Other unexpected developments included the launch of SupraSetter, a thermal external drum CTP system entirely developed by Heidelberg, the launch of a perfecting version of the Speedmaster CD 74, the launch of a new double sided coating system for long presses, and the refinement of Prinect.

The Speedmaster XL 105 is a new series of printing presses for highly industrialised offset printing capable of attaining speeds of 18,000 sheets per hour. Aimed squarely at the big boys of folding carton, labels and commercial printing, Heidelberg says the XL 105 is the first press in an entirely new peak performance class, and claims the XL 105 sets new standards in terms of productivity, quality and cost-effectiveness.

The new press operates at 18,000sph, has according to Heidelberg lightning fast makeready, possible in part through digitised control and archiving, and comes with in-line coating as an option.

The XL 105 has a system for contact-free sheet transport, and together with innovations in the field of coating application and press pre-setting delivers increased productivity of 30 per cent and more, claims Heidelberg. Innovative solutions such as Autoplate Advanced are designed for simple and register-accurate plate changing.

The new press has Hycolor (Hy for hydro) integrated inking/ dampening system, which the company claims means that every print job can be printed in the best possible quality. Adjustable oscillator strokes, the opportunity to switch between the standard and short inking units, and remotely adjustable lateral distribution of the inking form rollers are a few of the many possibilities that Hycolor offers

Also new from Heidelberg and aimed at the new long perfecting presses is the Perfecting Coating Solution, which enables double-sided inline dispersion coating on the long perfecting presses in the Speedmaster SM 102 range.

On a ten-colour press, the fifth and tenth printing units can be used for either printing or dispersion coating. This option is also possible for twelve-colour presses, where the sixth and twelfth printing units are used. This gives commercial printers with short delivery times and a vast range of jobs a clear productive advantage in inline production.

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