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.