At drupa, Heidelberg will showcase an end-to-end, highly automated packaging workflow for the diverse requirements of industrial packaging production.
For Heidelberg, the major focus at drupa will be the launch of the new Speedmaster XL 106 and its production speed of 21,000 sheets per hour. As an alternative to offset printing, Heidelberg is also presenting the new Boardmaster in combination with Intellimatch: a real game changer for high-volume packaging printing. Commercial and publishing printers can also look forward to an integrated end-to-end workflow with Prinect. With automation from plate imaging to plate feeding with Plate to Unit, and the new generation of CutStar, Push to Stop end-to-end at the new Speedmaster XL 106 will become the new standard in offset. Supplemented by collaborative robotics in postpress with StackStar C, production is more efficient and economical than ever.
The printing sector faces a combination of three challenges – ever-increasing cost pressures, a shortage of skilled workers, and growing sustainability requirements. In response to these megatrends, Heidelberg will present numerous innovations under the motto ‘Unfold Your Potential’ at this year’s drupa trade show.
The focus will be on customers and the need for their print shops to optimise the development and leveraging of business potential using state-of- the-art technologies and services. Thanks to the innovations being unveiled at drupa, such as the new-generation Speedmaster XL 106, Heidelberg can support its customers with a holistic concept that delivers up to 20 per cent higher productivity than the previous solutions.
“Heidelberg has been an industry pioneer in the digitalisation of printing for
20 years. Our main goal is to optimise our customers’ entire value chain,” says Heidelberg CEO Dr. Ludwin Monz.
“To this end, we have almost fully digitalised and integrated print shop processes, and our solutions at drupa offer our commercial and packaging printing customers maximum efficiency in industrial print production,” he says.
The shortage of labour and skilled workers is becoming more and more acute in the printing industry, too. With this in mind, Heidelberg is offering customers solutions for automating products and processes, including training for print shop staff. Fully automated Plate to Unit plate logistics on the Speedmaster XL 106 and the new robotics solutions for postpress operations are two examples of this in commercial printing. The new-generation Speedmaster XL 106 also supports cluster production, whereby a single operator controls an entire machine park. In the future, Heidelberg will make autonomous printing possible for standardised applications in packaging printing. The company will also help operators with more complex print jobs by providing navigated user guidance.
Sustainability in print production is one of the biggest trends worldwide and, at the same time, a major challenge for the sector. Modern print shops are aiming to become even more sustainable by reducing their consumption of energy and resources. Print products are also changing, though, moving away from plastic and toward more paper. Heidelberg offers sustainable print solutions, helping its customers save on energy and raw materials. If you compare a Speedmaster from 1990 with the current version, the energy consumption per 1,000 sheets has been reduced by up to 40 per cent. At this year’s drupa, Heidelberg will be presenting its latest generation of presses, which have a maximum speed of up to 21,000 sheets per hour. This increased production speed will help customers further lower their energy consumption per sheet. What’s more, the use of artificial intelligence and new assistance systems will also result in paper being saved by reducing the amount of paper waste.
Digitalisation in the printing industry enables end-to-end integration of the production process – from receiving the digital customer order, preparing the print data, planning and carrying out the print job, and passing on the print product to post press, all the way through to delivery and billing. In this context, Heidelberg will exhibit end-to-end autonomous printing for commercial and packaging customers at drupa. With its new customer portal, the company is taking digitalisation to the next level and further expanding press management, including aspects such as capacity utilisation, maintenance, and upkeep.
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