Heidelberg

When running polyester plates on a Printmaster GTO 52 with a direct continuous dampening unit, do not thin the ink with print oil or other additives. Keep the water pan spotless so that no grease gets onto the plate. The dampening system’s pH value should be about 5. (Important: do not add alcohol.) To avoid overstretching the plate during mounting, tighten the tensioning nuts only by hand. Compression between the blanket and the plate cylinders must not exceed .1 mm. Before production, polyester plates must be treated with the sponge-on etching solution recommended by the manufacturer. If printing is interrupted, more etching solution should be

The best way to accurately reproduce a colored paper stock on a proofing device such as the HP 5000 inkjet proofer available from Heidelberg is to create a new target (press) ICC profile using the PrintOpen module of Prinect Profile Toolbox. First, print test patches for PrintOpen using the colored paper to be reproduced on the proofer. Read the values into PrintOpen using a spectrophotometer, and PrintOpen will create a target profile from this data. A quicker but less accurate solution is to bring the existing target profile into PrintOpen for editing. Using a spectrophotometer, read the LAB values from the colored paper to

The best time to make a quality check of printed sheets is either immediately before or during jogging. At this stage, crumpled sheets can easily be sorted out, and the appearance of the remaining sheets can be examined. The sheets also can be checked for even positioning by looking at the cutting marks printed on them. By turning the sheets over while fanning them out, the operator can also detect sheets that have been positioned in the press with their sides incorrectly aligned. Sheets displaying dirty edges because of misalignment can then be removed from the pile. Using a stacklift that can be adjusted to the

Here's a simple but important tip for customers awaiting equipment service calls: before the service technician arrives, make sure to have the parts manual and wiring diagrams for the machine readily available so that time isn't wasted in searching for the documentation once the technician gets there. It's a good idea to inventory your library…

KENNESAW, GA—09/29/2006—Heidelberg USA announces the following sample of new product installations: Paulson Press Turns Up the Speed with New Speedmaster XL 105 from Heidelberg Paulson Press, a full-service general commercial printer located in Elk Grove Village, Ill., recently added a six-color Speedmaster XL 105 to its all-Heidelberg pressroom. According to company President Ben Letto, the ultra-productive XL 105 is helping Paulson serve its clients better and faster - critical capabilities for a company where, “Every sheet of product that goes out the door is a part of me,” Letto says, adding, “If you don’t react quickly to your customers’ needs, you get left behind.”

Sewer Added for Book Applications JACKSONVILLE, IL—To pre-bind educational books (K through 12) and juvenile books on-demand and competitively priced for schools and libraries, Perma-Bound, a division of Hertzberg-New Method, has installed an ODM Super Sewer from On Demand Machinery. Lone Star Shop Upgrades Bindery FORT WORTH, TX—Global Group, which recently purchased a Muller Martini BravoPlus saddlestitcher, reports that the advantages of increased production speed were immediately evident. “It’s fast; we had old equipment and the new equipment is making a difference,” says David McMinn, vice president of production for Global Group. The company handles a varied assortment of projects including brochures, catalogs and many

CALIFORNIA CITY OF INDUSTRY—Kion Printing has invested in a six-color Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 105 press with coater. Founded in 1982, Kion Printing is a privately held company housing 52 employees. FOOTHILL RANCH—Westamerica Graphics recently installed a six-color Komori Lithrone S40. This is the sixth Komori press for the 29-year-old firm. The company is facing increased client demands for short-turnaround, four-, five- and six-color print applications. REDWOOD CITY—Pacific Printing and Fulfillment Inc. (PPFI) recently purchased its third Kodak NexPress 2100 digital production color press and its first Kodak NexPress fifth imaging unit to increase its services to include in-line coating and an expanded color gamut range. CONNECTICUT EAST WINDSOR—Keystone Paper

Heidelberg Targets Packaging Market KENNESAW, GA—While its installed base of diecutting and folder/gluer equipment geared toward the package printing industry may be small, Heidelberg intends to become a major player in this market segment. That was the message stressed by Heidelberg USA executives at a packaging media event held here recently. To showcase its integrated approach to packaging production, a sample folding carton job was produced in its showroom—Prinect prepress preparation, printing on a Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 105, as well as finishing on a Dymatrix diecutter and a Diana folder/gluer. The team leading Heidelberg USA’s packaging initiative includes Mark Rasmussen, product manager, packaging; Roland Krapp, vice president,

SUFFERING SEEMS to be one of the leading prerequisites to becoming a successful artist. In many ways, the same could be said for business success. Miguel Paredes should know, as he is both an artist and a businessman. And his company, PK Graphics, has blossomed into a $20 million performer in just eight years with an annual growth rate of 25 percent. But now that the suffering has receded on the business end, Paredes has encountered a new problem—getting sufficient rest. “My goal is to sleep,” Paredes, president and CEO, quips. That’s no surprise, given his exhaustive undertakings. Paredes is a media empire

“SELLING STRICTLY commercial printing has become a commodity sale,” acknowledges John Snyder, president of HBP Inc. Looking over the low rolling hills of Hagerstown, MD, Snyder leans back in the chair and adds, “Value-added services need to be offered so our salespeople can provide more solutions for solving our customers’ marketing problems.” From the look in his eyes, it is apparent that this man means business, and his business is thriving. A positive customer relationship is critical for survival in today’s economy. Rising costs, technological advances and cost-conscious customers have made it necessary for many printing operations to diversify into non-traditional revenue arenas to