Finishing & Screen Printing
Heidelberg unveils the new Stahlfolder KH 82 with automatic cross-fold unit
Tuesday 11. March 2008 - Next development level of the TH/KH folder generation Net output increased by 1,000+ sheets per hour Setup time for the cross-fold unit cut by up to 80 percent Optimum fold quality and productivity combined with ease-of-use
At drupa 2008, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) will be unveiling its new Stahlfolder KH 82 combi folder with automatic cross-fold unit. Even in cross-fold operation, the machine now delivers a performance of up to 230 meters per minute. The maximum speed has been increased up to 30,000 cycles per hour. Depending on the level of automation selected, the setup time of the cross-fold unit is cut by up to 80 percent compared to its predecessor, the KH 78. The machines stability has also been enhanced. All of these measures raise the net output by an average of 1,000+ sheets per hour. In three-shift operation, this results in extra output of around 7.2 million sheets a year. The extremely broad range of papers that can be processed with high folding quality is unrivalled in the industry today. Thanks to its short makeready times, the Stahlfolder KH 82 lends itself to typical print runs of between 7,000 and 15,000 sheets for commercial jobs and brochures. The machines high performance means that it can also perform long runs for book production. Therefore, this machine is aimed at industrial printshops and postpress specialists.
The new Stahlfolder KH 82 is the next development level of the TH/KH generation of folders that Heidelberg launched at drupa 2004. In the meantime, nearly 3,000 of these machines have been installed worldwide. New features include software solutions, such as Web-based Remote Service, and integration into the workflow via the new Prinect Postpress Manager. These innovations improve the production workflows and increase the machines availability. Other advantages include a new operator guidance system and automatic, paper-dependent basic settings for folding rollers.
Customer requirements factored into the development process
One of the focal points in the development of the Stahlfolder KH 82 was the creation of a completely new, automatic cross-fold unit. At several workshops held during the development process, customers and service engineers alike were asked for their input.
The folding knife is the key to any combi folder. The new, servo-powered knife increases the maximum speed to 30,000 cycles per hour. In the endurance test, the new knife performed more than 195 million cycles at this maximum cycle rate, proving that the service life of the new technology is ten times longer than knives used in the past. The servo drive can be used to control the speed of the knifes movement independent of the main drive. The knife can also be moved manually using the job wheel (electronic handwheel) to check the sheet alignment, for example. All knife settings, such as the height and incline, can be stored and reproduced for repeat jobs.
This increased level of automation, tailored consistently to maximize customer benefits, has also been implemented in the new cross-fold unit. Seventy of the 86 manual steps required in the Stahlfolder KH 78 have either been eliminated or automated in the new machine. Functions that have proved themselves thousands of times in practice, such as side stops, format-dependent belts, and rear edge wheels, ensure the ultimate performance with the finest quality. New, pneumatically-raised front edge wheels pull the incoming sheet right up against the sheet stop and prevent the sheet from rebounding. This cuts the makeready time in the cross-fold unit by up to 80 percent. For repeat jobs, the entire machine can be changed over in less than 120 seconds. The operator can load the paper while the cross-fold unit adjusts automatically.
Accessibility to the slitter shafts in the 1st and 2nd cross-fold units has been improved considerably in the new Stahlfolder KH 82 through the implementation of slitter shaft carriages that can be shifted laterally. The slitter shafts are thus freely accessible and easy to operate. This speeds up the process of completely changing the slitter shafts by 20 percent.
Particular importance was placed on the machines operating concept. Control elements and visualization functions can be operated and viewed from three sides thanks to a tilting control console. “On-site operation where it is needed” enables each setting to be checked visually as it happens. The workload is eased by means of intuitive touchscreen operation supported by graphics and a very user-friendly jog wheel.
Waste sheets, stemming primarily from the setup procedure and jams, are an important cost factor. An integrated sheet stop can eject a misfolded sheet at full production speed, thus preventing jams in the cross-fold unit.
A 3rd integrated and automated cross-fold unit for the production of German and English four-directional folds can also be retrofitted.
TH/KH – the tried-and-tested folder generation
Customers are particularly impressed by the customized automation of the TH/KH folder generation. With over 600 machines from the 70 cm x 100 cm (27.56 in x 39.37 in) format class installed to date, Heidelberg is the market leader for automated folders. The main markets are Central Europe and North America, where customers report a 30-percent increase in output. The TH/KH folder generation has won both the Red Dot Award for outstanding design and the prestigious PIA/GATF InterTech Award for innovations. At drupa 2008, Heidelberg will be showcasing the new Stahlfolder KH 82 along with the new TSH delivery system with lateral SPA-twin pile removal, the new Flexomailer with mobile rotary feeder and attached slitter shaft station – inline die-cutter PT 220 – vacuum table with card dispenser, the automated Stahlfolder TH 82 in a range of configurations, the fully-automatic Speedbander pack delivery, the Stahlfolder KH 66, and the Stahlfolder Ti 52 in various configurations.