Heidelberg is introducing a second new B1 press in little more than a year, with the introduction of a new version of the Speedmaster SX102. This joins the CX104 that was launched at China Print last year.
Like that press, the new version of the SX102, is being built in China and has been a project led at the Shanghai factory. The pilot machines have been in operation at printers around the world for some six months and orders have been taken more broadly.
The basic configuration of this new press is as an SRA1 machine, popular in Asian markets, with what is described as an extended version to deliver the full 700×1,020mm B1 sheet.
The big difference comes with the target users for the B1 presses. The CX104 is better suited to carton and packaging production with a straight configuration only, the option of coaters, and speed of 16,000sph. It will print on boards to 1mm thick. The SX102 offers perfecting with a CutStar option and handles material to 0.6mm. It runs at 14,000sph in straight mode, 13,000sph when perfecting. Both handle substrates to 0.03mm thick. It is the press for commercial printers.
This ability gives the new machine appeal to those handling lightweight papers and needing to print on both sides of the sheet, says marketing and product specialist Matt Rockley at Heidelberg UK. “We have sold two- and four-unit machines into the pharmaceutical market for leaflet printing,” he says.
While still Heidelberg’s entry level B1 model, it is capable of being fitted with the latest automated technology, right up to the new Plate to Unit systems. This includes the Press to Stop technology, auto wash up, Preset at the feeder, inline colour and register control and Preset delivery. A Wallscreen and Prinect Press Center XL3 are also imported from the Speedmaster flagships as are the full suite of Prinect network connectivity “For example. it also includes automated systems for checking ink roller settings,” says Rockley. “We can check remotely that this has been done. It’s possible to reset the rollers on the whole press in less than an hour.” Makeready, including plate change and blanket wash, is little more than a minute.
This is not the first SRA1 format press from Heidelberg. It has previously delivered the CX92, a press which was cut down from the full out press CX102. Consequently it suffered from being more than 4.7 metres wide. In contrast the new machine is a manageable 3.3 metres across. The CX92 remains in the portfolio and can include a true anilox coater. The advantage of the SRA1 format says Heidelberg derives from a 20% saving in plate costs.
The press configuration continues the unit construction format and single-sized transfer cylinders that have appeared on the Speedmaster across almost 100,000 print units from 1975. It has also been the flag carrier for long perfecting since 1992.
