Mitsubishi Spotlights Production Processes at GRAPH EXPO

HUNT VALLEY, MD—September 20, 2012—At GRAPH EXPO 2012, MLP U.S.A. will present integrated digital technologies to help printing operations profitability deliver eye-catching quality while reducing their work’s impact on the environment. The company will expand on themes discussed at the successful drupa exposition last May in Germany tailored to the needs of print service providers doing business closer to home.

“Our goal is for there never to be any doubt when the ink dries that the sheets were printed on a Mitsubishi press,” said Marke Baker, senior vice president, printing machinery. “Mitsubishi continues to develop cutting-edge systems to manage production, maintain consistent color and simplify operation. Visitors to GRAPH EXPO 2012 will discover how the advanced functions that constitute the Mitsubishi digital network maximize press production time, minimize press downtime and enable high value-added printed products.”

As a press manufacturer, Mitsubishi has championed productivity-enhancing print solutions and less skill-intensive press operations. The Mitsubishi digital network encompasses the entire printing plant, management information systems (MIS), and marketing, materials and production management departments. Press, production and maintenance data are centrally managed in real time. With preset data required by the press generated from MIS and prepress, virtually any press operator can achieve stable, standardized printing.

Intelligent to the core
IPC III, the latest generation of Mitsubishi’s intelligent automated press control system, is a vital link in the digital chain. A knowledge-based press control terminal with fully compatible digital interface, IPC III connects Mitsubishi printing presses to the rest of a printer’s operations. IPC III allows press operators to execute everything from makeready tasks to press startup to quality color control. It facilitates presetting of press functions, repeat job control and automatic printing. New features include eco-mode operation to reduce the minimum speed of the press when necessary, a calculator to track ink consumption and daily plate change counting.

The JDF-capable IPC II Server acts as the point of contact between the press and MIS. Similarly, the PPC II Server interfaces with the prepress stage. The MCCS-e, a spectrophotometer-based, offline color control system that communicates with IPC III, addresses the need for consistent color by controlling for solid area ink density and gray balance.

Uniform color printing
Unveiled for Mitsubishi sheetfed presses at drupa 2012, DIAMOND EYE-S combines on-press color and inspection control in one unit. DIAMOND EYE-S has a printing defect check function and a function to control colors through real-time density measurement. Based on the printing characteristics of the press, DIAMOND EYE-S compares prepress image data with actual image data and automatically adjusts color density to reach the target. Operators are freed from having to pull samples during print runs or manually perform ink key adjustments.

Another innovative product from Mitsubishi—Diamond Color Navigator—simplifies the skill-intensive fine-tuning of colors on press without manual ink key moves for each printing unit. Diamond Color Navigator automatically corrects ink key openings according to an operator’s visual sense of color using a touch screen color wheel. Operators also control registration, rotation speeds for the ink and water rollers, and ink ductor on/off function.

Energy-saving advantages
In addition to networked production solutions, MLP will highlight its efficient ecoUV drying system. ecoUV consists of a single 120 watt lamp instead of the usual three to four 100 watt to 200 watt lamps. Specially formulated inks and overprint varnishes dry instantly and exhibit the high gloss and surface protection that users expect from UV printing.

MLP representatives will be on hand in booth #1261 to greet visitors and answer questions at GRAPH EXPO 2012, October 7-10 at McCormick Place South in Chicago.

MLP Exhibiting at SuperCorr Expo 2012
MLP has added SuperCorr Expo 2012, October 1-4 at the Georgia World Conference Center in Atlanta, to its list of upcoming trade show activities. The four-day exposition is hosted by TAPPI and AICC, the corrugated industry’s two largest associations. MLP will join with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America in booth #1830 to give an expert review of all the Mitsubishi technology available to meet SuperCorr attendees’ packaging and converting needs.

About MLP U.S.A.
MLP U.S.A. markets multicolor sheetfed and web lithographic presses manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. MLP U.S.A. provides complete sales, parts and service for the entire line of Mitsubishi presses. For more information, contact MLP U.S.A. in Hunt Valley, MD, at (410) 584-7990.

Source: MLP U.S.A.