Speedmaster CD 74 from Heidelberg Now Produces 18,000 Sheets per Hour

• New performance class boosts productivity by 20 percent with stable production speeds and a wide range of printing stocks
• The semi-automatic pile change system in the delivery and non-stop operation is unique in the 50 x 70 (19.69 x 27.56 inch) format class and is a useful addition for packaging printing

At Ipex 2006, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) will be unveiling the straight-mode version of its medium-format (50 x 70 centimeter) Speedmaster CD 74 press in a new performance class of 18,000 sheets per hour. This series previously produced 15,000 sheets per hour. A complete package featuring key innovations enables stable production at a speed of 18,000 sheets per hour, even in continuous operation, using a wide spectrum of printing stocks ranging from lightweight paper to board. The innovations include the newly developed suction head and the new automatic pile lifting control system, which are both located in the feeder. With a speed of 18,000 sheets per hour, the Speedmaster CD 74 is thus of interest to customers with both shorter print runs and run sizes that are regularly longer. It offers various benefits to commercial, packaging, and label printers who process different printing stocks in different run sizes. Austrian print shop Estermann has been testing the fast Speedmaster CD 74 for several months. "With a press, paper travel is half the battle," states manager Peter Estermann. "The feeder on the CD 74 takes a wide range of papers and even thin ones can be processed without any difficulty," he adds. A 100,000-sheet print job was completed within six hours. The 80-odd employees of the printshop largely produce commercial jobs.

Heidelberg will be showcasing the speed-enhanced Speedmaster CD 74 as a six-color press with a coating unit and extended delivery at Ipex in Hall 8 in the Packaging section. This elevated press features a semi-automatic pile change system in the delivery, ensuring non-stop operation. This logistics concept is unique in the 50 x 70 (19.69 x 27.56 inch) format class and is a useful addition for packaging printing.

The Speedmaster CD 74 with options for 18,000 sheets per hour will be available from October 2006 onwards. These options include the following components: A new suction head, new automatic pile lifting control system, inking unit temperature control, Static Star Advanced as a static electricity eliminator for the feeder and delivery units and PowderStar for accurate powdering at high production speeds. Extended delivery with the DryStar Combination dryer is required for coating machines.

Innovative suction head technology with automatic pile lifting control
Heidelberg uses the term "Smart Sheet Travel" to describe characteristics of the Speedmaster CD 74 that ensure smooth and mark-free sheet travel from the feeder to the delivery. In the feeder on the Speedmaster CD 74 this is performed by the newly developed suction head. This can be set up quickly and easily, resulting in time savings of up to 20 percent on the feeder. The suction head boasts an outstanding functional design, integrating the numerous air hoses, which previously had made it hard to see into the feeder, into the suction head casing. Values for separation and carrier air are controlled by parameters. The newly developed and patented lifting sucker concept automatically adapts to various materials. All the feeder settings can be saved on a job-specific basis and called up as presets for repeat jobs.

The suction head communicates directly with the new automatic pile lifting control system located on the leading edge of the paper in the feeder. It is a standard feature of fast presses and can be ordered as an option for other models. The automatic pile lifting control system adjusts the paper pile including the height of the suction head. Up to now, printers had to set the suction head manually and keep a close eye on the feeder. Now, smooth paper transport is ensured even when piles are not perfectly straight. The result is stable production at high speeds of 18,000 sheets per hour - that's five sheets per second.

Speedmaster CD 74 - an all-round press
The Speedmaster CD 74 was launched on the market at drupa 2000 and since drupa 2004 it has also been available as a perfecting press. Over 5,000 printing units have now been shipped. There will be three CD 74 presses at Ipex 2006, each demonstrating a different area of application. The Heidelberg stand in Hall 8 will be exhibiting a high-speed press outputting 18,000 sheets per hour in the Packaging section and a ten-color Speedmaster CD 74 in the Industrial Print section with a coating unit before and after sheet reversal. This innovation will also be on show for the first time. It enables customers to boost productivity by 30 percent as the printed sheet can arrive much faster at the finishing stage. In perfecting mode, the press produces 15,000 sheets per hour. The IST booth in Hall 4 will showcase a Speedmaster CD 74 equipped with UV which produces solutions for e.g. security printing.

Image 1:
The straight-mode version of the Speedmaster CD 74 now produces 18,000 sheets per hour, enabling productivity to be boosted by 20 percent for a wide range of printing stocks.

Image 2:
The newly developed suction head in the feeder of the Speedmaster CD 74 is easy to operate and has far fewer setting elements. Manual work is eliminated and setup time is reduced by up to 20 percent.

Further information for journalists:
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