Page 26 - Print21 Jan-Feb 2022

Revolution in Print
Offset press
revolution
The latest generation of offset presses
come in both highly advanced and stripped down formats, and offer connection and integration to optimise output.
Offset press manufacturers have been through the mill over recent years, as they have dealt with the
rise of digital, falling demand for print, and latterly Covid. However all report the current situation is brighter than it has been for some time, with the big five all seeing
a resurgence in orders from print businesses, and seeing their figures move back into the plus column.
Komori is the latest to report its figures are back in the black, and joins the German trio of Heidelberg, manroland and Koenig & Bauer, who are all seeing their order books fill up on the back of post-Covid optimism. Heidelberg CEO Rainer Hunsdorfer says that the company is seeing market recovery “everywhere”, as print businesses seek to re-equip. The manroland sheetfed business says order numbers for presses have hit a 10-year high. Orders at Koenig & Bauer have surged by 30 per cent, with sheetfed and special presses leading the field. Japanese press giant Komori is seeing orders surge from printers around the world, looking to upgrade their kit after two years of largely treading water.
This is all good news for the printing industry, which will see the big five continue to develop presses that are the opposite of the old Henry Ford ‘you can have whatever colour you like as long as it’s black’ mantra. The reality today is that a print business looking at a new press can order everything from the most advanced super automated digitally connected machine, to a stripped down, free-standing workhorse.
Offset printing is still the major method of production in printing, despite the advances made by digital, which is often used to address different markets anyway. Digital has taken the A3 market, but for B2, B1 and above offset remains the king of
Digital intelligence: Offset presses incorporating new technology
the hill. And with makeready times now in the minutes, and automation at unprecedented levels, there is
the ability for offset to produce consistent quality over short runs, long runs, repeat runs, and on a huge variety of substrates.
The major offset press manufacturers have all launched new presses; the Heidelberg Speedmaster CX104 with 1000 units already sold, the Koenig & Bauer Rapida 106 X, the Roland 700 Elite, the Komori Advance series, and the RMGT 970 range would all have been shown at drupa, and are all now available.
All the new presses complement the manufacturers’ existing range, and all have been launched to address specific market requirements, with both highly advanced and stripped down presses coming onto the market.
Universal
The world’s biggest offset press manufacturer Heidelberg launched
a new B1 press, the CX104, which it describes as universal for commercial printing and packaging, and launched a new version of its flagship XL106 press specifically designed for in-mould and wet-glue label printing.
The CX104 new press is based
on the CX platform, for which Heidelberg says it has manufactured 50,000 units, but comes with a number of significant enhancements, including intelligent assistance, a new coating unit and innovations
in inking and dampening, all of which, says Heidelberg, will take
productivity to new levels.
At the launch event Heidelberg
made much of what it described as the “outstanding” price-performance ratio of the new Speedmaster CX104.
The CX104 has a new control system based on a smartphone concept, and runs on IntelliStart
3. Heidelberg says all aspects of operation have been improved
to make the press easier for the operator. Intelligent assistance includes wash assistance, powder assistance and colour assistance pro, which essentially automate the tasks.
Heidelberg described the coating unit as “a quantum leap” saying
a time saving of up to 75 per cent based on one-person operation has already been confirmed under real- life conditions by pilot customers.
Heidelberg also launched its new 106 XL 8+L YYY eight-colour plus coater plus three drying units press, designed specifically for the thin films for in-mould and wet glue label printing. Running at 14,000sph
the new press has implemented aerodynamic technologies to enable it to achieve consistent stability and quality on thin films at high speeds.
Rival German press manufacturer Koenig & Bauer has unveiled a new B1 press for the packaging and commercial markets, the Rapida 106 X, and a new B2 Rapida 76.
Koenig & Bauer said the new Rapida 106 X had been developed from scratch, and says its 20,000sph speed makes it “the fastest packaging sheetfed press on the market”. It
26 Print21 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022