Heidelberg hosted its Info Days event at the Print Media Centre where the company showcased its state-of-the-art Low Energy (LE) UV dryer technology. More than 235 customers from 19 different countries attended this event where they gained insight into the efficiency and productivity of long perfectors and the associated postpress equipment.
With over 2000 long perfectors installed worldwide, Heidelberg’s Perfect Jacket technology enables virtually identical print quality on both sides of the sheet. The intuitive operator guidance system IntelliStart, the fully automatic and simultaneous plate changing system AutoPlate XL, reduced washup times, and the inline colour measurement system Prinect Inpress Control combine to deliver fast, reliable, and stable job processing.
This applies to both long runs and the very short runs that are becoming increasingly popular. A Speedmaster XL 75 eight-colour press with coating unit demonstrated the latest perfecting technology and its impressive flexibility to visitors attending the Info Days. The Speedmaster XL 106 ten-colour press on show set new productivity standards, operating at 18000 sheets per hour in perfecting mode.
The highlight of the event was the Speedmaster SX 102-8-P+L with LE UV. Impressed customers witnessed the high-quality production of the perfecting press. Sheets surface finished on one side emerged dry from the delivery ready for postpress. All press models from the Speedmaster SX 52 to the Speedmaster XL 162 can be equipped with LE UV. A Speedmaster SX 74-4-H with LE UV – an entry-level solution for commercial printing – has recently been added to the demonstration presses at the Wiesloch-Walldorf plant.
Heidelberg Service demonstrated a number of solutions and offerings. The Remote Monitoring presentation in particular showed customers how predictive maintenance can prevent a press from breaking down. The Saphira portfolio serves a similar purpose. The newly launched Saphira Anilox Roller GTT reduces downtimes while also improving print quality. Appropriate CtP systems and Prinect solutions round off this product portfolio.
Heidelberg also presented its UV LED system, which was unveiled at drupa 2012 on a Speedmaster SX 52 and is currently being transferred to the Speedmaster SX/CX 102. Delivery of the first DryStar UV LED systems started in Japan at the end of last year and there are plans to roll out UV LED technology in Europe over the coming months and years.
Another topic touched on was Anicolor technology, which has proved its value for rapid makeready with minimum waste and maximum productivity. Speedmaster XL 75 Anicolor perfecting presses equipped with this technology will be available from the second half of 2014 and it is planned to offer them in conjunction with UV and LE UV technology in the first half of 2015.
