4-color press vs. 5-color press

Hello!

One of my customers is planning to purchase a Heidelberg B2 4 or 5 colors, perfector + coater, preferrably, post Drupa 2008 press. It can be SM, CD or XL, even SX. Low impressions and in good shape.

The issue is he's still hesitating on buying a 4-color vs. a 5-color press. We know the obvious advantages of having an idle extra 5th unit available (additional spot color, inline finishing, even emergency spare parts availability). His jobs are diverse (as in most commercial printshops). 4/0, 2/2, 1/1, 4+coating, 5/0, etc.

One of the main reasons we're considering this 5th unit is also the possibility of inline finishing such as CITO's RSP System 2.0 (I have some questions about the real advantage, but I think I will post a new thread about it)

Since most of his jobs are CYMK or less (4 units usage only), our concern is that the 5th additional unit may be idle most of the time, generating wear on cylinders, gears, rollers, bearings and many other components. I don't believe Heidelberg B2 presses (SM 74, CD 74, XL 75 and even SX 74) have the possibility of de-clutching units (as some web presses can). Lubrication will be vital (as it always is).

Of course, we can release pressures & nip contact on ink train. We can use lubricants for rollers (such as Rotadyne's RotaLube or Böttcher FeboLube; which may incurr in an extra cost at the end of the day). We can even remove rollers to avoid unnecesary friction. The same with blankets & plates (removed, of course). But, what about other components that should be looked upon? Any similar experience? How did you approached the situation?

Any comments and suggestions will be trully appreciated.

Regards from México,


Pedro Llama Esteinou
+52 222 7500934

 

If price or space is not an issue then the choice should be of a 5 color press. As you have already mentioned the benefits....

 

It will be easier to get a 5 color + coater rather then a 4+ coater and only a small difference in price , small vs the benefits.
No De-clutch , unless you buy a Komori that is also cheaper as a used press.
Cito is a good system , but rather expensive on the run. some other reasonable options on the market are as good yet cheaper to have & use.

 

So, I may be overworrying about wear of spare parts due to regular non usage of the 5th unit. In other words, it's not an issue. Thanks for both replies.

 

Think of it this way; if all you ran on the press was 5 color work every single day, would you worry about 'wear and tear' on one particular unit over any other? It's best that all units wear evenly and if you buy a newer press like the one you're talking about, what's the concern to begin with? Just throw lube in any unit you aren't printing with and wash up all units together when you clean up.

Other than the obvious ability to print 5 color work, the biggest advantage of having a 5th unit for 4 color work is that you can use the first unit for 'dusting' the sheet on two sided work.

I personally would also consider more than just one press manufacturer as there is definitely more than one very good company out there.

 

I totally understand the advantages of having a 5th available unit. 'Dusting' the sheet seems to me another great reason (thanks, alibryan). But, in my customer's case most of the jobs will be 4 color + coating work. So, the 5th unit will not be used regularly.

My question is: If the 5th unit will be used ocassionally (10-20% of the time), any tips on what to do to that unit? (besides from using Lube on the ink rollers train). May we release pressure on the contacts of those rollers? Remove blankets? Remove rollers? No plate mounted? What else?

Sorry for insisting, but my customer is still hesitating on buying a 5th unit press based on his preassumption that it will cause uneven wear in the units.

Another of my customer's concern is that, since we're in Central México (and temperatures can be an issue here), he wants a press with ink temperature control system (ink behaves way different on the morning than in midday when temperatures rises). May Ink Temperature Control help, along with the Lube, to prevent friction (and heat) in the idle unit? Or it doesn't have anything to do?

In my opinion, it's definitely a great option and, even if he actually doesn't have much 5 color work, then he will be able to offer it as a value added (as a diferentiatior from his competitors).

Looking forward to hear more opinion and suggestions.

Regards from México,


Pedro Llama Esteinou
aicsapuebla@hotmail.com
+52 222 7500934

 

On Ryobi 750 you can conect and disconect rollertrain easy.

 

It may be better to leave the 1st print unit unused, it will prevent the heavy board from marking when it passes through blanket and impression cylinder in the empty unit.
You can take out rollers if you don't want to use the extra unit for long time. Make sure to store the rollers properly. Ink temperature control is not going to be a problem for the rollers. I do not remember that you can turn it off or on for a particular unit.
Do not remove the blanket and plate, it will prevent the cylinders from dirt and corrosion.

 

Companies that buy 5 and 6 color presses know they aren't going to be printing with the extra unit(s) every day. In fact, some of these companies rarely print with them at all. The idea is to have the extra unit(s) available when and if they're needed. And to do that, you leave the rollers in (with lube), but turn them off so they don't engage the plate or duct when the unit's not in use. You also leave the blanket(s) on and you leave the idle unit(s) on impression, just like you would if you were printing with that unit. It's the best way to keep the sheet from slapping and marking as it travels through the press, exactly like a unit that's on impression and printing.

As far as cooling control for the inking unit goes; it's a great feature to be sure, but I've never worked on a press that actually had it turned on. If you're in an environment so warm that you would absolutely need that feature, you may have other things in the pressroom such as chemicals etc. that might begin to present a problem as well.

Interestingly enough, there are many shops out there that think the office/prepress area needs to be temperature controlled, but think nothing of the temperature in the pressroom/production area. A fact which in some cases is exactly the opposite.

 

better to have the extra printing unit and not need it , than to need it and not have it!!!!