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Printing Presses and Machinery (New and Used, Service and Repair)
News Release from: KBA | Subject: 46 Karat DI Press
Edited by the Printingtalk Editorial
Team on 22 June 2004
Waterless DI Route To Photo Quality
Printing
German printers Laser Litho4 has a record of attracting attention because of the methods and business strategies it has employed since it was founded in 1978.
German printers Laser Litho4 has a record of attracting attention because of the methods and business strategies it has employed since it was founded in 1978 In the early days, the company's decision to deploy the then young laser technology, in the form of a Chromagraph DC 300 electronic colour scanner from Hell, created a significant step-up in quality for the offset prepress process
This article was originally published on Printingtalk on 9 Feb 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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A second Hell DC 300 scanner was added later, as well as two Hell Chromacom systems.
With those investments, Laser Litho4 was well abreast of the latest technological developments and was able to set standards in terms of quality.
The company's philosophy has been maintained today.
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However, there is a new formula in the effective combination of a waterless 46 Karat DI press from KBA with integrated digital plate imaging from Presstek, Aniva printing inks from Epple for an expanded colour space, colour management software from Trutt Management Service and the Konica Minolta proofing system CF3102.
There have been many attempts to achieve photographic quality printing, through improvements in dot transfer for offset platemaking, to the further development of inks and blankets, as well as process standardisation with corresponding control elements.
In addition, there has been the development of reproduction and screening variations with more than four colours.
At Laser Litho4 in Dusseldorf, photo-realistic image reproduction in sheetfed offset has become daily routine, thanks to the waterless techniques it employs, said its press supplier KBA.
Printing is done in waterless offset on a KBA 46 Karat press with a maximum production output of 7,000 sheets per hour in 460mm x 340mm format.
One special feature of this press is its compact design with inking units in a V-shaped arrangement above a common impression cylinder.
Consequently, all four colours can be printed in absolutely precise register without any gripper transfers.
KBA believes that is an indispensable prerequisite to achieve vivid and detailed 'photographic prints', for example for mono images composed from the four colours.
Waterless printing, furthermore, also addresses future trends in ecological production without VOCs and chemicals.
There is no dampening solution to detract from the rheological properties of the inks.
Also important is the thermal, process-free laser plate imaging system, which uses the Profire imaging technology from Presstek in combination with Pearldry Plus plates mounted onto the plate cylinder from a roll (28 plates per roll).
Profire is an integrated imaging system in which the lasers, electronics and motion control are gathered into a single compact unit.
Imaging takes about 4.5 minutes at 2,540dpi.
The subsequent plate cleaning can be completed in about four minutes.
Contrary to a conventional wet-offset plate, the printing elements of the imaged Pearldry Plus plate are lower than the ink-repellent silicone surface layer claims the company.
That enables more ink to be transferred to the paper and contributes to print results with rich contrast and outstanding colour intensity.
The Aniva colour system from Epple Druckfarben is a highly pigmented four-colour ink series on the basis of DIN ISO 2846-1, deviating somewhat from the so-called Euroscale defined in DIN 16539 said KBA.
With selected pigments and special separation of the image data, the Aniva system permits an even expansion of the DIN colour space with reduced ink film thickness.
Using Aniva inks correspondingly modified for waterless offset, Laser Litho4 works at densities equivalent to a photographic print - log D = 1.9 for cyan, 1.8 for magenta, 1.7 for yellow and 2.4 for black.
On coated papers, that produces striking, high-contrast results and at the same time achieves ultra-fine colour nuances, which are otherwise only conceivable with additional spot colours added KBA.
The mineral oil-free inks set well, dry quickly and display good rub and scratch resistance.
Laser Litho4's colour management includes techniques for image data separation and modified colour profiles, alongside calibration of the 46 Karat and the Konica Minolta proofing system.
All data can be evaluated, measured and controlled.
KBA said it supports Laser Litho with an optional Aniva all-round package, comprising manuals and comprehensive on-site training.
The Aniva software can also be supplied together with a standardisation test forme, to permit checking and adaptation of the relevant operating parameters.
The overall recipe for an integrated quality process is rounded off by the toner-based Konica Minolta CF3102 copier system.
It provides an output of up to 31 colour pages per minute that allows the company to produce proofs with an Aniva colour profile and also handle ultra-short-run jobs cost-effectively said the company.
The Konica Minolta proofs and the actual production on the 46 Karat are of comparable quality said KBA with the waterless offset print a little stronger, more brilliant and richer in contrast.
In developing its production strategy consideration was given to a variety of other toner and ink-based digital printing technologies, both in terms of quality and cost-efficiency.
However, Laser Litho4 believed the attainable print quality via other routes was unable to satisfy its demands.
Furthermore, the alternative systems were too inflexible in the range of suitable substrates and because the costs for toner and ink were high. Request a free brochure from KBA ...
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