Do you know about ECO Color and Anicolor in Heidelberg PM series?

I need to know about the advantages and disadvantages of these two new options in PM74 and PM52 machines.

 

Anicolor is only available in the SM52 format, not the PM nor the SM/PM74.

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Producing short runs efficiently and flexibly - Heidelberg Anicolor makes offset amazingly easy

Shorter job runs, growing competition from digital printing and high-speed laser printers are just a few of the pressures on offset print shops today. Nowadays, more and more jobs in runs of just a few hundred copies are no longer being produced in offset despite its quality benefits. The relatively high proportion of waste sheets and the longer make-ready times are often the knockout criteria for traditional print shops in these times of growing price pressures. In introducing Anicolor, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) has developed a new inking unit technology for the Speedmaster Speedmaster SM 52 which significantly widens the range of applications in which offset can be used cost-effectively for short runs - yet still retaining its undisputed advantages for longer runs.

The new zoneless short inking unit ensures optimal offset quality at "digital" prices. The secret lies in a technology that rationalizes the inking unit to optimal effect and significantly cuts production costs, particularly in terms of make-ready times and waste. The portfolio includes classical four-color commercial work such as brochures and flyers, but also invitations and business cards in runs of just a few hundred sheets. Higher runs can be produced just as cost-effectively with Anicolor thanks to the consistent inking - a flexibility that opens up additional market opportunities, particularly in the small format sector.

The Anicolor inking unit works free of ghosting, thereby ensuring consistent quality throughout the production run and delivers outstanding results in combination with Prinect Color Management from Heidelberg. Anicolor does not require any special consumables - conventional inks, plates and dampening solutions which the print shop already has in stock can be used.

The key features of Anicolor technology:


Extremely short setup times
Significantly reduced material costs
Faster job changes
Consistent and even ink application
Reproducible quality for repeat jobs
No need for special consumables
Maximum speed of 15,000 sph
Simple operation

-The disadvantage of the Anicolor are the Ink Chambers, timely assembly and cleanup.

Tim

 

As far as I know both the PM52 and PM74 are no longer in production. I dont know much about ECO color but I have worked on a few Anicolor machines. There are a few weak points but alot of strong points. As already noted the inking system is alot like a coating chamber blade system. Can be very messy to clean up even though the ink trays have a liner in them. Little to no ink density control. Basically, it is what it is. That being said ink densitys are usually very close, which makes for incredibly fast make readys, usually in less than 50 sheets. If you print alot of CMYK, alot of short runs, need fast make readys, its a machine that should at least be considered. Also, this machine is an SM52 from the plate cylinder down, SM52 is probably the most troublefree Heidelberg you can get.