Koenig & Bauer is trumpeting its next generation eight-colour Rapida 106 X as the fastest perfector on the market and says it will take sheetfed printing to new levels due to faster make ready times and digitisation.
The redesigned Rapida 106 X has applications in both packaging and commercial print and was launched globally during a week of livestreams on the Koenig & Bauer website. To watch the various product instalments, please click here.
Koenig & Bauer demonstrated eight different commercial print jobs during the livestream to show how the Rapida X’s updated feeder system, automated platemaking and transfer system and roller washing can save time in the print room. By the end of the demonstration, the eight different jobs had been completed in 16 minutes.
Dave Lewis, managing director of Koenig & Bauer Australia, said the speed of the press and the new plate logistics system are among the most noteworthy aspects of the press, along with its futuristic design.
“The release of the 20,000 top speed for our perfecting presses that is brand new. We already had 20,000 top speed for straight printing presses which is particularly useful for packaging but now we have 20,000 an hour top speeds for the perfecting press as well,” Lewis told Sprinter.
“The other thing that is new for very short run work and that is where a lot of the work is going is our new plate logistics system so that automatically makes the plates, brings them across on conveyors straight to the press.”
Dirk Winkler, head of print technology, Koenig & Bauer said the new generation press had been developed from scratch over the past five years based on customer feedback.
“We know that highest productivity, shortest make ready times and highest automation are the keys for your success,” Winkler said.
“We have added new functions to the press that are only available from Koenig & Bauer. The result is a whole new press generation that is the absolute benchmark in its class. The result is the fastest perfector on the market.”
Sascha Fischer, head of product management, at Koenig & Bauer, said the press sets many new benchmarks particularly on how the paper is fed into the machine.
The new Rapida features a drive-tronic feeder and the curve of the sheet separator has been optimised to ensure a clear separation of the sheet which is maintained even at speeds of up to 20,000 sheets per hour.
Motorised tech rollers operate inside the feeder which can be adjusted in a job changeover directly from the console, Fischer said, adding there is also a revised infeed system which was described as being “maintenance free”.
The press also has specially coated ink ducts which are said to be easy to be cleaned and makes changing inks very efficient at less than two minutes for an ink change.
The press also features a simultaneous roller wash (SRW) which means washing can be undertaken while other prints jobs are being completed. All of these features combine to create the increased speed of make ready for the press.
Plate changing times have also been reduced to below a minute for the new press, while an automated plate logistics system provides operator support for loading.
“It is highly automated and you don’t need to manually interfere or touch the plates at any time. The plates are never touched or taken on the image side so there is no risk of stretching and no risk of manipulation of the plates,” Fischer said.
For more information and to catch Koenig & Bauer’s product livestreams, click here.
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