Fast cars complemented a fast newspaper press when manroland showed off its Colorman e:line at Kempten in Germany.
A customer showing and technology forum at Allgäuer Zeitungsverlag included a race event in KTM X-Bow racing cars at a local training ground.
Some 70 guests were welcomed by manroland web systems managing director Eckhard Hoerner-Marass, who introduced an e:line range rated at up to 50,000 rph – and Allgäuer managing director Markus Brehm.
manroland technical director Wilfried Sutter says economical production, short makeready times, high printing speeds and a high degree of automation were “absolutely critical” for the publisher.
“After all, we must deliver the eight regional editions to five post offices first thing in the morning,” reported Sutter. That means that the production must be finished by 1.30 am.”
APL robotic plate changing was among features particularly well received by guests, who later tracked makeready times which have been reduced to approximately three minutes per edition – compared to 20-30 minutes on the press it replaces – which leads to 99.85 per cent overall availability.
A nine-roller inking unit can be expanded to 11 rollers plus a third oscillating roller and third ink form roller for heatset quality. Other features include exterior inking unit wash-up devices, fully accessible printing units and an APL system with “almost no wearing parts”. Bridge drive systems reduce energy consumption by up to eight per cent, compared to those of other makers with more drives, the company says. Automation and regulation features include inline dampening and QuickStart, the printnetwork ControlCenter and its MobilPad for onsite adjustments.
Pictured: Eckhard Hoerner-Marass (right) with Markus Brehm
Below: Visitors inspect the new press
On our homepage: Guests experienced high performance racing at the ADAC training facility