Heidelberg is using China Print, the first printing exhibition since the pandemic broke that people (if only Chinese people) have been allowed to attend, to launch a new press.
This is the Speedmaster CX104, a larger brother to the CX102 with a slightly larger print format that will widen its appeal to carton and label printers. Although positioned below the XL106 in terms of performance and sophistication, the new press can be configured with Push to Stop technology and up to 15 printing or coating units.
Heidelberg is calling this a ‘universal’ press, suited to commercial as well as packaging applications and for printers across advanced was well as less developed markets. Several machines have been in operation at pilot customers in Europe in the months leading up to the launch.
The press also includes Press Center XL3 as the control monitor, Intellistart 3 and Intellirun software which uses artificial intelligence to highlight issues in up coming jobs. LED lighting, adopted from the 2020 XL generation, is used to indicate the status of each printing unit.
There are improvements to the coating systems, both anilox and blanket coating, and to the inking system to better cope with the viscosity of UV inks. A dual supply blanket wash can handle fluids for conventional and UV inks, enabling the machine to switch between styles of printing.
Like the CX102, which the Speedmaster CX104 replaces, the press will be built in the Shanghai factory Heidelberg has announced plans to boost production at this plant with a big increase in staff numbers.
At the same time as the CX104, the company is announcing a smaller sheet version, the Speedmaster CX92. This is the same format as the CS92, though with the capability of handling and printing on cartonboards, running Push to Stop automation and with the same redesigned coating systems as the larger machine.
The company plans to reveal the press to customers in China at the Beijing show and to the rector of the world via an online presentation on 23 June. Register here.
