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Small Nozzles with high Efficacy |
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| 09/06/2006 |
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New PowderStar AP 500 powdering system cuts powder use by 50 percent and increases efficiency by 100 percent
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) joined forces with Weitmann & Konrad GmbH (Weko), Leinfelden-Echterdingen, to develop the new PowderStar AP 500 high-end powdering system. This innovative system is designed for high production speeds and is available exclusively for Heidelberg presses in the following ranges: Speedmaster XL 105, CD 102 with Preset Plus delivery and CD 74. The experiences of the first users have been positive. The amount of powder used was reduced by up to 50 percent. At the same time, the efficiency of the powder application, i.e. the proportion of powder particles reaching the print sheet, increased by up to 100 percent.
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New technology for high production speeds
Powder application in sheetfed offset printing is a necessary evil. Very few printshops are able to do without powder altogether, but they all want to reduce the amount they use as much as possible. The higher the production speeds of the presses, however, the harder this is to do. Many printshops take no chances and work with powder settings of 60 to 80 percent. Although this prevents transfer of ink from one sheet to another, it makes the delivery and the press environment excessively dirty. If massive amounts of powder are applied, working and turning the sheets and finishing operations also become more difficult.
The main reason for developing a new powdering system was the ever faster production speeds of the Heidelberg presses. Many customers print at speeds of 18,000 sheets per hour on their Speedmaster XL 105. At IPEX 06, Heidelberg unveiled the Speedmaster CD 74 with a speed of 18,000 sheets per hour. The Preset Plus feeder and delivery also increases the production speed on the tried-and-tested Speedmaster CD 102.
Conventional powdering systems run into technical limitations at speeds of 15,000 sheets per hour or less. Only a fraction of the powder reaches the surface of the print sheet, mainly because of air turbulence in the delivery.
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The PowderStar AP 500 is different, however. The powder is applied to the sheet with much stronger momentum. The powder jet is therefore not so sensitive to air turbulence caused by, for example, sheet travel or the movement of the gripper bars. The powder distribution method of the PowderStar AP 500 is also unique. For instance, a Speedmaster XL 105 is fitted with a powder spray tube with twenty-four nozzles. Each spray nozzle has three outlets. A special inner coating is effective in preventing the powder nozzles from becoming blocked during operation.
"Our measurements prove that the spray tube of the PowderStar AP 500 applies the powder with unprecedented evenness," says Claudius Haas, project manager responsible for powdering systems at Heidelberg. "This not only delivers perfectly stacked piles of printed materials that are easily processed at the finishing stage, it also allows printshops to consistently reduce the amount of powder to the minimum required for preventing ink transfer from sheet to sheet."
Innovative measuring techniques showed for the first time how accurately the metering process of the PowderStar AP 500 actually works in practice. Using special film recording processes, it was possible to demonstrate that the PowderStar AP 500 can meter so precisely that powder is applied only to the individual sheet not the gap between the sheets, even at high production speeds with the associated dynamic processes in the delivery. This cannot be achieved with air-clocked powdering systems because of their physical sluggishness, as these units change over to continuous powdering even at relatively slow production speeds.
Straightforward operation and service with remote diagnosis
Another advantage of the new PowderStar AP 500 is its CANbus connection to the Prinect CP2000 control station. CANopen supports a whole range of functions such as pre-selection of powder quantity, automatic format adjustment, exact setting of the powder application time and automatic adaptation of the powder quantity to the printing speed. It also enables remote diagnosis of the powder spray devices for servicing.
Eco-friendly printing with the Star System from Heidelberg
The Star System encompasses the complete system solution with peripherals – from the dampening solution supply and powder spray devices to the dryer. All units are developed directly by Heidelberg or in close cooperation with leading suppliers. This offers customers a whole range of benefits, including extensive automation functions, standardized and easy-to-follow navigation, one-stop installation and maintenance, and noise-dampening and dust-proof arrangement of all components in cabinets or consoles. Altogether, these features provide the ideal conditions for eco-friendly production.
For the Speedmaster XL 105, Heidelberg is offering the tried-and-tested, technically enhanced Star range of peripheral systems. These include:
- CutStar (sheeter for significant cost savings when buying printing stock)
- StaticStar (static electricity eliminators for optimum sheet travel and high production speeds when using synthetic printing stock)
- ScrollStar (oil- and condensation-free generation of compressed air)
- AirStar (central, needs-optimized suction and blowing air supply)
- CombiStar (inking unit temperature control and dampening-solution supply with alcohol measuring technology for reduced-IPA printing)
- InkLine (automatic ink supply to reduce makeready times)
- CoatingStar (universal coating supply system for both water-based and UV coatings)
- DryStar 3000 (latest generation of Heidelberg dryers)
- PowderStar AP 500 (efficient powdering, exclusive to Heidelberg)
- CleanStar (integrated process-air and particle extraction for a noise-reduced, clean press environment)
- StarCooling (water-cooled peripheral systems for a tangibly improved pressroom environment).
Image 1:
The new ARS technology enhances the efficiency of powder application by up to 100 percent.
Image 2:
The PowderStar AP 500 metering unit with exchangeable powder reservoir.
Image 3a:
The flow geometry of the new ARS nozzle technology ensures a very stable powder jet even at high production speeds …
Image 3b:
… unlike the disrupted powder jet encountered in conventional nozzle systems.
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