Heidelberg USA adds 29in Anicolor inking unit

Anicolor technology is an inking unit designed to minimize make-ready waste in terms of time and paper. Sellable quality can be achieved in as little as 10 sheets, with make-ready times around six minutes per form.

Available for the Speedmaster SX 52, Heidelberg's 20in platform, since 2006, the Anicolor inking unit is now available for the Speedmaster XL 75, extending the range of applications into larger sheet formats.

As such, the XL 75 with Anicolor inking technology is described by Heidelberg as the ‘optimum solution for the cost-efficient production of short- and very short runs in 29in format for commercial, label, package printing and point-of-purchase applications’.

The fully customizable XL 75 Anicolor is available in four- to 10-color straight and perfecting configurations, with full format flexibility up to 23 x 29in, the ability to handle stock thicknesses up to 32pt and with in-line coating. The press can be used with a four-color process or extended multi-color process, as well as with PMS spot colors.

It combines the advantages of traditional offset with those of digital, including: a break-even to inkjet/e-ink based systems at less than 500 29in sheets, printing speeds up to 1,500 8.5 x 11in sheets per minute or 15,000 23 x 29in sheets per hour, compatibility with standard consumables and substrate flexibility.

Harald Weimer, president of Heidelberg USA, said: ‘The 29in XL 75 Anicolor elevates the concept we call Digital 2.0 to a completely new level.

‘This new reality extends the benefits of Anicolor technology from the 20in environment into the 29in arena, and highlights the many exciting and potentially lucrative opportunities awaiting printers who want to capitalize on the global trend toward the printing of shorter runs with more frequent job changes in medium format.

‘Especially for those who may be considering a 29in digital device, Heidelberg's new Speedmaster XL 75 Anicolor press enables creativity and productivity in equal measure-without compromising the unique advantages of the offset process.’

Joerg Daehnhardt, product manager at Heidelberg USA, added: ‘The XL 75 Anicolor offers digital efficiencies in short runs, and is competitive with conventional offset presses on longer runs, boosting capacity utilization from the very beginning.

‘The new press has a much wider run length window for cost leadership than traditional digital print engines.’