Offset Printing
The Real 7B Format: A Plus of 60 mm for Even Greater Efficiency
Wednesday 09. January 2008 - Technology Forum at MAN Roland makes the new ROLAND 900, XXL 7B plus the focus of discussion
During a Technology Forum in mid-December MAN Roland presented, in theory and practice, the advantages of the new 7B plus format. Its extra 60 millimeters in sheet length enable printing 48 A4 pages on one sheet. A productivity promise that aroused curiosity: large-format printers from four continents came to Offenbach for the event.
At the very start of the Forum in the Offenbach Senefelderhaus, Michael Nitsche, Vice President Technology Transfer at MAN Roland and emcee of the event, stressed the fact that “the new format 1,260 x 1,620 millimeters has enormous potentials.” The next speakers substantiated this claim with impressive statements and figures. Dr. Markus Rall, MAN Roland Executive Board Member responsible for the sheetfed business, presented the analysis that printing companies the world over are undergoing a process of polarization that necessitates consolidation on their individual core competences or differentiation via special services. The Value Added Printing strategy pursued by MAN Roland offers printers respective solutions that will increase their production efficiency and product value. In this way, printing companies can differentiate themselves from competitors and acquire a distinctive profile.
First double coating unit in 7B format
To meet the requirement of increased efficiency in the large-sheet format, MAN Roland now offers, in addition to makeready-reducing QuickChange modules, features such as new plus formats in the 7B format as they exist in the 0B and 3B format. Moreover, nonstop pile change or logistic systems for efficient material processing are available, as well as energy-efficient systems for drying and heat recovery. Product value is increased, for one thing, via automatic systems ensuring quality by ink and sheet control. For another, the trend to inline enhancing with a wide variety of coatings and coating combinations continues to predominate. “Worldwide, MAN Roland is first with a double coating unit in the 7B format,” emphasized Dr. Rall.
Experienced manufacturer of large-format presses
Hans-Willy Schütz, Manager Sales Support Large Format, discussed the new format class in more detail. It is the result of large-format experience over many years – after all, MAN Roland has been manufacturing large-format presses for no less than 75 years. “Today, MAN Roland is the world market leader in formats 6 and 8, in format 7 we now hold a unique position in the market with the new plus format”, said Schütz. Five percent more sheet area and 20 percent more A4 pages per sheet add up to a clear cost-per-copy advantage. The identical plate size as in the 7B format and savings possible in finishing because of the fewer stations in the gang stitcher augment this effect.
Substantially higher productivity
Productivity advantages also result in formats other than the A sizes, as in book production, for example, where such formats are predominant. Hans-Willy Schütz exemplified this with typical products from large-format printer Himmer. With travel guides and cookbooks, the advantages are multiplied by 1.5 in comparison with the 7B format because of increased number of pages per sheet, partly taking into account advantages derived from the InlineSlitters for sheet cutting before the delivery. Schütz also clearly contradicted preconceived notions of difficulties regarding the procurement and folding of large paper formats. In countries of Southern Europe particularly, the large format has been established in publication printing for decades, and the results are excellent also in postpress work.
Efficiency in the large format
Matthias Holder, Head of Market Development of MAN Roland Sheetfed Presses, showed by carefully calculated examples how low piece costs can be achieved in the large format by using modern production machinery. He came to the conclusion that there is a place for both large- and medium-format presses, depending on a companys specific product segments. “Long perfectors in the 70 x 100 format, while highly flexible, are limited to product segments with low page counts. For products from 32 pages A4 up, the MAN Roland large-format solutions are the more cost-efficient production alternative.” The 7B plus format, exclusively available from MAN Roland, enables printers already working in the 7B format to move into the A4 field and compete successfully.
Plus format demonstration: 48-page signature to start with, then folded boxes
The concluding practical demonstrations of the new ROLAND 900, XXL 7B plus and another press in the 7B format took place in the MAN Roland Mainhausen factory. The start was made on the five-color 7B plus press with coating unit, producing a 48-page commercial signature printed on 135-gsm art paper. Then followed a demonstration of a changeover to a five-color folded box job with dispersion coating on 335-gsm board. The equipment of the press included PPL plate change systems and the InlineObserver for correct sheet travel. The ROLAND in format 7 served to demonstrate a non-stop pile change with board at the feeder.