Which make is preferred for Simultaneous

Which make is preferred for Simultaneous Plate Changing System ?

A colleague is planning to purchase a second hand Four Color machine (Size: 105cm) , with Simulchange Plate Change System.

As I understand, Heidelberg has one in their XL 105 range of machines ; Mitsubishi has this feature in their Diamond V3000 series and Komori has it in their SX 40 Series (A-APC)

My queries are below:

1. Heidelberg introduced the XL series in 2004. Was this Simultaneous plate change system introduced the same year ? or was it unveiled a year or two later ?

2. Anybody who owns a Mitsubishi or Komori press with the Simulchanger , how is it working with these presses ? Are they user friendly and easy to operate like the Heidelbergs ?

I have seen a Heidelberg XL 105 changing 6 plates at a time , and it the operator did not break a sweat !

Thanks in advance for your opinion. Cheers.

 

Not sure if available (used on the market)

I think this option is not the important point when you buy a press:
1. it is high in price
2. it is good for the printer who makes 10-12 sets/ hour , very short , but not for someone who prints normal 000@s of a job
3. i would not try & think about fixing this sytem if wrong.....

What is the need for this option ?

 

Hello Meny,

My colleague is in the UV printing industry.

He receives a lot of small UV Jobs , He has seen this system in production on a Heidelberg and likes it very much.

If a 2004-06 heidelberg press with this feature is available, he will buy.....otherwise he is gonna settle for a New Komori or a Mitsubishi depending upon price.

Please refer this video on youtube. I got this link from him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KniCoW3VK0

 

high price for a small advantage

high price for a small advantage , but when this system is broken....it is a very big disadvantage...

I would tell your friend to buy a normal press with fast plate changers (Komori is good) and not pay the extra for this option.

Komori today change the whole press with APC at under 2 minuts.
will it be worth to pay 500000 Euro more to save 30 seconds ?????

No !

 

currently working on a mitsu diamond with simulchange option. This option works great when you exercise the proper care loading the plates into the plate magazine. The press im running is about 4 years old so i cant speak of its reliability over the long haul but it is a pretty sophisticated system with many sensors and pneumatics that i suppose in time can go bad. Our diamond will change 6 plates in just under 1 minute to include taking the old plates off. One of the nice things is that the new plates are installed flat. No need to bend the tail of the plate!!! You neednt step up to a V3000 to have the simulchange option. As far as how the press itself compares to a Heidelberg i must say there is no comparison. Heidelberg is superior in every way as far as im concerned. Ive worked later model presses from both manufacturers.

 

I believe Heidelberg did not have that system until 2008 or so. It appears that theirs is a de-clutching type system that dis-engages the plate cylinders from the press drivetrain while plate changing. Works ok I suppose but I would agree with those that question the R.O.I. on such a system. KBA for example uses an actual servo drive motor on each plate cylinder for their system. That allows blankets to be washed while plates are being changed. Komori makes a great machine as well. Heidelberg XL machines are fine.
The most important consideration would be the UV system. Ask Heidelberg about retrofitting UV to a non UV machine. It is not easy to do as the UV prep is extensive and they want to change ALL the cylinder grippers. My suggestion wouldbe to work with someone who actually knows presses, knows UV and knows the process. Automation, UV printing and efficiency sounds more like Komori or KBA. Feel free to let me know if you need the services of a U.S. based equipment consultant. There are several nice machines available.

 

Stick with the two leaders in this industry, KBA or Komori. Both are great presses. KBA's claim to fame is on large format board presses, cost is a bit high. Komori made their name with low cost, reliable paper presses. Komori's start up quicker but KBA'a have more packaging directed options.

 

While KBA has a large presence in folding carton, they have a machine design that works equally as well with all stocks. Until they acquired Planeta, KBA was never known as a board machine in particular. The advantage of the Rapida is that it can run from 50# paper up to .048 with no adjustments to the machine other than back pressure. No adjustments to grippers are required either manually or automatically. UV is usually much easier to retrofit on a KBA than some of the others.
They're all good machines, some applications dictate one over the other.