New Coating System for Short Throughput Times in the 30 x 50 Format Class

• Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 52 with coating system for high-quality coating applications
• CP2000 Center for four, five and six-color models o technology study on inline finishing

Heidelberg has developed an optional coating system for the Speedmaster SM 52, its most successful high-end 35 x 50 format press with 10,000 printing units sold. The new system can handle both full-area and spot coating. It is particularly compact and, in addition to the coating unit, also incorporates an extended high-pile delivery with integrated DryStar 2000 Combination dryer, water-cooled sheet guide plates and powder spray device. When printing without coating, the coating unit can be pulled out 250 millimeters from its production setting into a "parking position". This helps protect the sheets during the feed process, and makes life considerably easier during setup, as the coating plate or coating blanket are very easy to change.

A cost-effective way of producing high-finish short runs
The coating system for the Speedmaster SM 52 represents the most cost-effective method of inline finishing in its format class. It enables both medium-sized jobbing print shops and industrial-scale operators to handle the growing volume of high-finish short run work in a manner which saves time and money. Robert Lothenbach, Managing Director of Challenge Printing in Eden Prairie (Minnesota), explains the advantages of his Speedmaster SM 52 with fully automatic sheet reversal device and coating system: "We find these 52s to be the most productive presses you can own to produce short-run color on-demand," says Challenge President Robert Lothenbach. "Its aqueous capabilities seal the sheet so we can get on-demand jobs into our customers' hands at the rate of 15,000 sheets per hour without waiting for the ink to dry.

Fast finishing thanks to optimized drying
The coating unit with the tried-and-tested Heidelberg dual-roller system and coating blanket cylinder and pan ensures even distribution of varnish across the whole sheet. The speed of the water pan roller and the printing pressure of the metering roller on the coating blanket cylinder can be set centrally using the CP2000 Center electronic press control system. All the assemblies, including the Heidelberg Dry Star 2000 Combination drying system are integrated into the extended high pile delivery to save space. The drying system, which is equipped with infrared and combined infrared/hot air dryers, ensures optimum drying and therefore top-speed finishing.

CP2000 Center
First introduced for the 70 x 100 format at the Ipex 98 exhibition, the CP2000 Center press control system will become a standard feature of all four, five and six-color models of the Speedmaster SM 52 from the fourth quarter of this year. After the drupa exhibition, it will also be possible to upgrade presses from the fourth printing unit onwards. Single and two-color models will continue to be delivered with the proven CPTronic press control system.

Technology study on inline finishing
The Heidelberg technology study on inline finishing on the Speedmaster SM 52 is opening up new perspectives for faster job throughput in the finishing stage too. In conjunction with toolmaking and mechanical engineering company Schober GmbH (Eberdingen), Heidelberg is investigating the option of inline finishing for sheetfed offset presses. The aim is to integrate punching, perforating, cutting and embossing in a single job run alongside printing.

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The Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 52 is now available with an optional coating system for high-quality spot and full-area coating work. The all-new coating system represents a particularly cost-effective method of inline finishing for short runs.

For further information:
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Corporate Communications
Hilde Weisser
Tel.: +49 (0)6221 92 50 66
Fax.: +49 (0)6221 92 50 46
E-mail: hilde.weisser@heidelberg.com