai's Grego predicts that changing buying habits may impact large-format machine sales.

"Large-format press sales are projected to decrease over the next five years. Shorter runs are becoming more and more popular. This type of work can be printed more economically on half-size equipment," he claims.

Dowey also believes the 50˝ and larger presses will stay in the realm of the packaging segment of the market. "For certain markets, large-format presses will continue to make sense," he says. "We don't see it as a growth area for the commercial market, for no other reason than because we are no longer talking about 100,000 runs, but runs around 10,000 and 20,000."

However, Santie, McKinney and Schardt disagree. "There will continue to be demand for large-format presses for the foreseeable future," exhorts Santie.