Gerard Wintle, divisional director for Komori at Australian agent CPI describes the press as, “a perfect machine for jobbing printers wanting to move into B2 2/2 or four colour work”.
Komori has launched the press to enable printers who would previously have looked to the second hand market to get into the B2 sector to now be able to buy a new highly automated press. Wintle says, “It is priced right, and gives small printers the opportunity to buy new, with all the advantages that has”.
It is a 29″ wide machine, essentially a move to compete with the 74″ presses, and is fully automated, with perfecting at the touch of a button. The press is equipped with CIP4 compliant functionality, while combining a space saving footprint with excellent cost performance results.
It can be specified to match a wide range of plate sizes allowing the reuse of existing plates, which may be metal or polyester, and the machine on the stand will be using 605x745mm plates. Features include Komorimatic dampening, remote control of plate register and transfer cylinder cocking plus automatic blanket and ink roller wash. The control panel is located at the delivery and provides touch panel remote operation, combined with straightforward maintenance and an environment and safety conscious design.
Printing speeds on the SPICA are up to 13,000sph, while stock thickness can be as high as 0.45mm when straight printing and 0.3mm when perfecting.
Komori’s message in fact at drupa is ‘perfecting the pressroom’ and perfecting played a key part in its presentation. Wintle was cock-a-hoop as Komori has just finally cracked the long perfecting market, with two orders being signed, one in New Zealand and one in Australia, the first Komori long perfectors to make the trip down under.
Komori showed both its dedicated stacked perfector, the LS40SP, which now comes with increased speed of 15,000sph on any substrate, and its convertible LS40P. Komori made much of its three cylinder transfer perfecting mechanism, which it claims means the sheet is fully settled before it goes into the second set of printing units.
Also new from Komori is a 32pp web, its first, although this is essentially two 16pp System 38 presses reconfigured. It is Komori’s first move into the 32pp market. According to Wintle the absence of Komori web from Australia is due to the cut off, but he says a new cut off suitable for the Australian market will be launched before the next Ipex.
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