KBA (UK) Ltd. Press Briefing
August 2013
KBA RotaJet 76 'Ready to Roll'
The world’s first 'truly industrial' digital press makes its commercial entrance
In what can only be described as a remarkable achievement – even by the
printing sector’s leading innovator’s standards – the KBA RotaJet 76 web-fed
digital press is ready to commence commercial installation following its first
prototype showcase at Drupa 2012. The feat is all the more impressive since this
unique new press weighs in at 25 tonnes and features 3,000 A4 pages/min 4/4
constantly variable production capability.
An intensive hothouse development programme has seen significant
improvements to quality and production performance over that period.
Optimisation of ink feed, screening, drying and colour management has impacted
on quality and the introduction of a new polymer-based ink with reduced capillary
effect gives greater precision and less show-through to extend the range of
untreated papers that can be run. Branded RotaColor, KBA is the first
manufacturer to adopt the polymer-based ink in a high-volume inkjet application.
A new rewinder and a new, even more efficient, IR/hot-air drying system – both
in-house developments from KBA – further enhance overall performance.
The speed of the progress has been possible because of the integrity of the
RotaJet’s basic design concept which leverages generations of experience in the
development of conventional web press systems at KBA’s main plant in
Würzburg. As a result the RotaJET 76 features precision engineering and exact
web travel for very accurate front-to-back and colour register – with the ability to
print accurately even during acceleration and deceleration of the press – and the
availability of such options as web remoistening and coating, the KBA Pastoline
automatic reelstand and autosplicing for flying changes within KBA’s Patras
automated paper logistics system.
Another key feature of the initial design specification was the adoption of the
commercially proven industrial class Piezo inkjet system, delivered via 56 Kyocera
heads across each of the print units; this allows good print quality (currently 600
x 600 dpi native) and variability of droplet according to the job requirements.
More important, there is built-in reliability and future-proofing through software
and hardware developments.
KBA (UK) Ltd. Director, Web Press Sales, Roger Nicholls explains:
“What we have in the RotaJet 76 is, in effect, an extremely compact conventional
web press superstructure designed from the outset to accept digital printing
heads. So the paper is perfectly tensioned throughout, the ink heads are in the
optimum position for the highest quality and accuracy and coating and drying has
been factored in from the outset, not jemmied in as an afterthought. Add to that
our expertise with the logistics systems at either end and you have a genuine
industrial class digital printing press.”
KBA anticipates initial uptake within the books, direct mail, newspaper, general
commercial and specialist packaging sectors with the emphasis on short-run and
on-demand products driven by the market trend towards individualisation and
segmentation.
ENDS
Pictured:
KBA (UK) Ltd. Director, Web Press Sales, Roger Nicholls
---------------------------------------------------------------------------Contacts:
For KBA (UK) Ltd. PR
Catherine Carter
Tel: 01489 572405
Email: mailto:cc@resolutionsformarketing.com
or
For KBA (UK) Ltd. PR
Vic Fletcher
Tel: 01865 301110
Email: mailto:vf@resolutionsformarketing.com
For KBA (UK) Ltd.
Andrew Pang, Managing Director
Tel: 01923 819922
Email: andrew.pang@kba-print.co.uk
Web: http://www.kba-uk.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------KBA (UK) Ltd.
World Class Presses – Sector-leading User Support
Koenig & Bauer Group is the leading innovator in our industry and has been
responsible for developing many of the key advances in printing technology ever
since its founders designed and built the first power-driven press for the Times of
London in 1814. Today, the RAPIDA series of sheet-fed litho presses combine
cutting-edge technologies with robust build quality and precision engineering to
create the most productive presses ever seen across all formats from B2 to
Super-Large Format.KBA is the world's leading supplier of large format presses
and market-leader in the security printing sector. It is a major player in the
newspaper and commercial web sectors and is the UK's second placed offset litho
press supplier with a major presence in all sectors from general commercial print,
packaging and POS to magazines and book printing. The Group's corporate
structure and sound financial footing is such that it has been able to respond
quickly to changing economic and market conditions and emerge back into profit
without compromising its extensive R&D programmes and product development
strategies.KBA (UK) Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Koenig & Bauer Group.
Our purpose is to offer support to print companies throughout the United
Kingdom and Ireland to ensure they achieve the best possible performance as
businesses. We build each press to meet the individual customer's requirements
and our experienced Area Sales Managers are here to help you specify a solution
that will be more productive from its inception and more cost-efficient throughout
its working life. Added to that is a first class team of dedicated service and spare
parts staff and a knowledgeable consumables division - we believe we have a
compelling case to be considered at the very earliest stage of any capital
investment that you plan for your pressroom.