KBA at Ipex 2006 Meeting point for innovative print technology
The Ipex international trade fair in Birmingham will see KBA throwing down the gauntlet with a provocative banner – ‘Champions in Print’ – and B3 to B1 (20 - 40in) presses laying claim to the most advanced technology on the market, fully embedded in JDF workflows. Not surprisingly, the World Cup football championships due to kick off two months later in Germany will be a central theme on the group’s 1,300m² (14,000ft²) stand (4-B60/4-B70) in hall 4. As at Ipex 2002, space and budget restrictions mean there will be no exhibits from KBA’s historically dominant line of business, web presses. However, a string of pre-Ipex events is being organised to platform advances in both sheetfed and web technology. |
Ipex focus on Rapida 105 A big attraction on the KBA stand will be a new-generation 18,000sph Rapida 105, of which some 150 units in configurations up to 15-unit perfectors have rolled off the production line since its market launch at Drupa 2004. The model displayed, a ten-colour perfector with sheeter, will sport some features unique to KBA. These include a no-sidelay infeed, dual KBA QualiTronic inline systems for back-and-front sheet inspection, automatic plate changing, ink-temperature control, remote-control Inkline ink pumping, automatic cylinder and roller washing, ACR automatic register control, ACS emissions extraction at the delivery, KBA DensiTronic S closed-loop colour control and KBA LogoTronic Professional production management system with e-scheduling for JDF networking. The Rapida 105 is the only 18,000sph B1 press on the market with a pre-configured 15,000sph perfecting capability. After the show the press in Birmingham will ship to Arkle Print in Northampton. |
Performance need not mean pricey The B2 (29in) press KBA is showing – a Performa 74 five-colour anilox coater press built by the group’s Czech subsidiary, KBA-Grafitec – will be the first of its kind in the UK. The Performa 74 and its sister press, the SRA2 (26in) Performa 66, are entry-level presses addressing the low-budget end of the market while delivering a high level of performance. Alongside the double-size impression and transfer cylinders typical of KBA presses, which enable them to handle a broad range of substrates, the models exhibited will feature semi-automatic plate changers, remote diagonal register adjustment, ink temperature control, roller and blanket washing, a nonstop facility at the delivery and control technology incorporating a JDF interface plus an online link to an X-Rite densitometer. The Performa 74 will print and coat paper and board. |
Genius 52: cost-effective UV printing in B3 The third exhibit on the KBA stand will be a Genius 52 five-colour UV coater press. The prototype of the original Genius was unveiled at Ipex 2002, where its avant-garde design, ultra-short makeready and amazingly low start-up waste caused a minor sensation. The market launch followed at Drupa 2004. The Genius 52 targets the high end of the short-run offset market. The UV version built by KBA-Metronic has proved particularly popular, with a raft of installations in Europe, North America, the Middle and Far East and South Africa. The UV coater capability comes with a choice of delivery extensions to suit the application and is mainly used for plastic cards and film, though it can also handle 0.8mm (32pt) board. In addition to smart cards, mousepads and stickers etc the swelling ranks of Genius enthusiasts in North America are using it increasingly to move into the profitable lenticular market. The Genius 52’s superb print quality and high level of automation, which supports one-man operation, makes it a popular choice for family businesses or digital printers looking to expand their portfolios and address a more discerning clientele. A conventional five-colour version of the Genius 52 will be demonstrated on the Litho Supplies stand in hall 6. |
Universys: flexibility in personalisation The Universys is an automated, modular system for personalising gift cards, membership cards, prepaid cards etc with PIN numbers, barcodes, serial numbers, scratch-off patches and personal data. An integrated security feature reliably protects sensitive data from unauthorised access. The Universys can be configured with ink-jet (CIJ or DOD), hot stamping, labelling, magnetic strip or RFID coding capabilities to suit a wide range of applications. It can process paper, PVC, ABS and similar materials from 0.25 - 0.8mm (10 - 32pt) thick at a speed of up to 14,000 cards per hour. Demonstrations will be given at Ipex on one of the most popular configurations. |
JDF networking with Kodak pre-press For anyone interested in the latest CTP systems or platemaking in a networked production environment the pre-press area on the KBA stand also boasts a number of attractions, among them Kodak’s new Magnus 800 medium-format thermal platesetter. Demos will be given of Kodak’s new MIS device along with the Hiflex and Rogler systems already embedded with Rapida presses in numerous JDF networks. Visitors to Ipex keen to find out more about KBA’s LF and VLF press technology will have the chance to visit production plants within easy reach of Birmingham. KBA’s global market lead in VLF is evident in the UK, too: three Rapida 205 press lines are already up and running in London, while a fourth is slated to come on stream shortly before Ipex at Newcastle silkscreen specialist Norscreen. |
Note: KBA will unveil more advances at the Ipex press conference scheduled for 16.30 on 5 April in the Gallery Area, Room 2. |
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