1997 KBA RA130-7+LV

Discussion in 'KBA Printing Presses' started by CHRIS BOTHA, Jun 5, 2018.

  1. CHRIS BOTHA

    CHRIS BOTHA New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 2018
    Messages:
    1
    Location:
    SOUTH AFRICA; CAPE TOWN
    Hi,

    I'm looking for some advice on a KBA. I've been in the corrugated converting game for a long time. Mainly Flexo & Litho Laminate cartons for the wine industry in Western Cape / South Africa. Up to now I have outsourced all my printing of litho, but I need an over-size printer at a good investment cost and found the machine below. I'm not familiar with all the terms below and there function on the machine. Can anyone assist and aslo. Is this machine & model worth investing in? I have contacted KBA themselves and they are willing to go and inspect the machine for me. Of course this will be for my account. There are some more questions I have, but would like to start with the below.

    Model: KBA RA 130-7+LV
    Year: 1997

    Colortronic
    CX package
    Non-Stop feeder
    Suction feeder table
    Steel plate in feeder
    Straight machine
    Universal model
    SAPC semi automatic plate change
    Varidamp dampening
    Ink temperature control
    Number of coating units: 1
    UV coating
    Water base coating: chambered ductor system
    Make Harris & Bruno
    Number of Anilox roller(s): 2
    Make: AMS UV interdeck drying system
    Drying position possibilities: 6 casettes which can be used after every printing unit
    Interdeck lamp scan be used after each printing unit. 6 lamps available.
    Maximum use is 5 lamps at the same time.
    UV drying system in delivery
    Extended delivery
    Non Stop delivery
    Machine raised by (cm): 50 cm
    Air cabinet
    Compressed air compressor excluded
     
  2. turbotom1052

    turbotom1052 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2008
    Messages:
    1,044
    Location:
    Vermont
    not a KBA guy but many of the features I see listed are universal to all sheetfed offset machines.

    "colortronic" I would say is KBAs closed loop inking system and a feature that these days is probably standard, but was probably an option back in 1997

    Not sure what the CX package was but if I had to guess id say its various options that allow the press to better handle heavy substrates.

    Not stop feeder is pretty self explanatory but basically means that you do not have to stop the press when the feeder load runs out. You can have the next load staged and ready to feed continuously without interruption to the press production.

    Suction feeder table is a way of eliminating drive wheels on the feed table, which allows the sheets to feed without any compromise to the sheets surface integrity

    The steel plate in the feeder allows you to more easily just roll skids of paper into the feeder

    Straight machine basically means that the press does NOT offer perfecting capabilities, which has you only able to print on one side of the sheet per press pass.

    No clue what universal model means

    Semi automatic plate change means that the mounting of plates although assisted with the semi auto feature is not able to change the plates all at one time without operator input. The later model presses from most all manufacturers offer fully automatic, and simultaneous plate changing as an option and is a feature that has a huge impact on makeready times.

    Varidamp is KBAs continuous flow dampening system with a feature that allows for changing the speed of the water form roller in relation to the speed of the plate surface. This is a helpful feature that will allow you to print cleaner when engaged by effectively wiping the plates surface of debris that would normally result in hickeys

    Ink temp control is pretty self explanatory. Allows the rollers to be thermostatically controlled to keep the ink tempetures consistent. This is pretty important if you will be running at the high speeds this machine is capable of, especially on longer press runs.

    All the other features have the press capable of both UV and conventional inks along with UV and conventional coatings but only one at a time as the press is listed as having only a single coating unit. The inter deck UV lamps listed allow you flexibility with drying between printing units.


    I feel I would be doing you a disservice if I didn't tell you this.... If you plan on purchasing this press you will be jumping into the deep end of the pool and would be foolish to not hire a seasoned sheetfed pro to guide you through a major learning curve. The very fact that your here asking these questions tells me that you currently do NOT have such a person on your staff!!! Learning to swim in a pool this deep will come with many near drownings without such a person.
     
  3. alibryan

    alibryan Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 2014
    Messages:
    217
    Location:
    Somewhere
    It looks like the machine you have listed here has ALL of the available options for this press, at the time of manufacture. It is however, more than 20 years old and my experience has been that depending on the number of operators it has had, their level of knowledge and/or experience (not always the same thing) and their professionalism, it really needs a closer look. Price is always a major consideration with any press purchase, but age, care, and number of impressions are of equal importance and in this case, may actually matter more.
     
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