Soma launches fast print set-up system

Soma Engineering has announced the development of Falcon 66, a fully automatic impression and registration setting system for its portfolio of Soma Flex flexographic printing presses.

The Falcon 66 consists of two sub-systems. The first is the Automatic Register Setting (ARS) that utilizes a computer and camera matched system to monitor print marks to make necessary adjustments of longitudinal and horizontal registration settings.

The second is an Automatic Impression Setting (AIS) that also uses the print marks to give precise computerized adjustment of the anilox and plate cylinder settings.

‘It is an accepted fact that precise impression and register settings are indispensable in terms of time and waste reduction, as well as print quality,’ said brand manager Pavla Vernerova. ‘With Falcon 66 it takes just the push of a button to automatically set and maintain the registration and impression settings thus removing these responsibilities from the press operator.’

During Soma’s latest open house in Lanskroun, both the ARS and AIS control modules were successfully demonstrated on a CI press where the job set-up was effected with less than 66 meters of web length and full production speed achieved in less than 120 meters based on running 10 colors with an 800 mm print repeat run.

Vernerova continued: ‘The ARS camera automatically records the printed marks and this is evaluated via its computer that in turn sends the information to the machine for automatic adjustments. Falcon 66 guarantees a saleable product from start to finish as the settings are precisely maintained even on thin films. Each job setting is stored in the on-board computer and can accurately be recalled for subsequent print jobs.’