Issue 2005

2
No.

PRODUCTS · PRACTICES · PERSPECTIVES www.kba-print.com

The future of offset has long since begun! Contents

Waterless and keyless Editorial 2
Milestones
K BA and Metronic, a subsidiary, have
been spearheading advances in keyless,
waterless offset over the past few years and
We shall continue to drive advances in a
technology which offers incalculable benefits
in the form of cost-efficiency, ecology, user-
Waterless planography
Current approaches
3

are the sole providers of this groundbreaking friendliness, print quality and applications. Interaction of
technology. A clear vision, highly-focused re- The most recent examples of keyless, water- materials 7
search and development activities and strate- less offset presses are our Genius 52, Rapida Keyless inking
gic alliances have culminated in the creation 74 Gravuflow and Cortina, and Metronic’s units 12
of cost-effective, high-quality systems suit- Premius. We believe the Cortina’s trailblazing Temperature control
able for both new and existing business seg- technology will bring about a step change in in inking units 16
ments. the newspaper printing market. Temperature control
Innovative presses like our 74 Karat and This issue of KBA Process presents objec- in newspaper offset 18
Metronic’s CD Print and oc200 have already tive information by competent internal and
Consumables
proven the competitiveness of this new proc- external print professionals on the history,
Plates 24
ess through their superior performance in day- current state of the art and future prospects of
Waterless inks 31
to-day production. Keyless, waterless offset keyless, waterless offset. In addition to contri-
Waterless UV offset 36
furnishes a basis for standardising high-vol- butions on the core technology and potential
ume print production by stripping out many of applications of the individual press types, Quality
the technical parameters which in conven- there are market surveys of printing plates and Quality benefits of
tional wet offset can seriously impair the inks, the results of independent comparative waterless offset 39
printed image, and by limiting or totally elimi- cost analyses, a discussion of environmental Standardised,
nating subjective intervention by the press issues and print samples demonstrating the high-volume printing 42
crew. quality gains that can be achieved.
Cost-efficiency
Benefits of keyless,
waterless technology 45
Comparative cost analysis 48
Environment
Eco-friendly technology 50
BREF file on
the printing industry 53
Handling
Convenience, productivity 55
Applications
Waterless offset
today 65
Commercial, packaging
and plastic printing 67
Waterless newspaper
offset 73
Outlook
Future prospects, advances 77
Contacts 78
Resources/partners 11

KBA Process 2 | 2005

 Editorial

Albrecht Bolza-Schünemann,
Waterless works!
president and CEO of Koenig & Bauer AG,
pictured after accepting the EWPA’s
environmental award for the waterless
Rapida 74 G at Drupa 2004

Waterless offset has been around for more than 30 years. When the So almost 200 years after Friedrich Koenig invented the roller-
process was first mooted, the prospect of eliminating at a single type inking unit, which in essence remains the state of technology
stroke all the problems associated with fount solution, simply by in conventional offset, another benchmark innovation by KBA –
adding a silicone coating to the printing plate, was greeted with the elimination of water and keys – has opened up a new approach
loud acclaim. However, this rapidly subsided and waterless was to the standardised and precisely repeatable production of high-
eclipsed by conventional offset, which experienced headlong quality prints.
growth throughout the seventies, eighties and nineties of the last Our engagement dates back to the mid-1990s, when collabora-
century. tion with Metronic (now a subsidiary) culminated in waterless,
Widely dismissed as occupational therapy for tree-huggers or, keyless presses for printing smart cards and digital data storage
at best, pie-in-the-sky visionaries, waterless offset first gained a media. At Print ’97 in Chicago we gave the first public demonstra-
foothold in Europe when Scandinavia tightened up its environmen- tions of the 74 Karat, a joint venture with Scitex. At Drupa 2000
tal legislation. In the USA the process has attracted a relatively we unveiled our Cortina newspaper offset press, which was hailed
modest circle of supporters. Japan is the only country where it has as revolutionary by many in the trade. It was followed at Ipex 2002
cornered a sizeable share of the market. by a small-format sheetfed press, the aptly named Genius 52, and
There were a number of reasons for its relegation to a niche at Drupa 2004 by a half-format unit-type press, the Rapida 74 G
application. One was the high cost of plates, largely due to the (G = Gravuflow).
patent protection enjoyed by Japanese plate manufacturer Toray. Today our sheetfed, web offset and special presses featuring
Another was printers’ reluctance to pay a premium for a better im- waterless, keyless technology deliver compelling practical evi-
age quality. On top of this, the plates scratched easily and ink trans- dence that economy and ecology, standardisation and quality are by
fer was relatively unstable because at that time temperature control no means mutually exclusive. The sale of 29 Cortina four-high tow-
was less advanced. It was not until the Toray patent expired and ers in less than 15 months to six users in the Netherlands, Germany,
other plate manufacturers such as KodakPolychrome, Agfa and Belgium and Switzerland, the market success of the Genius 52
Presstek launched their own waterless plates (or at least developed (particularly the UV version), the superb quality delivered by the
them to market maturity) that waterless offset experienced some- 74 Karat on paper, cartonboard or plastic and the performance of
thing of a renaissance. At Drupa 1995 a number of orders were our new Rapida 74 Gravuflow give us reason to believe that, with
booked for waterless commercial web offset presses. print runs steadily diminishing, quality demands rising and envi-
The tide turned for dampener-free technology with the launch ronmental issues subject to ever tighter regulations, our visionary
in the 1990s of DI offset presses, almost all of which are waterless. concept will gain widespread acceptance.
These include Heidelberg’s GTO-DI and Quickmaster DI, and our Hence this issue of KBA Process. We hope the insight it fur-
own 74 Karat. Drupa 2000 saw waterless offset become a major nishes on the history of waterless, keyless offset, the technology
topic in the industry once again with the launch of our Cortina mini and materials involved, its applications, cost-efficiency and envi-
tower press, whose novel concept demonstrated that waterless off- ronmental credentials will give you a balanced picture on which to
set is fully capable of printing newspapers in a strikingly superior base your own informed opinion. Thank you for your interest.
quality at high speeds and with a minimum of waste.
Unlike other press manufacturers we have not been content
merely to eliminate fount solution and “tack on” air- or water-based
systems for controlling temperature: in our innovative waterless
presses we have gone one step further by eliminating ink keys as
well, and incorporating a dedicated high-precision, quick-reacting
temperature control system for the anilox rollers and plate cylin-
ders. Yours,

2 KBA Process 2 | 2005

 Milestones | History of planographic printing

Milestones in the evolution of

waterless planographic printing
Ever since planographic printing presses were invented there
have been attempts to eliminate dampening from the process.
The world’s first offset press was
That this is possible, and can function, was demonstrated 150 built in New York in 1903 by
Ira W Rubel for a San Francisco
years ago with the invention of the collotype press. But in the time- firm, Union Lithographic, which
was destroyed by an earthquake
scale of high-volume print production, the waterless offset era prior to taking delivery. The
began in the late 1970s, following a number of false starts. KBA press was not commissioned until
1907 following the company’s
recently set major milestones along this long and winding road reconstruction
(photo: Smithsonian Institute,
with its 74 Karat, Genius 52, Rapida 74 G and Cortina. Washington, DC)

First planographic processes the water. He called this pro- later via a rubber blanket – turer, Harris, using a zinc plate
with dampening: lithography cess “chemical printing”. The evolved in England in the early and rubber blanket. Hermann is
using stone and zinc image could then be transferred 1880s in conjunction with credited with bringing offset to
either directly to paper or to one metal decorating. In 1903 three Germany a few years later and

B
oth wet and waterless or more other slabs which then Americans – Robert F Rogers, refining the technology.
offset printing trace functioned as originals for LS Morris and Ira Washington
their origins back to multiple reproduction. This Rubel – registered separate and First planographic process
lithography, a process invented transformed printing from a la- independent patents on the without dampening: collotype
in 1798 by an aspiring poet and borious, time-consuming craft principles of, and presses for,
playwright, Alois Senefelder, in into a faster, relatively high- an indirect printing process on Alphonse Louis Poitevin, a
a do-it-yourself effort to reduce volume production process. rubber blankets which also Frenchman, tried to reproduce
printing costs. When he could Of the companies that later could be used to print on paper. photographs by creating prints
no longer afford copper plates formed the KBA group, Albert Rubel, whose patent was the from glass photographic plates.
he started experimenting with & Cie in Frankenthal was the first to mention the word “off- First he copied the original
slabs of the cheap limestone he first to build a lithographic set”, was alerted to the superior negative to produce a duplicate
bought from a quarry in nearby press in 1886. That same year quality of indirect printing positive on a plate coated with
Solnhofen for milling ink. At Ruddiman Johnston in Edin- when a number of sheets were hardened dichromate gelatine
first he etched the stone, but burgh replaced the stone slabs printed on the back, off the containing silver halide crys-
later he drew the image using a in a planographic press with blanket, after being misfed. He tals. He then moistened the
concoction of wax, soap and mechanically roughened (gran- built and marketed the world’s plate with water to make the
lampblack (a formula he had ulated) zinc plates which were first sheetfed offset press. crystals swell. This gave rise to
devised to correct mistakes on a much lighter mass to acceler- Caspar Hermann, a German a relief image which repro-
copper plates), moistened the ate and brake. They were whose patent applications had duced the tonal values as con-
stone with water and then ap- the forerunners of wraparound been submitted just too late in tinuous tones. So dampening in
plied greasy ink with a roller. plates. 1903, converted a letterpress collotype printing does not oc-
The ink adhered to the sticky Indirect image transfer – web press to offset in 1905 for cur during impression but as
concoction but was repelled by initially via a cardboard sheet, an American press manufac- part of a pre-impression se

Collotype, invented in the mid-

nineteenth century, was the first
waterless planographic printing
process (photos: Günther)

KBA Process 2 | 2005 3

 Milestones | History of planographic printing

three years later – and dis- formulating pre-emulsified

carded in 1976 after spending inks for printing on conven-
millions of dollars on its devel- tional plates. Although their
opment. It discovered that the initial efforts failed, the idea
silicone surface of non-printing was later adopted and modified
areas was insufficiently stable by Flint Ink (see chapter on
and too easily scratched, par- current approaches).
ticularly on B1 and B2 (40” and
20”) presses and during long First product to attain
print runs. And since the plates market maturity:
could only be used for short Toray’s Waterless Plate
runs on small-format presses,
but were far too expensive for Toray Industries, an emi-
this market, printers stopped nent Japanese company that
buying them. Also, the ink in- specialises in the development
dustry underestimated the po- and manufacture of polymers,
Toray’s Waterless Plate launched in 1977 signalled the breakthrough for tential this technology offered acquired 3M’s driography pat-
waterless offset and failed to provide suitable ent in 1972 along with a
inks. Be that as it may, the name number of patents registered by
quence that transforms the Stuttgart. The following year he 3M gave this process, “drio- Scott Paper, which was work-
positive photographic plate into used these plates and inks to graphy”, is still occasionally ing on a similar project. In 1975
a printing plate. However, since produce four-colour prints on a used as a synonym for water- Toray registered a patent in
the maximum of 1,000 prints or sheetfed offset press in Vienna less offset. which the term “waterless off-
so that can be obtained from and monochrome supplements A number of ink manufac- set printing” appeared for the
such a plate is far too low for on a blanket-to-blanket news- turers took a different route first time, and by Drupa 1977
high-volume production, this paper press of his own design in from that associated with sili- was already able to exhibit a
process is still confined to short Leipzig. He exhibited the re- cone plates: their aim was to waterless plate. A year later it
runs for the reproduction of sults at the Leipzig spring fair dispense with the need for started marketing a positive
fine art – and is still based on and later in the USA, but failed fount solution in the press by waterless plate, TAP, since
glass plates. to find any takers for his novel,
high-quality process. And, yet
First waterless invention: again, he was unable to obtain a Temperature control is indispensable for maintaining stable printing
no market interest patent. conditions in a waterless offset press like this version of a Rapida 105 sheetfed
press
All subsequent advances in
Stabilising the dampening waterless offset printing formes
process has been an issue ever can be traced back to Her-
since planographic printing mann’s basic invention: the use
presses were invented, and al- of silicone as an ink-repellent
though major advances have coating. Which is why water-
been made with the adoption of less offset is sometimes called
isopropyl alcohol on the one siligraphy.
hand and ingenious refine-
ments in the design of dampen- First saleable waterless
ers on the other, the process is technologies: reverse
by no means perfect. So there lithography and driography
has been no lack of efforts to
eliminate fount solution from The first waterless printing
offset completely, with the em- process to be introduced after
phasis nowadays on environ- the Second World War was re-
mental issues. verse lithography, which was
Once again Caspar Her- developed in 1966 by two US
mann, the hapless inventor, engineers, Greubel and Russell,
played a role. In 1919 he was for odourless printing on pack-
denied a patent for his “offset aging. They replaced water
printing process without damp- with a dampening solution of
ening”. In 1930, at the end of a volatile hydrocarbons that
five-year period of employ- spread on the silicone and dis-
ment at Neuburger, a Viennese placed the ink – a process that
press manufacturer, he experi- was highly susceptible to tint-
mented with plates coated with ing. Filter and
pump
silicone by Eggen, a company At Drupa 1967 a US com-
in Viersen, and ink components pany, 3M, unveiled a waterless
supplied by Kast + Ehinger in offset plate that it patented Glycol cooler Cooling aggregate

4 KBA Process 2 | 2005

most printing plants in Japan
tend to use positive working
plates. For the US market,
where negative platemaking is
the norm, Toray unveiled a wa-
terless negative plate, TAN, at
Print 1980 and launched it on
the market in 1982.
Paper and ink manufactur-
ers in Japan supported this
technology, so it was able to
gain a foothold. But in
America, anything resembling
driography was viewed with a
certain amount of scepticism.
Admittedly, until the early
1990s there were a lot of teeth-
ing troubles to tackle: the sili-
cone layer was not sufficiently
scratch-resistant, the non-im- Unveiled at Imprinta 97, KBA’s 74 Karat was the first waterless offset press to combine on-press imaging with keyless
age areas were prone to tinting inking, in this case using Gravuflow units. This photo was taken at the official market launch at Drupa 2000
as the temperature rose in the
course of the print run and, due
to the lack of an emulsifier, the number of waterless printing printing and CTP. Presstek, a Since the on-press imaging
inks were too viscose and plants worldwide. company founded in 1987, set unit replaced the dampener,
caused picking. KBA and other In 1996 Toray’s German its sights on inventing a print- Presstek focused its efforts on
leading press manufacturers importer, marks-3zet in Mül- ing plate that could be laser- developing waterless film. The
were quick to combat tinting heim (Ruhr), helped to estab- imaged and required no further result was PEARLdry, which
with temperature control sys- lish the European Waterless chemical development, ena- can be used both as a DI film
tems in the printing units – a Printing Association (EWPA) bling plates or film to be and for CTP. PEARLdry is
feature that also enhances pro- whose activities include the imaged in the press. Presstek imaged by ablation, ie the IR
cess stability in wet offset. Inks promotion of waterless offset registered the technology under laser burns off the silicone layer
with a lower level of viscosity with UV inks (WL-UV). the name DI (Direct Imaging). to expose the ink-bearing poly-
were developed and Toray im- The principle was applied for mer layer underneath.
proved the silicone layer. The First laser-imageable the first time in a modified Kodak Polychrome Graph-
number of Toray users world- waterless plate: Heidelberg GTO exhibited at ics (KPG) was awarded a
wide, and even in the US, has Presstek PEARLdry Print 1991 in Chicago, and patent in 1994 for an IR laser-
since risen dramatically. later attained market maturity sensitive negative plate that re-
Waterless offset received in a Heidelberg Quickmaster quired chemical development
First special-interest group: fresh impulses from digital DI 46-4 shown at Drupa 1995. similar to that for Toray’s TAN.
WPA

The impressive quality en-

hancement achieved in water-
less offset persuaded Arthur W
Lefebvre, an American print
entrepreneur, to establish the
Waterless Printing Association
(WPA) in 1992. The WPA’s
mission is to promote an ex-
change of information on tech-
nical advances and to convince
both printers and print buyers
of waterless offset’s manifold
benefits.
In 1993 Toray Industries
was instrumental in founding
the Japan Waterless Printing
Association (JWPA). At that
time Japan boasted the largest

At Drupa 2000 KBA also unveiled

the world’s first waterless coldset
web press – the Cortina

KBA Process 2 | 2005 5

 Milestones | History of planographic printing

KPG coined the term “com- company which is now a KBA anilox offset, as it is also called, Cortina (Newsflow inking
p u t e r- t o - w a t e r l e s s - p l a t e ” subsidiary, culminated in the has since become the technol- units). KBA has thus given
(CTWP) to describe thermal development of a revolutionary ogy of choice for printing plas- waterless offset a significant
laser plate imaging. Unlike new inking process that dis- tic cards. boost by developing the appro-
Toray, KPG dispensed with a pensed with both water and ink Further advances have been priate presses. And the elimina-
scratch-proof protective film keys. Metronic subsequently made and new models now fea- tion of ink keys as well as water
on top of the silicone. These built this system into its oc 200 ture in KBA’s Genius 52 has not just simplified the pro-
thermal waterless printing press series, running it with (Metronic inking units), 74 cess – it signals a major step to-
plates are now marketed in Toray plates and UV-cured wa- Karat and Rapida 74 G wards standardising the entire
North America as Scorpion terless offset inks. Waterless (Gravuflow inking units) and print production sequence.
X54 and Scorpion X54 Plus.
Toray itself launched a First waterless newspaper
CTWP negative plate, the TAC, Presstek’s ProFire DI imaging head works by laser ablation (photo: Presstek) press: KBA Cortina
in 1999. The current (fourth)
version, the RG5, differs from The Cortina mentioned
other waterless plates in that above is the world’s first water-
it can be measured using a less coldset web press. A proto-
dotmeter. type unveiled at Drupa 2000
At Drupa 2004 Creo un- was followed in 2002 by the
veiled a CTWP film, Clarus first press-hall installations.
WL. The Cortina has taken waterless
offset into yet another sector
First waterless, keyless inking that was previously the pre-
units: KBA and Metronic serve of wet offset: high-vol-
ume newspaper production.
In 1994 a long-standing
collaborative alliance between Dieter Kleeberg
KBA and Metronic, a local

Waterless offset – definition and demarcation

W aterless offset, as the name indicates, is an indirect printing process
based on the application of ink to a planographic printing forme
where certain areas accept it and others repel it to create an image which is
non-image areas . But it would be a mistake to define waterless offset as a
form of gravure (in the US, the term silicone intaglio is often heard along
with driography), because waterless offset inks are much more viscose and
then transferred onto paper indirectly (ie from a forme with right reading in planographic printing presses are applied neither by immersion nor flood-
image) via a rubber blanket. ing and doctoring, nor are they dried through the evaporation of a solvent.
The term planographic means printing from a flat surface. Although Moreover, the ink is transferred by splitting it, not by emptying the cells, as
there is, in fact, a minimal difference in height between the image and non- is the case in gravure. And a waterless offset screen is not the same as the
image areas, this is of minor significance. For example, the image areas in height- and area-variable cell structure typical of gravure.
the photogelatine layer on a collotype plate and between the silicone-coated Many printers describe waterless offset as dry offset, which is incorrect
areas on a waterless offset plate are typically 2µm (0.08 thou) lower than the because that term is reserved for letterset, an indirect form of letterpress.

Properties of waterless offset compared to other proven printing processes entailing a flat printing forme or indirect image
transfer * layer of silver halide emulsion, diazo colloid or polymerisable resin; ** photo and thermal polymers, also for laser ablation and phase change
Printing process Principle Forme profile Forme material Image-area material Non-image-area material Ink consistency

Planographic with dampening

lithography (stone) direct flat original and original ink or porous limestone high-viscosity paste
duplicate stone transfer print moistened with water
lithography (zinc) direct flat wraparound transfer ink, granulated zinc high-viscosity paste
zinc plate later photo emulsion* moistened with water
conventional offset indirect via almost flat wraparound metal plate copper (on chrome), later photo metal (oxide) moistened high-viscosity paste
rubber blanket or PET film emulsion* (on aluminium oxide) with water (0 - 12% IPA)
dilitho newspaper offset direct almost flat wraparound trimetal copper or iron or aluminium oxide low viscosity (coldset)
plate brass and chrome moistened with water
Planographic without dampening
collotype direct almost flat glass plate partially swollen dichromate water-glycerinated medium viscosity
gelatine relief gelatine
waterless offset indirect via almost flat wraparound metal plate polymers** silicone high-viscosity paste
rubber blanket or PET film
Letterpress
“dry” offset, letterset indirect via r.b. raised wraparound relief plate etched metal, polymers** recessed low viscosity
Gravure
pad transfer indirect via recessed metal relief plate cells in metal doctored cell walls high viscosity, thinned
ink pad or polymer surface

6 KBA Process 2 | 2005

 Current approaches | Consumables

Optimising the interaction

of ink, plates and other consumables
At present two approaches are being pursued to improve the consumables used in waterless
offset. One focuses on dedicated waterless plates and films, the other on conventional plates.
Each requires a different type of ink and, to a lesser extent, modified blankets and substrates.
Advances in the use of conventional plates have not yet made them a viable alternative to
dedicated waterless plates.

W
aterless offset, initial viscosity to compen-
by definition, dis- 200 10 sate for the lack of emulsifica-
Pa·s Tack-
penses with the meter tion.
need for the fount solution es- scale The first waterless inks
150 7.5
sential in conventional wet formulated were much too
offset. Since waterless offset viscose and tacky, so when
Viscosity

Tack
ink is neither displaced by, 100 5 they were used in sheetfed
nor emulsified with, fount so- offset they caused picking on
lution, it must have different the paper surface. This was
properties from its wet offset 50 2.5 one of the teething troubles
counterparts. Common to associated with Toray plates
both types of ink is that they for several years.
1 0
alter their rheological charac- In fact, modern waterless
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 °C 70
teristics during the printing Temperature inks are still highly viscose,
process (see box: “Rheologi- but because they have the
cal properties of ink”). Typical behaviour of ink at different temperatures. Viscosity and tack decrease same tack as wet offset inks
as the temperature increases they can be used to deliver a
Wet offset ink emulsifies good quality print on practi-
with fount solution every degree Celsius that the sification of up to 70%. This cally all the same materials,
temperature rises. As a result reduces viscosity still further, even on weakly sized paper or
In their initial state wet the ink loses its paste-like very much like a thinner. So newsprint. If the ink were less
offset inks are highly viscose, consistency (thixotropy) and wet offset inks have a medium viscous, heat would make it
ie they can have a dynamic emulsifies with the fount so- viscosity when they are being too liquid: an uncontrolled in-
viscosity of up to 100 Pa·s (67 lution. If the fount solution worked. crease in temperature would
pdl s/ft2). When the ink film is film is re-split from the print- cause ink build-up on the non-
distributed and split in the ing forme back into the inking Waterless offset inks image areas, and thus tinting.
inking unit it is subjected to unit, and bridge rollers are no longer cause picking… This is why precise tempera-
deforming mechanical forces used between the dampening ture control is absolutely es-
which generate heat. The vis- and inking units, it is possible It follows that waterless sential (see final section on
cosity falls by around 8% with to achieve an optimum emul- offset inks must have a lower page 10).

Rheological properties of inks Flow: the distance that a specific volume (1ml or 0.03fl.oz) of verti-

I nk flow depends on the adhesive and cohesive forces operating

among its ingredients. Temperature, processing speed, pressure and
shearing forces also influence the rate of flow and thus the resultant
cally flowing ink covers in a specific time (10 minutes). Even inks with
a higher viscosity should cover at least 4cm (11/2”).
Yield value: the viscosity level at which ink no longer displays an
image. innate propensity to spread; important for the afterflow of ink in the ink
Viscosity (flow resistance): the higher the viscosity (ie the lower the trough, a sharp dot definition and a clean-cut delineation of non-image
propensity to flow), the more uniform the ink film on the printing forme. areas.
The two key features of a paste-like ink are its dynamic viscosity Tack: the propensity of ink to split or resist splitting, measured as
(quotient of the shear stress and speed), measured with a rotational vis- per ISO 12634 with a rotary tackmeter. The higher the tack, the stronger
cosimeter, and its static viscosity, measured with a falling rod viscosi- the adhesion to the plate and blanket (and thus the propensity to pick)
meter in accordance with ISO 12644. Other methods are used to specify and the sharper the image reproduction.
and regulate the viscosity of liquid inks. Length: ink flow characteristic, demonstrated by the length of the
Thixotropy: the propensity of highly viscose ink to become less “string” created when the ink is poured or scooped out. Ink that creates a
viscose when subjected to mechanical stress (lateral distribution, split- long string before breaking flows better and is more suitable for pumping
ting, agitation). Its reconversion to the original paste-like condition is systems. Short(-stringing) ink breaks off quickly, is less inclined to mist
called relaxation. and produces a sharper image.

KBA Process 2 | 2005 7

 Current approaches | Consumables

1
…and are partially proved. The same applies to Unlike the silicone or the
water-washable inks for the KBA Cortina wa- solvent layer on top of it, the
terless newspaper press. Here, 2 exposed polymer beneath has
Sun Chemical has ensured the less viscose inks offered a high surface tension, so the
that washing waterless inks is by various manufacturers interfacial tension between
3
as environmentally friendly must be capable of working the polymer and the ink is also
as printing with them. Its In- with the specified plate types. high, causing the ink to ad-
stant Dry ink, launched at 4 here. This interfacial tension
Drupa 2000, can be washed Waterless offset plate: is roughly as strong as that be-
off the rollers and blankets coated with silicone… tween the ink and the rubber
with water instead of solvent. Because the weak fluid boundary rollers (for inking the forme)
Its most recent waterless inks, Silicones are silicon-ox- layer (WFBL) is created within a few and the ink and the blanket
revolutions there is less waste in
Irodry W2 and DriLith W2 ide-bearing chain or ring mol- waterless offset. (image transfer), so the ink is
(W2 = water washable), are ecules in which silicon atoms 1) the waterless plate is fully inked split upon contact. In effect,
used in KBA sheetfed presses. bond to residual hydrocarbon with the first pass by the forme especially if the ink is not
rollers
W2 inks are based on non- atoms such as methyl. When 2) solvent particles (beige) from the emulsified, the polymer must
volatile organic fatty acid the basic material is processed ink immediately penetrate the possess the same ink-splitting
esters instead of mineral oil these residual molecules re- silicone layer (yellow)
3) after saturating the silicone the
properties as the oleophilic
and have the advantage of be- ticulate to produce oil, fat, solvent collects on the surface thermal or photopolymer
ing de-inkable, quick-drying, resin, latex or rubber. A sim- 4) the forme rollers pick up the ink copying layer in wet offset.
again from the solvent-covered
powder-free and rub-resistant, ple rubber-like mass of dime- silicone areas, so it is only split on
with a standard dot gain and a thyl silicone (CH3)2SiO has the polymer image areas (green) Waterless offset plates
stable structure (uniform vis- proved to be the most suitable
cosity). material for waterless offset Polymers on a waterless
plates. tion. Photopolymers are sen- plate differ substantially from
Formulating waterless inks Caspar Hermann used sili- sitive to light and UV radi- the photo- and thermal poly-
for specific plate materials cone in his ingenious experi- ation, ie embedded photo- mers on a wet offset plate.
ments in 1930, and research to initiators trigger the creation Firstly, the waterless poly-
Waterless offset inks must date has been unable to better of radicals which in one- mer layer is not on top but be-
be formulated for a compound it. It works on the principle dimensionally reticulated neath the silicone, which
plate comprising silicone rub- that oily solvents released substances (eg resins) result means it is imaged through it.
ber on top of a light- or heat- from the ink when it is split in in a stronger reticulation, and On Toray plates there is an ad-
sensitive polymer. The 2µm the ink train are absorbed by thus hardening, or enhance ditional transparent protective
(78µin) silicone layer is oleo- the silicone. When the ink the reaction to developing flu- film over the silicone during
phobic, ie it repels oil and thus forme roller revolves against ids. Thermal polymers react imaging.
ink, whereas the polymer is the plate cylinder the silicone to heat radiation, eg from an Secondly, polymers on a
oleophilic. surface becomes saturated infrared (IR) laser, which to- wet offset plate react to
While most waterless inks and then coated with these tally transforms or even de- imaging by hardening or sof-
are suitable for most waterless solvent particles, which thus stroys the polymer structure tening. The softened or non-
plates, there are certain differ- assume the function of fount so it can easily be removed by hardened areas are removed
ences (just as there are in wet water as a separator. The in- developing, washing, brush- during chemical and/or me-
offset) between inks for terfacial tension subsequently ing etc. Light- or IR-sensitive chanical development. Water-
sheetfed and those for web created between the solvent polymers, which reject the less polymers, by contrast,
presses (heatset and coldset) layer and the ink by the rollers overlying silicone layer when cause the overlying silicone
and between inks that dry by is so weak that no ink can ad- burned or developed, are used layer to peel off. This can oc-
oxidation and those that are here to these areas (ink manu- on waterless plates. cur in different ways: through
cured by radiation. Nowadays facturers refer to this solvent chemical development, wash-
waterless sheetfed offset inks layer as a WFBL – weak fluid ing with water or some other
are usually formulated duct- boundary layer). This com- process that entails neither.
fresh as a fair compromise plex model has been retained
between maximising their because although other mate- Chemical development
drying properties and mini- rials, such as Teflon, have just
mising cleaning require- as weak a surface tension as Waterless plates that are
ments. silicone, they have proved to developed chemically are cur-
Direct imaging consum- be useless as an ink repellent. rently available from Toray
ables, which until Drupa 2004 and KPG. Imaging can be
were confined to Presstek’s …and polymer
PEARLdry and PEARLdry
Plus films and plates, also re- Polymers are organic sub-
Toray’s Waterless Plate Processor
quire specially formulated stances made of reticulated incorporates a three-step sequence:
inks. For this reason the only molecules. Nowadays thou- pre-treatment with solution,
inks that KBA recommends sands of polymers are known development with tap water and
after-treatment with another solution.
for its 74 Karat are ones that whose properties can be Some plate types are then washed up
have been tested and ap- changed by chemical reac- with water

8 KBA Process 2 | 2005

negative, positive, analogue Earlier tests by various ink
or digital. Negative plates are manufacturers and US press
IR laser beam Cleaning (brushes
first pre-treated with solvent rotating in manufacturer Goss therefore
to desensitise the polymer water bath) focused on printing with pre-
(ie make it light- or heat- emulsified ink. The aim was
resistant) and to enhance the to dispense with the need to
Ink-repellent Residue removal
silicone’s adherence to the Thermal reaction silicone layer (peeling)
apply fount solution inside the
non-image areas. A develop- Warming Ink-receptive Cooling
press by mixing the fount so-
ing fluid is then applied to the heat-sensitive lution into the ink during
polymer layer
imaged areas, which loosens manufacture or in an ink mix-
Primer
the silicone and causes it to ing unit in the press hall. That
swell. It is then rinsed or Aluminium layer would not, of course, be wa-
brushed off. Positive plates terless offset in the true sense,
require no preliminary treat- TAC-W2 is the prototype of a negative writing CTP plate developed by Toray. but the result would be simi-
ment to increase adherence. In the image areas the heat-sensitive polymer layer reacts with the overlying lar, since there would be no
silicone, which can then simply be brushed off in a water bath
The polymer layer itself is dampener. Be that as it may,
bonded with the aluminium tests along these lines were
packing via an adhesive layer Spray). Lastra also had some Between the silicone layer unsuccessful as it was found
of primer. in the pipeline prior to its and the aluminium or polyes- that pre-emulsified ink – even
In 1999 and 2003 the acquisition by Agfa. Positive ter underlay there are not one with special additives – did
University of Saskatchewan writing waterless offset plates but two polymer layers. The not eliminate the need for
(Canada) published details of are not yet available. Phase- upper one reflects the infrared fount solution on the printing
a process for “siliconising” switch polymers could also be rays and burns off together forme. The emulsions tested
used wet offset aluminium adopted for waterless plates: with the overlying silicone. not only proved to be unsta-
plates. Both the stripped – but during the developing process The residue is removed in the ble, heat-sensitive and unsuit-
for waterless offset unneces- the silicone could simply be off-press or on-press imaging able for long print runs, but
sarily roughened – face and washed off with the softened unit to expose the ink-bearing also had to be reformulated
the smooth reverse side of the water-soluble polymer parti- areas on the underlying poly- for each of the press types
plate can be used. But cles. But so far no plate maker mer layer. tested. So there could be no
siliconising and developing has indicated that it is pursu- talk of relieving the press op-
processes are only for crafts- ing this avenue. Waterless inks for erator’s workload.
men and not to be recom- wet offset plates:
mended for standardised Dry ablative development not pre-emulsified… …but totally reformulated
production.
One alternative to chemi- It is a well-known fact that But the idea of developing
Water-based development cal or water-based processing wet offset entails more than a waterless offset ink for con-
is laser ablation. Ablative the application of ink onto ventional plates was not aban-
At Drupa 2004 Toray metal plates are currently on- paper. The ink must have an doned. Flint Ink, in particular,
launched the TAC-W2, a pro- ly available from Presstek, optimum degree of emulsifi- has since produced some ac-
totype negative writing CTP though in summer 2004 Creo cation in order to achieve a ceptable results, though the
plate made of IR-sensitive launched a rival product, the stable ink/water balance. The inks it has developed do not
water-soluble polymer that is Clarus WL polyester film for volume of ink increases by yet represent a competitive al-
laser-imaged at 150 to 200 direct-imaging offset presses. 10 to 20 per cent through the ternative. While Flint Ink de-
mJ/cm2 (0.55 - 0.736 ft pdl/ This plate has already been absorption of fount solution scribes them as single fluid
in2). This new polymer-coated tested successfully on both when the fount solution film inks and has registered the ab-
plate requires no chemical sheetfed and web offset is re-split from the plate back breviation SFI as a trademark,
development, just water: after presses. Ablative plates are into the ink train or via a other ink manufacturers like
laser-imaging it is merely negative writing, ie the IR la- bridge roller between the Sun Chemical use the term
rinsed off. ser acts on the image areas. dampening and inking units. single fluid ink as a generic
Phase-switch thermal pol- description for waterless off-
ymer layers are also devel- set inks because the second
oped using water. When fluid, the fount solution, has
imaged with an IR laser beam been eliminated.
they change instantly from a IR laser beam At Drupa 2000, after sev-
solid to a near-liquid. At the en years of research, Flint Ink
same time they become more unveiled a unique SFI ink.
soluble in water, so the areas
Ablation Ink-repellent Residue removal
covered with this liquefied during irradiation silicone layer (extraction,
polymer can be simply rinsed Heat-sensitive wiping)
Ablation Imaging and developing sequence in
polymer layer
with water to expose the alu- a Presstek negative writing CTP
Ink-receptive
minium oxide layer beneath. polymer layer plate: the upper polymer layer burns
Positive writing wet offset off, destroying the overlying silicone.
Aluminium or The residue is then removed to
plates are manufactured by polyester layer expose the underlying polymer layer
Agfa (:Thermolite, :Litespeed- that will later bear the ink

KBA Process 2 | 2005 9

 Current approaches | Consumables

How the properties of various consumables influence ink transfer in waterless offset
Parameter Ink Plate(silicone layer) Plate(polymer layer) Rollers Blanket Substrate
Surface properties
Interfacial tension to all other to solvent in the ink, ink adhesion ink adhesion on ink adhesion on printability
materials ink repulsion rubber surface blanket surface
Roughness, capillarity — ability to absorb solvent ink adhesion ink adhesion on ink adhesion on printability,
from ink rubber surface blanket surface absorbency

Structural properties
Ink viscosity runability — wetting distributing quality wetting wetting, penetration
Ink tack runability — ink splitting ink splitting ink splitting ink splitting, picking on
paper and cartons
Ink formulation runability ink repulsion ink attraction ink splitting ink splitting ink splitting, drying
Temperature runability temperature control — temp. control promotes — drying
prevents tinting consistent rheology
Viscoelasticity shearing shearing shearing of shearing of print quality
propensity — blanket surface blanket surface on synthetics
Compressibility — — — shearing of microcells control print quality
blanket surface dot gain
Hardness — developing process, print-run stability print-run stability optimum dot (runability)
print-run stability of the forme reproduction,
print-run stability of
printing forme
Dimensional stability — (carrier substrate (carrier substrate — — (runability
influences register) influences register)

The initial sheetfed offset for- The interaction of the ink the solvent(s) stated on the ink rently collaborating with all
mula was followed by a and the plates in waterless off- packaging or the type of ra- major manufacturers to
heatset formula in 2002. Flint set must be viewed in con- diation used for drying or – optimise its waterless news-
Ink’s SFI is neither pre-emul- junction with other processes since UV waterless inks are paper technology.
sified nor a conventional wa- and press components. Pre- now available – curing.
terless offset ink, but contains cise temperature control, a Waterless offset inks may …and substrates
patented chemicals that pre- feature of all waterless press- differ from wet offset inks in
vent the ink from adhering to es, is a major influence. A lot their ink-splitting properties. Since waterless inks con-
the non-image areas – ie the of wet offset presses today are This can mean that a blanket tain no fount solution that
exposed aluminium oxide shipped either with a pre- that is suitable for wet offset is must evaporate or be ab-
layer – on a conventional wet configured interface for a not necessarily suitable for sorbed, they generally dry
offset plate. The biggest out- temperature control system or waterless offset. Rubber roll- faster than wet offset inks,
standing issue seems to be with such a system already ers are less sensitive in this re- so the absorbency of the
that the non-image areas are fitted. This not only ensures a spect and can even be used in substrate plays a smaller role
prone to tinting as they wear – stable ink/water balance with- hybrid offset presses that run than in wet offset. Print-
apparently after 40,000 to in the press but is also a basic both wet and waterless. through can occur, however,
100,000 revolutions, depend- essential for waterless offset. Waterless offset is a pro- if waterless inks are applied to
ing on the plate type. SFI The system includes a cess with high quality stand- highly absorbent stock.
process and spot inks will not coolant circuit that keeps the ards, capable of reproducing With both waterless and
be released on the market un- temperature of the relevant particularly fine screens with wet offset inks, it is the
til beta tests have been con- roller and cylinder assemblies extreme highlights and shad- chemical or physical proper-
cluded to the users’ total satis- within a range of 18°C to ows. In sheetfed it is essential ties of the paper surface that
faction. 32°C. Press manufacturers to choose a blanket capable of are usually responsible for
Flint Ink claims that SFI have invested a lot of know- printing absolutely uniform chalking or repulsion prob-
can be used for the same ap- how in enhancing the efficacy solids, ie one that has a finely lems. Although papermakers
plications as wet offset inks, of such temperature controls, ground and polished face have yet to offer an explicitly
and that it is also suitable for which must serve two basic compound with a maximum waterless paper, non-absorb-
analogue and CTP plates purposes: they must ensure hardness of 80° Shore A and a ent substrates like film, syn-
because there are no tempera- that the rollers and cylinders compressibility of 0.16 to thetics or sealed paper, which
ture controls or speed limita- have the specified optimum 0.21mm (0.006” - 0.008”) at can often only be printed in
tions, no ink misting and no temperature profile, and they a maximum standard com- wet offset using UV inks,
reaction with blankets and must compensate for any sud- pressive force of 1350kPa are ideal. Print production
rollers. Also, the ink film is den build-up of heat during (28,195lbf/ft2) for a controlled on plastic cards (eg with
scratch-proof and can be temporary standstills. dot gain. For newspaper Metronic’s oc200) or plastic
aqueous or UV-coated or else production, on the other hand, and lenticular film (eg with
laminated with a synthetic …on blankets and rollers the rougher the blanket, the the waterless offset KBA 74
film. better. Special waterless off- Karat) are evidence of this.
For blankets and rollers set blankets are available
Impact of temperature control… the same applies as in wet off- from a number of manufactur- Dieter Kleeberg
set: they must be resistant to ers. KBA, for example, is cur-

10 KBA Process 2 | 2005

Resources/alliance partners

W e wish to thank all our

alliance partners for their
invaluable support in advancing
Westland Gummiwerke GmbH,
D-Melle,
www.westland-worldwide.de
Zeller+Gmelin GmbH,
D-Eislingen,
www.zeller-gmelin.de
Myllykoski Sales AG,
Utzenstorf Papier,
CH-Utzenstorf,
and optimising waterless, keyless (rollers) and Myllykoski Sales GmbH,
offset for shopfloor applications. Plates, pre-press D-Dachau,
Inks Creo EMEA S.A., www.myllykoski.com,
Press kit and peripherals ANI Printing Inks: B-Waterloo, www.utzenstorf-papier.ch
Axima GmbH, Akzo Nobel Inks, www.creo.com Norske Skog,
D-Freiburg/Breisgau, DK-Brøndby/S-Trelleborg, and Ernst Marks GmbH, A-Bruck/Muhr,
www.axima.de Lindgens Druckfarben GmbH, waterless printing centre, www.norske-skog.at
(temperature control systems) D-Cologne, D-Mülheim/Ruhr, Papierfabrik Palm,
Baldwin Germany GmbH, www.aninks.com www.marks-3zet.de D-Aalen,
D-Augsburg, BASF Drucksysteme GmbH, HumanEyes Technologies Ltd., www.papierfabrik-palm.de,
www.baldwintech.com D-Stuttgart, IL-Jerusalem/USA-New York, www.wellenwunder.de/internet/
(temperature control and blanket and BASF Druk Inkt BV, www.humaneyes.com papier/
washing systems) NL-Doetinchem, Perlen Papier AG,
Kodak Polychrome Graphics
Ludwig E. Betz GmbH, www.basf-printing-systems.com CH-Perlen,
(KPG), D-Osterode,
D-Marktheidenfeld, Classic Colours, www.kpgraphics.com www.perlen.ch
www.betz.de GB-Reading, SCA Graphic Sundsvall AB,
Nela Brüder Neumeister GmbH,
(ink pumping systems) www.classiccolours.co.uk Ortviken Paper Mill,
D-Lahr,
Felix Böttcher GmbH, Epple Druckfarben AG, www.nela.de S-Sundsvall,
D-Cologne, D-Neusäss, www.sca.se
Presstek, Inc.,
www.boettcher.de (rollers) and Sicolor GmbH, Schönfelder Papierfabrik GmbH,
USA-Hudson/NH,
ContiTech Elastomer- D-Neusäss, D-Annaberg-Buchholz,
www.presstek.com
Beschichtungen GmbH, www.epple-druckfarben.de, www.schoenfelder-
www.sicolor.de Toray Industries Inc.,
D-Northeim, papierfabrik.de
J-Urayasu,
www.contiair.com (blankets) Flint Ink, Steinbeis Temming
www.toray.co.jp/waterless,
Day International GmbH, USA-Ann Arbor/Mi, Papier GmbH,
www.waterless.org,
D-Reutlingen, and Flint-Schmidt GmbH, D-Glückstadt,
www.waterless-print.com
www.dayintl.com (blankets) D-Frankfurt/M., www.steinbeis-temming.de
www.flintink.com,
Elettra srl, Paper, substrates StoraEnso Deutschland GmbH,
www.flint-schmidt.com
I-Olgiate Molgora/LC, Aylesford Newsprint Ltd., D-Hamburg,
www.elettra-online.com Huber-Gruppe, Michael Huber www.storaenso.com
GB-Aylesford/Kent,
(blanket washing systems) München GmbH,
www.aylesford-newsprint.co.uk UPM-Kymmene Sales GmbH,
D-Kirchheim,
Idab Wamac GmbH, HIT Paper Trading GmbH, D-Hamburg,
www.huber-gruppe.com,
D-Hamburg, JSC Volga, A-Wien, www.upm-kymmene.com
www.mhm.de
www.idabwamac.com www.hit-papertrading.com,
(post-press/mailroom) Prüfbau Associations, consultation,
www.volga-paper.ru
Dr.-Ing. H. Dürner GmbH, certification
MacDermid Graphic Arts S.A., Holmen Paper GmbH,
D-Peissenberg,
F-Cernay, D-Hamburg, Berufsgenossenschaft Druck u.
www.pruefbau.de
www.macdermid.com www.holmenpaper.com Papierverarbeitung,
(ink rheology tests)
(blankets) D-Wiesbaden,
Sicpa Group, IGEPA Group,
Müller Martini Versand- www.bgdp.de
CH-Prilly, D-Reinbek,
Systeme AG, www.igepa.de European Waterless Printing
www.sicpa.com
CH-Zofingen, Association (EWPA),
Siegwerk Druckfarben AG, Kübler & Niethammer Papier-
www.mullermartini.com c/o Druck & Beratung
D-Siegburg, fabrik Kriebstein AG,
(post-press/mailroom) Detlef Braun,
www.siegwerk.de D-Kriebstein,
Reeves S.p.A., D-Mühlheim/Ruhr,
www.k-n-paper.de
I-Lodi Vecchio, SunChemical Ltd., www.ewpa.org, www.wluv.de
European Coldset Centre (ECC), Klöckner Pentaplast GmbH,
www.reeves.it Japan Waterless Printing
GB-London, D-Montabaur,
(blankets) Association (JWPA),
and SunChemical Hartmann www.kpfilms.com
Sauer Walzenfabrik GmbH, J-Tokyo,
Druckfarben GmbH, Lang Papier, [email protected]
Eurolab, D-Berlin,
D-Frankfurt/M, D-Dachau,
www.sauer-roller.com Ökopol Institut für Ökologie
www.sunchemical.com www.langpapier.de
(rollers) und Politik GmbH,
Toyo Color America, LLC, Mochenwangen Papier GmbH, D-Hamburg,
Technotrans AG,
A Toyo Ink Company, D-Mochenwangen, www.oekopol.de
D-Sassenberg,
USA-Englewood Cliffs/NJ, www.mochenwangen-papier.de
www.technotrans.de Waterless Printing Association
www.toyocolor.com
(temperature control systems) (WPA),
USA-Chicago/IL,
www.waterless.org

KBA Process 2 | 2005 11

 Current approaches | Inking-unit design

Waterless and keyless –

new inking unit designs
Eliminating fount solution in offset is just the first step towards simplifying this widely popular printing process. The second step is to dispense
with ink keys. Both moves support the transition to an offset process that is no longer subject to manual intervention, and thus human error, via
the press settings – a basic precondition for standardising the entire print production chain. When developing keyless inking units for waterless
offset KBA was able to draw on a wealth of experience with waterless UV printing on plastic cards and CDs, keyless newspaper production
and inline coating.

80
Conventional: long inking units % achieve a stable ink emulsifi-
with ink keys, duct roller, cation. The ink forme rollers,
vibrator roller etc
Change in relative viscosity

60 which number between two

and four, also have the func-

C
onventional film ink- tion of preventing ghosting on
ing units in offset 40 the plate. These functions are
presses have a five- the same in waterless offset,
assembly ink train: provided a precise tempera-
• an ink trough with metering 20
ture control system is in-
elements (ink keys or slides stalled in place of the disen-
that press against a one-piece gaged or absent dampening
or segmented ink knife); 0 units.
• a rotating duct roller (tem- 0 0.5 1.0 ..5 2.0 2.5 K 3.0 Provision for connection
perature-controllable); Change in temperature to a temperature control cir-
• a vibrator roller between the Ink viscosity in the controlled area is almost linearly dependent on cuit is now a standard feature
duct roller and distributor temperature. A temperature fluctuation of just 1 Kelvin causes a relative of all Rapida presses. A grow-
rollers on sheetfed presses, or change in viscosity of more than 20% ing number of printing plants
a film roller on web presses; are opting for an all-in tem-
• several oscillating ink roll- is transported to the rear pair long since proven their worth perature control system, not
ers that are either coated with of ink forme rollers indirectly in KBA’s Varidamp dampen- just because it is essential
rilsan or copper (ink drum, from the front pair via an ers. with waterless offset but be-
temperature controlled), or oversize bridge roller. KBA cause it also promotes a more
made of rubber; generally favours single-train …and temperature control stable print in wet offset and
• one or more pairs of rubber inking in sheetfed offset and dramatically reduces IPA
rollers for applying ink to the double-train in web offset. Long inking units in con- emissions. Temperature con-
printing forme. However, the inking unit de- ventional offset presses with trol is already essential in
Ink feed is defined as sin- veloped by Ryobi for the dampening units are designed commercial web offset and is
gle- or double-train, depend- KBA 46 Karat waterless DI to split the ink repeatedly and therefore a standard feature of
ing on how the ink is split by sheetfed offset press has a thus reduce the thickness of all Compacta presses. KBA
the oscillating ink rollers onto double train. the ink film from a few tenths customises Baldwin, Techno-
the pairs of ink forme rollers. Rider rollers at the dis- of a millimetre on the duct trans and other temperature
In single-train inking, the ink tributor rollers and/or the roller to around 4µm (0.15 control systems to suit indi-
front pair of ink forme rollers thou) on the plate, and to vidual press configurations.
can be engaged as bridge roll-
ers to create a “short circuit”
to the dampening unit. Alter-
natively, a larger-diameter
forme roller can transfer both
ink and fount solution to the
printing plate. These engi-
neering refinements have

Baldwin CombiLiner
ink temperature
Left: The 46 Karat waterless DI control unit linked to
offset press has double-train inking other feed systems
units for a Rapida

12 KBA Process 2 | 2005

 1 Schematic of the five keyless inking The process parameters
units in a Genius 52: the press crew must master
2 1 doctor-blade chamber
2 screen roller are thus reduced to a mini-
3 3 ink forme roller mum, and with them potential
4 plate cylinder problems. But the ground-
4 5 blanket cylinder
6 quadruple-size impression cylinder work for reliably reproduces
5 images – and thus standardi-
sation – is laid in pre-press.
is not needed for the printed ICC profiles and print charac-
image it is simply wiped off teristics should nowadays be
6 again and returned to the ink an integral part of the routine
circulation system. In sheet- in any quality-conscious
fed offset presses where the graphic enterprise, so water-
ink forme rollers have the less, keyless offset should
same diameter as the plate demand no additional capa-
cylinder, no oscillation is bilities. Pre-press precision is,
needed because this type of after all, just as essential for
short inking unit is totally quality production with long
ghosting-free. The Cortina inking units incorporating ink
inking unit features two addi- keys. And ink keys are no sub-
tional self-oscillating dis- stitute for precise, immaculate
tributor rollers alongside the plate exposure because they
two forme rollers. The duct, cannot correct oversized, un-
vibrator and film rollers are dersized or missing dots: they
replaced by an anilox roller merely enable the colour tone
doctoring system and are in an image or solid to be ad-
therefore eliminated along justed via over- or under-ink-
with the ink keys. ing – provided there are no

The temperature of the screen rollers and plate cylinders at the keyless inking
units in the Genius 52 UV press is also controlled

The new alternative: 13mps (2,560fpm) Cortina

keyless inking units newspaper press there are
four rollers because its higher
Although long inking printing speed means that
units would also transfer the emptying the screen of ink
ink in the desired thickness to plays a more critical role.
the printing forme on a water- When KBA decided to
less offset press, they are sur- adopt short inking units it also
plus to requirements because decided to dispense with
keyless inking units work zone-wide ink metering. A
with much greater precision uniform, precisely specified
and are not subject to manual volume of ink is offered up to
intervention by the operator. the printing plate or plates
So far KBA and its subsidiary (depending on the image)
Metronic are the only manu- across the entire format width
facturers to embrace this al- via a screen (or anilox) roller,
ternative means of further doctoring system and forme
simplifying and standardising roller(s). If a particular colour
waterless offset. Thus the
screen roller on the 74 Karat,
Genius 52 and Rapida 74 G is
accompanied by just one ink
forme roller. Both rollers have
the same diameter as the plate Schematic of the four Gravuflow
and blanket cylinders. On the short inking units in a 74 Karat

KBA Process 2 | 2005 13

 Current approaches | Inking-unit design

Comparison of conventional and keyless waterless offset inking units

Functions Conventional (long) Keyless (short)
in Rapidas and Compactas Gravuflow in 74 Karat Newsflow in Cortina Metronic in Genius 52
and Rapida 74 G and Metronic presses
Ink feed manual, optional cartridge cartridge pump manual
or pump
Ink key metering ink trough with ink keys none none none
and knives
Ink volume metering rotating duct roller, timed doctor-blade doctor-blade bar + doctor-blade
dancing vibrator roller or film roller chamber + rotating screen roller rotating screen roller chamber + rotating screen roller
Ink distribution several distributor rollers none 2 rilsan and 2 rubber rollers none
and ink drum
Plate inking up to 4 pairs of 1 x 1:1 forme roller 2 rubber forme rollers 1 x 1:1 forme roller
rubber forme rollers with blanket with blanket
Image transfer conventional blanket conventional blanket minigap blanket minigap blanket
with bar with bar with metal back with metal back
Relative dimensions duct roller ≥ distributor/ screen roller < ink forme roller screen roller > ink forme rollers screen roller = ink forme roller
ink forme rollers ink form roller << ink forme roller < plate/blanket ink forme roller << plate/ ink forme roller = plate/
plate/blanket cylinders cylinders blanket cylinders blanket cylinders
plate/blanket cyl. < impression cyl. plate/blanket cyl. < impression cyl. (blanket-to-blanket) plate/blanket cyl. = impression cylinder
Temperature control duct roller + ink drum screen roller + plate cylinder screen roller + plate cylinder screen roller + plate cylinder

keyless inking units. Its oc200 waterless plate, a blanket cyl- Metronic’s proprietary
UV press, which can print and inder and an impression cylin- short inking unit formed the
coat pairs of plastic cards up der. The rollers and cylinders basis for the one in the com-
to an ISO format of 86 x all have the same diameter. pact Genius 52 waterless off-
54mm (31/4” x 2”), has been This technology also comes set press, a prototype of which
one of its best-selling lines into play in Metronic’s CD was unveiled to great acclaim
since 1994. The mini printing Print and Premius presses for at Ipex 2002. The marketing
unit incorporates an anilox printing CDs, DVDs, mini- concept for the Genius is two-
roller, an ink forme roller, a discs and unusual optical pronged, with KBA selling
Schematic showing a Gravuflow
short inking unit in a Rapida 74 G plate cylinder fitted with a business cards. the oxidative ink version for
and a conventional inking unit in a paper and board and Metronic
Rapida Printing unit with Gravuflow short inking unit in a Rapida 74 G: selling the UV version for
1 ink cartridge, 2 chambered doctor blade, 3 screen roller, 4 ink forme roller, film and plastic printing in its
5 plate cylinder, 6 blanket cylinder, 7 impression cylinder
specialist niche markets.
1
other images or solids posi- 2 Groundbreakers:
tioned around the circumfer- 3 Gravuflow and Newsflow
ence.
However painful it may be 4 Metronic’s established
for many experienced print- short inking units and KBA’s
ers, the fact remains that any 5 current short inking units for
subsequent adjustment made waterless offset originated
via the ink keys and duct 6
roller speed is a subjective in-
tervention in the printing
process and runs counter to 7
the concept of standardised
production with objectively
defined parameters and reli-
ably repeatable results. And
as a rule it also generates
5 6
needless waste.
7
Metronic: card and CD printing 3 8
as the basis for development 4
The Newsflow short inking unit in
7 the Cortina is a Gravuflow unit
modified for newspaper presses:
Metronic, which is located 1 ink pump
in Veitshöchheim near Würz- 5 6
2 2 blade on/off
burg, collaborated with KBA 3 doctor-blade bar
4 temperature-controlled ceramic
for many years before it be- anilox or Gravuflow roller
came a subsidiary in 2004, 5 rubber rollers
and was the first press manu- 6 rilsan inking rollers
7 rubber ink forme rollers
facturer worldwide to develop 8 temperature-controlled plate
1
a waterless offset press with cylinder

14 KBA Process 2 | 2005

 10
from a common development The development of the Newsflow
platform, but while Metronic unit benefited from KBA’s in-depth
8 experience in anilox wet offset, eg in
specialised in UV systems for 9 the Anilox-Commander:
printing cards, discs and film, 7 1 ink pump, 2 ink trough (split for
12 different colour impositions in the
KBA focused on sheetfed off-
6 13 printing couple), 3 doctor blade,
set and newspaper web 4 ink feed, 5 anilox rollers,
13
presses. The systems that 6 and 8 ink forme roller,
14 7 rider roller, 9 plate cylinder,
evolved – Gravuflow inking 10 blanket cylinder (blanket-to-
units in the 74 Karat and later 5
blanket), 11 web, 12 dampening
4 15 forme roller, 13 dampening rollers,
in the Rapida 74 G, Newsflow
3 14 dampening distributor roller,
inking units in the Cortina – 15 spray bar
boast some unique features. 2
1
Even though wet offset,
11
with its huge installed base
and wide-ranging applica-
tions, will remain the domi-
nant printing process for some comprise four assemblies the roller rotates under the In-depth experience in short
time to come, KBA predicts with the following functions: bath the working blade wipes inking and coating technologies
that keyless inking units like • an ink-feed system (car- off the excess ink. KBA’s for conventional presses
its Gravuflow and Newsflow tridges, pumps); doctoring systems for key-
are the route the industry will • a chambered doctoring sys- less inking are not the same Alongside its alliance with
take. Sooner or later eco- tem (doctor blade chamber or as the ones for flexo presses Metronic, KBA can also draw
nomic and ecological consid- holder); or coaters. The open chamber on many years of in-house ex-
erations will drive the adop- • a constantly rotating, tem- system for slower-running perience in the design and de-
tion of waterless offset in gen- perature-controlled metering sheetfed presses and the velopment of keyless water-
eral, and keyless waterless roller (Gravuflow or anilox closed bar system with pump less offset systems, among
offset in particular, by players roller with ceramic-coated, for high-speed newspaper them anilox short inking units
in both the sheetfed and the hatched surface); presses were specifically for newspaper presses in the
web press markets – and there • a 1:1 blanket-covered engineered to handle high- 1990s and anilox coaters for
are some hard facts to back forme roller on sheetfed viscose inks like those used sheetfed offset presses.
this up. Since print runs in presses or several smaller in waterless processes. Over the past ten years
commercial web offset are rubber rollers (connected by Keyless inking units such some 20 Colora, Commander
still very long, in the web oscillating ink rollers) in as these must, of course, also and Express presses totalling
press market KBA is using the newspaper presses. feature temperature control. around 600 wet offset printing
Cortina initially to target the The doctoring system has The temperature on the sur- couples with anilox short ink-
newspaper sector, where run two blades – a working blade face of the screen roller and ing units have rolled off the
lengths are diminishing on the and a sealing blade – which plate cylinder in KBA’s KBA production line. Other
back of greater localisation when thrown against the sheetfed presses and Cortina keyless presses shipped by
and split editions. anilox roller create a tempo- is speed-dependent and con- KBA include Flexo-Courier
Gravuflow and Newsflow rary “bath” that floods the trolled within tight toler- and Colormax CIC newspa-
waterless anilox inking units hatched surface with ink. As ances. per flexo presses and various
letterpress models which have
since been discontinued. KBA
has also launched a flexo
The winning features of the Gravuflow (left) and Newsflow inking units are easy access and handling, a fast run-up to
saleable colour and long-run colour stability
sheetfed press, the KBA
Corrugraph, for printing cor-
rugated and solid board.
The know-how KBA has
amassed in developing inline
coating technology for
sheetfed offset has also been
applied to the development of
short inking systems. Two-
roller units, which applied a
variable thickness of coating,
have long since been dis-
placed by modified flexo
printing units that can apply a
coating film precisely defined
by the pick-up volume of the
specified screen roller.

Dieter Kleeberg, Georg Schneider

KBA Process 2 | 2005 15

 Current approaches | Technotrans temperature control

How technotrans in Sassenberg, Germany, controls the temperature at the screen rollers
and plate cylinders on keyless sheetfed presses

Temperature control in inking units

T he basic laws of thermal
dynamics obviously ap-
ply in offset as well. Most of
inking unit should have a
dedicated system to accom-
modate differences in the
faces it follows that the tem-
perature of the cooling water,
particularly at the plate cylin-
influencing ink transfer. In-
stead they must alter the
rheological properties of the
the kinetic energy generated amount of heat generated der, must be increased in line ink, and this is only possible if
by the drives is converted into within the individual printing with press speed, otherwise the press has a quick-reacting
heat through external friction units, both in absolute terms problems with tinting etc may temperature control system
(surfaces) and internal fric- and relative to each other. occur. Ink application and which functions via the screen
tion (ink splitting, cylinder Within a printing unit, dif- density in a keyless inking rollers.
deflection). It is a well-known ferences in temperature arise unit are controlled solely via When the ink hits the
fact that this heat has a major between the duct roller and the screen roller and tempera- plate, interfacial tension
impact on the printing process the distributor rollers in con- ture. At high speeds the screen causes it to split between the
and the quality of the prints ventional inking units, and on the roller surface is not image and non-image areas.
delivered. This is because any between the screen roller and emptied so completely, so the So the tack of waterless inks
change in temperature in the the plate cylinder in short ink- temperature at the screen must not exceed a specific
inking and printing units ing units. Where the tempera- roller must be increased to range. If it is too high it can
affects the rheological proper- cause linting or picking on the
ties of the ink. So maintaining blanket cylinder, if it is too
a constant temperature is fun- low it can cause tinting. Since
damental to obtaining consist- temperature has a major im-
ently reproducible high-qual- pact – a change of just one de-
ity prints, all the more so in gree can result in a 20%
waterless in offset. change in tack – temperature
Kinetic energy is con- Left: Heat sources (red) in a printing control is crucial. Maintaining
verted into heat at three main unit with conventional inking system consistently stable production
sources: Below: Technotrans’ beta.z zonal parameters prevents not only
• the rollers, more specifi- temperature control system with tinting and smearing but also
cally the duct and oscillating external beta.cooling system premature clogging. In prac-
ink rollers in conventional tice, this problem is solved by
inking units and the screen controlling the temperature of
rollers in short inking units, the plate cylinder via an inter-
due to roller friction and the nal flow of water, just like the
energy consumed in overcom- screen rollers.
ing the load and shear force Because so many param-
exerted by the ink; eters come into play in
• the gears and bearings on keyless inking units, tempera-
all the rollers and cylinders, ture control technology plays
due to sliding friction; a central role in controlling
• the rubber blankets and the printing process, and the
elastomer roller covering, due quality and performance it
to fulling. delivers are even more impor-
tant than in conventional ink-
Stabilising temperature ing units.
ture of one printing unit varies compensate. Long ink trains, To ensure that the image is
The most effective means relative to another, this is by contrast, must be cooled inked uniformly, the tempera-
of stabilising the temperature caused by differences in roller more at higher speeds in order ture at the screen rollers and
of the ink is to control the adjustment, in the volume of to maintain a constant tem- plate cylinders must remain
temperature of the inking ink being transferred and in perature in the inking unit. constant relative to produc-
unit. Conventional inking the properties of the different tion speed and press tempera-
units are usually connected to colour inks. Distinctive features ture throughout the entire
a single-circuit system. This As press speed increases, of temperature control systems print run. The basic settings
has become a standard feature so does the heat in the inking for short inking units for each inking unit depend on
on all heatset web presses and unit, while the optical density the substrate, ink type and
is widely used in sheetfed off- of the ink decreases because it Unlike conventional ink- specified ink volume. If the
set. In waterless offset presses comes into contact with the ing units, in which the ink is ink density is to be changed,
with keyless inking units, nip for a shorter length of controlled via the ink keys this must be done by changing
temperature control is essen- time. So to maintain a con- and duct roller, keyless units the temperature in the rel-
tial – so essential that each stant temperature on all sur- have no mechanical means of evant screen roller circuit via

16 KBA Process 2 | 2005

 throughout the press, it is cus- The efficacy and perform-
tomary to install control de- ance of a temperature control
vices for the individual zones. system is largely determined
The number of circuits varies by the following factors:
depending on the type of • the design of the hydraulic
To support waterless offset, the system, and each circuit is water-circulating system, the
technotrans temperature control
system in the 74 Karat has dedicated controlled individually via a type of flow (turbulent or
circulation systems for each of the dedicated circulating pump, nonturbulent) in the screen
two plate cylinders and four screen
rollers in the Gravuflow inking unit.
heating element and control rollers and plate cylinders,
The cooling water is pumped from valve. Some systems monitor and the difference in tempera-
a standalone chilling system also the temperature of the roller ture between the circulating
supplied by technotrans The temperature at the plate
surface indirectly, by measur- water and the surface of the cylinders on the Genius 52 is
ing the temperature of the components being cooled; controlled via a single circulation
the dedicated circulation sys- water returning from the • energy transfer within the system, the five screen rollers in the
keyless inking unit via dedicated
tem connected to the tempera- cylinders; others have IR heat screen rollers and plate cylin- systems. The photo shows the
ture control device. sensors that measure the ders, and the speed at which technotrans sigma.tz temperature
Even in waterless short surface temperature of the energy flows between the cir- control unit with integrated water-
cooling device
inking units, water is used to cylinders directly. culating water and the roller
influence the surface tem- Zonal temperature control surface;
perature and keep it constant. systems pump the cooling wa- • the measuring accuracy of
Since less heat is generated ter from an external source, eg the built-in temperature try at a relatively low velocity
at the plate cylinder than at a cold-water aggregate or an gauge; via the cavity between the
the screen roller, different existing system. An external • the accuracy with which the pipe and the roller shell. Al-
temperature limits apply so source is best for medium- to temperature in each indi- though this is better than no
separate temperature control high-performance systems vidual circuit is controlled; temperature control at all,
circuits are required. This is like those installed with the 74 • the speed at which the tem- heat exchange and thus re-
how the temperature in the Karat and Rapida 74 G. Tem- perature responds to changes sponse times are as sluggish
Genius 52, 74 Karat, Rapida perature control systems with in parameters such as press as the flow of water and may
74 G and Cortina is control- a lower cooling output, like speed and specified colour result in temperature differ-
led. technotrans’ sigma.tz for the density; ences between the drive and
Since the optimum tem- Genius, have an internal chill- • the reliability of the pump- operating side.
perature is not the same ing device. ing system between the tem- A double-walled design is
perature control device and much more effective and has
the press. now been widely adopted for
Technotrans has collabo- screen rollers. The cavity
rated closely with KBA to en- within the roller sleeve is nar-
hance the speed and accuracy rower, causing the water to
of its temperature control flow – and thus heat to dissi-
technology to meet the spe- pate – much faster. Spiral pip-
cific requirements of water- ing around the axle results in a
less, keyless inking units. uniform temperature across
the roller.
Double-walled roller To sum up, it may be said
that alongside the basic tem-
The precision with which perature control system men-
the temperature in a keyless tioned above, which is the
inking unit must be controlled norm on virtually all presses,
cannot be achieved solely by an additional temperature
the temperature control sys- control system, eg zonal for
tem. The construction of the the screen rollers and collec-
Water circulation through a conventional roller (top) and through the inking and screen rollers also tive for the plate cylinders, is
double-walled roller with spiral piping now customary in waterless offset
(bottom) influences reaction speeds a standard and essential fea-
Drawbacks of conventional rollers: and therefore plays a major ture on keyless inking units to
- large volume of water results in a high level of inertia; role in maintaining a constant ensure the necessary degree
- laminar (slow) flow of water within the roller prevents optimum energy
exchange; temperature across the roller of control in waterless offset.
- ventilation a problem; width. The choice of configura-
- flow unreliable, especially during rotation; The oscillating ink rollers tion depends on the type of
- big drop in temperature across the roller.
Benefits of double-walled rollers: in conventional inking units press, its format, speed and
- small volume of water, so less inertia; often have a very simple de- output.
- turbulent (rapid) flow within the roller promotes rapid energy exchange; sign: the cooling water is
- ventilation less of a problem; Andreas Harig,
- forced flow, and therefore smoother; pumped along a small-bore temperature control systems
- much smaller drop in temperature thanks to rapid flow of water pipe inserted through the manager, technotrans AG
Hubert Peick,
spindle, exits at the other end temperature control systems
and returns to the point of en- development, technotrans AG

KBA Process 2 | 2005 17

 Current approaches | KBA temperature control

How KBA developed a precise, quick-response temperature control system for the Cortina keyless mini tower press

Temperature control in waterless newspaper offset

T he incursion of wet offset
into newspaper produc-
tion was accompanied by an
mum temperature is 26°C
(79°F). But upon closer analy-
sis this turned out to be a mis-
inflow of arcane terminology conception – for just about any
from physics, chemistry and inking unit in general and for
surface analysis that reflected the short-train Newsflow ink-
the complexity of the param- ing unit in particular. What we
eters involved. Simplifying found was that the temperature
the process offers tremendous of the anilox roller surface in-
potential for enhancing its fluences the viscosity of the
efficiency and predictability. ink and can therefore be used
Back in the 1970s waterless to control the volume of ink
offset was brought into play as transferred. The temperature
a means of improving the of the plate cylinder surface
printing process as it then also influences the image
stood, and of making it easier transfer properties of the plate.
to control. It soon became ap-
parent that effective tempera- …and fresh challenges in
ture control in the inking and Figure 1: Graphical user interface for the STC at the Cortina console. The high-performance newspaper
printing units was crucial to stored temperature control curves and tolerances for each anilox roller and production
each pair of plate cylinders can be individually modified using a light pen or
the reliable functioning and mouse. The co-ordinates are reference temperatures at predetermined speeds
overall stability of waterless On the Cortina, which runs
offset during extended produc- at a much higher speed than a
tion runs. New process advances... most immediate of these is that sheetfed offset press, the sur-
it is much easier to maintain a face temperature of the ink
Waterless offset with While a waterless capabil- constant temperature in a com- rollers and plate cylinder is
keyless inking units ity is regarded as an optional pact inking unit. And other in- governed by press speed and is
extra for presses with conven- novative features, such as au- adjusted automatically. To ob-
KBA has been engaged in tional roller frames, it is the tomatically adjustable roller tain saleable copies during the
developing waterless offset fundamental technology for locks, operate that much more run-up to production speed the
presses with keyless inking which the 74 Karat, Rapida 74 efficiently if they are in a sta- surface temperature must be
units (Gravuflow, Newsflow) G and Cortina were specifi- ble environment. At the same increased dynamically, in
since the mid-nineties. R&D cally engineered. One of our time new features such as this other words “synchronised”
activities have been founded major objectives was to pro- also help to reduce needless with press speed. The same ap-
on the knowledge gained since mote widespread acceptance energy input. plies, but in the opposite direc-
1989 in anilox wet offset. In of this process, and to this end For a long time, the experi- tion, during press run-down.
1995 development work we have worked hand in hand ence gained from working Experienced press operators
started on a waterless digital with leading ink and plate with long-train inking units in will no doubt appreciate the
offset press, the 74 Karat, manufacturers. The benefits of waterless offset nurtured the difficulties involved in achiev-
which featured Gravuflow the Gravuflow inking system conviction that maintaining a ing a 10°C (18°F) change
inking units. Collaboration in sheetfed presses and of the stable surface temperature on in temperature – in just 90
with leading ink manufactur- Newsflow inking system in the rollers and cylinders was seconds – at an anilox roller
ers, plus a string of in-house the Cortina newspaper press the key issue. At first, received weighing around 100kg
technical experiments, soon soon became apparent. The wisdom dictated that the opti- (220lbs) or more, depending
revealed a need to enhance on its size. The corresponding
temperature control. rise or fall in temperature at
The late 1990s saw initial the plate cylinder is not quite
moves towards adopting wa- as big, but the mass involved is
terless offset for coldset news- many times greater. To assist
paper production, in the form the printer in day-to-day op-
of the Cortina and its keyless eration and to make handling
Newsflow inking system. much easier, the relevant tem-
Joint development work with peratures are stored at the con-
the ink industry brought forth sole, just like the dampening
Figure 2: Ramp-controlled temperature changes at an anilox roller surface
a succession of advances in steps of +3°C, +4°C, -5°C, +5°C, -7°C and +7°C. curve in wet offset (see figure
which culminated in the cur- The ramp reveals the delays arising from the lengths of the relevant pipe runs. 1).
rent high performance level The sequences took place while the anilox roller was idle and at an ambient Temperature-governed
temperature of 22°C. Colour key: red = reference surface temperature curve,
and market maturity of the dark blue = actual surface temperature curve, light blue = cooling water values were calculated for the
Cortina. temperature various inks used. While this

18 KBA Process 2 | 2005

Figure 3: Thermal images of an The technology favoured
anilox roller: at crawl speed (above) by KBA is based on the trans-
and at 20,000cyl rph (below). The
angle of observation meant that two mission of heat through a fluid
images had to be taken to show the inside the anilox roller and
complete roller. The doctor plate cylinder. Initially there
chambers can be clearly seen. Red
shows the rise in temperature at the were some other systems, for
blade in line with the increase in example air convection, which
speed. The temperature is uniform appeared equally if not more
across the entire width in all
operating states appealing since they act di-
rectly on the surface. How-
ever, air has a much smaller
heat capacity than water. Ap-
proximately 3.4m3 of dry air
are needed to dissipate the
enables ink density to be con- same amount of heat as one li-
trolled across the entire cylin- tre of water (see deduction).
der width, it does limit the So we would have had to work
ability to achieve a uniform with correspondingly lower
density across the print width. temperatures and a bigger vol-
This prompted us to calculate ume of convected air. Lower
specific tolerance ranges for press was running at crawl Mastering temperature control temperatures would have re-
controlling temperature and speed, the lower ones at a sulted in water condensation
thus density. The technology speed of 20,000 cylinder rph. One of the fundamental and thus massive problems
applied to ensure that the tem- It can be seen that the tempera- tasks in developing the Cor- within the press (rust and web
perature control systems re- ture across the width is ex- tina was to determine which breaks through dripping water
main within this tolerance tremely constant, and that the parameters (temperature, – in a “waterless” press!). And
range is called, logically temperature of the ink is not flow) needed to be varied, and large volumes of air would
enough, surface temperature governed by the temperature in which range, to enable the soon have led to almost insur-
control (STC). of the doctor blade, which press to meet current and fu- mountable problems from the
Figure 3 depicts thermal rises sharply as the press speed ture expectations in respect of physical and technical point of
images of an anilox roller in increases. With the type of format and speed. This re- view.
the Cortina, revealing the high camera used, two shots had to quired a detailed understand-
precision of the temperature be positioned side by side to ing not only of the power input Hydrodynamically
control technology. The upper capture the full width of the (inking unit, blanket fulling) and thermodynamically
images were taken while the anilox roller. but also of the mechanisms for optimised design
dissipating heat: convection,
radiation, conduction via the But deciding on a basic
Figure 4: Heat generation and dissipation in a waterless, keyless inking unit paper, with the press function- principle was not the end of
ing as a heat sink (see figure the tale. Highly dynamic tem-
Ink flow start 4). It followed that the surface perature control cannot be
Heat source Heat sink temperature had to be kept sta- achieved solely by controlling
ble within certain limits, and and regulating the surface
Ink pump ~ 400 W Ink duct wall, temperature (STC). Each of
to achieve this a number of
(viscous ink friction) ink surface (heat
conduction/convection)
peripheral parameters specific the components involved must
to the waterless process had to also be optimised relative to
Doctor blade 1mW/mm2 be factored in: the thermal the others, as must the interac-
(friction) Temperature-controlled properties of the ink, the tion among them. Here, a ma-
anilox roller -0.7mW/mm2, impact of heat on ink transfer, jor objective was to ensure that
air convection and the fact that the roller and the STC did not develop into
(Oscillating) ink roller -0.3mW/mm2
cylinder temperature must not an energy guzzler. The rel-
(viscous rubber friction)
be allowed to fall below dew evant rollers and cylinders had
point. to have a much more limited
Forme roller
(viscous rubber friction) Air convection Deduction

Heat capacities c:
Blanket cwater = 1.0 kcal/kg·K and cair = 0.241 kcal/kg·K
~ 500 - 1000W/m2 Temperature-controlled
Densities :
(viscous rubber friction) plate cylinder
pwater = 1.0 kg/l and pair = 1.2·10-3 kg/l
From the products
Paper Paper cwater · pwater = 1.0 kcal/l·K and cair · pair = 2.9·10-4 kcal/l·K
(if Tpaper > Tink) (if Tpaper > Tink)
follow the ratios
Ink flow end 1.0 : 2.9·10-4 or 3.448 m3 dry air : 1 l water

KBA Process 2 | 2005 19

 Current approaches | KBA temperature control

heat capacity and heat trans- Figure 6: Schematic of a

mission properties than those temperature control circuit for a
plate cylinder or anilox roller. The
connected to the temperature temperature control unit (TCU)
control systems normally used contains an inner circuit that feeds
in the printing industry. This to the roller or cylinder and two
outer circuits that supply heating
reduces the charge-changing and cooling water (HW and CW):
losses and times. A further im- [1] Switch for HW/CW
provement was achieved by [2] Meter for volume of water
pumped
largely decoupling active and The return water is piped separately
passive heat capacities. De- for greater energy efficiency
sign modifications enabled the
heat transmission properties of
the anilox roller to be en-
hanced by a factor of three and
its heat capacity reduced by a Figure 7, upper graph: Ramp-controlled temperature change
factor of six. At the same time by ∆T = -5°C at the surface of an anilox roller. The delay
caused by the 10m pipe run is clearly visible. This delay poses
the flow rate was doubled, a major challenge: despite the time lag a transient response
which also increased the dy- must be achieved without overshooting or slowing the system
namics. down. Notwithstanding, the actual temperature (blue) closely
follows the reference temperature (red). (yellow: anilox roller
STC draws on a supply of index)
cooling and heating water in Lower graph: This shows the same sequence measured with
order to ensure that the surface an infra-red line camera incorporating 128 measuring pixels
across the width of the anilox roller. The time scale in both
temperature is adjusted to the graphs is the same. From the thermal point of view, an idle
target value within a precisely roller is more or less neutral: the change in the temperature
profile across the roller width is caused by the cooling water
defined tolerance range and beneath the surface, which takes a few seconds to flow from
within a precisely defined one side to the other
time-frame. Here, too, there
was further potential for pro-
cess enhancement, eg by
optimising the flow route and
the cross-section of the rollers
and cylinders, and by reducing
flow resistance while preserv- of Pt100 and IR sensors re- control demands real-time sys- achieve the correct tempera-
ing accessibility. The installa- quired and the dynamic ratios tems capable of carrying out ture at the surface of the anilox
tion of more suitable pumps involved clearly revealed that their allotted tasks reliably and roller and plate cylinder for the
and valves led to a further ad- the control system would re- faultlessly. Here we were able relevant operational status.
vance over the previous state quire a high level of sophisti- to draw on the services There is still a certain potential
of the art. Figure 5 shows the cation. The STC system incor- of an external specialist with for enhancing efficiency at the
temperature control unit used porates twelve temperature considerable experience in control level. The ambient
in the first Cortina production control circuits per tower configuring big commercial temperature, for instance, can
press. whose properties can vary installations and control tech- be factored in when calculat-
enormously according to pro- nology for highly complex ing the pre-run temperature.
Optimised control and duction conditions. A single systems. This enables the control sys-
regulating system circuit is shown in figure 6. Si- The purpose of the control tem to function more accu-
multaneous, highly dynamic technology in the Cortina is to rately so there is no risk of
The advances achieved in overcooling, which would in-
the design of the anilox roller, crease operating costs. Fur-
plate cylinder and STC laid the thermore, the duration of a
foundations for a highly dy- (long) print run can also be
namic control system. An included in the calculations
analysis of the sheer numbers and the reference temperature
for the cooling water raised
accordingly. Both measures
can substantially reduce en-
ergy consumption. Thus the
amount of energy required to
Figure 5: 3-D view of a temperature
dissipate the heat input in
control unit from the operating side. many operational states can be
The heating and cooling water reduced to just 5% of what
modules are on the left and the right,
in the centre are three sub-units with would otherwise be needed.
four circuits apiece for temperature The flawless functioning
control at the anilox rollers and of the control unit is illustrated
plate cylinders. They contain three
switch cabinets and four pressure in figure 7. The upper chart
equalisers shows the temperature ramp

20 KBA Process 2 | 2005

for changing the temperature
on an anilox roller surface by
-5°C (ie cooling it by 5°C). In
the lower chart the same
sequence is analysed using an
infra-red line camera across
the width of the anilox roller.

Large-scale industrial
applications

Translating this concept

into a workable system for in-
dustrial applications entailed
modularising the STC to sup-
port a standardised design
which can be tested after final Figure 8: Changing the surface temperature of an anilox roller in a Cortina at a production speed of up to 25,000cyl
assembly and prior to ship- rph. The speed-dependent reference value is calculated online using the temperature control curves specified at the
console. The high-speed control system must achieve a temperature rise of almost 10°C by the time the press hits
ping. 25,000cyl rph. During the run-up and run-down phases the Cortina prints waste-free. Colour key: red = reference
The STC now comprises surface temperature, blue = actual temperature, black = press speed, yellow = anilox roller index
three modules: cooling water
and heating water (the two ba-
sic elements) and temperature
controls, which are identical
for the anilox rollers and the
plate cylinders (figure 5). The
three sub-units each have four
circuits, giving a total of
twelve, and control the tem-
perature at eight inking units
(ie anilox rollers) plus the four
plate cylinder assemblies in a
Cortina four-high tower. The
plate cylinders for the same
colour are connected to the
same circuit. A central, real-
time control unit governs the
entire STC system; alongside
the control unit the three Figure 9: Cortina run-up to 35,000cyl rph and temperature change at the anilox roller surface as per temperature
switch cabinets house input/ control curve. The ink used here requires a smaller increase in temperature for each change in speed. Although press
speed is 40% faster than in figure 7, the total temperature increase that the control system must achieve is just 5%
output units for the pumps, smaller. The plotted line also reveals how, roughly 4 minutes after the higher production speed was reached, the press
valves and sensors. operator at the console intervened manually with a light pen to reduce the target surface temperature by 0.4°C.
All the relevant compo- This isolated correction was implemented by the controls in a minimum of time. Colour key: see figure 8
nents can be accessed easily
from the front for greater con-
venience when carrying out monitored. The circulating cost efficiency. The Pt100 sen- number of patent applications
routine inspections and minor systems were designed in such sors used, which are found in submitted in the course of its
maintenance tasks. Various a way as to ensure that if any millions of systems world- development. When planning
options are available for ac- unit fails, its functions can be wide, measure absolute tem- a new press hall additional
commodating presshall archi- assumed by an adjacent unit. perature and can be exchanged efficiency and cost savings
tecture when planning the Separate parameters devised with no need for recalibration. potential can be tapped by
pipework for the cooling and specifically for just such an The temperature control cir- including provision for an
heating circuits. eventuality then come into cuit does not even have to be energy conservation system
force. Similarly, provision has opened. that enables process heat to be
Reliability writ large been made to enable the entire The creation of such a so- ducted elsewhere for other
STC to switch to emergency phisticated temperature con- purposes.
The components in the mode and take up the slack in trol system, in conjunction
Dr Matthias Müller, KBA
STC system had to be op- the event of an individual STC with a raft of other features, Dr Karl Schaschek,
timised for a press hall envi- failure. Where no adjacent unit has substantially enhanced the head of KBA research
ronment where reliability is exists, a redundant unit is in- process technology. As a result
key. To safeguard this reliabil- stalled (eg a double pump). the Cortina is exceptionally
ity, components were chosen This multipronged approach economical to operate. The ad-
which can furnish data on their guarantees a high degree of vances that have been made
status or whose status can be reliability while maintaining are reflected in the large

KBA Process 2 | 2005 21

 Current approaches | Gravuflow and Newsflow

Gravuflow in the Rapida 74 G and 74 Karat

Gravuflow and Newsflow inking units

T he Gravuflow inking unit was originally developed for the
74 Karat. The revolutionary engineering principles on
which its design was based have long since entered the main-
clamping bars. This type of blanket is used mainly because it
delivers a better image on solids and is much easier to replace
when damaged or worn. The blanket cylinders on the 74 Karat
stream, and the Gravuflow unit has subsequently been modified and Rapida 74 G are fitted with conventional blankets clamped
for use in Rapida sheetfed offset presses. One of its peculiarities on with bars; the Genius 52 has metal-backed blankets.
is that the blanket on the ink forme roller has pre-attached
Right and below: In The temperature of each screen roller
the working position and plate cylinder can be controlled
the doctor-blade bar individually with absolute precision via
is connected to the an external heat exchanger. Although
ink supply from the the ability to alter set parameters runs
cartridge and rests counter to the concept of standardised
on the anilox roller production, in exceptional cases the
with the working and press operator can influence ink
sealing blades viscosity and thus colour density via
exerting a the temperature controls. This may be
predefined pressure advisable to adjust ink density when the
(left-hand absorbency of the paper surface varies
schematic) across the cylinder width

Above: The blade chamber

can be rapidly swung into the
cleaning position prior to the
automatic cleaning cycle.
Ink feed is automatically
suspended

The chambered doctor blade and screen roller apply a uniform ink film
directly to the single-size ink forme roller with each rotation

Newsflow in the Cortina

E ach Newsflow unit
has its own dedi-
cated drive. As in a
Gravuflow unit the tem-
perature of the screen
roller and plate cylinder
is controlled, but not that
of the ink trough. Tem-
perature control re-
sponse is virtually in real time. The blanket cylinder – like the Thanks to their exceptionally compact, space-saving design, Newsflow
inking units fit neatly into the “four-low” Cortina (left), but are nonetheless
one in the compact Genius 52 – is fitted with metal-backed blan- easily accessible (above)
kets and a minigap clamping system.

22 KBA Process 2 | 2005

New-generation anilox rollers
K BA’s Gravuflow and Newsflow waterless keyless inking
units feature specially developed anilox rollers with a
chromium-oxide ceramic surface that is resistant to abrasion by
roller. The only way the printer can transfer more or less ink is to
adjust the temperature, since a change in temperature alters the
viscosity of the ink. A higher temperature, which reduces vis-
the doctor blade. The anilox rollers in the Cortina have a service cosity, will increase the volume of ink transferred. Substantial
life of around 200 to 300 million revolutions, so they do not changes in speed have the same effect. When the Cortina runs
need changing for several years. up to production speed its quick-response temperature control
Following extensive laboratory and pressroom tests KBA system, which is governed by press speed, automatically com-
replaced the multicell pattern typically found on screen rollers pensates for loss of colour. Colour density can be adjusted in a
with a hatch-like pattern which is, in fact, a single, spiral groove similar fashion to accommodate different paper qualities.
laser-engraved in the ceramic surface. So the roller surface is not the only major parameter in-
With this new pattern, the volume of ink transferred by the volved. And the bigger the roller, the more critical the tempera-
anilox roller remains uniform across the entire width of the ture. As a result, new engineering principles had to be applied
for controlling the temperature of the Newsflow anilox rollers in
the Cortina to guarantee the fastest possible response. This is
why the temperature of each and every anilox roller is con-
trolled individually.

As a comparison:
microscopic image
of cells on a
laser-engraved
anilox roller
(photo: Praxair)

Microscopic image of the hatching on screen rollers. The cell walls showing The different profiles created
traces of laser radiation are clearly visible, the base of the grooves is darker on a roller surface by YAG and
and less distinct (photos: Zecher) CO2 lasers. The YAG laser,
being ten times finer than the
CO2, achieves a profile much
closer to the U-shaped ideal that enables the cell or groove to be emptied
completely. The volume of ink transferred is therefore consistently uniform,
which is not the case with the more angular profile created by a CO2 laser
(graphic: Praxair)

The aniloy rollers (green and grey) and forme rollers in the Genius 52 printing
units have the same circumference as the plate and blanket cylinders. Linear
guides for the zero-play bearings on all four components support rapid roller
changes. The inking-unit rollers in the Genius 52 no longer have to be
adjusted

KBA Process 2 | 2005 23

 Consumables | Plates and film

Analogue and digital plate media –

market review and processing
Looking at the number of plate suppliers and the range of materials The differences lie in the composition of the other layers, the imaging
available, it is easy to understand why users would like a broader technology for which they are constructed and the method and
choice. One feature common to all specialist plates and films for complexity of subsequent processing. There is a conspicuous move
waterless offset is that the image-free areas are coated with silicone. towards CTP exposure.

Compare final costs, Overview of waterless offset plates and films currently available that are not restricted to
not initial prices specific makes of press
(KPG Scorpion only available in North America)

F
irst of all, let’s set the Analogue UV exposure Digital thermal laser imaging Max. format
record straight. Yes, the positive working negative working negative writable only
Creo – – Clarus WL (2) 00 (A3+, 460 x 340 mm)
additional silicone layer KPG – – X54 Scorpion/Scorpion+ 4 (A0–, to 1152 mm wide)
does push up the price of wa- Presstek – – PEARLdry/+ (1, 2), ProFire Digital Media (2) 4 (A0–, 813 x 1118 mm)
terless offset plates compared Toray TAP-HG2 (1) TAN-E (1) TAC-RG5/RL7 (1), TAC-W2 (1) 7B (1240 x 1610 mm)

to wet offset plates, and this Wet processing + cleaning Ablation + cleaning Max. run length
price difference is an argument chemical + water wash water-washable dry
Creo – – Clarus WL (2) 30,000 (S)
all too frequently advanced by KPG X54 Scorpion/Scorpion+ – 100,000 (S, H, C)
sceptics. Yet in many cases – Presstek – – PEARLdry/PEARLdry Plus (1, 2) 20,000(2)–100,000(1) (S)
– – ProFire Digital Media (2) 20,000 (S)
particularly for short runs – it Toray TAC-RG5/RL7 (1) – – 100,000 (S, H, C)
is often cheaper, overall, to – TAC-W2 (1) – 200,000 (S, H, C)?
print with waterless offset TAPH-G2 (1) – – 100,000 - 200,000 (S)
TAPD-G1 (1) – – 150,000 - 300,000 (S, H)
plates than with wet offset TAPD-G3 (1) – – 200,000 - 500,000 (H)
plates. What sceptics tend to TAPD-G5 (1) – – 400,000 - 1,000,000 (H)
lose sight of is the fact that the TAN-E (1) – – 300,000 - 500,000 (S, H)
Material: (1) aluminium plates, (2) polyester film off the roll. Suitable for: (S) sheetfed offset, (H) heatset, (C) coldset with CTP
higher price is more than offset
by the savings gained from
lower water consumption, ers Toray, Presstek and Kodak economies of scale. Despite tion line) and, on the other, to
fewer chemicals (dampening Polychrome Graphics (KPG) appearances to the contrary, the fact that the present level of
additives), the elimination of to achieve substantial ad- the few suppliers that do offer demand does not enable exist-
setting, control and mainte- vances in this field. Market such plates are not exploiting ing platemaking lines for wa-
nance work at the dampeners forces dictate that prices fall their market dominance: the terless plates to be run at full
and a dramatic reduction in when there is more competi- higher prices obtaining are capacity.
production waste. Above all, if tion, in this case a broader base due, on the one hand, to higher Simplifying the complex
combined with keyless inking of plate manufacturers or a manufacturing costs (the appli- process by which plates are
units, waterless offset supports wider choice of plates, and cation of a silicone layer as coated with polymer and
a more advanced degree of when increased demand ena- an additional production se- scratch-resistant silicone is no
standardisation both in pre- bles manufacturers to exploit quence in a separate produc- easy task, and there are no
press and in the press room, breakthrough products in the
which delivers a consistently offing. So a price reduction in
higher print-to-print and run- the foreseeable future can only
to-run quality over the long be achieved by a more wide-
horizon. spread adoption of waterless
offset and a dramatic leap in
Boosting sales the only way plate sales. For plate suppliers,
to push down prices waterless offset is still very
much a niche market.
Nevertheless, it is still
worth talking about the price.
For printers and press vendors
The Clarus WL, a chemistry-free
– not to mention sceptics – waterless polyester plate launched
lower plate prices would natu- by Creo at the last Drupa, came on
rally be very welcome, and in the market early this year.
At present it is only available in rolls
recent years KBA has worked and is therefore suitable for use in
closely with plate manufactur- the 46 Karat

24 KBA Process 2 | 2005

 Structure and working principle of
Toray’s waterless plates: negative
working (TAN = analogue, TAC =
CTP) on the left, positive working
(TAP) on the right.
A) Unprocessed plate:
Structure: transparent protective
film [1]; silicone rubber [2];
photosensitive polymer (analogue:
UV-sensitive; digital: heat-sensitive)
[3]; primer (adhesive) [4];
aluminium base [5].
B) Exposure:
A laser beam passes through the
negative (TAN) or positive (TAP)
film copy [6] and protective film [1],
or through the protective film alone
where there is no film copy (TAC). In
an analogue or digital negative
plate, exposure to light weakens the
bond between the silicone rubber
layer [2] and the photosensitive
polymer layer [3], in a positive plate
it strengthens it.
C) Development:
The protective film is peeled off.
A pre-treatment solution is applied
to the negative plate to desensitise
the polymer layer and to strengthen
the bond (symbolised by crosses)
between the silicone [2] and the
polymer [3] in unexposed areas [7].
The silicone rubber is then
chemically loosened from the
photosensitive layer in the exposed
areas [8] and removed with rotating
brushes and water.
The bond between [2] and [3] in
exposed areas [8] in the positive
plate is already strong (step B). A
chemical developer is applied, the
silicone rubber is loosened in the
unexposed areas [7] and removed,
also with rotating brushes and water.
The subsequent procedure for all
three types of plate – with the
exception of the new water-
developed TAC-W2 unveiled at
Drupa 2004 – is the same: rotating
brushes improve ink acceptance in
the image areas and pairs of
pressure rollers then remove all
chemical residue. The plate is dried
by air. It does not have to be
gummed like a wet offset plate.
D) Processed plate:
Non-image (ink-repellent) areas [9]
have retained their silicone coating,
while image (ink-receptive) areas
[10] have been stripped down to the
polymer layer.
E) Printing:
Only the image areas are covered
with a layer of ink [11].
Having said that, the strat- both to current consumer de- annual consumption has risen
egy pursued by certain compa- mand and to future potential, to a minimum of 10 million
nies which have developed since they do little to promote square metres (100-million-
their own waterless plates and the large-scale acceptance of plus square feet). This fixation
run successful tests on them – waterless offset, yet have ex- on volume sits ill with the im- Shrinking number
some at KBA – would seem to pressed reluctance to enter the age projected by major suppli- of plate manufacturers
indicate a lack of sensitivity waterless plate market until ers as drivers of innovation
with their fingers on the indus- The total number of plate
try pulse. The contrast with all manufacturers, both of con-
Chemical developing process for the waterless CTP plates manufactured by the leading ink manufacturers, ventional and CTP wet offset
Kodak Polychrome Graphics and Toray Industries: [1] pre-treatment,
[2] development, [3] after-treatment (inking of image areas), who have been quick to recog- plates, is also steadily dimin-
[4] optional washing (removal of chemical residue) (graphic: Toray) nise that waterless offset will ishing from year to year. In
soon become a high-growth 2004 Agfa acquired Lastra, an
market and are busily invest- Italian group which in 2002
ing to expand their product had taken over Mitsubishi
palettes, could not be more Chemical’s plate-making divi-
striking. sion, Western Lithotech. Fuji-

KBA Process 2 | 2005 25

 Consumables | Plates and film

film has pledged its film mate- Chemically processed of polymers, and plate manu- offset, heatset publication and
rial to a single press manufac- analogue plates: facture represents a minor item coldset newspaper print pro-
turer. The remaining globally Toray’s TAP and TAN-E in its product portfolio. So the duction as well as for printing
active players in this market – company deserves all the more UV-curable inks on synthetics
Creo, KPG, Presstek and Toray Toray’s waterless plates are credit for maintaining a dedi- and labels.
– already offer waterless the classics in waterless offset. cated research laboratory and, Toray is the only manufac-
plates, though not necessarily They are based on 3M’s Dry more recently, for investing in turer that still offers analogue
worldwide. So Agfa and Plate patents and were refined an additional platemaking line. waterless plates: the positive-
Fujifilm could well enter the by Toray to their present level With this move Toray has in- working TAP and negative-
arena as two new players with of sophistication. Toray Indus- creased its annual waterless working TAN-E. Both must be
global operations, while the tries is a Japanese corporation plate production capacity from handled in a yellow light en-
current suppliers may be ex- specialising in the production around 6 million square metres vironment. The TAN-E and
pected to offer a bigger selec- TAPH-G2 are the most popular
tion of plates in the medium analogue waterless plates for
term with broader capabilities sheetfed offset. In web offset,
for waterless sheetfed offset, where print runs are usually
heatset, coldset and specialised much longer, the more stable
UV applications. TAPD versions are commonly
used.

Move towards CTP

In waterless offset, as in
conventional wet offset, there
is an inexorable move towards
computer-to-plate (CTP). This
has been driven not only by a
swelling number of graphic
enterprises kitting up with
Structure and working principle of Presstek’s PEARLdry processless plate: thermal platesetters, but also
the infra-red laser beam [1] creates an image element, eg a halftone dot [2] by the installation of offset
by burning off the ink-repellent silicone layer [3] and the heat-sensitive,
image-forming polymer layer [4] beneath it to expose the ink-receptive presses with on-press imaging
polymer layer [5] which is attached directly to the aluminium or polyester (eg 74 Karat, 46 Karat and
base [6] (source: Presstek) Heidelberg Quickmaster DI) at
a whole slew of pre-press and
print operations. Although
analogue plates still constitute
Presstek has pioneered laser to 18 million square metres a large proportion of the plates
ablation. Its PEARLdry system is (64m - 194m ft2). consumed in waterless offset,
available as individual, aluminium-
backed plates (left) or as a roll of Toray and prominent Toray their numbers are steadily
polyester-based film (below). Plates dealers like marks-3zet and shrinking. Toray’s rivals all
can be imaged either on-press in the Schneidler have promoted, and focus exclusively on digitally
74 Karat or off-press in thermal
platesetters, the rolls can only be continue to promote, the imageable media, and even
imaged on-press and are used in worldwide adoption of water- Toray itself offers digital alter-
presses such as the 46 Karat less offset. Following the fail- natives. Products still under
(photos: Presstek)
ure of 3M’s driography in the development will also be CTP-
USA and a successful renais- capable.
sance in Japan, the “Land of Because of their composi-
the rising sun” has led the field tion, thermal CTP is the only
in waterless offset print pro- imaging process suitable for
duction for more than 20 years waterless plates. This is cer-
and boasts a higher percentage tainly no drawback, while the
of totally or partially waterless benefits are many: fluctuation-
printing plants than anywhere free imaging (with no danger
else on earth. With a member- of over- or under-exposure), a
ship of nigh on 100, the Japan uniformly sharp image defini-
Waterless Printing Association tion and daylight-safe process-
(JWPA) is the envy of its for- ing in the platesetter. At
eign counterparts. The world- present four plate manufactur-
wide success of Toray’s water- ers – Creo, KPG, Presstek and
less plates – whether analogue Toray – offer consumables and
or digital – is founded, among systems for off-press and/or
other things, on the fact that on-press CTP which are freely
they can be used in sheetfed available on the market. A fifth

26 KBA Process 2 | 2005

Speculation and Visions
Future alternatives to plates
As has already been mentioned, moving into the waterless market or ex- wet offset plates and SFI has two drawbacks. The first is that dependency
panding their existing presence is not a priority for some plate makers. on a limited number of plate manufacturers is exchanged for dependency
KPG has expressed no intention of moving beyond the North American on a single ink manufacturer. The second is that the print quality delivered
market, although this is largely a matter of sales policy and could be with conventional plates cannot compare with the exceptionally dot-sharp
revised at any time. And Creo is unwilling to reveal whether it is aiming to image and enhanced dot gain properties of silicone-coated plates.
extend its Clarus WL technology to single, aluminium-backed plates and,
if so, which brand name it would use. Tests have already proved that this Alternative plate technologies
would be possible, so we shall just have to wait and see. At present Creo is Erasable, rewritable offset plates are still a long way away. At present
focusing on optimising its Clarus PL processless aluminium plate, which there are no suitable materials whose properties can be changed at will
was also launched at Drupa 2004 but is only suitable for wet offset. from ink-receptive to ink-repellent, and the general consensus among in-
Whether Fujifilm will be able to market its Saphira Caleidoplate dustry insiders is that it is not possible to create such a plate because po-
processless film for presses other than the Heidelberg Quickmaster DI is lymerisation processes are irreversible and other materials are even less
doubtful. This would depend on the contractual commitments made and promising. But if a technological breakthrough were to be made, a water-
the patent situation. Alongside less version would certainly be
co-developer Heidelberg, Presstek possible: as far as the materials are
would also have a word to say, concerned there would be no need
since the technology impinges on to accommodate the application of
its patents and PEARLdry OEM water as well as ink to the plate.
business. Besides, it is questionable whether
Agfa is conducting research offset with dampening will still be
into laser-imageable CTP thermal in use so far in the future.
waterless plates and has already Agfa and MAN have taken a
carried out print tests in collabora- new approach to non-reusable im-
tion with KBA. However, it has no age-bearing systems. With Agfa’s
concrete plans for a market launch LiteSpeed (a spray-on version of
since it estimates that the current the processless :Thermo-lite Plus)
sales potential does not justify the and MAN Roland’s DICO (digital
cost of production. According to changeover) the material on which
Agfa management, the company the image is created and trans-
will take the wraps off a finished ferred to the substrate is erased to
product “when the time is ripe”. make way for a new imaging cycle
Other technologies that have been in which a liquid “printing forme”
developed for laser-exposable is applied directly to an electro-
polymer plates – for example chemically grained and anodised
phase change (:Thermolite Plus aluminium base (LiteSpeed) or
plates) or the fusion of thermo- plate sleeve (DICO). Both pro-
plastic particles (:Azura plates) – cesses, though based on different
appear to be unsuitable, since wa- technologies – phase change in the
terless offset cannot dispense with case of LiteSpeed, laser ablation
the silicone layer. On both types of in the case of DICO – require
wet offset plate, the thermal laser dampening.
imaging process causes the image areas to become ink-receptive, so there Dynamic image-generating processes are based on a different princi-
is no need for developer. ple from these two static processes. Here, temporarily active printing
Wet offset plates should not be dismissed out of hand. As we have formes, not physically stable ones, must be created. Perhaps the nearest to
already pointed out in a previous chapter, Flint Ink’s SFI inks could also waterless offset is HP Indigo’s digital printing press. The “printing ink” is
be used in waterless offset, though their performance has not yet been in fact a liquid toner, ElectroInk, particles of which are distributed on the
proven in practice. But they could certainly be used with no further photoconductive drum in accordance with an electrostatic charge profile,
thought in the Gravuflow inking system for the 74 Karat and Rapida 74 G and subsequently transferred to the substrate via the blanket. ElectroInk is
and, if formulated for coldset, in the Newsflow inking system for the highly viscous and becomes printable only after the addition of oil.
Cortina. However, although less expensive than waterless plates, going for (photo: Presstek)

product, Fuji’s Photo Film de- either completely destroys the plate” (CtWP) to describe the with KPG plates as part of an
veloped in association with overlying silicone layer (abla- imaging process used for the agreement which covered beta
Heidelberg, is only available in tion) or facilitates its subse- first chemically developed testing but did not extend to
conjunction with the Saphira quent removal by chemical CTP waterless plates. Its first sales.
Caleidoplate 46 which, to- processing. Processless plates product, the Thermal Water- Because it must be chemi-
gether with the variable-format can be obtained from Creo, less Plate, needed no protec- cally processed the Scorpion
Smart Spooling Mechanism, is Fujifilm/Heidelberg or Press- tive anti-scratch silicone layer. can only be configured as an
confined to use with Heidel- tek, chemically processed At Graph Expo 2002 its suc- off-press CTP plate. It can be
berg’s Quickmaster DI 46-4. plates from KPG and Toray. cessor, the Scorpion, was un- treated with the same proces-
One feature common to all veiled. At present, availability sors and chemicals as Toray’s
these waterless CTP materials Chemically processed of KPG’s X54 Scorpion and TAC or analogue negative-
is that they can be used in day- CtWP plate: X54 Scorpion Plus thermal working plate, the TAN. Since
light conditions and are nega- KPG’s X54 Scorpion waterless plates is limited to dot gain is virtually the same,
tive-writing. This means that North America. The beta ver- due to their similar composi-
during exposure the laser beam In 1994 Kodak Poly- sion of the Cortina at reiff in tions, gold-coloured Scorpion
impacts on the image-bearing chrome Graphics coined the Offenburg, which has since plates can be used alongside
areas. The infra-red radiation term “computer to waterless been dismantled, was fitted green Toray plates in the press.

KBA Process 2 | 2005 27

 Consumables | Plates and film

Platesetters and modules suitable for waterless CTP

(errors and omissions excepted. Also includes discontinued systems still in operation.)
System Imaging Thermal laser Max. resolution Max. plate format (mm)
architecture (dpi)
Agfa
CTP imaging and has regis-
Acento E/S external drum diodes 3600 1130 x 820 tered the trade name DI (Direct
Galileo TS/T internal drum Nd:YAG 3600 1130 x 820 Imaging). Initially the process
Galileo Talant internal drum Nd:YAG (ablative) 2400 1130 x 820
Xcalibur 45/VLF50/60/70/80 external drum diodes + GLV or solid state 2400 1160 x 820 to 2030 x 1475 worked by electrode erosion,
Creo later Presstek fitted ProFire
Lotem 400/800/800II external drum diodes 3556 622 x 750 to 905 x 1130
Lotem 400/800/800II Quantum external drum SQUAREspot diodes 2540 622 x 750 to 905 x 1130 and Pearl imaging heads with
Magnus VLF external drum diodes 2400 2108 x 1600 thermal ablative lasers. Pro-
Creo-Laserkopf on-press module diodes/SQUAREspot (ablative) 2540 or 3556 any
Trendsetter 800/800II/VLF external drum diodes 2400 838 x 1118 to 1473 x 2032 Fire is the standard imaging
Trends. 400/800/800II Quantum external drum SQUAREspot diodes 2400 838 x 762 to 838 x 1118 head for the 46 Karat. Maxi-
Trendsetter News external drum SQUAREspot diodes 1200, 2400 opt. 660 x 960
Duoyuan
mum resolution is 2540dpi,
DYCTP 600II external drum solid state n/a 4 pages minimum spot size 21µm, with
DYCTP 800I external drum solid state n/a 8 pages an option of 1270dpi and a
Fuji Photo Film
Luxel T-6000 CTP external drum diodes 4000 830 x 645 28µm spot.
Luxel T-9000 CTP external drum diodes 4000 1160 x 940 Presstek developed two
Luxel T-9800 CTP external drum diodes + GLV 2540 1160 x 940
Ultima external drum diodes + GLV 2540 2124 x 1270 processless plates, PEARLdry/
Heidelberg PEARLdry Plus, specifically
Suprasetter 74/105 external drum IDS diodes 2540 750 x 680 to 1140 x 930
Topsetter 74/P102 external drum diodes 4000 660 x 830 to 1160 x 940
for the ProFire system. The
Kodak Polychrome Graphics 74 Karat consumes alumi-
Newsetter TH 100/180 flatbed diodes 1270 650 x 960 nium-backed plates (PEARL-
Krause Biagosch
LaserStar LS 110/140/170/200 internal drum Nd:YAG 2540 to 3810 820 x 1050 to 1380 x 2000 dry), the 46 Karat operates
Lithotech with a polyester substrate
Andromeda A540/750/1300 external drum Nd:YAG or diodes 3810 675 x 540 to 840 x 1050
Andromeda Z750 external drum Nd:YAG 1270 657 x 750 spooled from a roll (PEARL-
Lüscher dry Plus). During exposure the
XPose! 75/130/160/180/190 patent internal dr. diodes 2400 760 x 650 to 2050 x 1500
simultanXPose! 130 patent internal dr. diodes 5080 1130 x 950 infra-red laser beam creates an
Presstek image element, eg a halftone
Dimension 200/400/800 external drum ProFire II diodes (ablative) 2540 500 x 530 to 813 x 1118
Dimension 200/400 Excel external drum ProFire Image plus d. (ablative) 2540 500 x 530 to 680 x 780
dot, by burning off the ink-re-
Pearl/ProFire on-press module diodes (ablative) 2540 max. width 2 pages pellent silicone layer and the
ProFire Excel on-press module Image plus diodes (ablative) 2540 max. width 2 pages heat-sensitive, image-forming
SureFire off-press module diodes (1064 nm, also ablative) 2540 max. width 2 pages
Sack polymer layer beneath it to ex-
CTP-0900 external drum diodes 4000 900 x 745 pose the ink-receptive polymer
CTP-1300 external drum Nd:YAG (ablative) 3810 1300 x 650
Screen Media Technology (Dainippon Screen) layer. Process debris is re-
PlateRite PT-R4100/4300 external drum diodes 4000 830 x 645 moved mechanically. As on
PlateRite PT-R8000/8100/8600 external drum diodes 4000 1160 x 940
PlateRite PT-R8800 external drum diodes + GLV 2540 1160 x 940
Toray’s and KPG’s chemically
Ultima 16000/32000Z/32000 external drum diodes + GLV 2540 1470 x 1165 to 2382 x 1276 processed plates, the image el-
Specifically for newspaper printing ements on Presstek plates are
slightly recessed relative to the
non-image areas, since these
To weaken the adhesion of CG5, which was more scratch- production (sheetfed or web). are still covered by the other
the silicone to the heat-sensi- resistant and easier to measure KBA believes that this figure layers.
tive polymer layer beneath it optically. Its successor, the could be greatly improved. At the end of 2004 Presstek
the Scorpion requires a 170mJ/ TAC-UG5, had improved pro- The TAC-W2 slated for brought out a new, more ad-
cm2 laser beam with a spectral cessing tolerances. The new- launching early next year will vanced version of its ProFire
sensitivity of 800 to 850nm generation TAC-RG5 has even simplify plate processing still imaging head. Called ProFire
(ideal oscillating wavelength: better scratch-resistance, en- further. Compared to previous Excel, this offers the same
830nm). It can image a 20µm hanced stability in long print TAC plates the TAC-W2 re- resolution of 2540dpi but
(20 micron) spot and offers a 1 runs and is scanner-compat- duces wet processing to brush- works with a 16µm spot which
to 99% resolution at 200 lines ible. Printers can order the ing, rinsing and drying. The can reproduce extremely fine
per inch (80l/cm) or a 2 to 98% same plate without a scratch- plates must be exposed in a screens (120lpc or 300lpi) and
resolution at 300lpi (120lpc). resistant film. This version is 830nm thermal platesetter at supports stochastic screening.
called the TAC-RL7. between 150 and 200mJ/cm2 It is to be found both in
Chemically processed The TAC-RG5, like KPG’s and support a maximum reso- Presstek’s Dimension and in
CTP plates: Toray’s Scorpion, can be exposed in lution of 4500dpi. The average OEM systems for DI waterless
TAC-RG5/RL7 and TAC-W2 any type of thermal platesetter. run length is claimed to be offset presses, among them a
The plate can image a 10µm 50% higher. new version of the 46 Karat
Toray’s TAC-RG5 is the spot and can reproduce the full known as the 46 KaratPLUS.
fourth generation in the Japa- tonal scale at a screen resolu- Processless CTP plates: This consumes Presstek’s new
nese firm’s family of chemi- tion of 80lpc (200lpi). Run- Presstek’s PEARLdry and ProFire ProFire Excel-enabled ProFire
cally processed TAC plates for length stability currently Digital Media Digital Media, a processless
thermal CTP. The TAC-JG5 ranges from 100,000 to film which, like previous types
was launched on the market in 150,000 impressions, depend- US systems manufacturer of polyester film, is rated for
1999, followed by the TAC- ing on the paper and the type of Presstek pioneered on-press up to 20,000 impressions.

28 KBA Process 2 | 2005

Optical measurement on waterless plates
A dopting computer-to-
plate (CTP) eliminates a
practical measuring object:
field of the co-exposed screen
gradation scale. Another pos-
sibility is a reflection colour
among them KPG’s Scorpion.
This is due to the intense re-
flection in non-image areas
properties were incorporated
which substantially weakened
reflection from the aluminium
the film copy. Previously, a densitometer, which measures from the combined layers of surface. Once the metallic
simple transmission densito- the entire plate surface and aluminium, primer, polymer sheen of the aluminium had
meter was adequate for deter- from the degree of light ab- and silicone (which together, been suppressed, the level of
mining the reproduction of sorption calculates a grey incidentally, create the char- light reflected by the silicone
halftone values at a co-ex- value which it then converts acteristic gold plate colour). surface was too low to influ-
posed screen gradation scale. into a halftone value. Dot me- Not even a colour densitom- ence the scan readings.
This was necessary to linear- ters employ a planimetric eter with a polarisation filter Processless plates like
ise the configuration of the method of analysis which is can deliver usable values. The Presstek’s PEARLdry have
RIP film imaging unit on the even more precise: the con- usual practice was to expose always been easy to measure.
Neither the silicone layer nor
the exposed polymer cause
problems with light reflec-
tion. This is because the heat-
sensitive layer beneath the
silicone eliminates all reflec-
tion, while the oleophilic
polymer on the aluminium
diffuses any light reflected; if
polyester is used as a base in-
stead of aluminium there is no
disruptive reflection at all.
Apart from the fact that
CTP plates are negative work-
ing, the decisive factor as far
as scanning is concerned is
the contrast between the non-
Preview and analysis images of 50% screen fields on KPG Scorpion, Toray RL7 and Presstek PEARLdry waterless image silicone and the image-
aluminium plates (l-r), captured with a TECHKON DMS 910 dot meter and calculated with DMS Pro software bearing polymer in the pre-
view image of the scanning
device:
one hand and to monitor com- tours of the halftone elements and measure wet offset ther- • Toray TAC – image areas
pliance with transmission are captured in the micro- mal plates and use the values dark green, silicone light
characteristics or dot gain on scopic enlargement and above obtained for waterless plate green, therefore a positive im-
the other. Whether the plate a specified threshold value exposure. age – measurement and analy-
remained within the specified evaluated as image-bearing. Toray improved on this sis in positive mode;
imaging tolerances was This enables the actual degree technology, first with the • Presstek PEARLdry – image
checked visually at a special of solids coverage to be calcu- TAC-CG5 and more recently areas light silver, silicone
co-exposed control patch on lated. with the TAC-RG5/RL7, dark, therefore a negative im-
the plate. Dot meters cannot be used which supports the use of dot age – measurement and analy-
Now, in the absence of on analogue waterless plates, meters. The solution to the sis in negative mode.
film, the configuration of the but this does not matter be- problem was to change the Disregarding these basic
RIP platesetter must be meas- cause the film is measured in- composition of the primer rules can result in false read-
ured on the plate. This can be stead. Setting these aside, layer which causes the poly- ings.
done with a dot meter whose there are some CTP plates mer layer to adhere to the alu-
camera sensor captures each which can cause problems, minium base. Anti-reflection

Processless CTP plates: 1524 to 2400dpi (Trendsetter) system. SQUAREspot is also relatively recent. At Drupa
Creo’s Clarus WL or 3556dpi (Lotem) and can available with a 1200dpi capa- 2004 it unveiled the Clarus
hold a 14µm spot. SQUARE- bility specifically for newspa- WL, which has been available
Creo is the leading manu- spot technology, which can per production. commercially since early this
facturer of thermal plate- hold a 10µm spot and works Creo, like Presstek, also year. The plate is composed of
setters. The two types of imag- to a resolution of 2400 or makes modules for on-press on-press CTP material on a
ing technology used in them 2540dpi, delivers a razor-sharp imaging. Creo laser heads in polyester base, formulated for
differ in their edge definition. edge definition and is certified the 74 Karat can write 2540dpi ablation with thermal imaging
The standard technology can for second-generation FM with a 15µm spot. Creo’s en- heads. Creo’s black Clarus
reproduce any resolution from screening with Creo’s Staccato gagement in the plate market is WL, however, has a slightly

KBA Process 2 | 2005 29

 Consumables | Plates and film

Left: The 46 KaratPLUS – shown here on the Presstek stand at Drupa 2004 –
operates with Presstek’s new ProFire Excel imaging modules and new ProFire
Digital Media, a processless film (photo: Stein)

Below: A Toray TAC in the semi-automatic plate-changing system at a

KBA Rapida 74 G on the marks-3zet stand at Drupa (photo: Kleeberg)

Agfa’s Xcalibur is the first thermal platesetter to Creo’s high-automation Trendsetter VLF thermal At Drupa 2004 Presstek unveiled its Dimension
feature the grating light valve (GLV) technology platesetter has a resolution of 2400dpi 400 thermal platesetter featuring ProFire Excel
unveiled at Drupa 2004 by US company Silicon (photo: Kleeberg) technology (photo: Kleeberg)
Light Machines (photo: Agfa)

different composition from Adast’s Dominant DI/CDI plus waterless plates. However, us- cleaned after imaging to re-
Presstek’s PEARLdry, and the their OEM versions in the ers have very little freedom of move debris from the surface.
company claims that ablation USA. choice because manufacturers Conversely, the laser power re-
on the Clarus WL generates So initially the Clarus WL generally specify precisely quired for ablation is much
very little debris. Run-length can only be exposed using which plates can and cannot be more intense than for chemi-
stability is around 30,000 Presstek laser heads because imaged with the system con- cally processed plates. This
prints, making the Clarus an Creo laser heads feature solely cerned. The reason for this is need not be a disadvantage
alternative to Presstek’s previ- in larger offset presses like the that plates differ a lot in the en- since it enables the plates to be
ously unchallenged PEARL- 74 Karat and Rapida 74 G, ergy input required for expo- processed with a weaker solu-
dry film. which consume aluminium sure. With waterless plates, the tion. This is the case, for exam-
The Clarus WL is supplied plates. Creo is already working intensity of the laser beam can ple, with Toray’s TAC-RG5/
in rolls of 28 to 35 sections, de- on this and will no doubt soon vary substantially because RL7 plates which are exposed
pending on press type. So they produce an appropriate alu- plates exposed by ablation in Presstek’s Dimension plate-
can only be used on presses minium plate with a much consume more energy than setters. Waterless plates are
with an automatic unwinding longer service life. chemically processed plates. more easily scratched, so great
and rewinding (spooling) sys- This means that lasers care must be taken to avoid
tem in the plate cylinder. These Suitable CTP platesetters configured for “normal”, non- such damage during automatic
include the 46 Karat and other ablative plates are too weak to plate handling and transport
presses based on Ryobi’s 3404 Thermal platesetters are image processless ablative within the platesetter.
DI, along with Heidelberg’s the only type of platesetter plates. On top of this, plates
Quickmaster DI 46-4 and suitable for digitally imaging exposed by ablation must be Dieter Kleeberg

30 KBA Process 2 | 2005

 Consumables | Waterless inks

Waterless offset inks can be

used for the same range of
applications as wet offset ones,
Waterless inks – specific
and more besides, enabling
printers to move into new lines properties and applications
of business. KBA has made a
signal contribution towards
advancing innovation in
waterless inking technology
by collaborating closely with
ink manufacturers to optimise
keyless inking systems.

The use of quick-change ink cartridges at the 74 Karat

is all part of KBA’s easy-handling concept
(photos: KBA, Kleeberg)

Diversified ink market manufacturers, who are al-

ways ready to formulate or

I
nk is one of three compo- modify inks to customer
nents – the others being specifications, applies equally
plates and temperature- in waterless offset.
controlled inking units – that KBA has been delighted phisticated demands with re- offset ink or as a basic compo-
form the crux of waterless off- by ink manufacturers’ eager- gard to runability and print nent of a dedicated waterless
set. Happily, there are a lot ness to collaborate on devel- quality, ink manufacturers ink – is the simplest way to
more manufacturers of water- opment projects, particularly have progressed well beyond obtain a separating agent
less inks than there are manu- the Cortina newspaper press the stage of taking inks from which does not permit the ink
facturers of plates, and the whose waterless coldset tech- their existing wet offset range to adhere to the silicone-
characteristic properties of nology represented uncharted and simply adding silicone coated areas of the plate. As
the individual ink series are territory for all concerned. oil. Nowadays most of the we have explained in a previ-
correspondingly diverse. This waterless offset inks the ous chapter, “Optimising the
offers print entrepreneurs a Trends: chemists concoct in their interaction of ink, plates and
rich and varied choice of in- silicone oil substitutes… laboratories are dedicated for- other consumables” (pages 7-
teresting applications. Also, mulae. 10), waterless inks require a
the proverbially high standard Formulating modern wa- Using silicone oil or sili- separator which assumes the
of service provided by ink terless inks is no trivial affair. cone derivatives – whether function of the fount solution
In addressing ever more so- purely as an additive to a wet to create a weak fluid bound

Four compelling reasons for using silicone-oil substitutes:

1. Silicone oil does not adhere to anything. Too much silicone oil in the ink can even cause ink repellence
on the image-bearing polymer layers of the plate. Too much silicone oil can impair overall process stabil-
ity in the inking unit and result in the opposite effect from that desired.
2. Silicone oil does not adhere to surfaces, but it can penetrate them. While this effect may be desirable on
the non-printing areas of the plate (silicone oil “saturates” the silicone and creates an ink-repellent layer),
it can give rise to problems at the rubber rollers and blankets. Even if there is no excess silicone oil in the
ink, over a period of time “silicone contamination” of the rubber can still occur because traces of silicone
oil remain on the rubber after each pass no matter how thoroughly the blankets and rollers are cleaned.
This impairs ink splitting, because a layer of ink-repellent silicone oil is formed on the surface of the
rubber. Silicone contamination can cause even worse problems during ink changes.
3. Silicone oil disguises ink tack. Tack is the sum of an ink’s viscosity, its propensity to pick and its
Epple’s aniva inks support a larger behaviour in printed piles. Because the silicone oil on the surface of the split or transferred ink layer
colour gamut than Euroscale inks. covers the ink molecules, the true degree of ink tack cannot be measured, even with special tests. This can
In waterless offset, only users of have unpleasant consequences in the form of picking, smudging or blocking.
the 46 Karat can enjoy the many
benefits that aniva pigmentation 4. Silicone oil can impair finishing quality by preventing the coating, laminate, mounting film or hot-
brings stamping foil from adhering to the ink film. This primarily applies to oxidative inks, but also to UV
(source: Epple) waterless inks.

KBA Process 2 | 2005 31

 Consumables | Waterless inks

ary layer (WFBL). Silicone

oil is non-flammable, does
not gum and does not alter its
viscosity with changes in tem-
perature, so it fulfils this func-
tion very well.
Nevertheless, ink manu-
facturers have been busily
searching for substitutes.
There are technical rather
than environmental reasons
for this (see box on previous
page). The choice of separator
has become a key aspect of For the plastic printing version of the 74 Karat and the
ink formulation and its com- Rapida 74 G KBA recommends Zeller+Gmelin’s Toracard
TF inks which have already proven their superior
position is normally a closely performance in the Genius 52 (photo: Kleeberg)
guarded secret. So the press
operator does not have to
worry about the silicone-oil
74 Karat printer Stephan Vanlent and his colleagues at
content of the ink. All he has Vignold in Essen have built a nitrogen cabinet in which the
to do – but this is important – ink in full ink troughs stays fresh overnight (photo: Stein)
is carefully follow the instruc-
tions on the label. When Waterless inks for sheetfed
choosing waterless inks he offset from a sheet size of 500
must take good note of the x 700mm up are generally
substrates and types of coat- formulated duct-fresh, with
ing for which they are suitable special formulae suitable for
and those for which they are perfecting or quick-drying.
not. Arguments advanced by Oxidation, penetration and
critics of waterless offset, UV curing can be used as dry-
based on the drawbacks of ing processes. Gloss- or matt-
silicone oil, are thus no longer coated paper surfaces, and
relevant. non-absorbent materials like
plastic and metallised film,
…and more environmentally can all be printed with such
friendly alternatives inks.
This market sector em-
The elimination of fount braces all temperature-con-
solution makes waterless off- trollable KBA Rapida presses,
set a relatively ecological The Gravuflow inking units for the Rapida 74 G are also fed from cartridges including the Rapida 74 G and
printing process. But that’s (photo: KBA) the 74 Karat DI offset press.
not all. Inks based on vegeta- KBA’s Genius 52 and
ble oils, which have long been the world’s biggest manufac- At Ifra Expo 2003 in Leip- Metronic’s Genius 52 UV,
available for wet offset, have turer of inks, has pioneered zig, KBA and Sun Chemical though engineered for a
now been formulated for this technology in the market signed an agreement to work smaller sheet size, must also
waterless offset, albeit limited for waterless inks. At Drupa jointly on developing water- be included in this category
to sheetfed applications. So 2000 the company demon- washable coldset inks. The since they differ from their
even more printers can take strated a water-washable ink, agreement includes, among format counterparts in incor-
advantage of this welcome Instant Dry, on a Heidelberg other things, an exclusive porating precise, high-pow-
alternative to switch to renew- Quickmaster DI. Since then three-year period of collabo- ered temperature controls.
able raw materials. Waterless Sun Chemical has brought ration on the Cortina, during Sheetfed offset is the
newspaper technology has not further water-washable water- which Sun Chemical will de- “showground” of waterless
advanced quite as far. less inks onto the market un- velop and refine its Shark W offset. This is where an un-
A further option for buff- der the names Irodry W2 and ink series, the water-washable paralleled level of print
ing up the environmental cre- DriLith W2. These inks have alternative to its solvent- sophistication is matched by
dentials of waterless offset is the added advantage that the washable waterless coldset an unparalleled standard of
to use water-washable ink. prints no longer need to be ink, Shark C. quality. It is where waterless
Substituting a water-based powder-sprayed and yet are offset can really pull out all
agent for a solvent-based ready for finishing just as fast. Waterless inks for the stops and, in conjunction
agent in the roller- and blan- Also, paper printed with such sheetfed offset with frequency-modulated
ket-washing systems reduces inks is easy to de-ink, which screening and HiFi colour or
emissions of VOCs (volatile cannot be said of paper The choice of inks on of- other non-standard ink scales,
organic compounds) at the printed with most other water- fer in this market sector is the produce some stunning re-
press to zero. Sun Chemical, washable inks. largest and most diversified. sults. It comes up trumps not

32 KBA Process 2 | 2005

only on the level of gloss that broader temperature tolerance
can be achieved but also on range than those for bigger
the sharp detail, homogene- presses, with the maximum
ous solids and fluctuation- tolerable temperature rela-
free quality delivered. On top tively high. Running such
of this a few ink series, for ex- inks on bigger presses would
ample K+E Novaless Power impair output and the quality
Dry, enable prints to be fin- of ink transfer.
ished almost immediately: Waterless inks for narrow-
their penetration time has web production also fall into
been reduced to less than two this category. Here, UV inks
minutes and guillotine-safe are the most common type
setting to 20 minutes – just used, often in tandem with
25% of the usual time. other printing processes, de-
What is most important pending on job specifications.
when running UV inks and At Ifra Expo 2003 KBA and Sun Chemical signed a three-year collaborative Products typically printed
printing non-absorbent mate- agreement to develop Shark W water-washable inks exclusively for the with waterless UV inks on
Cortina. From the left: Klaus Schmidt, marketing director at KBA; Michael
rials is to follow the instruc- Griem, corporate vice president of Sun Chemical; Claus Bolza-Schünemann, narrow webs are folding car-
tions for use. In addition, deputy president of KBA; Wes William Lucas, chairman, president and CEO tons and adhesive labels made
runability tests are recom- of Sun Chemical Corporation; Felipe Mellado, corporate vice president of paper or plastic, eg trans-
marketing and technology at Sun Chemical Europe; and Peter Benz,
mended if certain types of ink Cortina project manager at KBA (photo: KBA) parent film for a “no-label”
and critical materials are to be look.
run together for the first time. The smallest products that
UV-cured waterless inks can set sector, which includes cause they run at lower speeds can be printed are CDs,
print just about any type of small-format direct-imaging than bigger presses (and so do DVDs, optical business cards
plastic film. presses. The reason is that, not generate as much heat), and plastic cards in one-up
with the exception of the KBA and are usually used for less and multi-up production.
Waterless inks for Genius 52, Metronic Genius sophisticated products. Dis- Metronic, which has acquired
small formats 52 UV and 46 Karat (plus pensing with temperature a high level of competence in
Ryobi 3404 DI and other control is thus a good way of this market, recommends
Some ink manufacturers OEM versions), most of these keeping the price down. As a Sipca’s highly specialised UV
formulate inks specifically for presses have no form of tem- result the inks formulated for inks for such applications.
the small-format sheetfed off- perature control. This is be- this format can operate in a
Waterless inks for
IR radiation

Sheetfed offset on non-ab-

sorbent materials demands a
special type of waterless ink:
one that dries purely through
IR-accelerated oxidation. For
this particular application
KBA has approved Zeller+
Gmelin’s Toracard TF ink se-
ries which can be used in the
74 Karat, the Rapida 74 G and
the Genius 52 to print speci-
fic types of film: polyvinyl
chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile
buta-diene styrene (ABS),
poly-carbonate (PC), polysty-
rene (PS) and polyester (poly-
ethylene terephthalate, PET).
Toracard, unlike UV inks, is
not suitable for printing
pretreated polyolefine film

Siegwerk, developer of Aridas

coldset waterless inks, produces
more than 20,000 tonnes of ink a
year for printing newspapers and
inserts (photo: Siegwerk)

KBA Process 2 | 2005 33

 Consumables | Waterless inks

such as polyethylene (PE) or web presses. Added to which bility. It represents an out-
polypropylene (PP). The ben- customers proved unwilling standing contribution by KBA
efits of IR drying over UV to pay even a minor premium towards enhancing the envi-
curing are that the technology for the superior print quality ronmental performance of
is less complex and the ex- that this more ecological pro- newspaper presses: no damp-
haust air ozone-free. Moreo- duction process delivers. ening solution, little or no
ver, the ink adheres firmly to KBA, too, has no immediate VOC emissions (depending
the substrate, so applying spe- plans to expand its focus be- on the type of ink and wash- The Huber Group has developed a
cial aqueous coatings inline or yond waterless coldset, which ing agent used) and extraordi- number of inks under its “Highly
Improved Technology” banner.
laminating the prints offline is by virtue of the high print narily low waste levels – KBA These include a coldset series,
no problem. quality possible with the has defined the benchmarks Rollo-Temp Dry, which delivered an
Waterless inks that dry by Cortina now enables newspa- by which potential rivals will outstanding print quality on the
Cortina
solvent evaporation are to be per printers to add semi-com- be gauged.
found in narrow-web printing. mercials to their product mix. In this scenario, ink plays
To reduce the drying time, not a major role. Since waterless
just of waterless offset inks Waterless inks for inks for coldset production along with leading paper and
but also of inks used in hybrid newspaper web offset were non-existent when the plate manufacturers. A work-
inline printing processes, the Cortina was first mooted, all shop was held on 8 June 2004
presses typically feature com- The Cortina is the only the major manufacturers of at which the six participating
pact IR and hot-air dryers. newspaper offset press on the conventional coldset inks ink manufacturers, Finnish
Printing with waterless market with a waterless capa- were brought to the table paper manufacturer UPM
inks is also possible in heatset Kymmene and a maker of
web offset. But despite the measuring instruments and
The design of the ink ducts for the Cortina has undergone a number of
standard of quality achieved, modifications to enable them to handle low-viscosity waterless inks with materials testing devices,
waterless technology has maximum efficiency (photo: KBA) Prüfbau, analysed the ad-
failed to gain ground and the vances achieved to date. Vir-
number of users is extremely tually all waterless inks have
small, and shrinking. One of now reached a high level of
the reasons is that plate dura- performance, and each has its
bility does not support multi- individual merits. Some inks
million print runs. On top of have attained a standard of so-
this, earlier users willing to phistication that enables them
pioneer waterless inking in to be run with an easy mind
heatset web offset complained in day-to-day newspaper pro-
of a conspicuous lack of duction with the Cortina. The
support by suppliers of con- press line that came on stream
sumables, and of a lack of re- in February in the Nether-
sponse to issues such as high lands is evidence of this.
plate prices, poor temperature As with wet offset inks for
control at the press and water- newspaper production, one of
less inks that had not been sat- the key objectives in develop-
isfactorily reformulated for ing waterless coldset inks is to

On temperature windows and tack

T he drying method, mechanical and chemical fastness, optical prop-
erties (eg tonal reproduction, detail definition, gloss capability) and
settings (duct-fresh, quick-drying) are standard items of information pro-
ISO 12634 prescribes the conditions for determining tack. A rotary
tackmeter must be used comprising a temperature-controlled system drive
roller and a distributor roller with a measuring roller on top. Tripping the
vided on ink cans. Manufacturers of waterless inks furnish information on measuring roller at a prespecified speed or distance per time unit furnishes
other runability characteristics: the optimum temperature range is always the tack value. Although values vary depending on the type of tackmeter
given and, possibly, the tack. Physically and rheologically, temperature used (Prüfbau Inkomat, IGT Tacktester), they correlate with each other.
“windows” and tack are related: the higher the tack, the higher the neces- The most popular measuring devices are Tacko und Inko.
sary printing temperature. However, a general formula – if tack is x, then Despite the fact that a higher tack makes ink more prone to pick, ink
temperature must be y – does not apply because each ink series has its own manufacturers recommend a medium tack (eg around 12 Inko, measured
optimum tack/temperature ratio. with an Inkomat) as the minimum value because this reduces the risk of
The recommended working temperature range is the key criterion, toning and delivers greater detail definition. Due to the tack-related con-
which is why this is stated on the ink label. This is the only process nection between temperature and toning (which can occur when the maxi-
variable that the press operator can control directly, by setting a target mum temperature is exceeded) the specified temperature range is known
temperature within a specific tolerance range at the temperature control as the “critical tone temperature” (CTT) or “critical toning index” (CTI).
unit. It can vary from 2° to 15°C, start at around 18°C (depending on the manu-
In this specific context, tack refers to the ink tact ex works – ie, the facturer and application) and end, if the tolerance window is especially
initial tack at production start-up. This value naturally changes, together broad, at 35°C. Tolerances for temperature control systems can be corre-
with viscosity, in the course of the print run because when the ink is split it spondingly narrow or broad. Broad tolerances apply primarily for small-
is exposed to forces which do not apply in its quiescent state. Tack deter- format presses with no dedicated temperature control system. For the
mines how strongly the ink adheres to the plate and blankets, and indicates more standardised, cost-effective print production supported by presses
the splitting resistance of an ink film. like the KBA Cortina, a narrow temperature range is desirable.

34 KBA Process 2 | 2005

achieve the right degree of Summary of waterless offset ink brands and applications
penetration to support prob- (Errors and omissions excepted. Availability may be geographically restricted.)
Ink series Setting process Applications KBA-approved*
lem-free processing in the ANI Group (ANI, Lindgens, Trenal) and BASF (K+E)
folder at maximum produc- ANI Lito Flora Dry oxidation/penetration sheetfed offset
tion speed. Another is to make ANI-Dry Futura penetration coldset Cortina project
Trenal Morgana penetration coldset; discontinued previous Cortina project
the most of the quality ben- K+E Novaless S 74 oxidation/penetration DI sheetfed offset with 74 Karat 74 Karat, Rapida 74 G, Genius
efits that waterless offset de- K+E Novaless S 220 Universal oxidation/penetration sheetfed offset
K+E Novaless S 240 Power Dry oxidation/penetration small-format DI sheetfed offset 46 Karat
livers on typical improved K+E Newsking Sahara penetration coldset Cortina project
K+E Webking WL (upon request) IR/hot-air evaporation heatset
newsprint: a more brilliant
Braden Sutphin
print through higher gloss, DI Waterless oxidation/penetration small-format DI sheetfed offset
homogeneous solids cover- Brancher
age, a larger colour gamut, Hadron UV curing packaging, labels, plastic cards/film
and enhanced detail reproduc- Classic Colours
tion through finer screens. Sahara Eco-Dry oxidation/penetration DI sheetfed offset
Nevada HG oxidation/penetration sheetfed offset, DI sheetfed offset 74 Karat, Rapida 74 G, Genius
This enables waterless coldset Nevada Oxi Mk2 oxidation plastic cards/film + toner-based printing/coating
n/a IR/hot-air evaporation narrow-web heatset, special effect inks
to print high-quality colour
Dainichiseika (Daicolor)
supplements. A welcome Japanese data only — —
side-effect of using these Encres Dubuit
slightly more viscous inks, in CD Plus UV curing CDs, DVDs etc
OW Metro UV curing CDs, DVDs etc
tandem with Newsflow ink- OW Label, more upon request UV curing narrow-web label printing
ing units, is that the ink mist- Epple Ink and Sicolor
ing typically associated with Euro 7415x/Sicolor Euro 5832x oxidation/penetration sheetfed offset
DI-Waterless/Sicolor DI-W5839x oxidation/penetration DI sheetfed offset
high-performance presses no Euro Karat/Sicolor 58140x oxidation/penetration DI sheetfed offset with 74 Karat 74 Karat, Rapida 74 G, Genius
longer occurs. aniva Euro/Standard 780xx oxidation/penetration DI sheetfed offset, specifically for KBA 46 Karat “Power Mix”
Euro 54129 UV curing packaging, labels, plastic cards/film
NN (upon request) IR/hot-air evaporation heatset
Dieter Kleeberg Flint Ink (Flint Ink, Flint-Schmidt)
ArrowStar KG oxidation/penetration DI sheetfed offset with 74 Karat 74K, Rapida 74 G, Genius (US)
Board Perfect EU 8416 oxidation/penetration sheetfed offset, DI sheetfed offset
EuroStar NN waterless penetration coldset Cortina project
SFI oxid./pen., evaporation conventional plate development project
Huber Group (Michael Huber, Hostmann-Steinberg)
Reflecta Dry 5070 HIT oxidation/penetration sheetfed offset
WL-UV-Temp Euro/special inks UV curing sheetfed offset, plastic cards/film, CDs, DVDs
Rollo-Temp Dry penetration coldset Cortina project
Inctec
Japanese data only — —
Jänecke+Schneemann
Ancor WLP 81 B 75-78 oxidation/penetration sheetfed offset, DI sheetfed offset
Supra UV 565 UV curing cards, CDs
RUCO
050 UV UV curing CDs, DVDs, PE and PP labels
055 UV UV curing PE and PP cards/film with coating
Sericol
Seridisc OF UV curing CDs, DVDs etc
Sicpa Group
Euro 970 oxidation/penetration sheetfed offset, DI sheetfed offset 46 Karat
Sicura 41 WL UV curing narrow-web label printing
Sicura Disc 41 WL UV curing CDs, DVDs Metronic WL UV version
Sicura Card 110N WA UV curing plastic cards with coating, film Metronic WL UV version
more upon request oxidation/penetration, UV numerous specialised applications
Siegwerk
Aridas oxidation/penetration coldset Cortina project
SunChemical (SunChemical, Coates Lorilleux, Hartmann, Kohl & Madden, US Inks, Usher-Walker)
Irodry 7001 oxidation/penetration small-format sheetfed offset, direct imaging 46 Karat
Irodry 7005 + Pantone 27xxx oxidation/penetration medium- and large-format sheetfed offset
Irodry 7074 oxidation/penetration DI sheetfed offset with 74 Karat 74/46 Karat, Ra74 G, Genius
Irodry W2 7300, DriLith W2 oxidation/penetration sheetfed offset with water-washable inks
Shark C oxidation/penetration coldset Cortina project
Shark W oxidation/penetration coldset with water-washable inks Cortina project
K&M Sharp & Dry oxidation/penetration sheetfed offset, DI sheetfed offset
K&MCure UV Waterless UV curing UV applications 4 and 6 colours
Superior Printing Ink
Super Tech Aqua-Not B oxidation/penetration sheetfed offset high-performance series
Super Tech Aqua-Not GL oxidation/penetration sheetfed offset universal
Super Tech Aqua-Not LT, HT oxidation/penetration sheetfed offset with no temperature control
*KBA approves inks in conjunction with plates, Super Tech Aqua-Not 2000 oxidation/penetration small-format DI sheetfed offset
particularly for presses with direct imaging Toyo Ink (TI Japan, TI America)
and/or keyless inking systems and individually
Aqualess Ultra L/M oxidation/penetration sheetfed offset
for the 46 Karat, jointly forthe 74 Karat, Aqualess Karat oxidation/penetration DI sheetfed offset with 74 Karat 74 Karat, Rapida 74 G, Genius
Rapida 74 G and Genius 52. Sicpa UV inks are Aqualess Ecoo oxidation/penetration DI sheetfed offset 46 Karat
recommended for Metronic’s Genius 52 UV. Aqualess UV UV curing plastic cards/film, CDs, DVDs
Most of the coldset inks listed here were Van Son Royal Dutch Printing Ink Factory
formulated and tested exclusively for runability SonaDry VS8000 + Pantone oxidation/penetration sheetfed offset, DI sheetfed offset
in the Cortina, but are at different stages of Quickson SonaDry + Pantone oxidation/penetration sheetfed offset, DI sheetfed offset
development. KBA reserves the right to make SonaDry UV + Pantone UV curing plastic cards/film, CDs, DVDs
additions and deletions to the list of approved Zeller+Gmelin
consumables at any time. Toralux T1 oxidation/penetration DI sheetfed offset 46 Karat
Status: December 2004 Toracard TF IR-accelerated oxidation plastic cards (coated), certain films 74 Karat, Rapida 74 G, Genius
Toracur W2 UV curing narrow-web label printing, plastic film

KBA Process 2 | 2005 35

 Consumables | Waterless UV inks

Adopting UV inks in wet offset

enables print providers to offer a
broader range of products and
Waterless UV offset –
to finish prints immediately, with
no post-impression delay for a winning combination
drying. Both these benefits can
be combined with those of
waterless offset.

UV printing in general

U
V inks and coatings
consist of fluid com-
ponents which reticu-
late to form a solid, dry film
when exposed to a high-
energy source of ultraviolet
radiation. Curing is virtually
instantaneous, though the du-
ration of this process depends
on press speed and the
number of UV lamps used,
their intensity and the kind of
material being printed. Al-
most all UV inks are based on
materials to which polyfunc-
tional epoxy, polyester or
polyurethane vinyl have been The Genius 52 UV waterless offset press prints high-quality plastic cards in An increasing number of CDs and
added along with dyes, addi- multi-up production (photo: KBA) DVDs are being printed in waterless
UV offset on Metronic’s CD Print
tives and photo-initiators that (photo: Metronic)
trigger polymerisation and
thus the creation of a reticu-
lated film. Although UV inks software CDs and DVDs are Why UV? Time gain: because UV
may be described unequivo- printed with UV inks – a large inks harden instantly when
cally as solvent-free, they do proportion of them on water- The future success of a exposed to UV radiation there
require the use of solvent- less offset presses. KBA sub- graphic enterprise, and the are no lengthy drying times,
based washing and cleaning sidiary Metronic holds the market opportunities it can so prints can be finished or
agents in the press. pole position in the market for exploit, will largely depend turned without delay.
UV curing is of particular plastic cards and CDs/DVDs. on whether its performance Quality gain: high-speed
interest to all sectors of the But a lot of conventional and products address emerg- curing also eliminates the
printing and packaging indus- presses can also be converted ing demand and applications. need to powder-spray, so the
try where rapid drying and a to run UV inks and coatings. UV presses enable printers to innate gloss of the ink is not
durable high gloss are needed The same applies to stand- enter new, less volatile mar- impaired. Because the ink
to allow immediate finishing. alone coaters. UV presses can kets. Since most of the presses dries immediately, the final
Applications range from fur- be used to print solid board made – including those from result can be assessed imme-
niture manufacture and auto- and carton (including drug KBA – can be engineered or diately: there is no further ink
motive parts to coatings and and food packaging), plastics converted for UV, investment penetration or drying.
the bank cards in your wallet. and metal, and for product costs are easy to calculate and Ecology gain: UV curing
Nowadays, even music and identification. control. also eliminates the need for

The H-1/04 colour-density and ink-trapping control strip developed by Druck & Beratung D. Braun for waterless UV offset

36 KBA Process 2 | 2005

 KBA and Metronic waterless offset presses with UV capability
solvents in the ink, so there Model Type of inking system Waterless UV applications Remarks
are no VOC emissions. And KBA Rapida conventional folding cartons, compounds, plastic film all formats UV-compatible in principle
contrary to widespread belief, KBA Rapida 74 G keyless (Gravuflow) folding cartons, compounds, plastic film suitable UV inks currently being tested
Metronic Genius 52 UV keyless (Metronic) plastic film/cards, compounds, carton UV version of Genius 52
there are no health hazards. Metronic CD Print keyless (Metronic) CDs, DVDs, optical business cards waterless UV inks only
What is more, the dramatic Metronic Premius keyless (Metronic) CDs, DVDs, optical business cards waterless UV inks only
drop in emissions brings a Metronic oc200 keyless (Metronic) Plastic cards waterless UV inks only
corresponding drop in the cost
of waste disposal. Narrow-web waterless offset presses for labels and packaging
Finishing gain: the solid (errors and omissions excepted)

or spot, gloss or clear coatings Model Basic printing process Hybrid processes Dryer*
used in UV printing facilitate Codimag Viva 340 Waterless waterless offset letterpress, flexo, screen UV, IR support
Codimag Viva 340 Letterpress letterpress waterless offset, flexo, screen UV, IR support
in-house finishing. Drent Goebel VSOP waterless and wet offset (sleeves) letterpress, flexo, screen, gravure, digital UV, hot-air option
ETI Metronome flexo, screen waterless and wet offset, letterpress, digital UV, IR/hot-air, EB option
Incursion into waterless UV Etipol Combi 2000 waterless and wet offset, screen letterpress, flexo, screen UV
Edelmann Color-Print V52/V72 waterless offset, wet offset letterpress, flexo, screen, digital UV, IR/hot-air, EB option
Megamarc-Malbate MecaOffset waterless offset flexo UV
Anyone wishing to take Nilpeter M 3300 waterless offset, wet offset, flexo screen, gravure, conventional flexo UV, IR/hot-air, EB option
RDP Marathon Web Litho waterless offset, wet offset letterpress, flexo, screen, gravure, digital IR, hot-air, UV, EB option
waterless UV offset on board Sanjo Carton Box letterpress waterless offset, flexo, screen UV
should not attempt to do so Sanjo PO3 270/350 letterpress, wet offset waterless offset, flexo, screen UV
without professional advice * With one exception, UV lamps are standard fittings, so waterless offset with UV inks is the norm.
and training. This is because Source: Etiketten-Labels (www.flexo.de)
the process demands not only
a certain level of skill at the
press but also a clear idea at
the planning stage of the tech-
nical specifications required
for the range of products that
are to be printed. On top of
this the press crew must be-
come acquainted with the
peculiarities of the printing
process and the UV-specific
functions involved. For exam-
Waterless UV offset is an attractive
ple, standard settings for con- alternative to conventional processes
veying the substrate inside the for narrow-web production. The
press cannot be transferred photo shows a Viva 340 Waterless
press (photo: Codimag)
1:1 from paper and carton to
film and other synthetic mate- Left: Metronic’s oc200 has cornered
rials. To avoid unnecessary the market in waterless UV card
printing with subsequent UV coating
costs from lost production it is (photo: Metronic)
advisable to provide instruc-
tion for the press crew.
The optimum UV radia-
tion level of the lamps must be suitable for the substrate to
be adjusted according to the be printed. In case of doubt,
specific consumables – the eg if a substrate has not been
inks, coating(s) and substrate printed before, printability
– being handled, since their and convertibility tests must
thermal sensitivity can vary be carried out. Even the se-
substantially. Correct mainte- quence in which the inks are
nance, eg cleaning the reflec- applied has a decisive impact
tors and changing defective on quality. Normally an ink’s
lamps, also plays a part. suitability for a specific sub-
In waterless as in wet UV strate can be read off the label,
offset, inks and coatings must and ink manufacturers offer

KBA Process 2 | 2005 37

 Consumables | Waterless UV inks

Waterless UV specialist
D etlef Braun, the author,
boasts more than 20
years’ experience in waterless
with the technology on site,
until they have become to-
tally proficient and can win
UV offset and is a respected accounts through their per-
consultant on implementing formance, reliability and
and optimising this process. trouble-shooting skills.
A qualified letterpress and Detlef Braun is also chair-
offset printer, from 1983 to man of the European Water-
1995 Braun held the post of less Printing Association
technical manager at marks- (www.ewpa.org) which was
3zet, a major promoter of wa- established to promote the
terless offset in the German widespread adoption of wa-
print industry, and in this terless offset, and in this ca-
capacity was responsible for pacity is actively engaged in
the wide-scale launching of advancing this technology.
Toray’s waterless offset Beratung in Mülheim (Ruhr), and re-invent the wheel. The Membership of the EWPA is
plates. In May 1995 he be- which provides training in consumables involved are too drawn from users and manu-
came joint proprietor of a waterless UV offset any- costly to waste on learning by facturers of printing presses,
Düsseldorf printing company, where in the world on behalf your mistakes.” Braun pro- inks, blankets and plates.
the first worldwide to adopt of all the leading press manu- motes waterless UV offset to With environmental issues
digitally imaged waterless facturers (www.wluv.de). his clients as an alternative moving to the fore in press
UV offset. The five-colour “Yes, there’s a learning or addition to their existing engineering, waterless off-
coater press installed at that curve as far as the technology product portfolio. A film- set’s low-emission creden-
time had a customised is concerned,” Braun con- printing capability opens up tials are attracting a steady in-
Eltosch delivery extension cedes, “but UV printing is not new and lucrative markets flux of new members to the
and printed paper and board, as hard as some people would where price negotiations are EWPA. Detlef Braun is a firm
plastic cards, stickers, mouse- have you believe. However, it not a major aspect of the daily adherent: “Whether with or
pads, overhead transparen- is advisable to get some com- routine. His company helps without UV – in waterless
cies and dummies using the petent instruction and not try printers become acquainted offset you control only what
first Toray waterless CTP the customer wants to see:
plates to hit the market. In colour and brilliance!”
July 2001 Braun also became (photo: Print & Produktion 5/04)
the sole owner of Druck &

Specialist for WL-UV-Print

explicit instructions. At any substrate. They therefore fur- though the Rapida 74 G at
rate, it is important to create nish a realistic representation Drupa was run with oxidative
print characteristic curves for of the substrate’s ink trapping inks, tests are already being
the various substrates. characteristics. Using stand- conducted with waterless UV
ard rectangular patches, par- offset inks. The European Wa-
Dedicated control strip ticularly on thin film, would terless Printing Association
produce undesirable and mis- (EWPA), of which the author
Since waterless inks – leading results because ink is the chairman, and the
whether for conventional or adhesion tends to make the Berufsgenossenschaft Druck
UV offset – have a high tack, film bulge at the edges. The & Papier (Germany’s equiva-
Druck & Beratung has de- triangular geometry reduces lent of the UK’s H&SE or
vised a dedicated control by almost 99% the adhesive America’s OSHA) have
strip, the H-1/04. The indi- forces exerted on the substrate jointly affirmed the Rapida 74
vidual patches, which can of at the angle of rupture. G’s environmental credentials
course also be checked with a The H-1/04 control strip with the award of Emission
densitometer or spectral pho- proved its efficacy in the Wa- Reduced Waterless Offset
tometer, are triangular in terless Competence Centre on (ERWLO) certification.
shape. This enables them to the marks-3zet stand at Drupa
overcome the forces of adhe- 2004, in tandem with a Detlef Braun
sion more easily, resulting in a Metronic Genius 52 UV wa- Druck & Beratung D. Braun
clean rupture, or “quick re- terless press and KBA’s new
lease”, when the ink is split Rapida 74 G featuring
between the blanket and the Gravuflow inking units. Al-

38 KBA Process 2 | 2005

 Quality | Enhancement

Waterless offset has the edge

over wet offset in the print
quality that can be achieved.
Quality benefits
Presses with long inking units
have proved this beyond doubt of waterless offset
– as have presses with keyless
inking units, which deliver a
consistently uniform print quality
into the bargain. The quality
gain is particularly striking in
newspaper production with the
Cortina. But this superior
The surface of an imaged Presstek
technology also enables the PEARLdry waterless plate viewed
under a scanning electron
small-format Genius 52 to microscope. The silicone layer
sharply delineates the screen dots
address the high end of the and thereby limits dot gain
(source: Zeller+Gmelin/Presstek)
market.

There is less dot gain on a waterless plate than on a wet offset plate.
The graph was created using a TECHKON DMS 910 dot meter on a
Toray TAC-RGL7 plate and calculated using DMS Pro software

Quality delivers ter. Added to which, working uncoated stock that would tem. A lot of printers who
bottom-line benefits with waterless offset (espe- cause serious problems in wet originally installed the press
cially if this incorporates offset. And the Cortina news- to exploit its cost-efficiency

W
hen a commercial keyless inking) and producing paper press is proof that an in short- to medium-run col-
or packaging print- prints of an exceptionally amazingly high print quality our have been quick to pick
er makes the tran- high quality will steadily en- can be achieved on newsprint. up on this, expanding from
sition to waterless offset, his hance his prowess, so that he run-of-the-mill jobs to the
decision is informed not is capable of handling any Quality opens up much more lucrative business
purely by cost and environ- challenges that may come his niche markets of producing proof prints or
mental considerations but way in the future. advance copies of high-qual-
also by the potential quality Even where no more than The 74 Karat’s reproduc- ity jobs which, for technical
gains. He sees the move as a an average standard of quality tive accuracy and precisely reasons (run length or speci-
chance to expand, because en- is perfectly adequate, water- calibrated print parameters al- fied printing process, eg UV
hancing his product quality less offset may still be worth low it to simulate other print- sheetfed offset, heatset), must
alongside his environmental taking on board. This is be- ing processes with a startling be printed on another press.
credentials delivers a number cause it is widely acknowl- degree of fidelity. As a result The technological superi-
of bottom-line benefits. edged that waterless offset it is predestined for use as a ority of the compact and inno-
First and foremost, a bet- can handle certain types of high-volume proofing sys- vative Genius 52 has enabled
ter print quality enables him
to differentiate his products
from those of his competitors.
In addition, establishing a
name as a quality waterless
printer makes it easier for him
to acquire – and retain – more
lucrative business entailing
optically challenging and
technically more sophisti-
cated printwork while at the The smaller volume of ink applied
with frequency-modulate screening
same time promoting loyalty allows semi-commercials to be
in his existing quality-ori- printed on coldset presses. Waterless
ented customer base. If he can coldset enhances the quality of such
products even further and enables
do all this and also quote a several different types of stock to be
lower price, so much the bet- printed (source: REWE)

KBA Process 2 | 2005 39

 Quality | Enhancement

users to redefine the image of Microscopic images of four-colour

small-format offset, while its screens for newspaper production:
the blurred 40lpc (100lpi) screen
ability to print four- or five- (top) is for a conventional coldset
colour products to a standard press, the more sharply defined
well above the average offers 60lpc (150lpi) screen (below)
is for a KBA Cortina
traditional small-format print-
ers an effective tool for com-
peting on quality, where the
job permits, against printers
running bigger presses. Con-
versely, medium- and large-
format printers can install a
Genius to expand their high- confident that the Cortina
quality portfolios into smaller could realistically be modi-
formats that were previously fied for heatset semi-commer-
uneconomic. cial production at a later date.

Quality enhancement Outstanding detail

fosters newspaper trends reproduction

The quality arguments in All waterless offset print-

favour of waterless newspa- ing plates can reproduce
per production are as compel- tisers have been less and less can be reproduced (60lpc and exceptionally fine detail.
ling as the economic ones. willing to accept this lower FM). All this enables newspa- Thanks to the low dot gain
The Cortina supports two standard for their colour pers to enhance their appeal as even negative dots remain
major trends which have newspaper ads. The usual re- advertising media through the open in shadows. As a result it
emerged over the past ten sponse has been to offer sub- excellence of their print qual- is generally possible to print a
years: towards a higher colour stantial discounts, but with ity. much higher screen resolution
content and almost unlimited margins already wafer-thin As for flexibility, a water- (well above 200lpc or 500lpi,
flexibility in colour imposi- this is not a policy that news- less coldset press like the with no significant dot loss in
tion. It does this by elevating paper publishers can afford to Cortina delivers such a high extreme highlights or shad-
the quality of colour repro- maintain in the long run. quality that it can print semi- ows) as well as FM screens
duction to a standard previ- Switching to waterless commercial products (flyers, with small dot sizes. In fact
ously considered to be beyond offset would be a much more advertising and special sup- with the Cortina newspaper
the capabilities of coldset effective – and profitable – re- plements etc) more cost-ef- press a 60lpc (150lpi) screen
newspaper offset. sponse. But the elimination of fectively than heatset. So is the norm, and it can handle
Coldset inks dry by pen- fount solution and the nega- newspaper publishers can fi- FM screens with equal ease.
etrating the substrate, and up tive consequences it can bring nally print a string of other On most types of digital
until now it has only been (eg fan-out, density fluctua- products alongside high-qual- waterless plate (depending on
possible to increase ink lay- tions from one copy to the ity newspapers on one and the resolution and laser spot over-
down in solids and images at next) is not the only reason. same press. Expanding the lap) the full tonal range is re-
the expense of overall quality, There has also been a big im- product range allows them to tained on a screen of up to
especially if the images are provement in the penetration increase the level of plant uti- 80lpc (200lpi) or so. On a
positioned back-to-back. Ad- properties of waterless cold- lisation. Judging by the ad- 120lpc (300lpi) screen the 1%
vertising agencies and adver- set inks and in the screens that vances already made, KBA is and 99% dot values are lost.

Left: The Cortina beta

press at reiff in Offenburg
delivered a print quality
previously unattainable in
newspaper offset

Right: The Cortina News

was printed “live” using a
60lpc screen at a number of
events organised by KBA

40 KBA Process 2 | 2005

And the figures for analogue occur can be minimised by in-
Toray plates are just as good. stalling KBA or Metronic
This level of performance is presses with keyless inking
attributable to the fact that the systems. The ability to define
image areas are slightly re- the volume of ink transferred
cessed. Screen dots, edges by the anilox roller is not the
and fine lines are defined with only reason for this stability:
razor-sharp precision by the the keyless inking units used
edges of the silicone layer, in sheetfed offset are also in-
and the ink has little opportu- sensitive to ghosting. With
nity to spread sideways dur- Gravuflow inking units and
ing transfer to the blanket. the inking units in the KBA
Genius 52 and Metronic
Brilliant colour presses, every dot on the ink-
forme roller is always applied
The absence of fount solu- to the same point on the plate.
tion delivers another benefit: The 74 Karat at Aug. Heinrigs in Aachen is primarily used for advance runs, Because of the high produc-
waterless offset inks cannot samples and short runs of folding cartons. The press is modified to simulate tion speed at which the
long-run print jobs in UV wet offset with the aid of colour charts
be watered down by emulsifi- Cortina runs, certain conces-
cation, so they retain their full sions had to be made in the
strength. This means that tems furnishes a key criterion expanded gamut. This is be- design of the Newsflow ink-
higher full-solid densities can for calibrating the production cause higher ink densities can ing units with regard to the
be achieved in waterless off- process – the basis for gener- be transferred in waterless number and diameters of the
set, and the gamut is larger. ating reliable and precise ICC offset than in wet offset. inking rollers. In newspaper
Dispensing with fount solu- profiles within an end-to-end Waterless offset also de- production, however, this has
tion has an equally beneficial colour-management scenario. livers an unparalleled image no significant impact on the
impact on ink gloss, which in quality on CDs, DVDs, plas- print quality that can be
wet offset is impaired by the Photographic-quality prints tic film and cards, which is achieved.
addition of water during one reason why screen print- KBA and Metronic have
emulsification. In the absence The above-mentioned ing has lost ground in these thus added a further benefit to
of water the film-forming benefits with regard to detail sectors. Metronic, which has the existing quality gains that
components can spread more and colour reproduction move cornered the card printing waterless offset delivers: the
evenly, so the surface is waterless offset well up the market, has contributed in no ability to print perfect,
smoother. More brilliant quality league. As a result this small way to this trend by ex- ghosting-free solids and half-
prints are the result. process is being used to print panding the range of applica- tones. And if that is not
With KBA keyless inking an ever-increasing volume of tions possible with the Genius enough, the press runs up to
units there is the added bonus high-end promotional litera- 52 UV. saleable colour in an amaz-
that ink application by the ture. Waterless offset is fre- ingly small number of copies
anilox roller is precisely de- quently used in tandem with Maintaining a consistently and this colour remains
fined and thus represents a re- other technologies to produce high standard constant throughout the print
producible value. This further photographic-quality prints. It run.
advance towards standardisa- is the perfect vehicle for re- Waterless offset is already
tion by both the Gravuflow producing stochastic screens a highly stable process, and
and the Newsflow inking sys- and colour scales based on an any fluctuations that may still Klaus Schmidt, Dieter Kleeberg

Perfect division of labour at Grütter

in Ronnenberg: the magazine body is
printed in heatset web offset, the
high-quality cover on a 74 Karat

KBA Process 2 | 2005 41

 Quality | Standardisation

Making the transition to standardised,

high-volume print production
Print’s chances of surviving as a craft are virtually non-existent. But the
elimination of water in the offset press room does not, in itself, toll the
death knell for the “black art”. It is only when presses with keyless as
well as waterless inking units take the floor that the foundations are
laid for the transition to industrialised print production in the sense of
a standardised, high-volume workflow. In the press room, as in other
links of the production chain, the ultimate objective must be to deliver
an image that is 100% reproducible from one print to the next and
from one run to the next, based on objective, unequivocally defined
process parameters.

Digital pre-press the model tomating the production chain

while safeguarding against cus- Colour management to ICC specifications has become an elementary step in
standardising digital pre-press and press production. The photo shows an

C
omputer-integrated tomer dissatisfaction caused by
analysis of a European Color Initiative (ECI) test chart using an X-Rite
manufacture (CIM) as loss of quality. DTP70 spectral photometer (photo: Kleeberg)
a model for industrial The early incursion of all-
production is steadily winning digital workflows in pre-press
hearts and minds in the print in- compelled media and print pro- brated processes for colour mated processes and high-tech
dustry. CIM typically entails an viders to adopt an objective and space transformation and publishing scenarios. This evo-
advanced level of automation recordable form of communi- imaging, which in turn fur- lution has found expression in
and the creation of an extensive cation for their digital pre-print nished the means of replacing an influx of what is now famil-
networking system. Standardi- output. More specifically, it en- traditional, craft-based repro- iar terminology – workflow au-
sation is a key criterion for au- tailed taking on board cali- duction techniques with auto- tomation, preflight, ICC colour
management and computer-to-
plate – along with data formats
such as TIFF, PDF, JDF and
XML, whose applications are
firmly anchored in diverse in-
dustrial and ISO standards.

Calibrated presses

The press room is now ex-

periencing similar pressures as
part of a move to standardise
and extensively automate the
entire value-added chain – in
short, to complete the transition
to high-volume print produc-
tion. So calibrated processes
must also be adopted at the
press. “Calibrated” in this con-
text means that it must be possi-

For Holger Müller, production

manager at Aug. Heinrigs
Druck+Verpackung in Aachen,
standardisation is the very essence
of the 74 Karat. The test plates
shown here…

42 KBA Process 2 | 2005

…and the colour charts printed to
requirements by Karat operator
Daniel Strahl are used to correct
proofs and advance runs for UV
sheetfed offset (photos: Kleeberg)

ble to set a defined initial status

at the press for the relevant per-
mutations of plates, blankets,
ink, substrate and printing pres-
sure. It follows that plate expo-
sure, too, must be a calibrated
process.
The tonal and colour repro-
duction properties of each spe-
cific permutation are captured
in characteristic print curves
and ICC press profiles to en-
able pre-press to generate out-
put-compliant imaging data. If
one of the components in this
permutation is changed, the
characteristic curves and pro-
files become invalid and must
be recalculated. For profile
generation in a 74 Karat pro-
duction environment KBA
recommends optional Profile
Wizard software from Creo,
while the “Power Mix” pack-
age it offers with the 46 Karat
includes aniva-Euroscale inks,
for enhanced colour fidelity,
and a Minolta proofing system.

Hands-off ink application

In a scenario such as this

there is no longer room for the
press operator to indulge his in-
dividual preferences and make
subjective assessments. In an
industrial production environ-
ment, objective criteria must be
the sole criteria on which qual-
ity assurance is based. By mak-
ing the transition to waterless
and keyless inking, hands-on
ink application (to say nothing
of dampening) is banished from
the printing process, with the
result that the quality defined in sarily produce a better image. both productivity and quality. switching to Gravuflow, News-
pre-press can be reproduced Instead, he can focus his whole His responsibilities may have flow or Metronic inking units
immaculately in the print. attention on monitoring quality been redefined for an industri- closes the final gap in an all-
But there is no need for the and preparing for the next job: alised context, but they have standardised production flow
press operator to feel that his tasks for which he will have certainly not been curtailed. from pre-press to press. All
competence has been curtailed. computer-aided tools at his dis- other processes, even those at
He is merely being relieved of posal. As a result his workload Total workflow standardisation the press, have long since been
certain routine tasks which – is much less strenuous and en- automated and calibrated.
and this has been proved be- tails fewer repetitive, time-con- Eliminating operator inter- However, up until now the op-
yond all doubt – do not neces- suming chores. This enhances vention in the inking process by erator’s ability to influence ink

KBA Process 2 | 2005 43

 Quality | Standardisation

A perfect match! At Druckforum

2003 the focus was on the “Power
Mix” standardisation package
offered by KBA, Epple and Minolta
comprising a 46 Karat, Epple’s
aniva-Euro inks and a Minolta
CF9001 printing, copying and
scanning device for checking the
colour fidelity of prints off the press
(photo: KBA)

With the 74 Karat, the standardised production of special colours is remarkably simple. At Grid Studio in Belgrade all
the Pantone colours that can be reproduced with process inks are printed on a test sheet and submitted to the customer
for approval (photo: Kleeberg)

application has jeopardised the standardisation, and more spe- must co-ordinate their activi- been able to play to its specific
binding nature, the accuracy cifically the standardised appli- ties. Although they may be geo- strengths in such scenarios.
and the validity of all the other cation of ink on the substrate graphically remote from each And the Cortina would be the
process parameters. via waterless inking systems, other, working from the same perfect “output device” for dis-
Even though ISO 9000 ac- offers many more advantages, single print file enables them to tribute-then-print newspaper
creditation no longer makes one of them being distribute- produce prints that look as if production, since it would en-
headlines, it remains an integral then-print scenarios in which they have come off a single able the various sites to print,
component of quality manage- two or more production plants press. The 74 Karat has long say, different local sections but
ment at many production identical national and interna-
plants. And it shows that the tional sections.
quality bar is not set in stone,
but steadily rises in line with Competitive technology
industry capabilities. The lack from KBA
of a game plan for total stand-
ardisation may well make it KBA’s focus on waterless
much harder in future to furnish and keyless inking technology
evidence on a regular basis of represents a new departure in
compliance with prevailing print production. But a new de-
quality norms. parture in this instance does not
mean that users must abandon
Reliably reproducible images familiar shores and set sail
without a compass in uncharted
It is universally acknowl- waters. On the contrary, the ba-
edged that the ability to re- sic technology is not only fa-
produce identical prints in a miliar but well-proven in
uniform quality throughout the shopfloor operation in the form
print run, and from one run to of Gravuflow and Metronic
the next, is a logical conse- inking units. The experience
quence of a standardised pro- and know-how that KBA has
duction environment. But gained over the years have been
incorporated in the Newsflow
inking unit and in the Cortina,
which has since attained market
maturity. As a result, KBA
presses with waterless, keyless
KBA has developed a mature and inking technology represent the
highly competitive technology for the
Cortina. In the course of this only practical concept currently
development ink viscosity, which was available for standardising
initially excessively high (above) has high-volume print production.
been reduced to the optimum level,
which was found to be very much
lower (below) (photos: KBA) Dieter Kleeberg

44 KBA Process 2 | 2005

 Cost-efficiency | Comparison

Banishing water and ink keys

boosts press economics
Waterless offset is not only more environmentally friendly than conventional offset, thanks to the absence of fount solution, but in many cases
it is also more cost-effective, even though the prices for ink and plates are higher. KBA’s innovative keyless inking technology delivers further
cost savings by cutting the volume of start-up and production waste, shortening makeready times, reducing the number of operator tasks and
limiting VOC emissions. The futuristic design of the Cortina newspaper press, its compact footprint, ease of maintenance and product flexibility
bring additional cost-efficiency benefits.

Cost savings from eliminating

fount solution

E
ven waterless presses
with conventional ink-
ing units offer substan-
tial cost savings over wet offset
presses purely by dispensing
with fount solution. One reason
is that there has been a sharp
rise in the price of isopropyl
alcohol (IPA), especially in
recent years. Another is that Couldn’t be neater: including the
water consumption is reduced plinth and UV lamps the Metronic
Genius 52 UV has a footprint
to zero, which is good for the measuring just 4.17m (13’8”)
environment. At the same time Fast finish: the 74 Karat with inline aqueous coater and IR dryer allows x 3.28m (10’9”) and stands just
there is no outlay for dampen- fresh prints to be turned or finished without delay 1.91m (6’3”) high
ing additives and dampener
maintenance, and makeready
no longer entails adjusting the erally far outweigh the higher to conventional wet offset tial outlay and the running costs
settings to achieve the correct cost of plates (currently +50%), presses (see the cost-efficiency over the total service life of the
ink/water balance. This not ink (+20%) and temperature calculations and analyses in press are both lower. Properly
only shortens makeready times, control, particularly for short to the next chapter). manufactured anilox rollers
but also cuts waste. What is medium runs. At a time when The higher level of cost- have a service life of several
more, during the production average run lengths are steadily efficiency is driven by the tech- years.
run there is no need to monitor shrinking, the overall balance, nological benefits that keyless • An anilox roller replaces
dampening feed. And where after factoring in all cost pa- inking brings: key-wide inking and applies a
there’s no water, there’s no rust. rameters, tilts in favour of wa- • There are fewer rollers in a uniform film of ink, eliminat-
One of the additional ad- terless, keyless offset compared keyless inking unit, so the ini- ing both ink keys and the asso-
vantages of waterless plates is ciated setting elements. So
that they do not have to be there is no need for costly pre-
gummed. The ink-receptive setting and remote-control
and ink-repellent areas of the electronics for the ink-key pro-
plate retain their respective files.
properties without a coating of • The automation of image-
gum arabic. based ink application simplifies
the entire production process
Additional cost savings and press handling. The opera
from eliminating ink keys

Compared to conventional
waterless offset presses the Synergy gains: the Rapida 74 G
Gravuflow and Newsflow unites the 74 Karat’s Gravuflow
keyless inking units made by keyless inking technology with the
flexibility, automation and speed
KBA and Metronic deliver dra- advantages of unit-built Rapida
matic cost savings which gen- presses

KBA Process 2 | 2005 45

 Cost-efficiency | Comparison

Four-high comparison:
the 3.7m (12’) Cortina is dwarfed
by towers of arch-type (left) or
H-type units (right)

Green field preservation: if a single-floor version meets press specs,

a four-high Cortina can be installed in a standard factory hall

tor has more time for other cesses can be scheduled and Additional cost savings either by extending editorial
tasks, and above all for quality predicted more accurately, with the Cortina close for greater immediacy, or
assurance. He must control far deadlines met more reliably by cutting overall production
fewer parameters and is there- and costs reduced on an ongo- The Cortina waterless cold- times (and thus nightshifts and
fore likely to make far fewer ing basis. This offers print pro- set press offers specific cost-ef- the bonuses they attract). The
errors. This improves process viders an effective tool for ficiency benefits for newspaper additional production time
stability. cushioning margins against production. Here, a simple gained through the high level of
• The reduction in presetting pricing pressures. equation applies: the bigger the automation can be used either
and operating tasks cuts It is evident from the above press line, the greater the sav- to print a wider range of edi-
makeready times and reduces that waterless, keyless inking ings potential. The Cortina can tions, eg with a more local
start-up waste. This enables technology is an innovative be configured for the same content or targeting more spe-
shorter runs to be printed cost- contribution towards boosting maximum possible number of cialised interests, or to win
effectively. cost-efficiency in print produc- full-colour broadsheet or tab- new, additional contracts for
• The reduction in operator tion, and that investing in loid pages as a conventional higher-quality products such as
tasks enables the press to be presses with waterless and press, but is much more com- semi-commercials.
operated by a smaller crew. keyless inking units may al- pact. So the savings it brings in Space-saving Newsflow
Presses like the 74 Karat, most be regarded as visionary. terms of labour, space require- inking units and the elimination
Rapida 74 G and Genius 52 are In this context the adoption of ment and building costs in- of dampening systems have
suitable for one-man operation. Gravuflow inking technology crease in direct proportion to enabled KBA design engineers
The Cortina newspaper press for unit-type presses is a logical the size of the press line it to create a four-high tower that
can be handled by a smaller step: since on-press plate expo- replaces. The reduction in per- stands just 3.7m (12’) high, yet
crew than comparable conven- sure limits the range of applica- sonnel requirements for press is more accessible and easier to
tional presses. tions possible with the compact operation and maintenance de- handle than any press that has
• The standardisation of the 74 Karat DI offset press to liver the biggest cost benefits. gone before. The reduction in
inking process based on cali- printing plants with no CTP The time savings gained press height means that it is
brated print parameters pro- pre-press, the Rapida 74 G is an during makeready – eg with the now possible to install an eight-
motes a more standardised, interesting option for the large automatic plate-changing sys- high tower in an existing press
high-volume production se- and growing number of printers tem developed exclusively for hall instead of having to con-
quence. The individual pro- with CTP platesetters. the Cortina – can be exploited struct a new building at great
expense. It is even possible to
install a four-high press in an
existing standard industrial
building such as a supermarket
hall, which generally has much
less headroom. The space
gains, along with the cost sav-
ings achieved by eliminating
the need for new premises, can,
in some cases, dramatically re-

Height comparison: this photo taken

in the Würzburg assembly hall shows
that a Cortina four-high tower
(right) is in fact slightly shorter than
a Commander 9-cylinder satellite
printing unit (left)

46 KBA Process 2 | 2005

High automation: the operator merely has to load the new plates in the Low maintenance: the automatically adjustable roller locks on the
Cortina printing unit; the used plates are removed and the new ones mounted Cortina support quick and easy roller changes and ensure an optimum
automatically in less than 100 seconds roller tension

duce the total cost of the invest- The higher energy costs As a result only the amount of nance tasks or to remove paper
ment. For old-established arising from the need for a tem- heat necessary is generated and following web jams. Mainte-
newspaper plants one of the perature-control system are not not one degree more, so that en- nance work has also been re-
most valuable benefits is that entirely outweighed by savings ergy consumption for air-con- duced by installing automati-
the printing and colour capa- elsewhere, though the Cortina’s ditioning the press hall can be cally adjustable roller locks and
bilities of an existing conven- design engineers did manage to substantially reduced or even by using non-misting waterless
tional press line can be ex- claw back most of them. They eliminated. coldset inks, which dramati-
panded without suffering the did this by choosing a tempera- Keyless inking units are not cally reduce the amount of
negative consequences associ- ture control system (see chap- the only new features in the cleaning agent and rags re-
ated with having to move to a ters on inking units, pp 16-23) Cortina that deliver additional quired.
new production site – the cost with a high-performance pro- cost savings and flexibility
Peter Benz, product engineering
of dismantling and re-erecting file: STC (surface temperature gains. The Stepin system devel- manager for newspaper presses and
existing press lines and equip- control) precisely specifies the oped for the printing units ena- project manager for the Cortina
ment, kitting out the new build- optimum temperature at any bles them to glide apart at the
ing, installing new infrastruc- point in the press, while its flow touch of a button to afford rapid
ture and configuring a new net- geometry ensures that this is access to the blanket cylinders
work etc. reached in a minimum of time. and washing bars for mainte-

Advantages of the various Cortina newspaper press configurations. 3 Single-storey substructure press for 80 pages 4/4:
1 Floor-mounted press for 48 pages 4/4: • one operating level at printing couples
• just one operating level • reduced height at printing couples
• fast access to printing couples • one operating level at reelstand
• reduced height 4 Two-storey substructure press for 64 pages 4/4:
• potential drawbacks: paper logistics, press length • compact tower with two operating levels in print zone
2 Floor-mounted press for 32 pages 4/4: • customer: Centre d’Impression Edipresse Lausanne s.a.
• flying plate changes possible in 4/4 in Bussigny, Switzerland.
• extremely compact
• short web paths

KBA Process 2 | 2005 47

 Cost-efficiency | Calculations

Detailed comparative cost analyses

Proven cost-efficiency
Comprehensive comparative cost analyses for the 74 Karat, Genius 52 and Cortina, based on detailed production data, prove that waterless,
keyless offset is not only an innovative technology but also cost-effective. This chapter focuses on the compelling economic benefits of these
specific presses, drawing on independent studies by the Saxon Institute for the Printing Industry (SID) in Leipzig.

74 Karat €140 1 Comparison of plate costs for the

74 Karat and plate-processing costs
Film production for CTF and CTP (source: SID
€120

I
n 2002 the SID con- Film 2002, “Comparison of overheads
ducted a comparison of €100
Plate production and cost efficiency – 74 Karat,
overheads and production Plates Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 74-4 DI
and Heidelberg Speedmaster
costs for the 74 Karat, the €80 SM 74-4 + CTP”)
Heidelberg Speedmaster SM
€60
74-4 DI and the Heidelberg
Speedmaster SM 74-4 + CTP. €40
The comparison, which was
based on a similar level of €20
equipment, reveals that, for €0
shorter runs (3,700 to 5,000 Platemaking Platemaking Platemaking
with CTF with CTP for 74 Karat
sheets, depending on the type
of job), direct imaging with
the 74 Karat is more cost-ef- 6 2 Comparison of primarily thanks to its short
74 Karat annual 4/4 sheet
fective than conventional off- makeready times compared to
Sheet count [in millions]

5 capacity relative
set with an upstream digital to run length the Heidelberg Speedmaster
4 (source: KBA)
workflow plus CTP (SM 74-4 SM 74 DI SM 74-4 DI and SM 74-4 +
+ CTP). 3 CTP or Indigo and Xerox
SM 74 + CtP
The biggest single cost 2 presses (fig. 2).
factor in the calculation is Indigo
1
platemaking, which at around Xerox KBA Genius 52
55 for the 74 Karat is very 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
100 200 500 1,00 2,00 3,00 4,00 5,00 6,00 7,00 8,00 9,00 0,00
much lower than for CTF 1 In 2003 the SID ran a se-
Run [no. of copies]
(around 125) and CTP ( 80) ries of calculations comparing
plates (see fig. 1). The overheads and production
Heidelberg SM 74-4 DI, be- both sides is lower with the 74 longer runs can be printed costs for the KBA Genius 52
ing a unit-type press with one Karat than with toner- or more cost-effectively in offset with those for Heidelberg’s
imaging unit per printing unit, inkjet-based digital printing with the 74 Karat, so there is Printmaster GTO 52, Print-
does not offer the advantages presses, and that the cost dif- no need to invest in a com- master PM 52 and NexPress
of direct imaging technology, ference increases in direct plete CTF or CTP pre-press. 2100. A similar level of equip-
and is beaten on cost by both proportion to run length, up to Annual sheet capacity in ment, ie four printing units for
the 74 Karat and the SM 74-4 a ceiling of 10,000 sheets. If A3 depends on run length, but a sheet size of 360mm x
+ CTP. The comparatively no variable data are involved, is highest with the 74 Karat, 520mm (14” x 201/2”), was
poor showing by the SM 74-4
DI is largely due to its higher
1.50
price. On top of this,
€
makeready time and the vol- 1.25
ume of start-up waste with the
Genius 52
SM 74-4 DI – especially in 1.00 GTO 52
short runs – push production PM 52
costs well above those for the 0.75
74 Karat. 3 Per-copy costs of a 4-page A4
Our own calculations 0.50 brochure printed 4/4 on a KBA
show that for a specific run Genius 52 and on a Heidelberg
1.25 Printmaster GTO 52 and
length (from 200 to 1,500 or Printmaster PM 52. (source: SID
more copies, depending on 2003, “Overheads and cost
0.00 efficiency – KBA Genius 52,
the digital printing process
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000 4,500 5,000 Heidelberg Printmaster GTO 52,
and system) the cost of print- Printmaster PM 52 and NexPress
Run [no. of copies]
ing A3 sheets in full colour on 2100”)

48 KBA Process 2 | 2005

taken as the starting point.
100 100
The SID found that the Gen- –5 %
ius 52 is more cost-effective
than the Printmaster GTO 52 –25 %
75 75
and PM 52 for runs of be-
tween 200 and 2,000 copies
(fig. 3).
50 50
Fewer makeready se-
quences and faster run-up to
saleable copies are its two key
25 25
advantages, and these have
the biggest impact in produc-
tion scenarios featuring nu-
merous short-run colour jobs. 48 pages 4/4 Wet offset press KBA Cortina 48 pages 4/4 Wet offset press KBA Cortina
Ink changes, which according
to the SID study took longer 4 The biggest savings potential with the Cortina versus a wet offset press lies in the cost of labour (left)
on the Genius 52 than on the and paper (right) (source: KBA)
Printmaster GTO 52 and PM
52, have since been dramati-
cally shortened by the adop- can cut production costs by made in both labour (-25%) building costs and additional
tion of new features, though 5% to 10% compared to a wet and paper costs (-5%), as fig. income from increased pro-
because the Genius 52 four- offset press. The calculations 4 shows. duction capabilities, the
colour offers the option of were based on the costs gener- Further savings can be Cortina can still deliver a cut
simulating a complete range ated by a 48-page 4/4 Cortina achieved in the consumption in costs of between 5% and
of special colours with stand- with automatic plate changing of consumables (wiping wa- 7% (fig. 5). Where the instal-
ard process inks, there is sel- and by a new-generation wet ter, cleaning agents etc), lation of a new four-high
dom any need to change the offset press. The initial capital maintenance and repairs and tower press with the same col-
ink. Moreover, the standard outlay for both presses was imputed overheads (including our and pagination capability,
model of the Genius 52 al- the same, and both printed nu- buildings, heating and air- but conventional wet offset
ready provides for the addi- merous split editions with a conditioning), though these technology, would entail
tion of a fifth printing unit, so total circulation of 120,000 are offset by higher costs for structural changes that could
colour capacity can be ex- copies. The calculations re- energy and (at present) plates be avoided with the compact
panded at no great expense as vealed that, with the Cortina, and ink. Even after stripping KBA Cortina, a cost reduction
the need arises. substantial savings can be out potential gains from lower of 10% or more can be
The comparative cost achieved.
analysis for the Genius 52 and KBA has devised a com-
the NexPress 2100 shows that % Wet offset KBA Cortina parative cost analysis which
the Genius is more cost-effec- allows a detailed cost com-
tive for typical digital print parison to be made for any
jobs in runs of up to 5,000 Labour 23.0 17.2 newspaper production plant
copies or thereabouts. This where a Cortina would re-
excludes jobs entailing vari- place an existing wet offset
able data, eg personalised press. Based on authentic data
print. relating to consumables, la-
bour, run structure etc, this
KBA Cortina analysis is available as a spe-
cial service to newspaper
KBA has carried out ex- Paper 41.7 39.6 publishers seriously contem-
tensive calculations for a plating going waterless with
number of newspaper produc- the Cortina.
tion plants, using authentic
pressroom data. These have Dr Bernd Heusinger
demonstrated that the Cortina
Plates 4.1 5.8
Ink 2.6 3.1
Other materials 1.2 1.0
Maintenance 1.9 1.2

Imputed depreciation
allowance 12.9 12.9
Imputed interest 6.5 6.5

5 Cost comparison between wet Space and heating 6.1 5.3

offset press and KBA Cortina for
48-page 4/4 product Total 100.0 92.6
(source: KBA)

KBA Process 2 | 2005 49

 Environment | Emissions

Waterless, keyless technology

enhances press ecology
Eliminating water is one way to burnish the environmental credentials of offset printing, and taking on
board the keyless inking technology developed by KBA and Metronic is another. The proof is to be found
in the huge waste savings delivered by presses that combine these two virtues and in the environmental
certificates awarded to the Genius 52, 46 Karat, 74 Karat and Rapida 74 G by the Expert Committee for
Printing and Paper Converting attached to the Berufsgenossenschaft (BG), the German equivalent of the
H&SE in the UK and OSHA in the US. Nor is the Newsflow inking system the only green technology
incorporated in our Cortina newspaper press.
The waterless, keyless Gravuflow
inking units in the 74 Karat and
Starting from an Rapida 74 G support standardised,
more ecological print production
eco-friendly basis (photo: Kleeberg)

M
ore often than not,
temperature con-
trol systems for
conventional waterless inking
units are wet offset systems
that have merely been modi-
fied to function without water.
Research engineers at KBA
and its subsidiary Metronic,
however, took a totally new
approach: for the first time in
the history of offset technol-
ogy they created inking units
specifically for waterless off-
set, ie with a minimum
number of ink-splitting points
and thus largely ghosting-
free. This has revolutionised Short inking units – a feature common to the Genius 52 and all other keyless In future Toray’s CTP plates can
press design. The most strik- presses – have fewer rollers and are therefore require less cleaning solution be processed without chemicals,
(photo: Metronic) just with water (photo: KBA)
ing feature of the Genius 52,
the 74 Karat and, above all,
the Cortina is their ultra-com- and promoting the use of re- in Switzerland and other who already comply with or
pact footprint. newable materials in all the countries where environmen- anticipate such regulations by
With legislators, employ- new products we develop. tal legislation is rigorously investing in reduced-emission
ees and public opinion both in upheld (eg Scandinavia) have technology when they replace
Europe and in other parts of Environmental focus a competitive advantage in or expand their existing
the world (Australia, Singa- sharpens competitive edge that they can reduce their tax equipment do not have to
pore) steadily becoming more burden – and thus the mini- worry about being forced to
attuned to environmental is- Increasingly rigorous reg- mum prices they must charge comply at a later date when it
sues, KBA and Metronic de- ulations and laws are im- – by adopting environmen- may be both more costly and
liberately set out to enhance posing a clear environmental tally friendly technologies less convenient to do so.
the environmental sustain- strategy on users and suppli- and processes. What is more, cutting
ability of the relevant process ers alike. In Switzerland, for And because such laws emissions has become an im-
parameters. The conservation example, the call to limit the and guidelines are continually age issue for commercial,
of natural resources has long emission of VOCs (volatile being tightened up (see next newspaper and packaging
been an integral aspect of our organic compounds) is par- chapter on IPPC and BREF), plants – and a good image can
corporate philosophy, and as ticularly strong, and as an in- adopting environmentally be a key advantage in the mar-
a highly innovative press centive the reduction of VOC friendly technology is often ket. A wave of ISO 9000 certi-
manufacturer with global op- emissions is rewarded by the an effective safeguard against fication for quality manage-
erations we are committed to government with tax conces- unpleasant legislative sur- ment in the mid-1990s was
protecting the environment sions. In this respect, printers prises in the future. Printers followed by a wave of ISO

50 KBA Process 2 | 2005

14000 certification for the en- The Rapida 74 G can be fitted with
an optional automatic washing
vironmental protection man- system for the anilox and ink-forme
agement that this entails. rollers. The premoistened fleece roll
KBA and Metronic support is sufficient for 40 low-emission
washing sequences
printers’ efforts to achieve (photo: Kleeberg)
such accreditation by design-
ing more ecological presses –
not just in waterless offset
but in wet offset, too. The
advances that KBA has
spearheaded in this technol-
ogy culminated in the award
of an “Emission Tested” cer- rollers.
tificate by the BG for the So it will come as no sur-
medium-format Rapida 105 at prise that even the basic ver-
Drupa 2000. All our other sion of the new Rapida 74 G
Rapida press types, from B2 generates emission levels that
to VLF, have since achieved are already well below the
the same level of compliance. permitted maximum. At its
There are now a large number premiere at Drupa 2004 it was
of KBA sheetfed and web off- awarded both an “Emission
set presses operating with Tested” certificate by the BG
reduced alcohol levels or no and an “Emission Reduced
alcohol at all. Waterless Offset” seal of ap-
Plates also play a major the field is the fact that it has proval by the European Wa-
VOCs, temperature control role in waterless offset ecol- reduced emissions still further terless Printing Association
and plates ogy. Toray is busy modifying by adopting keyless inking (EWPA).
its CTP plates so they can be technology. It stands to reason A fundamental feature of
The elimination of fount processed in a water-based that shorter ink trains with presses with keyless inking
solution in waterless offset solution, with no chemical ad- fewer rollers will also con- units is their low level of start-
also eliminates the need for ditives. Processless plates re- sume less washing solution up waste. This not only de-
volatile dampening additives. quire no wet development at and therefore fewer chemi- livers substantial savings in
So IPA does not even feature all. One advantage common cals. In the new Rapida 74 G day-to-day production but
on the VOC gauge. Water is to all waterless plates is that the efficiency of the cleaning also enables jobs to be printed
required solely for tempera- they do not need gumming. agent has been enhanced by which would be uneconomic
ture control and runs in sealed automating the washing cycle if waste levels were any
circulating systems. Although Less chemistry, less waste for the blankets, impression higher. Some examples that
temperature control increases cylinder and (optionally with spring to mind are products
energy consumption, this is What differentiates KBA premoistened cleaning cloths) printed on more costly sub-
not as big a drawback as it from the rest of the players in for the anilox and ink-forme strates such as aluminium-
may at first appear because in coated or designer paper,
many cases it is offset by a high-grade carton or plastic
lower consumption of energy film, all of which are becom-
for controlling the pressroom ing increasingly popular. On
climate, since the heat gener- top of this, keyless inking
ated can be recovered via a units consume fewer natural
heat exchanger and used to resources such as wood and
heat water and space. Apart mineral oil. Gravuflow inking
from which temperature con- units run up to saleable colour
trols are being used increas- in a maximum of just ten cop-
ingly in wet offset anyway, ies, as has been proven time
either to stabilise the printing and time again during print
process during long runs or demonstrations and on the
for low-alcohol print produc- shopfloor. So standardised
tion. production based on cali-
brated parameters can also en-
hance pressroom ecology.

Cortina delivers further

The Rapida 74 G’s reduced emission environmental benefits
levels were confirmed at its world
debut at Drupa 2004 by Germany’s The emission and waste
BG and by the European Waterless
Printing Association levels generated by the
(photo: Kleeberg) Cortina and its Newsflow ink

KBA Process 2 | 2005 51

 Environment | Emissions

Left: This is what clean

newspaper production is
all about: no ink misting,
so less cleaning at the
Cortina (photo: KBA)

Right: An economical
built-in blanket washing
system is all part of the
Cortina’s environmental
concept (photo: KBA)

Below: Dedicated drives

for the inking units, plate
and impression cylinders
virtually eliminate oil in
the Cortina (photo: KBA)

ing units – even when printing The Cortina’s advanced

a full four colours on both level of automation has an im-
sides of the web – are no pact beyond a substantial sav-
higher than with the Gravu- ing in waste: the integrated
flow inking units fitted in the blanket-washing unit and au-
74 Karat, Rapida 74 G and tomatic ink pumping system
Genius 52 sheetfed offset also consume less energy, less
presses. Since the output of a cleaning solution and less ink.
newspaper press is four times
Klaus Schmidt,
higher than that of a sheetfed Dieter Kleeberg,
press, the environmental ben- Peter Benz
efits are substantial.
But the Cortina has a lot
more to offer when it comes to
green technology. Up until
now, dedicated drives for the
printing couples were consid-
ered the state of the art: the
Cortina is the world’s first off-
set press to feature dedicated
drives for each cylinder and The doctoring system in
inking unit. Oil-lubricated the Cortina – basically a blade
gears have thus been con- with a sealed chamber – has
signed to history – in the been optimised for a new gen-
Cortina there is virtually no eration of waterless coldset
oil at all! inks whose slightly higher
Energy consumption by viscosity poses something of
the Cortina is also impres- a challenge. The inks now on
sively low. Because the tem- the market can be printed eas-
perature control system re- ily and have no propensity to
sponds incredibly fast and mist. So there is no ink con-
only consumes the precise tamination – even in the im-
level of energy required in mediate vicinity of the inking
any specific operating status, units – and thus no need for
heat generation is relatively cleaning agents and cloths.
low. This in turn reduces the This also reduces emissions.
amount of energy required for Sun Chemical has developed
climate control in the press a series of water-washable
room and may, depending on coldset inks, Shark W, exclu-
local conditions, completely sively for the Cortina project
eliminate the need for air-con- and it will be interesting to see
ditioning. In waterless offset, how they perform.
where it is normally important
to maintain a constant am-
bient temperature of slightly
In November 2004 the BG awarded
under 30°C, this is no small the 46 Karat, 74 Karat and Genius 52
consideration. its coveted “emission tested” certificate

52 KBA Process 2 | 2005

 Environment | Directives

New BREF poses challenge

for the print industry
The standards to which the print industry must work will soon be defined in a BREF – a “Best Available Techniques reference document”.
Currently still in draft form, the BREF is the product of a 1996 EU directive aimed at harmonising production licensing procedures. The
techniques specified in a BREF must be valid and feasible. They serve as a driver towards improved environmental performance across the
European Union, but at an acceptable cost. For the print industry they represent both a challenge and an opportunity.

C
ouncil Directive 96/ in the works or already ap-
61/EC concerning In- proved can be downloaded
tegrated Pollution free of charge from the
Prevention and Control, or website run by the European
IPPC for short, was the prod- Integrated Pollution Preven-
uct of a concerted move to tion and Control Bureau
create a common set of EU (EIPPCB). The European
regulations for granting in- IPPC Bureau, as it is also
dustrial permits. One of the known, was established in Se-
main motives for issuing such ville, Spain, by the European
a directive was to put an end Commission for the purpose
to environmental dumping, of co-ordinating current data
the practice of shifting pro- on the best available tech-
duction from one EU state to niques.
another where regulations are
less restrictive. Sevilla Process
The IPPC directive prima-
rily specifies the parameters Instead of imposing pan-
for all future licensing proce- European threshold values the
dures, or “permitting pro- IPPC seeks a consensus to de-
cesses” as they are known in termine the best available
EU-speak. These parameters techniques. This has been
are the standards defined in dubbed the Sevilla or Seville
the relevant BREF. They Process after the Bureau’s
apply to all industrial plants geographical location. Net-
contributing to environmental works of experts representing
pollution in any member state stakeholder groups – industry,
through toxic waste, say, or the authorities, environmental
the emission of acidifying NGOs – from 31 countries are
substances, greenhouse gases engaged in establishing a
or VOCs. common framework of BATs
as defined in the IPPC direc-
Determining Best Available tive.
Techniques Technical work groups
Index page relating to print products and offset printing (TWGs) manned by these ex-
Best Available Techniques perts collate current data on
(BAT) are being introduced of raw materials, energy effi- clean-air technology, would the environmental impact of
with the ultimate goal of re- ciency, noise, accident pre- not be cancelled out by its the relevant techniques and
versing the current impact of vention, risk management etc. detrimental effect on another determine appropriate, prac-
production patterns, which The best available techniques (excessively high energy con- tice-proven measures for re-
are unsustainable. Manufac- are determined after weighing sumption and thus expense). ducing pollution in each of the
turing permits must be holis- the potential environmental The aim is to devise effective sectors concerned. Following
tic, or “integrated”: they must benefits against the economic yet affordable guidelines for intensive debate among the
take into account the com- cost of implementation. This curtailing environmental pol- work groups the results are
plete environmental perform- is to ensure that a positive lution by the industries tar- formulated by the EIPPCB in
ance of the plant concerned, ie impact on one environmental geted. a BREF and submitted to the
emissions to air, water and aspect, for example the ben- Information on the best relevant EU organs for ap-
land, generation of waste, use efits of adopting a specific available techniques currently proval.

KBA Process 2 | 2005 53

 Environment | Directives

The entire process, from offset, packaging flexo, pack- 2003. The first draft (see ex- review of the draft BREF can
the initial posting of the work- aging gravure and publication cerpt) was posted on the help to avoid this. For exam-
ing draft on the EIPPCB rotogravure. It has not yet EIPPCB website in May last ple, in alliance with its mem-
server to the publication of the been conclusively determined year. The final version is un- ber corporations the ERA
final, approved BREF, can whether further printing pro- likely to be ready until early alone has made 93 submis-
take three years. The draft is cesses should be examined in 2006. sions to the EIPPCB challeng-
regularly revised so that the more detail. Some may al- At present the print media ing the adequacy or accuracy
authorising authorities and ready be regulated by other industry is represented in the of declarations contained in
the general public can keep directives, for example if they TWG by three trade asso- the BREF.
abreast of progress to date in are part of a bigger installa- ciations: Intergraf, the Euro-
all significant branches of in- tion featuring a variety of pean Rotogravure Association Opportunities
dustry. BREFs have already processes. (ERA) and the European
been approved for the paper- The environmentally rel- Waterless Printing Associa- Quite apart from this,
making, cement and steel- evant aspects of offset print tion (EWPA). Representatives actively supporting the ex-
working industries. production are VOC emis- would welcome more active change of information in
sions (more specifically, tech- support from trade associa- Seville offers a number of op-
BREF for the print industry nologies for reducing alcohol tion members and print entre- portunities. For German en-
levels in fount solution and preneurs, particularly when trepreneurs, one of these is the
The BREF relating to the emissions during cleaning it comes to input on possibility of having Germa-
print industry is currently a cycles), mineral-oil compo- reference data and practical ny’s more rigorous environ-
work in progress. It applies nents in ink waste, contami- experience. mental standards incorporated
to all plants requiring a li- nated waste water and the For many players in the in the pan-European regulat-
cence under EU or national consumption of resources print industry the Sevilla ing system, which would help
regulations, in other words (paper, energy). Process is “a long way away, to level the playing field. An-
“installations for the surface Waterless offset is not be- and there are more important other is that reviewing the
treatment of substances, ob- ing treated as a separate print- things to do.” But an attitude draft BREF and the reference
jects or products using or- ing process but as a potential such as this can be risky. parameters it contains can
ganic solvents, in particular BAT, ie as a means of reduc- There is the very real possibil- broaden your outlook while at
for dressing, printing, coating, ing the environmental impact ity that information (eg as to the same time sharpening
degreasing, waterproofing, of traditional offset. In view whether specific anti-pollu- your focus on your own
sizing, painting, cleaning or of the differences in perform- tion technologies are practica- operations. Experience has
impregnating, with a con- ance parameters, emissions ble) may be set in stone in a shown that this can help you
sumption capacity of more and waste levels – particularly BREF without sufficient feed- to spot untapped potential for
than 150 kg per hour or more in conjunction with KBA back from the shopfloor. Such optimising your production
than 200 tonnes per year” keyless inking units – it is de- technologies could later re- flow.
(IPPC Appendix I, section batable whether this is the turn to haunt the industry if We therefore strongly rec-
6.7). best solution. the licensing authority inserts ommend you to keep abreast
The BREF code for the additional clauses in the li- of the debate on the BREF
reference document is STS Following and supporting censing procedures which it is concerning print. For further
because it governs any kind of the print BREF debate difficult, if not downright im- information log onto the
surface treatment using sol- possible, to have deleted be- IPPC website (http://
vents (eg serial paint spraying The Sevilla Process on the cause they are detailed in the europa.eu.int/comm/environ-
in the automotive industry BREF relating to the print in- BREF. ment/ippc/index.htm) or
and the production of adhe- dustry was initiated in March Input based on a critical download the draft BREF
sive tape). The draft embraces from the EIPPCB website
both sector-specific and (http://eippcb.jrc.es/pages/
cross-process technologies
(the treatment of exhaust
T he author, Christian Tebert, is employed by Ökopol
(www.oekopol.de; e-mail: [email protected]), a Hamburg-
based business consultancy that devises international concepts
FActivities.htm. Click on
Utilities and Members, then
gases, waste and energy man- on Direct Access to Public Ar-
and strategies for promoting effective environmental protection
agement, solvent recovery eas, where you will find a list
in internal workflows. A qualified engineer, Mr Tebert special-
etc). This focus means that of documents).
ises in the practical, conceptual and strategic aspects of corporate
printing plants are just one of Support your local trade
environmental management, not only for trade associations and
many categories of installa- association in defending your
corporations but also on behalf of the EU commission and Ger-
tion to which this new BREF interests in the European fo-
many’s Ministry for the Environment. His expertise in issues
applies. rum by submitting relevant
relating to print is backed by a wealth of experience gained in
Print production is classi- reference data to the panel ex-
monitoring licensing procedures and optimising environmental
fied by the main process used. perts.
performance at numerous printing plants in Europe and Latin
Until now the only printing Your contact for waterless
America. He is co-author of a paper on the current state of tech-
processes handled in greater offset is Manfred Hamann
nology in the German print industry which Ökopol produced at
depth have been those where ([email protected]),
the request of the German government for the Seville Process on
solvent consumption has who is a member of the
the BREF embracing printing plants
generally exceeded 150kg EWPA.
(http://www.umweltbundesamt.de/uba-info-medien/dateien/
(330lbs) per hour or 200t (220 Christian Tebert
2457.htm).
US tons) per annum: heatset Ökopol

54 KBA Process 2 | 2005

 Handling | KBA and Metronic Presses

Highly productive yet easy to operate

This chapter provides a run-down of the winning features incorpo- handling, which makes for a pleasant working environment while
rated in the waterless and keyless presses that bear the KBA and promoting an optimum print quality, peak productivity and maximum
Metronic labels. The most fundamental of these is their ease of flexibility.

Smaller footprint… roller with an anilox roller this is perhaps the most strik- ious Stepin system, which fa-
that applies a predefined vol- ing visual feature of the Gen- cilitates maintenance work at

E
liminating water de- ume of ink, this makes press ius 52, the 74 Karat and the the press by making the blan-
livers two substantial operation even simpler. Also, Cortina. Since both the foot- ket cylinders and washing
benefits: the printing ink feed can be automated to a print and the headroom occu- bars freely accessible: the two
units take up less space, be- greater or lesser degree with pied by a press must be paid halves of the four-high tower
cause the entire dampening cartridges and pumping sys- for, these presses offer a simply glide apart at the touch
train has been stripped out, tems to suit the size of the genuine competitive advan- of a button.
and they are much more press line and the consistency tage purely by taking up a The major benefits that
accessible. Easy access to the of the ink. smaller volume of space. can be gained with KBA and
inking unit and other subas- Not only this, a compact Metronic waterless, keyless
semblies is a feature common …frees up space for new design also enables innova- presses are detailed below to
to all KBA and Metronic constellations tions in the printing process illustrate how the various in-
waterless presses. and press ergonomics to be in- novations have been imple-
If, in addition to this, the The compactness of the corporated which would not mented in waterless offset.
number of rollers in the inking inking units is reflected in the be economically feasible with Dieter Kleeberg, Georg Schneider,
unit can be reduced by replac- overall dimensions of these a conventional design. These Mike Engelhardt, Peter Benz
ing the ink keys and vibrator new-generation presses, and include the Cortina’s ingen-

Metronic CD Print, Premius and oc200/oc100

M etronic can claim a
pioneering role in de-
veloping the first practical ap-
anilox roller, an ink-forme
roller, the plate cylinder and
the blanket cylinder, plus the
unit design itself. Their com-
pact dimensions shrink the
footprint and thus the area of
presses, and plastic cards with
its oc200 and the entry-level
version, the oc100. Waterless
plications for waterless offset ink duct. The fact that all the costly production space re- offset delivers a much better
in conjunction with keyless rollers and cylinders have quired. They are equally at image on such substrates and
inking. Some years ago the the same circumference effec- home in long, ultra-narrow at much higher speeds than
company collaborated with tively eliminates ghosting. press lines with multiple the previous processes used,
KBA to develop an inking Operating presses fitted printing units or other which were usually silk-
unit capable of applying spe- with these four-roller inking processing stations. screen and pad printing. The
cial UV inks to non-absorbent units is as simple as the inking This technological inno- CD Print and Premius use
materials. The system that vation enabled Metronic to silk-screen printing only to
emerged, which Metronic has corner two high-growth mar- apply a solid primer on CDs
dubbed a four-roller system, kets: printing CDs and DVDs and DVDs. The choice of
more accurately comprises an with its CD Print and Premius peripherals – white primer
coater for CDs and DVDs,
cleaning systems, static elimi-
nator, primer applicator for
plastic cards, intermediate
dryers – is virtually the same
for waterless UV offset as for
traditional UV processes.
One of the many benefits
of UV printing – whether with
or without a UV coating – is
that even non-absorbent ma-
terials can be finished with-
Metronic’s CD Print: on the right the feeder with rails and CD/DVD out delay. For card printing
magazine, in the centre the printing unit flanked by the four inking units Metronic offers its univerSYS

KBA Process 2 | 2005 55

 Handling | KBA and Metronic Presses

Above: Automatic register-true plate insertion at the The Metronic Premius has serial
Metronic Premius printing modules for printing data
storage media

The transport system in Metronic’s

Premius works partially by air
A slimline Metronic oc200, shown here with suction and can adapt to different
(from the right) a diagonal feeder magazine for two shapes, so the press can print data
parallel card streams, a card-cleaning module, a primer module, storage media with non-standard
six printing modules, a coater, a UV dryer and a delivery or tumbler module contours

Metronic CD Print
inkjet personalisation system Printing process waterless UV offset for printing optical data storage media
Printing units choice of 4 to 6 push-in modules in one unit
which can print names or Inking units Metronic’s keyless, ghosting-free four-roller system
codes etc, apply labels and Temperature control anilox rollers and plate cylinder
Plates all makes of waterless plate, digital and analogue
even heat-stamp scratch-off Inline finishing screen or flexo for white primer or coating; UV dryer after printing unit, primer/coater unit
Substrates plastic data storage media in standard thicknesses
foil (eg PIN codes or codes to Substrate transport on conveyor belts
activate prepaid cards for mo- Controls console with swivelling touch-screen
Automation • plate cylinder alignment at press standstill
biles phones) onto multi-col- • roller, blanket and cylinder washing
• central touch-screen setting/adjustment of process parameters, initiation of print run and washing cycle
our preprinted cards. The Maximum rated output 6,000 discs/h
UDA150-S heat-stamping de- Formats • standard CDs and DVDs, non-standard sizes optional
• offset plate format 253 x 150 mm; 0.15 mm thick
vice is available as an alterna- Dimensions L x W x H 6,486 x 2,920 x 1,820 mm (4 printing units)
tive. Metronic Premius
Since they are designed Printing process waterless UV offset for printing optical data storage media
Printing units 4 unit-type
for small print formats the Inking units Metronic’s keyless, ghosting-free four-roller system
Temperature control anilox rollers and plate cylinder
modules are relatively small Plates all makes of waterless plate, digital and analogue
and handy. Plate changing – Inline finishing double flatbed screen printing unit for white primer and coating or spot colour; UV dryer after each printing unit
Substrates plastic data storage media in standard thicknesses
which is automatic even on Substrate transport shape-adaptable suction system for one-up or two-up
the Premius – could hardly Controls console with swivelling touch-screen
Automation • complete register-true plate change in 5 mins
be simpler. Makeready and • roller, blanket and cylinder washing
• central touch-screen setting/adjustment of process parameters, initiation of print run and washing cycle
maintenance tasks are re- • optional Code Check (reads data storage media code in feeder) and Print Check
duced to an absolute mini- (pre-delivery image quality control)
Maximum rated output 7,200 discs/h
mum and the plate cylinder Formats • standard CDs, DVDs, mini-discs and non-standard shapes (CD business cards), non-standard sizes optional
• offset plate format 404 x 150 mm; 0.3 mm thick
is aligned automatically in Dimensions L x W x H 5,400 x 1,300 (with feeder 2,180) x 2,570 mm
register. Parallel substrate
streams in the oc200 (with Metronic oc200/oc100
automatic tumbling prior to Printing process waterless UV offset for printing plastic cards
re-insertion in the feeder Printing units 4 to 6 unit-type modules, in the oc100 two split inking modules (for 2 parallel print passes Y+C and M+K
or 1 pass with two colours)
magazine for perfecting) and Inking units Metronic’s keyless, ghosting-free four-roller system
Temperature control anilox rollers (also in coater) and plate cylinder
the ability of the Premius to Plates all makes of waterless plate, digital and analogue
accommodate CDs with non- Inline finishing oc200: waterless offset module for applying primer before first printing module, coater after last printing module,
intermediate UV dryer after each primer/printing/coating module, end-of-press UV dryer; oc100: separate passes
standard contours are features for primer and coating
Substrates plastic cards (ABS, PVC, PET, PC, PS) 0.5 mm (optional 0.35 mm) to 1.2 mm thick, with and without cavity
that could only be imple- (pre-embossing for chips etc)
mented in small dimensions Card transport oc100/oc200: magazine for 500 cards, 2 parallel substrate streams on belts; oc200: automatic return after
tumbling for perfecting pass
such as these. Controls console with swivelling touch-screen at delivery
Automation • plate cylinder alignment at press standstill
• optical double-sheet and cavity control
• roller, blanket and cylinder washing
• central touch-screen setting/adjustment of process parameters, initiation of plate changes, print run
and washing cycle
Maximum rated output oc200: 15,000 cards/h 4 colours plus coating; oc100: 12,000 cards/h 2 colours or 6,000 cards/h 4 colours plus
primer and coating passes
Formats (portrait) • ISO format cards 85.5 x 54 mm
56 KBA Process 2 | 2005 • plate format 150 x 150 mm; 0.15 mm thick
Dimensions L x W x H oc200 standard version 10,540 x 755 x 2,400 mm, oc100 4,640 x 700 x 980 mm
KBA Genius 52 and Metronic Genius 52 UV

T he Genius 52 furnishes
a level of versatility that
many players in the popular
B3 (20”) format had long The Genius 52 fits five colours into a
been seeking in vain. Its win- much smaller space than is possible
ning features include conven- with a unit-type press
ient one-man operation, short
walking distances, a futuristic
design, the automation of all
essential functions (including
register-true plating-up and
blanket washing), fast job
changes with just a few sheets
start-up waste, high-quality
reproduction (even of chal-
lenging images, thanks to a
winning combination of tem-
perature-controlled waterless
offset and ghosting-free key-
less inking units) and the abil-
ity to handle an exceptionally
wide range of substrates from
paper and cartonboard with
the standard KBA version to
various types of plastic film The ghosting-free inking units are grouped as V-shaped assemblies around a quadruple-
with the UV version available size impression cylinder for a low-curvature sheet run and one-bite impression
from Metronic. The Genius
52 raises the bar in small for- Even the control console with and has been incorporated the press also features auto-
mat by offering printers an touch-screen display can be only where it is most logical matic adjustment of the
effective tool for implement- slid from one end of the press for makeready, handling and sidelay and circumferential
ing standardised, high-quality to the other, so the console is quality control purposes. One register. The latter may, for
print production. within easy reach at every example is the automatic example, be necessary when
A footprint of just nine stage of production. The dis- plate-changing facility featur- switching from paper to board
square metres (97ft2) for a play can be angled up or down ing a new type of pneumatic or vice versa.
four- or five-colour press for greater convenience. The lock-up and register system At the end of the print run
complete with auxiliaries – press operator needs to learn which guarantees register- the used plates are ejected by
what better way to cut over- just a few easy-read data true plate mounting. The new pushbutton into the changing
heads! KBA is planning to screens containing basic pro- plates are fed into the chang- shaft and removed manually.
offer an aqueous coater at a duction data and press set- ing shafts while the guards One feature that distinguishes
later date as an alternative to tings. are still in place and then the Genius 52 from rival
the optional fifth printing Automation is viewed not mounted automatically. No presses is that the plates for
unit. The printing units and as an end in itself but as a tool further register correction is the original job can be re-used
keyless inking units are for enhancing cost-efficiency, normally required. Even so, for repeat jobs. On a four-col
positioned around a central,
quadruple-size impression When open, the KBA Genius 52 and Metronic Genius 52 UV afford easy access
cylinder. This not only saves to the inking and printing units for operational and maintenance tasks
space and allows easy access
to all the components but also
guarantees that the sheets are
printed in one gripper bite and
thus in precise register. For
quality reasons the ink-forme
rollers are fitted with a blan-
ket. They need no adjustment.
The press can be accessed
for operational, cleaning and
maintenance tasks by simply
raising the guards over the
inking units and delivery and
pushing the side guards apart.

KBA Process 2 | 2005 57

 Handling | KBA and Metronic Presses

The automatic plate-changing system for the Genius 52 features a new type
of pneumatic lock

The touch-screen console can be slid from one end of the press to the other
for maximum convenience

our press a complete plate infeed drum and impression ferred to the delivery pile by a Test sheets can be removed at
change takes less than five cylinder allow rigid substrates chain-gripper system with an the touch of a button.
minutes, on the five-colour such as cartonboard and integrated powder sprayer. A
version around six minutes. synthetics to be transported vacuum sheet brake and sheet
Individual plate changes, eg smoothly, with minimum cur- jogger for the side and rear
for imprinting different lan- vature. The sheets are trans- edges ensure precise stacking.
guages with the fifth printing
unit in an existing four-colour KBA Genius 52 and Metronic Genius 52 UV
set, can be initiated at the con- Printing process waterless sheetfed offset for printing commercials and labels or waterless UV sheetfed offset for printing
plastic film and cards
trol console. Printing unit 1 four-colour satellite (V-shape) with central quadruple-size impression cylinder (register-true impression in
The sheets are guided one gripper bite), 5th colour optional
Inking units keyless, ghosting-free KBA/Metronic (full-solid densities and tonal values to ISO 12647)
from the infeed pile over the Temperature control anilox rollers and plate cylinder
Plates all makes of waterless plates, digital and analogue
suction-belt feed board to the Perfecting n/a
infeed by a high-performance Inline finishing coater instead of 5th inking unit (in preparation); coater and UV dryer on the Genius 52 UV
Substrates paper and lightweight board; non-absorbent substrates (plastic film, composites, metal-coated materials)
stream feeder with rear-edge on the Genius 52 UV
Substrate thickness 0.06 to 0.35 mm; 0.1 to 0.5 mm (0.8 mm optional) on the Genius 52 UV
separation and cantilevered Controls sliding console with swivelling touch-screen
suction head. The infeed in- Automation • complete register-true plate change in less than 5 mins
• blanket washing, optional doctor-chamber washing, cleaning plate for inking unit
corporates electropneumatic • central touch-screen setting/adjustment of format, substrate thickness and plate cylinder registration, initiation of
plate changes, print run and washing cycle
skewed and missing sheet de- Maximum rated output 8,000 sph, depending on substrate and image
tectors. The sheets are then Formats (landscape) • max. sheet size 360 x 520 mm
• min. sheet size 210 x 297 mm (A4)
transferred to the impression- • max. print format 350 x 510 mm (10 mm gripper margin), 340 x 500 mm with the Genius 52 UV
cylinder grippers via a dou- • Plate format 404 x 540 mm; 0.3 mm thick
Pile heights at feeder 500 mm, at delivery 400 mm; optional nonstop pile change
ble-size infeed drum. The Dimensions L x W x H 2,300 (UV 4,170) x 3,278 x 1,906 mm (incl. touch-screen/steps, excl. air cabinet, cold water unit and
optional Creo Lotem 200K CTP thermal platesetter)
oversize diameters of the

A lthough the 46 Karat

digital offset press was
not developed by KBA (it is
46 Karat ers who opt to replace their
original kit with a 46 Karat
benefit from KBA’s acknowl-
based on Ryobi’s 3404 DI), edged high standard of global
there are certain similarities in service and support while en-
the basic concept. Like the 74 joying some exclusive fea-
Karat it has a triple-size cen- tures such as compatibility
tral impression cylinder and with Epple’s new aniva inks,
double-size plate and blanket which have an expanded
cylinders. Since each plate gamut and are available in
cylinder holds two plates only conjunction with the relevant
two imaging heads are needed software and digital proofing
instead of four, which cuts device as part of a “Power
costs. Although the 46 Karat Mix” package.
does not have keyless inking
units, it is nonetheless ex-
tremely compact, with the
The user-friendly design of the
same footprint as a conven- 46 Karat includes easy-change rolls
tional two-colour press. Print- of polyester plates

58 KBA Process 2 | 2005

 The 46 Karat features plates are imaged at a speed of ser ProFire Excel, which is
Presstek’s ProFire on-press 18,000rph with the plate cyl- compatible with frequency-
imaging units and consumes inders disengaged from the modulated screens and con-
PEARLdry Plus laser-abla- inking units and sheet trans- sumes dedicated Presstek
tive polyester plates fed from port system. All four colours polyester plates. New soft-
a spool inside each plate cyl- can be imaged at a resolution ware for the inking program
inder. Used plates are wound of 1,270dpi in just 140 sec- cuts start-up waste still further
onto a second spool inside the onds. by ensuring that the ink pro-
same cylinder. This system The 46 KaratPLUS launched files are set correctly immedi-
ensures correct mounting and at Drupa 2004 features an ately the program is actuated.
register-true impression. The even finer imaging head, La- A new prestacking system
Compact, neat and easily accessible:
46 Karat and 46 KaratPLUS that’s the 46 Karat
Printing process waterless DI offset for printing commercials
Printing unit 1 four-colour satellite (V-shaped) with central triple-size impression cylinder (register-true impression
in one gripper bite) and 2 double-size plate and blanket cylinders (two-up mounting of Y+C and M+K) enables a fresh pile of sheets
Inking units Ryobi with zone-wide metering (14 rollers incl. 1 vibrator and 4 ink-forme rollers)
Temperature control plate cylinder to be prepared while the press
Plates (spool) Presstek PEARLdry Plus, for the 46 KaratPLUS Presstek ProFire Excel Media (both polyester)
On-press imaging • Presstek ProFire multibeam thermal laser ablation, for the 46 KaratPLUS Presstek ProFire Excel is still running, either for the
• max. resolution 2,540 dpi at min. laser spot of 2 µm (80 lpc screen), min. Excel laser spot 16 µm same job in the case of an ex-
(120 lpc and FM screen)
• digital front-end (Presstek DI rip) for embedding in PDF or PostScript workflow with digital proofing tended print run, or for the
scenario (incl. KBA “Power Mix” option for Konica Minolta CF 9001 to simulate aniva-Euro inks) next job. The 46 KaratPLUS
Perfecting n/a
Inline finishing none, but IR dryer also boasts a new, high-per-
Substrates gloss- or matt-coated paper, lightweight cartonboard
Substrate thickness 0.06 to 0.3 mm formance power-sprayer, the
Controls console beside the delivery WEKO AP110, which is more
Automation • plate mounting from four rolls integrated in the plate cylinder (28 jobs) and spooling of printed plates
(30 s for all 4 colours) efficient and consumes less
• roller, blanket and plate cylinder washing powder than its predecessors.
• central setting/adjustment at the console of ink-key profile (scan densitometer optional) and initiation
of plate changes, register-true imaging, print run and washing cycle Automation modules in-
Maximum rated output 7,000 sph, depending on substrate and image
Formats (portrait) • max. sheet size 460 x 340 mm clude a washing system for
• min. sheet size 100 x 90 mm the inking rollers, blankets
• max. print format 450 x 330 mm (imaging area); 0.18 mm thick
• film 340 mm wide, 0.18 mm thick and plate cylinders, with
Pile heights 400 mm at feeder and delivery plates cleaned using a roll of
Dimensions L x W x H 3,280 x 1,970 x 1,680 mm (incl. steps, excl. console, air cabinet, cold water unit)
cloth, not a spray.

T he 74 Karat targets me-

dia, pre-press, offset and
digital print providers looking
74 Karat washing the blankets, chang-
ing, imaging, cleaning and
inking the plates – takes
to establish a second line of The Presstek PEARLdry thermal ablation lasers which around 17 minutes, depending
business at the short-run end aluminium plates are re- are noted for their superior on the complexity of the print
of the quality offset market or trieved automatically from imaging quality. Imaging job. Fast average makeready
those who in the market for the storage cassette, mounted from RIP is an integral part of times, together with a low
proof and pre-production and imaged in precise regis- the one-man press operation, maximum start-up waste of
printing. ter. All four plates are imaged which means it is actuated and ten sheets, means that jobs
Over the past five years simultaneously by two imag- monitored by the press opera- can be scheduled and costed
the 74 Karat’s outstanding ing units fitted with Creo’s tor. A complete job change – with much greater precision.
performance has gained it a
reputation for superior quality
Below: The inking units, ink
and cost-efficiency in a broad cartridges and plate magazine on
span of run lengths. It was the the 74 Karat can be easily accessed
first sheetfed offset press to by opening the door-like cladding at
the back of the press. The photo
feature keyless, ghosting-free shows the press operator inserting
inking units. Its winning fea- an ink duct
tures include double-size
plate and blanket cylinders
with two-up mounting and a
triple-size impression cylin-
der, which make this B2 (29”)
press much more compact
than a four-colour unit-type
press for the same sheet size.
Like the Genius 52 and 46
Karat, the 74 Karat prints the
sheets register-true in a single The 74 Karat is a four-colour sheetfed offset press designed
gripper bite. for one-man operation

KBA Process 2 | 2005 59

 Handling | KBA and Metronic Presses

Left: The quick-

change ink
cartridges for the
74 Karat support
continuous ink
pumping with very
little ink waste

Right: In order to
clean the coater
or change the
coating blanket
the 74 Karat press
operator must
open the cladding
on top of the press

Print production can be but delivered print side up, like cladding on the rear of the wide variety of plastic cards
embedded in a PDF or Post- there is no need to tumble the press) and to change the ink even without a UV capability.
Script workflow complete pile for a second pass, regard- cartridges. The 74 Karat made a big
with direct digital production less of whether the same set of The 74 Karat can be impact on visitors to Drupa
proof and remote or internet- plates is to be used or new configured with an optional when it printed lenticular
assisted softproof scenarios. ones with on-press imaging. package for printing plastic. images (3-D, flip-flop and
This, in tandem with the cali- And with the feeder and deliv- This includes sheet guides animation effects) with the
brated printing parameters of ery both at the same end of the to accommodate thicker sub- aid of Litho3D Karat software
the Gravuflow inking units, press all the operator has to do strates (also suitable for supplied by HumanEyes
makes it possible to predict is rotate the pile horizontally cartonboard), modified wash- Technologies.
and reproduce the final print 180° and insert it beneath the ing units, a static eliminator, a
with 100% accuracy and sup- stream feeder. This makes dedicated set of ink ducts (so
ports standardised quality off- handling much easier and there is no need to waste time
set print production at no saves a lot of unnecessary leg- cleaning out the original ducts
extra cost, both in-house and work. The operator only has when changing the ink),
at remote locations for distrib- to go to the other end of the blankets with modified ink
ute then print. Many 74 Karat press for cleaning and mainte- transfer properties and, of
users have developed new nance work, to check the level course, special inks and aque-
business lines that would pre- of the ink (which can be read ous coatings. The package
viously have been rejected as through a window in the door- enables the press to print a
uneconomic or impossible to
implement. 74 Karat
An integrated aqueous Printing process waterless DI offset for printing commercials, labels, packaging and pre-production runs
coater, in conjunction with an Printing unit 1 four-colour satellite (V-shaped) with central triple-size impression cylinder (register-true impression
in one gripper bite) and 2 double-size plate and blanket cylinders (two-up mounting of Y+C and M+K)
IR or hot-air dryer above the Inking units keyless, ghosting-free Gravuflow (full-solid densities and tonal values to ISO 12647)
delivery, was brought on the Temperature control anilox rollers and plate cylinder
Plates currently only Presstek PEARLdry (aluminium), Creo plates in preparation
market at Ipex 2002, and On-press imaging • Creo thermal laser ablation with 40 IR laser diodes per imaging head
• max. resolution 2,540 dpi with min. laser spot of 15 µm (80 lpc screen minimum)
since then all new buyers of • digital front-end (Creo Brisque) for embedding in PDF or PostScript workflow with digital proofing scenario
the 74 Karat have opted for Perfecting n/a
Inline finishing integrated aqueous coater with IR/hot-air dryer
this version because the coat- Substrates gloss- or matt-coated paper, lightweight cartonboard; with plastic package medium board,
ing not only gives the prints a composites and plastic film
Substrate thickness 0.06 to 0.3 mm, with plastic package 0.5 mm
higher gloss but also allows Substrate weights 60 to 350 gsm, with coating from 90 to 350 gsm
User interface at console and delivery
them to be passed through the Automation • plate infeed from two 20-plate cassettes (for 10 jobs), ejection of used plates
press a second time almost • washing units for ink-forme rollers, blankets and impression cylinder
• central setting/adjustment at console of format, substrate thickness and registration, initiation of
straight away or bound and plate changes, register-true imaging, print run and washing cycle
otherwise finished in roughly • ink pumping from 2 kg cartridges
Maximum rated output 10,000 sph depending on substrate and image, with coater 8,000 sph
an hour. Since the sheets are Formats (landscape) • max. sheet size 740 x 520 mm
• min. sheet size 297 x 210 mm
guided to the impression cyl- • max. print format 735 x 508 mm (image area)
inder in such a way that they Pile heights 600 mm at feeder and delivery
Dimensions L x W x H 3,880 x 2,310 x 2,400 mm (incl. coater, excl. console, air cabinet, cold-water system)
are printed on the underside

60 KBA Process 2 | 2005

I n contrast to the 74 Karat
the Rapida 74 G targets
printing plants with a thermal
KBA Rapida 74 G
CTP workflow in place. By
uniting the best of the Karat
and the Rapidas it may safely
be said that KBA has rede-
fined the standard in B2. Us-
ers enjoy the full benefits of
the 74 Karat’s Gravuflow ink-
ing technology, which elimi-
nates ink-related presetting
and thus not only reduces job
changeover times at the
Rapida 74 G but also takes a
lot of the stress out of press
operation by running up to
saleable colour in just ten
sheets and maintaining abso-
lute colour and register con-
sistency both throughout the
entire print run and from one
run to the next. It is also virtu-
ally ghosting-free and there- The fact that this Rapida 74 G is used for printing all kinds of plastic can be
fore reproduces immaculate seen at a glance: it is configured with a Corona tower, four printing units with
Gravuflow inking units, a coater and a delivery extension. A new air-cleaning
solids. These highly desirable system (ACS), which substantially reduces dust and emissions, is positioned
Karat properties have been above the closed delivery hood
combined with those of the
Rapidas’ more versatile unit-
type construction, which of- plete range of substrates can straight to perfecting mode,
fers a choice of two to eight be processed with no manual and vice versa, in less than
printing units (with or without adjustment. The 7 o’clock ar- two minutes.
a delivery extension), perfect- rangement of the double-size The optional equipment
ing at any point in the printing impression cylinder and blan- available for printing board
sequence and the ability to ket cylinder ensures that the and plastic includes a capaci-
handle a wide range of sub- sheets are always fully printed tive and ultrasonic double-
strates and apply a variety of prior to transfer or perfecting, sheet detector, special guide
individual or serial coatings which minimises sheet-run rollers, dedicated sheet guides
(aqueous, primer, UV, special problems and enhances print that control the sheets by run-
effects; solid and spot). quality. Optimised fan set- ning along the outer edges (so The Corona tower, available
exclusively from KBA for Rapida
The Rapida 74 G unveiled tings for a contact-free sheet there is no contact with the presses, increases the surface tension
at Drupa 2004 is, of course, travel can be stored at the image area), static elimina- of plastic substrates a few
based on the new-generation Ergotronic console for each tors, Teflon coatings on the milliseconds prior to impression,
to enhance their ink acceptance
Rapida 74, which has much type of substrate and job. The cover lays and – exclusive to properties. This enables less expensive,
more to offer than a visual press can be converted from KBA – a Corona tower. untreated plastics to be used
makeover. A high-perform-
ance stream feeder reliably
KBA Rapida 74 G
separates any type of stock, Printing process waterless sheetfed offset for printing commercials, labels and packaging
from lightweight paper to Printing units choice of 2 to 8 in unit-type design, 7 o’clock cylinder configuration
Inking units keyless, ghosting-free Gravuflow (full-solid densities and tonal values to ISO 12647)
rigid plastic. The multi-cham- Temperature control anilox rollers and plate cylinder
ber vacuum system in the Plates currently only Toray Waterless
Perfecting freely selectable
suction-belt feed table auto- Inline finishing optional coater/double coater with various types of coating, modular dryer system (IR, hot-air/cold-air, UV)
Substrates lightweight paper to cartonboard and non-absorbent substrates (plastic film, composites, metal-coated
matically adapts to substrate materials); optional package with Corona tower for plastic and cartonboard
thickness and guides the Substrate thickness 0.06 to 0.5 mm or 1 mm as option
Controls at Ergotronic console and delivery
sheets with absolute precision Automation • SPC register-true plate-changing system
to the rotary infeed. This com- • washing system for Gravuflow/ink-forme roller, blanket and impression cylinders
• total integration in KBA Opera and JDF scenario possible
prises a suction drum, a • central setting/adjustment at the console of format, substrate thickness and circumferential/sidelay/
diagonal register (optional Automatic Camera Register Control), initiation of print run and washing cycle
single-size feed drum and a • ink pumping from 2 kg cartridges
double-size transfer drum Maximum rated output 15,000 sph depending on image and job (even with 8 printing units and perfecting)
Formats (landscape) • max. sheet size 520 x 740 mm in straight and perfecting
which can be skewed to com- • minimum sheet size 210 x 297 mm straight, 300 x 297 mm perfecting
• max. print format 510 x 730 mm (10 mm gripper margin), 500 x 730 mm in perfecting
pensate for badly cut sheets. • plate format 557 x 743 mm (copy line 24 mm)
The gripper systems on the • blanket format 630 x 745 mm
• coating format for blanket 565 x 750 mm, coating plate 565 x 740 mm
Rapida 74 G bearer press are Pile heights standard: 1,100 mm at feeder and delivery; options: 1,350 mm and nonstop facilities
Dimensions and other features as for Rapida 74
set in such a way that the com-

KBA Process 2 | 2005 61

 Handling | KBA and Metronic Presses

KBA Cortina The Cortina would not exist

without Peter Benz (left) and
Georg Schneider, two of the R&D
team at KBA responsible for
developing and optimising waterless
and keyless offset for newspaper
T he Cortina is arguably the
most revolutionary press
that KBA has developed since
production

the company founders mecha-

nised print production almost
200 years ago. The first news-
paper press worldwide to
unite waterless, keyless and
gearless offset technology in a
uniquely compact form, it
represents a step-change in
printing technology. Its avant-
garde concept incorporates a Before the plates can be mounted in
raft of innovations that deliver the Cortina – either semi-
unprecedented benefits with automatically or with KBA’s
optional automatic system,
regard to ease of operation, PlateTronic A – they must be bent
environmental performance, at both edges
cost-efficiency and reproduc-
tive quality.
Above all, taking the wa-
terless route has, at a stroke,
eliminated or sidelined many
of the issues that have plagued
wet offset newspaper produc-
tion ever since its inception
and given rise to ever greater
complexity. These include an
excessive volume of start- sulting in fluctuations in web All this has been achieved The uniquely compact de-
up waste, operator-dependent tension and thus registration. by focusing on essentials and sign of the Cortina newspaper
print quality, preparation of With the Cortina, these pro- by dispensing with the need press supports a high colour
the fount solution, the setting cess weaknesses – the stuff of for ever more complex (and content and high pagination
and maintenance of dampen- nightmares for operators of thus ever more vulnerable) in a minimum of space. Its
ing units, ink/water balance, coldset wet offset presses – no technical and electronic modular construction enables
the degree of emulsification, longer cause fear and trem- compensation systems. The the press to be configured to
ink contamination, poor ink bling in the presshall. Other systematic development work suit presshall architecture: as
take-up, inconsistent colour press parameters that could involved in bringing water- a single-floor inline version,
reproduction, press contami- previously give rise to untold less newspaper offset to com- eg for erection in a standard
nation from ink mist, and wa- problems have been reduced mercial maturity included industrial building, or as a
ter-induced fan-out (lateral to a manageable level, even more than 350 ink tests and substructure version with one
web stretch between one when the press is running at consumed more than 1,500 main operating level and the
printing unit and the next) re- high speeds. reels of paper. reelstands located beneath.

With the automatic plate feeder developed for the Cortina the plates merely have to be inserted in the changing shafts,
the rest is done via an opto-electronically controlled pneumatic system (photos: KBA)

62 KBA Process 2 | 2005

The pneumatically operated clamp Left and above: the use of blanket
for automatic plating-up on a plates instead of standard blankets
minigap cylinder enables the cylinder gap to be
1 Leading Edge us plate reduced to a minimum, hence the
2 Hose (airless) term minigap. The blankets are
3 Clamp with claw spring clamped on pneumatically

The superstructure and folder The ability to configure Automated plate changing The blanket and plate cyl-
also contribute to the overall presses as compact eight-high is another winning feature. inders have been specifically
compactness. Where there is towers also enables full- All the plates are pre-bent at engineered to minimise vibra-
sufficient headroom, two colour flying imprint changes both edges. The plates for the tion. The cylinder gap for
3.7m (12’) four-high towers to be carried out much more next edition can be placed pneumatically mounting the
can be stacked with supple- cost-effectively than was ready for mounting at the plates and blankets (which are
mentary foundation to create previously possible. This ver- printing couples while the in fact blanket plates) has
an 8.4m (27’6’’) eight-high satility – and the possibility current edition is still running. been reduced to just a few
tower. of integrating computer-to- With an automatic plate millimetres. This minigap, al-
press imaging systems at a feeder the press operator ready well-proven in KBA’s
later date – is supported by the merely has to insert the plates Compacta commercial press
design of the printing units, in the relevant feed magazine: lines and new Commander
which are gearless, oil-free they are then mounted pneu- 6/2 newspaper presses, re-
and incorporate dedicated matically, in register, within duces the risk of streaking on
AC drives for each cylinder a matter of seconds. If a semi- wide webs and at high press
and inking unit. The same automatic plate-changing sys- speeds.
versatility also supports dis- tem is in place the operator Despite their compact de-
tribute-then-print scenarios must position the plates by sign the printing units are re-
in tandem with digital data hand precisely at the infeed. markably easy to access for
transmission and on-site com- Both systems automatically maintenance work, eg blanket
puter-to-plate. eject the used plates. changes. Pressing the relevant
button causes the two halves
of the four-high tower to glide
apart. KBA has called this
system Stepin because the op-
erator can enter the printing
unit as easily as if he were
Above: Semi-automatic plate stepping through a door. If the
changing is a standard feature inking rollers need changing,
of the Cortina
the inking units can be par-
tially swung down.
Below: Once the blanket plate has
been inserted the self-adjusting The Cortina features auto-
clamping system goes into action matic roller locks and an
integrated blanket washing
systems to ensure a consist-
ently uniform print quality
and a minimum of manual
tasks during cleaning and
maintenance work. The roller
locks in the Newsflow keyless

Left: Stepin – at the touch of a

button the printing unit splits down
the middle between the blanket
cylinders and the two halves
glide apart

KBA Process 2 | 2005 63

 Handling | KBA and Metronic Presses

Plate cylinder

Anilox roller

Above: Automatic roller locks in the Cortina (shown here without the inking
units) ensure that the ink rollers are set correctly at all times.
Left: Configuration of the roller lock system:
1 Rubber-coated ink-form roller,
2 Rilsan roller,
3 Rubber roller;
A Journal for ink-forme roller,
B Pneumatic cylinder on/off,
C Clamp for roller lock,
D Clamp for rubber roller,
E Roller lock,
F Roller bearing
(photo: Kleeberg)

inking units guarantee that the

rollers are always set cor-
rectly, both relative to each
other and to the plate. And the
blanket washing units, which
are available with rolls of dry Right: The four stacked printing
or pre-moistened cloths, en- units can be easily accessed via a lift
sure that the blankets are al-
ways cleaned thoroughly. KBA Cortina
A labour-saving chain Printing process waterless coldset web offset for printing newspapers and semi-commercials
Printing units freely configurable for 16, 32, 48, 64, 80 pages in compact four- or eight-high towers, glide-apart Stepin
web-up system feeds the web system, flying imprint options, each unit 4/4 blanket-to-blanket, dedicated drives for cylinders and
inking units (world first in offset: no oil in the press), low-vibration minigaps in plate and blanket cylinders
in to a superstructure and Inking units keyless Newsflow with 2 ink-forme rollers (full-solid densities and tonal values to ISO 12647)
folder that are just as compact Temperature control STC (Surface Temperature Control) for anilox rollers and plate cylinders; full-solid density controlled via
temperature control curves
and operator-friendly as the Plates Toray Waterless, Presstek PEARLdry and KPG Scorpion, successful tests with prototypes from other
rest of the press. The turner manufacturers
Reelstand/infeed depending on configuration 32 to 96 pages with 1 to 6 KBA Pastomat reelstands (incl. Pastomat RC
bars are equally neat and er- for reel diameter of 1,500 mm); labour-saving chain web-up system
Web leads vertical in all printing units
gonomic. There is a choice of Superstructure compact turner bars and former
two proven folders: the KF 3 Inline finishing length and cross perforation, KBA KF3 (2:3:3) or KF5 (2:5:5) jaw folders, ribbon and section stitchers,
quarterfold etc
or KF 5. These are the only Substrates all customary standard and improved newsprint
subassemblies in which oil Controls 1 to 2 high-tech consoles, remote panels at printing units
Automation • automatic or semi-automatic register-true plate changing system for pre-bent plates (PlateTronic A optional)
still features. • washing system for anilox/ink-forme rollers and blanket cylinders (Baldwin, Elettra)
• total integration in KBA Opera possible
The Cortina’s advanced • central setting/adjustment at console of temperature controls, format, substrate,
console technology and roller locks and circumferential/sidelay register, initiation of print run and cleaning cycle
• choice of instrumentation and control systems (eg colour and cut-off register)
module-based automation • ink pumping via pipe system
system enable it to be linked • setting of roller locks
• optional imprinter, flying plate changes for 4/4 possible
to a management information Maximum rated output 80,000 cph in straight-run production
Formats freely selectable within single and double width, eg
system (MIS). The relevant • beta press at reiff in Offenburg, Germany: 1x16 pp section in Berliner format, 4/4 throughout,
interfaces for newspaper max. web width 1,260 mm, cylinder circumference 940 mm, cut-off 470 mm
• first installation at Rodi Rotatiedruk in Broek op Langedijk, Netherlands: 3 four-high towers for
production workflows are 48 pp broadsheet or 96 pp tabloid, 4/4 throughout (1 tower with automatic plate changing),
included in the KBA Opera max. web width 1,680 mm, cylinder circumference 1,156 mm, cut-off 578 mm
Height 3.7 m for 4-high tower with 1 operating level (fits in many existing industrial buildings), 8.4 m for 8-high
networking software. tower with 2 operating levels, with or without substructure for reelstand

64 KBA Process 2 | 2005

 Applications | Statement

Waterless offset is still a topic of

much debate. Does it really
exist, is it dying out – or do
Where does waterless offset
we no longer notice it because
it has long since become part stand today?
of the mainstream? This chapter
argues that the waterless move-
ment is stronger than ever
before.

T
he only difference is
that the process has
taken a route that no-
one could have foreseen ten
years ago. The catch-phrases
of that time, such as “colour
brilliance”, “reduced dot
gain”, “superfine screens”,
“generous ink film thick-
nesses” and “simply the best
image quality”, still apply to-
day. But advances like direct
imaging, thermal CTP, anilox
or short-train inking technol-
ogy, water-based inks, water-
less newspaper production,
UV curing etc have since been
added – in other words tech-
nologies that would be diffi-
cult to take on board without
waterless offset and in which At Drupa 2004 KBA demonstrated
it has established a firm foot- its new Rapida 74 G on the marks-
3zet stand (photos: Kleeberg)
hold. Whereas ten years ago
there were fewer than 100
“hardcore” waterless offset
operations in Germany, now
there are well over 800. set is the only technology that
makes it possible to print any
Commercial printing substrate while at the same
time totally eliminating alco-
Where are these users, hol and alcohol substitutes.
what do they print and what
substrates do they handle? Digital printing
First of all there is the above-
mentioned hard core. These Then there is digital off-
include commercial print op- set. It started out as a rare and
erations of all sizes, with tender little shoot, now it is puted, prevents copy shops, capable of processing such
presses ranging from one to being cultivated by a whole xerography and similar sys- enormous volumes of data in
12 colours in various formats battalion of prominent manu- tems from monopolising the such a short time as a digitally
and analogue or digital pre- facturers. And it has culmi- field of digital print and sig- integrated waterless offset
press. They primarily exploit nated in KBA’s successful nificantly expands the capa- press.
the quality and cost benefits launching of the 74 Karat and bilities of digital workflow
of waterless offset, though 46 Karat. Both of them water- integration compared to con- Carton printing
naturally environmental and less presses with on-press ventional offset with CTP
health considerations also plate imaging – a technology pre-press. And at present no Another of waterless off-
play a key role: waterless off- which, though not undis- all-digital printing system is set’s domains is a niche appli

KBA Process 2 | 2005 65

 Applications | Statement

cation, more specifically print costs than in conventional wet

production on all types of offset – not to mention greater
non-absorbent substrates. For customer loyalty through a
example, around 95% of all better print quality. The
telephone, credit and cus- EWPA is working on this
tomer cards produced today project with the German
are printed in waterless offset: equivalent of the UK’s H&SE
laminated cards on conven- and USA’s OSHA as well as
tional sheetfed offset presses, with various other EU envi-
and single-ply or injection- ronmental agencies, and is
moulded cards on special wa- keen to preserve objectivity.
terless presses – a field of Two eight-colour presses, one
business in which KBA’s sub- waterless and one conven-
sidiary Metronic has been tional offset, with similar job
successful for many years. structures are to operate at a
prominent industrial printing
Label, packaging and data plant for a period of one year.
storage media printing Both presses are well
equipped for the relevant
The situation is similar in process; the wet offset press
the self-adhesive label sector. will print with reduced alco-
Since new packaging regula- hol levels. The study should
tions came into force in Ger- produce some interesting
many it has been compulsory results, and could well give
to apply labels that match the waterless offset a major boost
product, eg polyester labels if the direct comparison
on polyester shampoo bottles, proves that the system ben-
so as to make it easier to sort efits are reflected in economic
and dispose of waste prod- benefits as well.
ucts. Here waterless UV off- As the German importer of Toray plates and the associated handling
set has established a place systems, marks-3zet was an early pioneer of waterless offset in Outlook
Germany and Europe (photo: Kleeberg)
alongside the more costly gra-
vure and silk-screen printing In the middle of last year
processes. It primarily plays Toray started up a new, much
to its system strengths of low For a long time one argu- uum environment and as more efficient platemaking
waste levels, which with ex- ment was the dependence on many as six coating passes line. As soon as water-based
pensive substrates can deliver just one plate manufacturer. and may still have a high vol- inks attain commercial matu-
substantial savings. Manufac- But now the incumbent pro- ume of rejects. This is be- rity, making powder-free print
turers of narrow-web label vider, Toray, which offers a cause coating with silicone is and high-speed offline/inline
printing presses have been complete range of analogue one of the most challenging finishing in sheetfed presses
quick to pick up on this and and CTP plates, has been coating techniques around more convenient than ever be-
now offer very few presses joined by US manufacturers and no manufacturer has yet fore, no-one will be able to
with dampening. Presstek, with its digital succeeded in dispensing with deny the compelling argu-
Another field of applica- PEARLdry plate, and Kodak silicone as the ink-repellent ments in favour of waterless
tion is deep-draw packaging: Polychrome Graphics (KPG), layer for waterless plates. offset. Soon or later other
there is scarcely a margarine also with a digital thermal A German pioneer and im- keyless presses will range
tub that is not printed in wa- plate. As waterless offset be- porter of Toray plates, marks- alongside KBA’s Genius 52,
terless offset. And if you are comes more popular, other 3zet in Mülheim a.d. Ruhr, 74 Karat, Rapida 74 G and
wondering how high-quality plate makers are sure to move never tires of emphasising the Cortina, eliminating colour
full-colour images are printed in, especially since the origi- need to compare not just plate fluctuations, ghosting and ink
on CDs and DVDs, you can nal patent held by Toray for costs but the entire production fade. If press operation and
have one guess. waterless plates has now ex- costs. running costs are cut dramati-
pired. The European Waterless cally, waterless offset will
Outdated criticisms A further argument Printing Association (EWPA) gain further momentum.
against waterless offset is the is currently conducting an
Despite all these demon- cost of plates, which is much ambitious project to deter- Hans-Joachim Koch,
strations of success the higher. You would think that mine whether the notably Technical director, marks-3zet
Gordian knot in commercial with more manufacturers in large savings in developing
print production has still not the market the price would chemicals, dampening addi-
been cut, although industrial fall. However, this has not tives, alcohol, start-up and
applications of waterless off- been the case, since the plates production waste and press
set are now no longer in ques- are more expensive to make makeready can result in simi-
tion. What is the reason? and sometimes entail a vac- lar or even lower production

66 KBA Process 2 | 2005

 Applications | Examples

Waterless applications in
commercial, packaging and plastic
printing
Waterless offset in general, and with keyless inking in particular, can special inks on non-absorbent substrates both feature strongly. KBA
open up whole new fields of application. In this scenario, presses and Metronic have developed systems suitable for widely diverse
with integrated plate imaging and presses with the ability to apply markets, and a few examples of these are described below.

Leading the field in But although provision

waterless technology for waterless operation is
made in all big Rapidas, those

K
BA and its subsidiary that actually run without
Metronic are the sole dampening are the exception
purveyors of water- rather than the rule. There is a
less, keyless offset technol- much broader acceptance of
ogy in the global market, waterless offset in half- to me-
having pioneered its develop- dium formats. Scandinavia, in
ment with farsighted deter- particular, which has a more
mination. Through strategic fragmented print industry and
alliances with major manu- rigorous legislation concern-
facturers of ink, plates, blan- ing VOC emissions, has seen
kets, paper, screen rollers and several installations of water-
other components they have less Rapida 74s and 105s over
created innovative printing the past few years. Some
systems that not only enhance of them print plastic with
the quality of traditional off- Toracard TF inks from
set production but also mate- Zeller+Gmelin. Combining as
rially expand the range of they do the superior sheet
applications for which it can travel and application flex-
viably be used. Once the 74 ibility of the Rapidas with all
Karat and Metronic presses the benefits of waterless off-
had proven their competitive set, they are a natural progres-
edge, further systems were sion from the wet offset
developed to commercial Rapidas that have already
maturity. The most recent of demonstrated their prowess in
these are the Genius 52 and plastic printing with UV inks.
Rapida 74 G sheetfed offset
presses and the Cortina news- Top: A new Rapida 74 G at Swedish media enterprise Cela Grafiska prints all …and keyless with the
paper press. kinds of commercials. Bottom: The four proud proprietors at the press Rapida 74 G
(photos: Clever)

Conventional waterless with Not surprisingly, Scandi-

KBA Rapida… fed offset range – from the B2 biggest waterless plate format navia is where the world’s
(29”) Rapida 74 to the size 7 currently available, 1610 x first users of the new Rapida
When considering the (63”) Rapida 162a – can oper- 1240mm (631/2” x 483/4”) 74 G are to be found. Fitting
new, broader applications ate dampener-free provided from Toray, is suitable for use the Rapida 74 with Gravuflow
possible, the KBA presses the presses are connected to a on large-format KBA presses, inking units delivers both
that were modified rather than temperature control system, most of which already feature quality and efficiency benefits
developed specifically for and this is why they are pre- temperature control in order in commercial, cartonboard
waterless offset should also equipped with interfaces for to stabilise the wet offset and plastic print production.
be taken into account. In prin- adding the relevant subas- process in dimensions such as One major argument that is
ciple, the entire Rapida sheet- semblies at a later date. The these. often put forward in favour of

KBA Process 2 | 2005 67

 Applications | Examples

The Rapida 74 G at Swedish Another Swedish printer,

packaging specialist Eson Pac prints folding carton specialist Eson
drug packaging (photo: Eson Pac)
Pac, went straight for a brace
of Rapidas 74 Gs and now
waterless printing is the low prints waterless on two five-
volume of start-up waste, colour versions with inline
which is just ten sheets maxi- coating at its drug packaging
mum. On top of this the Rap- plant in Varberg. The third
ida 74 G’s unit-type design Scandinavian print enterprise
affords greater flexibility than to put a Rapida 74 G into op-
the 74 Karat in configuring eration, in this case a six-col-
the press (which can thus in- our with dual coating, is
clude multiple printing units Hojrup Eskefabrik in Glams-
plus perfecting and coating The pilot press, which was Grafiska’s four owners. “Its bjerg, Denmark.
options). Rated press speed is put through its paces at Drupa format, broad substrate range, At present a number of
also faster. The printing plants 2004 on the marks-3zet stand, four-colour capability with UV inks are being tested for
targeted are those: was shipped directly from the inline coating option, its supe- compatibility with the Rapida
• specialising in commercial, show to Swedish print media rior print quality and – thanks 74 G. So the range of sub-
packaging and niche applica- enterprise Cela Grafiska in to its waterless offset technol- strates it can print will expand
tions (eg plastic printing in Värnersborg. The four-colour ogy – low tolerances within even further by the end of the
offset or silk-screen); coater version at this 20-em- the print run were just the year.
• seeking to enhance their ployee advertising agency ticket for the jobs we handle.
cost-efficiency, productivity turned commercial printing With the Rapida 74 G we can Digital offset with the
and quality in short-run sce- plant replaced a conventional compete on price both in 74 Karat…
narios; sheetfed offset press. Cela smaller formats and in bigger
• wishing to retain the flex- prints just about anything that formats up to B1. This is be- The 74 Karat digital offset
ibility a unit-type press can can be put to paper or board cause our customers are now press was developed specifi-
deliver; for the commercials and pack- confident that the proof and cally for waterless sheetfed
• or with CTP systems in aging its customers specify. print will be identical. The offset with on-press imaging.
place and a need to change “As soon as the Rapida 74 quality delivered, especially Many users opted for the 74
plates faster than is possible G was unveiled, we knew it in image and solids reproduc- Karat because they wanted to
with the 74 Karat and its on- was the press for us,” says tion, beats other offset presses embed the press in an all-dig-
press imaging. Joachim Friberg, one of Cela hands-down.” ital workflow. Its technology

Below and left: Configuring the 74 Karat with a coater and IR/hot-air dryer
enables users like Aug. Heinrigs Druck und Verpackung in Aachen, Germany,
to exploit new business opportunities. Alongside runs of polyglot drug
packaging the company mainly prints advance runs of cosmetic packaging
where the colours must match colours printed in UV wet offset
(photos: Kleeberg)

Above and left: Another German printer, Huwig in Riegelsberg, prints

magazine bodies and covers, promotional literature and even sticky labels on
its 74 Karat (photos: Stein)

68 KBA Process 2 | 2005

These high-quality drinks labels with …now for plastic film too
imitation woodgrain print were
produced on the 74 Karat at Grid
Studio in Belgrade, Serbia The plastic printing ver-
(photo: Kleeberg) sion, which operates with inks
that dry by evaporation,
would not be possible without
the coater. One of the ink se-
is designed to ensure that no ries approved for the Karat is
“analogue back-doors” are Zeller+Gmelin’s Toracard TF,
left open, as they are with which is already used in
presses that merely connect Metronic’s Genius 52 UV for
wet offset with direct imaging film printing. The silicone-
technology. This philosophy, • pre-press and media service able – an example of how new free Toracard TF inks are
together with the total auto- providers wishing to develop technologies can create new suitable for printing PVC
mation of plate-mounting and new lines of business; markets. Most users have now (polyvinyl chloride), ABS
imaging sequences and the • silk-screen, flexo and UV included such services in their (acrylonitrile-butadiene-
calibration of essential para- printers wishing to combine portfolios. styrene), PC (polycarbonate),
meters with Gravuflow tech- waterless offset with evapo- Since an integrated aque- PS (polystyrene) and PET
nology, enables users to rative inks for printing plastic, ous coater with IR/hot-air (polyethylene terephthalate),
standardise their B2 produc- metallised and lenticular film dryer became available for the enable very fine screens to be
tion processes. and composites more cost- 74 Karat all new buyers have printed, can be easily lami-
The 74 Karat targets: effectively. specified this option. Inline nated and expand at the same
• offset print entrepreneurs No matter what your com- coating allows the sheets to be rate as the substrate when sub-
wishing to print short to pany’s original line of busi- passed through the press a jected to IR radiation. It has
medium runs of four-colour ness and investment targets second time without delay been found that ink transfer is
promos and packaging; may be, the creation of proofs and/or finished much sooner. best with UV-resistant blan-
• digital print providers look- and advance runs are another It also improves abrasion re- kets.
ing for a cost-effective means option which the cost-effi- sistance by protecting the sur- The aqueous coating must
of addressing the high end of ciency and the standardised face, while the higher gloss also be specially formulated
the market for short- to me- workflow of the 74 Karat level enhances the visual im- for plastic film. KBA recom-
dium-run colour; have revived and made profit- pact of the prints. mends a water-soluble protec-
tive PVC coating, Tipadur
Hans Huhn, managing director of Printcoat P-1203 B3, which
Merkur in Leipzig, Germany, was formulated specifically
displays a six-up film sheet for
mousepads, printed on a 74 Karat for the 74 Karat by Tippl in
with plastic option Vienna.
Cartridges of Zeller+Gmelin’s The first 74 Karat press to
Toracard TF ink and a set of ink feature a plastic printing
ducts stand ready for high-speed ink package was installed in Au-
changes on the plastic printing
version of the 74 Karat at Merkur gust 2003 by one of the big-
(photos: Kleeberg) gest specialist printers of syn-
thetic materials in the USA,
Serigraph of West Bend, Illi-
nois. Merkur Druck- und
Kopierzentrum in Leipzig,
Germany, followed suit four
months later. This option ex-
pands the range of printable
substrates to include bank,
telephone and customer cards,
mousepads and decorations,
banners and price tags, docu-
ment sleeves and covers,
packaging and display com-
ponents, labels and tags, cal-
A new 74 Karat with plastic printing endars and teaching materials,
package at DigiGraf, an advertising
agency with pre-press department in projector and lightbox films.
Bologna, Italy, enables the company The cards are printed in multi-
to print jobs that previously had to up production and can sub-
be outsourced. The photo shows
DigiGraf proprietor Andrea Caroli sequently be finished by em-
(2nd r) flanked by (from the left) bossing or applying memory
Daniele Sangalli of KBA-Italia, KBA chips, for example.
sales director Thomas Kagemann
and Falk Sparbert, also of KBA “Plastic is not just plas-
(photo: KBA) tic,” explains Merkur md

KBA Process 2 | 2005 69

 Applications | Examples

In conjunction with HumanEyes software

the plastic printing version of the 74
Karat can print lenticular film to create
3-D effects (ice cream), animated
sequences (swan) and flip-flop images
(Stitch) (photos: KBA)

Hans Huhn, speaking from standard commercial digital our products as well. The 46 K 2.4) can be achieved with
his experience with various camera, images were created KaratPLUS version unveiled at an ink layer which is very lit-
types of film. “Films can dif- and printed featuring 3-D, Drupa 2004 boasts Presstek’s tle thicker than normal, ex-
fer a lot in the static charge animated or flip-flop effects. new ProFire Excel laser sys- panding the offset colour
they generate, their print- tem which enables it to print gamut into that of a photo-
ability and expansion under …and the 46 Karat even finer screens, stochastic graphic print. So there is no
heat. The smoothest, in the included. need for special inks. KBA of-
truest sense of the word, is Many of the 46 Karat’s The 46 Karat is unique fers support in the form of a
Pentaprint.” A PVC film from properties are the same as among waterless offset pres- complete aniva package com-
the Klöckner Pentaplast those of its “big sister”, the 74 ses in that it can operate with prising an instruction manual,
group in Montabaur, Penta- Karat: on-press imaging, reg- Epple’s exclusive aniva Euro comprehensive on-site train-
print is available in matt, ister-true four-colour printing (or in America aniva Stand- ing, dedicated software and a
gloss, reinforced white and in one gripper bite, a superior ard) ink series. The pigment standardisation test form. It
clear. print quality, the ability to particles for the relevant also offers existing and pro-
Hahn continues: “Even handle substrates ranging standard scale are exception- spective users of the 46 Karat
with a static eliminator, a from lightweight paper to ally finely ground and cluster and 74 Karat practical semi-
residual charge will always light carton-board, and a com- together more densely in a nars on digital offset (work-
remain in the film. If the pro- petitive price-performance ra- non-mineral binding agent, flow and applications) and
duction schedule permits, the tio for short to medium runs, so less light is scattered. This digital pre-press (eg sheet as-
piles are allowed to rest for not just of four-colour prod- means that higher colour sembly with Preps, colour
at least a day.” He is well ucts but of mono and two-col- densities (C 1.9, M 1.8, Y 1.7, management).
pleased with his 74 Karat and An expanded colour
stands by his decision to add a gamut and moiré-free screen-
plastic-printing option. “Add- ing are essential for a photo-
ing this capability enabled us graphic-quality print. They
to raise our competitive pro- enable 46 Karat users to com-
file and expand our client pete successfully not only
base, as the large number of against direct rivals operating
new orders and prospects
shows. Quality and cost-effi-
ciency are a huge improve-
ment on silk-screen, though Gloor Cross Media in Munich is the
proud owner of a 74 Karat and a 46
you have to keep a close tab Karat with “Power Mix” package.
on the cost of ink and blan- Here press operator Bernd
kets, which is higher than Lommatzsch checks the match
between the digital proof off a
in silk-screen, and on job Konica Minolta CF 3102 and a
changeover times. But this sheet off the 46 Karat (photo: KBA)
option will boost our bottom
line, there’s no doubt about
A 46 Karat at Die Drucker Agens &
that.” Ketterl in Vienna, Austria, prints the
At Drupa 2004 KBA dem- cast lists for the city’s world-famous
onstrated lenticular printing state opera (photo: Kleeberg)
powered by HumanEyes Li-
tho3D Karat software. In a
matter of minutes, using a

Dutch printer Jansen Drukkerijen

in Gilze organised an open day to
promote the 46 Karat it has
installed alongside its 74 Karat
(photo: KBA)

70 KBA Process 2 | 2005

 A combination of colour management and Epple’s aniva Euro inks enables the 46 Karat at Laser Litho4
in Düsseldorf, Germany, to print photographic-quality images (photos: KBA)

other DI offset presses in the house that has successfully Genius 52 is especially attrac- platesetter in Europe, the
same format but also against implemented the Power Mix tive for printing plants and Middle East and Africa, with
printers addressing high-end package in the press room is pre-press businesses that al- Creo providing support with
markets with large-format Laser Litho4 in Düsseldorf, ready work with thermal CTP marketing, sales, installation,
presses. Germany, where a Konica or are planning to invest in it training and after-sales serv-
A special option offered in Minolta CF 3102 copying but for operational or other ice. For Toray plates KBA
association with quick-dry- system with an output of 31 reasons wish to maintain their recommends a plate processor
ing, rub-resistant aniva inks is colour pages a minute is in analogue plate lines rather from marks-3zet, the Cessor
known as “Power Mix” and operation. Before buying the than invest in a DI press in KTW 650-G.
embraces a digital proofing kit the company checked out this format. But it could also
scenario with an embedded other toner and inkjet proof- be the answer for printers …and plastic printing with the
printing and copying system ing systems with regard to seeking a more space-saving Metronic Genius 52 UV
from Konica Minolta. Colour colour fidelity, print quality, alternative to unit-type
management profiles can be substrate flexibility and cost- presses or a versatile but more The waterless UV version
used with the toner-based sys- efficiency, but soon came to economical and less complex of the Genius 52, manufac-
tem to output digital proofs the conclusion that the Power press for quality short-run tured by Metronic, can be
which faithfully simulate the Mix package delivered the print production in B3. used to print plastic film.
images delivered with aniva best results. The Genius 52 enables Metronic’s sales team has pri-
inks. It enables the client to small-format printers to up- marily focused on winning
be offered the alternative of Commercial printing with the grade their commercial port- accounts in the card printing
having ultra-short runs and KBA Genius 52… folio and offers large-format market, which is booming.
personalised prints produced printers a passport to smaller Here the magic formula is
even more cheaply on the The compact and flexible formats, eg for printing maga- smart cards – plastic cards
proofing device instead of on Genius 52 for the popular B3 zine covers or short runs of with transponders, micropro-
the 46 Karat. However, the (201/2”) format furnishes paper products and light- cessors and/or magnetic strips
contrast in toner-based prints sheetfed offset printers with weight cartons. as safety features for cash-
is less pronounced and the an economical and innovative At Drupa 2004 KBA and free payment. Customer and
colours less brilliant than in production tool for four- or Creo signed an agreement discount cards are another, in-
waterless offset. five-colour print production bundling the Genius 52 with creasingly popular, applica-
One example of a printing in short to medium runs. The Creo’s Lotem 200K thermal tion. The explosive expansion

“The Genius has enormous potential. It can print four jobs an hour, Right: Metronic’s Genius 52 UV
each with a run length of up to 1,000 sheets, and is cost-effective for delivers a superb print quality on
a workload of just over five jobs per day.” Patrice Flahaut, plastic cards such as the smart cards
managing director of Access Printing in Paris and a pioneer user of on this sheet (photo: Metronic)
the KBA Genius 52 (photo: KBA)

Below: The Genius 52 at Dutch printer

PrintGroep Cuijk near Nijmegen runs up to
saleable – and precisely predictable – colour
in a maximum of just ten sheets (photo: KBA)

KBA Process 2 | 2005 71

 Applications | Examples

Two parallel copy streams allow the Prominent names also fea-
Metronic oc200 to work and turn ture in the user list for presses
piles of cards using the same colour
imposition in the second pass as in to print optical data storage
the first (photo: Metronic) media. The four- to six-colour
CD Print, for example, is in
action at electronics giants
Pioneer and Canon Video,
of mobile telephony world- while the four-colour Premius
wide is compensating for was the press of choice for
stagnant sales of telephone Sony. For the long print runs
cards by cranking up demand which are routine at such big
for SIM cards for charging or companies there is no cost-ef-
operating mobile handsets. fective alternative to offset,
Metronic’s many satisfied us- which is used here in conjunc-
ers in this sector include such tion with other processes, eg
prominent specialists as In- for applying a pre-impression
plastor in Sweden (the print- white primer or post-impres-
ing arm of the biggest card sion coating. The CD Print
provider in northern Europe, and Premius have an average
XPonCard Group), IPT Print- output of 6,000 to 7,200 discs
ing in Lebanon (one of the per hour. High-speed plate
leading printers of telephone changes on both presses make
and bank cards in the Middle them the more cost-effective
East) and NamITech in South choice for shorter print runs.
Africa (the biggest producer Another compelling argument
of plastic cards in Africa, in for users is the photographic
alliance with Giesecke & print quality delivered by the
Devrient). waterless offset technology.
Metronic is expanding its The Premius, launched on
sales activities to target fur- the market in 2004, sports a
ther applications because the high-performance disc trans-
Genius 52 UV is just as suit- port system which is excep-
able for printing promotional tionally flexible: not only can
products such as mousepads, Easy access, short makereadies and photographic-quality prints are the it be loaded with single or
lenticular film, show cards or benefits enjoyed by users of Metronic’s CD Print (photo: Metronic) double lines, it also accepts
pocket diaries. Other potential data storage devices with non-
products are organisational standard contours. This ena-
tools (schedules, year plan- presses, the oc200 and entry- The oc200 can be config- bles it to print minidiscs and
ners etc), document covers level oc100, and by its CD ured with up to six printing optical business cards along-
and files, plastic labels and presses, the CD Print and the modules and inline-coating side DVDs and CDs. The
teaching aids (eg rulers and Premius. Like the Genius 52 modules. Makeready takes most popular extras available
maps). Another niche market UV, all four presses incorpo- around 20 minutes. In recent with the Premius are a code
with strong growth potential rate waterless UV offset tech- years the press has enabled identification system and a
is plastic tags, for example the nology. Metronic has also Metronic to expand its lead in camera-based quality control
plant tags inserted in the pots developed inkjet-based digital the card printing sector, with system.
delivered to nurseries and printing systems, some of reference installations at the
Dieter Kleeberg
DIY stores. Plant tags, like which, for example the world’s leading card and
ISO format cards and pocket univerSYS and imprinters for security print specialists –
diaries, are all printed in personalisation, are also used Axalto, Gemplus and Gies-
multi-up production. to print cards. ecke & Devrient.

Specialist UV waterless print

applications from Metronic

Metronic’s specialist fo-

cus on plastic printing presses
is evident in its card-printing

A flexible, high-performance disc

transport system makes the Metronic
Premius a universal printing system
for optical data storage media
(photo: Metronic)

72 KBA Process 2 | 2005

 Applications | Cortina

Why should newspapers go waterless?

Changes in the media market

demand new mindset
The recent economic recession has impacted severely on advertising
spend and thus on newspaper revenues. At the same time advertisers
are demanding a near-commercial print quality, the internet is stead-
ily eroding newspapers’ share of classified ads, and traditional print
media are struggling to attract young people focused on cyberspace
and mobiles. If newspapers are to maintain their prominent position
in the media arena they must cut their production costs and enhance
their appeal.

A Mecca for innovation-minded newspaper printers: the KBA Cortina that was in operation for two years at reiff zeitungsdruck in Offenburg

T
he ultra-compact Cor- tion run. When mono printing Weaknesses are “normal” was shrugged off as the normal
tina tower press cannot was the norm this was no great state of technology.
influence the editorial problem, but with the spread of In the good years, paper Start-up waste levels of 50
or layout quality of a news- colour printing during the past costs arising from waste had or 75 copies trumpeted in pro-
paper but its keyless waterless 15 years, efforts to enhance im- only a peripheral effect on motions or even specified in
offset technology can make a mediacy by cutting production newspapers’ profit margins, new contracts can only be
substantial contribution to- times have resulted in an even which were generally comfort- achieved in wet offset under
wards enhancing print quality higher level of automation and ingly wide. Start-up waste ideal production conditions and
and cost-efficiency. mounting pressure on the op- numbering several thousand with presses that have been la-
erator to deliver a high print copies – a level still encoun- boriously prepared with a high
Wet offset technology quality while at the same time tered in a lot of printing plants input of time and labour. They
ever more complex minimising waste. during full-colour production – cannot be achieved in daily
production with plates pro-
Newspapers have been duced just minutes prior to the
printed in offset for almost 40 production run. This is because
years now, on presses featuring the image is influenced by too
ink keys, roller-type inking many parameters and the indi-
units and every possible type of vidual capabilities of different
dampeners, and boasting an in- operators. Experienced printers
creasingly advanced level of are well aware of this.
automation and ever higher Even today, many members
production speeds. A sizeable of the industry consider it per-
proportion of the greater tech- fectly natural for the press op-
nical complexity involved is erator to spend practically the
concentrated in the systems for entire production run adjusting
presetting the inking units,
achieving the correct ink/water
Both newspapers and semi-
balance and maintaining colour commercials can be printed in
registration during the produc- waterless coldset on the Cortina

KBA Process 2 | 2005 73

 Applications | Cortina

only masked to a greater or

lesser extent. Some press op-
erators are more skilled at do-
ing this than others, but none
can produce a predictably good
print if the pre-press work is not
up to scratch. Corrections on
one page of full-colour ads are
inevitably followed by a quality
compromise on the subsequent
page. Such manual intervention
is scarcely in keeping with a
standardised, automated pro-
duction flow.

...and reproduced faithfully

Semi-automatic plate changers Remote controls for setting the ink keys are sought in vain at the Cortina by the press
guarantee fast, convenient edition console, because there are none
changes. With automatic plate
changers, the plates for the next job The answer is to eliminate
can be placed in the feed shafts User-friendly and cost-effective: waterless newspaper offset with the the parameters that cause these
during the current production run. innovative Cortina. The photo shows the compact design of the four-high problems – the dampening so-
A complete plate change takes less tower relative to the Pastostar reelstand in the foreground
than 100 seconds, regardless of the lution and ink keys – and to
number of plates. Computer-to-press control the temperature of the
cannot compete on either cost inking unit throughout the pro-
efficiency or time
duction run. This, in conjunc-
tion with a huge reduction in
the ink keys and dampener the ink train to just a doctor
settings at the console in order blade, anilox roller and forme
to compensate for real or rollers, guarantees a uniformly
perceived deviations from the high and freely reproducible
optimum ink/water balance. print quality. Not only is tech-
Temperature control is consid- nology much more consistent
ered by some to be totally than people, whose form fluc-
superfluous, even though it can tuates from day to day, but wa-
substantially reduce tempera- terless offset, by its very nature,
ture-related fluctuations in remains much more stable than
colour density and the number wet offset during the produc-
of setting sequences required. tion run because there is no per-
Received wisdom has it that makers with their eye on the of parameters and variables in- manent conflict between ink
printing newspapers is not what long term are virtually being fluencing the printing process, and water.
it used to be, so you have to put compelled to address this basic to create consistently uniform The Cortina functions as a
up with a few comprises on issue. KBA has certainly done production conditions – even giant, high-powered “copier”,
quality in coldset production, so, which is why the Cortina during extended print runs – by and as such reliably repro-
don’t you?! was created. employing advanced technol- duces, times without number,
ogy and high-performance tem- exactly what is on the printing
It’s no good carrying on Reducing process errors perature control, and to free plate. No more and no less.
as before hard-pressed personnel from Since the beta press was in-
Anyone with an inkling of the constant need to intervene stalled in Offenburg countless
Basically there are three re- technology will appreciate that in order to maintain the correct newspaper printers have been
sponses: you can take the easy the ease with which any given ink/water balance. able to witness this for them-
way out and just carry on as be- process can be mastered is in- selves. The 16-page press was
fore, accepting all the negative versely proportionate to the Quality defined in pre-press... dismantled in autumn 2004 af-
phenomena of wet offset as in- number of parameters influenc- ter successfully completing its
evitable; you can treat the un- ing it. And no doubt most of us In an age of computer-to- two-year test phase and will be
wanted side-effects by taking have learned from experience plate and digital workflows, installed as a production press
on board even more complex that the easiest and quickest print quality should be unam- at a small newspaper plant in
technology; or you can tackle way to obtain a clear, predict- biguously defined in the very Lower Saxony in spring 2005.
the root cause. Here, the first able result is to have as few first link of the production
step is to ask the question: “Is people as possible bringing chain, ie in pre-press. This is New departure after 200 years
this really the right way to max- their different perceptions and because, however advanced the of roller inking units
imise production and cost effi- capabilities to bear. So it fol- printing press may be, imper-
ciency, user-friendliness and lows that the core objectives in fections or inaccuracies in the 200 years ago Friedrich
quality?” As costs escalate and developing the Cortina were originals and plates cannot be Koenig and Andreas Bauer,
revenues diminish, decision- (and are) to reduce the number corrected via the ink keys, but founding fathers of Koenig &

74 KBA Process 2 | 2005

Bauer AG, invented the roller- erates most of its income from most experienced press manu- • much easier press handling
type inking unit with its greater presses incorporating the fun- facturer to the changing issues and maintenance,
or lesser number of splitting damental inking system de- confronting the newspaper in- • less physical exertion during
positions and adjusting keys for vised by its founders. Nonethe- dustry in the 21st century. makeready for the next edition
zone-wide inking. There is no less, or perhaps precisely for Although the press operator thanks to short distances and
doubt that, despite the associ- this reason, a new departure in at the Cortina has been “de- high-speed automatic plate
ated difficulties, this inking process technology such as prived” of two familiar tools, changes,
technology has proven its supe- waterless and keyless offset ink keys and dampeners, he has • an excellent and freely repro-
rior performance in sheetfed should not be dismissed out of been given a good deal in ex- ducible print quality up to a
and web printing alike for gen- hand but should be accepted as change: screen resolution of 60l/cm
eration upon generation. Even a profound and compelling so- • more time for monitoring (150lpi) on both standard and
after 188 years, KBA still gen- lution by the world’s first and quality, improved newsprint,

KBA Cortina: configurations

The first Cortina to roll off the

production line – a 48pp single-floor
version – was shipped to Rodi
Rotatiedruk near Amsterdam
in late 2004

Above: Belgian newspaper printing

house De Persgroep in Asse, near
Brussels, is also making the
transition to waterless offset with
a big Cortina press line

Right: The Cortina for Rodi

Rotatiedruk will be followed in mid-
2005 by two 48pp Cortinas destined
for Freiburger Druck
(Badische Zeitung)

Baden-Württemberg’s leading publisher of gazettes and newsletters,

Nussbaum Medien in Weil der Stadt, is making the transition to waterless
offset with the purchase of a Cortina with automatic plate changing. The
German company, which took MAN’s first Dicoweb press, placed the order
for the keyless mini tower press following exhaustive tests and trial runs to
check its suitability for printing large numbers of low-circulation copies – Dutch contract printer and
Nussbaum’s typical production scenario – cost-effectively and in a superior KBA user Dijkman Offset in Diemen
quality near Amsterdam has also opted for a 32-page Cortina
with automatic plate changers

KBA Process 2 | 2005 75

 Applications | Cortina

• a clean press environment, phy, should work through the • How are emissions, are they per industry would do well to
no ink mist or water vapour, following list of questions in lower? ponder. Some, in Germany,
• and an automatically mini- order to compare this waterless As far as the Cortina is con- Belgium and the Netherlands,
mised, stress-free waste level offset press objectively with a cerned, all these questions can have already reached their own
during start-up. conventional wet offset press: be answered with a resounding conclusions and in the 12
In other words: far from • How are waste levels, are “yes”. months since Ifra Expo 2003 in
posing a threat to press opera- they lower? Leipzig have placed orders for
tors, the Cortina relieves them • How is registration, is it more Conclusion a total of 25 Cortina tower
of routine tasks that are often precise? presses. KBA’s success with
both arduous and dull. Their • How is the print quality, is it If waterless offset with the waterless in a challenging mar-
skills are just as much in de- superior? Cortina in its current form had ket climate should not be un-
mand, but can now be em- • How is web tension, is it less been available 40 years ago, derestimated and, hopefully,
ployed to better effect. of a problem? then wet offset, with all its ac- augurs a fundamental rethink in
• How is handling, is it less knowledged technical short- the industry.
A lot of questions, complex? comings, would never have
but just one answer • How is maintenance, is less been adopted for newspaper Klaus Schmidt
required? production. That is something
Those who still find it hard • How is cost efficiency, is it decision-makers in the tradi-
to accept the Cortina philoso- higher? tionally conservative newspa-

KBA Cortina: winning features

Compact design
• Just 3.7m (12ft) high, excluding superstructure
• Little or no investment needed in new buildings
• Easier handling, shorter distances
• No fan-out in full-colour production
• Space-saving option of eight-high tower
• Supports distribute-then-print scenarios
Waterless offset
• Less waste, consistently high print quality
• No problems with web tension
• No problems with ink/water balance
• Stress-free operation in continuous production
• Reduced emissions
• 60l/cm (150lpi) screen on standard and improved stock
Keyless inking unit
• More consistent colour reproduction, less waste
• Greater automation and standardisation, fewer variables
• No operator-dependent inking
• Identical print at multiple locations
• Optimum reproduction of pre-press quality
• Reduced labour input for press presetting
• No ink misting at high speeds
Dedicated cylinder drives
• Easy handling during makeready and maintenance
• Supports direct imaging at later date
• Fewer emissions (no oil, less noise)
Additional features/automation
• Fast, automatic temperature control (stored acceleration curves)
• Semi-automatic plate changers a standard feature to ease operation
• Optional automatic plate changers (change any number of plates in less than 100
seconds)
• Automatically adjustable roller locks reduce maintenance, promote uniform
printing conditions
• Glide-apart towers (Stepin™) afford easy access
• Minigaps on blanket cylinders for fast blanket changes
• Minigaps and pneumatic clamps on plate cylinders
• Cutting-edge console technology supports integration in digital workflow

76 KBA Process 2 | 2005

 Outlook

The technology of the future

Even back in the early years of its shopfloor applications, waterless, friendly process in keeping with the industry’s enhanced awareness.
keyless offset compellingly confirmed that it has the potential to sim- Although there are still some challenges to overcome, the many draw-
plify the fundamentals of offset printing, make it more cost-effective backs associated with wet offset since its inception all those years
and thus more competitive, and to re-invent it as an environmentally ago have now been scaled back or even eliminated.

What has been accomplished perior print quality are a recom-

mendation in themselves. Sup-

N
otwithstanding the port from a larger number of
sophistication of the plate manufacturers would pro-
technology involved mote a more rapid adoption of
and the quality it can deliver, waterless offset from which
offset print production with everyone would profit. But
dampening is basically a relict even with plate prices at their
from the origins of indirect current level, waterless offset
flatbed printing. The ability of is, in many cases, still more
the press operator to influence economical than wet offset.
inking via the keys – an ability Unfortunately, not all potential
that dates back 200 years to users have reached the same
Friedrich Koenig’s invention of conclusion. This is because
the cylinder printing press – is they often consider plate costs
another relict. In view of the in isolation, instead of calculat-
widespread shortage of skilled ing total production costs. KBA
press personnel and a concomi- Process is an attempt to dispel
tant move towards standardisa- any lingering doubts by fur-
tion and automation in the press nishing hard facts and back-
room, it can hardly be argued ground information.
that long ink trains with numer- Whether on a larger or a ing, waterless offset with
ous ink-splitting points and smaller scale – with the KBA keyless inking furnishes an ef- Prospects are bright
lateral oscillation are the Cortina or Metronic presses – fective tool for protecting profit
optimum, enduring technology. the subsequent benefits are margins. Nonetheless, it would Waterless offset with key-
There are too many process pa- clear for all to see: a compact be presumptuous to claim that less inking is more than just an
rameters to control, and this is footprint, rapid makeready and its potential has already been alternative to wet offset. As ex-
not made any easier by the minimum start-up waste, a uni- exploited to the full. Which is isting press lines are upgraded
subjective perceptions of the formly high print quality why KBA and Metronic will or extended, the technology
press crew. So there were throughout the production run, continue their pursuit of excel- may well displace wet offset for
ample reasons for developing less manual intervention and lence in both the process and its many applications. Already,
an entirely new concept. lower manning levels, time broader applications across a KBA customers are increas-
KBA and Metronic have gains for quality control and the raft of dedicated press plat- ingly exploiting the benefits
made a pivotal contribution by parallel preparation of the next forms – witness the Rapida 74 this innovative process offers in
advancing and simplifying off- job, a more pleasant working G and Cortina. order to differentiate their pro-
set with the introduction of wa- environment, substantial cost An increase in the supply of ducts in the marketplace by
terless, keyless inking units. By savings and a dramatic reduc- waterless offset plates on the boosting quality and cost-effi-
eliminating human intervention tion in emissions. market would be more than ciency. They are deploying new
and complex parameters that The advances that have welcome, and certainly in the business models to corner or
are difficult to control they been made in inking technol- interests of users. Although carve out profitable niche mar-
have taken a vital first step to- ogy are most conspicuous in prices have already come down kets by offering unique features
wards transforming print pro- the Cortina. They are part of a a lot, there is still room for fur- and an expanded substrate
duction from a craft-based holistic concept aimed at rede- ther reductions, despite the capability. You can enjoy simi-
process into a standardised, fining newspaper production in higher manufacturing cost. lar success if you are willing to
highly automated industrial se- the 21st century to make it more KBA has declared its commit- engage in this debate without
quence. At last a move has been cost-effective, ecological and ment to waterless technology prejudice in order to determine
made to bridge the gap between capable of delivering a quality and has walked the talk with the technology that would be
the pre-press workflow, which that is unsurpassed. heavy expenditure on R&D. most effective for your specific
has long been based on stand- The insights it has gained from enterprise.
ardised processes, and the post- What must still be done the frontiers of waterless inno-
press and mailroom workflows, vation have been distilled into Dieter Kleeberg
which are becoming ever more In print sectors where circu- products like the Karat and
highly automated. lations are steadily diminish- Cortina, whose success and su-

KBA Process 2 | 2005 77

 Impressum

Koenig & Bauer AG KBA Process

Würzburg Facility is a sporadic publication created to facilitate strategic investment
Friedrich-Koenig-Str. 4 planning by providing detailed, practical information on the current
97080 Würzburg status and future prospects of new technologies and advances.
Germany Publications to date: KBA Process No. 1
Tel: +49 931 909-0 “Focus on Direct Offset on Corrugated” (1/2002).
Fax: +49 931 909-4101
Web: www.kba-print.com Publisher:
E-mail: [email protected] KBA Group
(www.kba-print.com)
Koenig & Bauer AG
Frankenthal Facility Editors:
Johann-Klein-Str. 1 Klaus Schmidt (KBA marketing director),
67227 Frankenthal [email protected]
Germany Dieter Kleeberg (Kleeberg & Stein), trade journalist, PR service
Tel: +49 6233 873-0 provider to the print industry, [email protected]
Fax: +49 6233 873-3222 Authors:
Web: www.kba-print.com Peter Benz (KBA)
E-mail: [email protected] Detlef Braun (Druck & Beratung WLUV)
Mike Engelhardt (KBA)
Koenig & Bauer AG Andreas Harig (technotrans)
Radebeul Facility Dr Bernd Heusinger (KBA)
Friedrich-List-Str. 47-49 Dieter Kleeberg (Kleeberg & Stein)
01445 Radebeul Hans-Joachim Koch (marks-3zet)
Germany Dr Matthias Müller (KBA)
Tel. +49 351 833-0 Hubert Peick (technotrans)
Fax: +49 351 833-1001 Dr Karl Schaschek (KBA)
Web: www.kba-planeta.com Klaus Schmidt (KBA)
E-mail: [email protected] Georg Schneider (KBA)
Christian Tebert (Ökopol)
Metronic AG Layout:
A member of the KBA Group Jürgen Bender (KBA)
Benzstrasse 11 Translation:
97209 Veitshöchheim Christina Degens-Kupp (KBA)
Germany
Tel: +49 931 9085-0 Product specifications and features may be changed without prior
Fax: +49 931 9085-100 notice. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any way
Web: www.metronic-ag.com without the publisher’s permission and source data. Although regis-
E-mail: [email protected] tered trademarks, copyrighted and patented products are not speci-
fied as such, this does not mean that they are, or may be treated as,
public domain. Gravuflow™, Karat™, Newsflow™, Rapida 74
G™ and STEPIN™ are registered trademarks of Koenig & Bauer
AG. Metronic® is a registered trademark of Metronic AG.

If you wish to receive our free customer magazine, KBA Report,

and are not yet a subscriber, please contact Anja Enders in the
marketing department:
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: +49 931 909-4518
Fax:+49 931 909-6015

Printed in Germany

78 KBA Process 2 | 2005

KBA on ecological print production

Water is life
But not in print!
Sustainable development, the careful husbandry of valuable raw materials
and the conscious avoidance of waste and emissions: these are natural
commitments for any responsible entrepreneur. Which is why environmental
awareness is written into our guiding principles. And why we pioneer new,
more ecological technologies for sheetfed and web offset.
Economy and ecology need not be mutually exclusive – and we’re out to
prove it.

Koenig & Bauer AG, Würzburg and Radebeul Facilities, www.kba-print.com

Metronic AG, www.metronic-ag.com

KBA Process 2 | 2005

KBA_I_327_KBAProzess_d,e,f,i,sp 22.03.2005 9:05 Uhr
9:06 Seite 1

People & Print

From the inventor

of the printing press

Leading technology
Expanding the frontiers of print technology has been our driving force for
the past 188 years. Inspired by our founder, Friedrich Koenig, creator of the
world's first mechanical printing press in 1811. And culminating today in
our Rapida 74 Gravuflow sheetfed offset press, our 74 Karat DI offset press
and our compact Cortina waterless newspaper press.
KBA. Creator of presses with groundbreaking yet cost-effective technology
to keep you ahead of the field. Backed by the ingenuity and dedication of
7,800 employees and a wealth of know-how that is unique in its depth and
breadth.

Koenig & Bauer AG (KBA)

Würzburg, phone: +49 931 909-0, fax: +49 931 909-4101, e-mail: [email protected]
Frankenthal, phone: +49 6233 873-0, fax: +49 6233 873-3222, e-mail: [email protected]
KBA.I.327 e

Radebeul near Dresden, phone: +49 351 833-0, fax: +49 351 833-1001, e-mail: [email protected]
www.kba-print.com