Consumables
Baldwin Shows Largest Ever Newspaper And Semi-Commercial Product Range at IFRA EXPO 2008
Thursday 30. October 2008 - Baldwin Technology celebrates its 90th anniversary this year and visitors to its stand at IFRA will be able to hear about the largest range available today of process automation solutions for the newspaper and semi-commercial markets.
All these solutions are designed to enhance print quality and press productivity, whilst reducing wastage and environmental impact. At IFRA, Baldwin will present an expanded range of equipment and consumable technologies for the newspaper and semi-commercial sector, including spray dampening, blanket and web cleaning, ink tray cleaning, web catchers, guide roller cleaners, fold gluing and web softening systems plus dampening solution filtration technology and next-generation PREPAC consumables.
New Cloth and Brush Automatic Blanket Cleaning Systems
Baldwin has developed several automatic blanket cleaning technologies for the heatset semi-commercial and high-performance newspaper sectors. These include ImpactFusion-F NP, which offers the flexibility of being used with PREPAC or DryPac. This system offers the substantial advantages of the established ImpactFusion-F technology for the commercial market, including highly effective cleaning of blankets, ease of operation, cloth changeover and maintenance plus low wastage. In addition to compact, single cleaning units, the ImpactFusion-F NP system also has dual and multiple units that can clean several cylinders simultaneously.
ProTech2 NP is Baldwins new brush cleaning system for the newspaper and semi-commercial print sector. Operation and performance features have been upgraded to meet the latest newspaper and semi-commercial print requirements. A pivoted doctor blade in the cleaning units cleans the brush rollers, and this greatly reduces wash-up times and washing agent consumption. Intervals between maintenance sessions are also significantly increased because the wash unit has the benefit of inbuilt self-cleaning.
TowerClean
TowerClean is an inexpensive automatic blanket cleaning system for single width presses that automates cleaning, increases press productivity and improves print quality. TowerClean enables the blanket to be cleaned by contact with the moving web once the small profile applicator has applied a low VOC solvent to the paper.
As the web reaches the blanket the brush unit, which is frequently installed only on the first-down blanket, is activated. This removes the lint and ink from the blanket surface. In addition, the TowerClean process has a positive cleaning effect on the guide rollers. TowerClean can easily be retrofitted to existing presses where newspapers are looking to eliminate manual blanket cleaning. Waste copies are low with this system. Depending upon the build-up on the blankets and press running speed, waste copies are normally from 80 to 250.
Jetstream
Technology that enables debris to be removed from the web before it enters the press is rapidly being taken up by the newspaper and semi-commercial industry. Baldwins Jetstream system is a revolutionary approach to this challenge and results in improved print quality, productivity and profitability. Some newspaper printers operating Jetstream report being able to print millions of impressions before a blanket clean is required on the press. In addition to improved print quality, removing dust from the atmosphere results in a much better working environment for staff.
Combining Jetstream with one of Baldwins blanket cleaning technologies allows the printer to produce long runs with high quality from the first to the last print. Baldwin offers, on all of its cleaning systems, a full or partial integration into the central control console, as well as stand-alone solutions for both new installations and retrofits, guaranteeing easy operation.
Press consumables
In line with its manufacturing strategy, Baldwin offers a unique range of cleaning cloths with high absorbency and durability for its cloth cleaning systems. Baldwin supplies dry cloths as either custom-made, ready-to-use DryPac rolls or, for users who prefer to wind their own rolls, as JumboDry rolls. The cost effective DryPac E and JumboDry E options are designed for normal cleaning requirements, while DryPac Plus and JumboDry Plus are suitable for the most demanding jobs. There is also a cloth version with an extremely high resistance to linting.
The special PREPAC products are read-to-use, vacuum-packed, cleaning cloths containing a precise amount of low-VOC cleaning agent. Baldwin offers three versions of PREPAC, each designed for different performance requirements and budgets. The range extends from the inexpensive PREPAC E for moderate requirements, via PREPAC Plus with more cleaning power, to the premium quality PREPAC X-treme, designed for extremely high performance. All PREPAC options are approved by Fogra.
LithoSpray Maxima and World Spray Dampening
Baldwins LithoSpray Maxima unit is the first spray dampening system that has been designed for both heatset commercial and high performance newspaper printing applications. Maxima incorporates as standard Baldwins maintenance-friendly Constant C air curtain technology and has a range of control and valve speed options. The Maxima and World systems offer proprietary control algorithms, which makes them an ideal partner technology for faster pre-setting of ink and water, resulting in faster press start-up and low waste. The valves and nozzles within a spray dampening system have to provide consistent dampening at all times and both LithoSpray Maxima and World ensure high spray frequency with precise water volumes and uniform dampening. The systems are easy to install and maintain.
Constant C
Baldwins unique Constant C technology eliminates the problem of plugged or blocked nozzles on spray dampening systems by providing an air curtain around the nozzle tips, which keeps ink mist and debris away. With this feature, nozzles perform at the same high quality level at all times. Constant C technology can also be supplied with or retrofitted to existing World or Optima spray bars.
U-59 Seal Technology
Baldwins valve and nozzle assemblies now incorporate as standard the use of U-59, a stable sealing material that withstands ink and blanket wash chemistry, thus making it possible to operate the spray dampening system in a closed loop environment with dampening solution recovery. This allows a precision never seen before in spray dampening systems, resulting in more effective dampening and less environmental impact.
Filtration solutions
Long-term use of dampening solution is only possible if paper fibres, coating elements, ink particles, dust and other impurities are continually removed. Effective filtration stabilizes the dampening solution process parameter, increases its useful life and reduces costs. Baldwin provides dampening solution conservation, cleaning and waste disposal solutions for a huge range of press needs, with versions suitable for a variety of budgets. All Baldwin filtration systems work using bypass flow filters: they draw their supply from the dampening water system reservoir, clean the dampening solution and carry it back into the reservoir. Where a change of filter is necessary, for some cycles with certain types of Baldwin systems, press minders can do this while the press is running.
Baldwins LongLife C system, developed from a strategic partnership with FALK GmbH, achieves the maximum increase of the active life of the dampening solution in newspaper and semi- commercial printing. This system employs transverse current filtration technology, using special low-maintenance ceramic filters. A bi-product of optimal dampening solution cleaning is a concentrated form of residue, which is collected in a tank. Because residues are so low, less effort and cost are involved in waste disposal. LongLife D is a complementary system for cleaning the routine quantities of residue concentrate from one or more LongLife C systems (or transverse current filtration systems in the case of other manufacturers). LongLife D employs a physicochemical splitting process, which turns pollutants into small quantities of solids that are easy to dispose of.
Baldwins filtration systems can be easily retrofitted to existing press lines and provide huge benefits when integrated with a spray dampening system, because the return fountain solution can be cleaned and reused. One UK newspaper, which fitted a Longlife system to a 12-unit Goss Colorliner, reports waste water from its spray dampening system being reduced from about 16,500 litres per month to 100 litres. The company also expects to save around 4,000 litres of fount solution additive per year.
Reverse Osmosis
Dampening solution characteristics depend significantly on the water being used, which can represent more than 90% of the total solution. Mains water is affected by a range of variables and can fluctuate severely in terms of quality. Baldwins compact reverse osmosis equipment pre-filters water, desalinates (demineralizes) and largely sterilizes water, bringing it to a constant standard. For water preparation and filtration requirements on bigger scales, Baldwin offers complete solutions based on transverse current filtration technology in partnership with FALK GmbH, Westerburg (Germany). After desalination, the water is adjusted to a medium level of hardness, optimal for offset litho printing.
DailyLiner
With the DailyLiner series Baldwin has created a highly efficient series of premixing, circulating and cooling fountain solution units, which have been specifically developed for newspaper and semi-commercial spray dampening systems. The high precision stainless steel piston metering pumps incorporated into the system allow additives to be transported up to 15 meters in distance and to a height of six meters (distance can be as far as 80 meters if required). Premixing is carried out automatically with a highly accurate digital measuring system, ensuring exact proportions.
The DailyLiner units can be supplied in either air-cooled or water-cooled versions and operate at ambient temperatures of up to 42 deg C. Where a dampening circulation system is used to supply the dampening units, the DailyLiner filtration unit offers longer production periods before filters need to be changed. The DailyLiner system is very easy to operate and straightforward to maintain.
New WebCatcher S14
The need to prevent press damage caused by web breaks has become increasingly relevant within the newspaper and semi-commercial markets and Baldwins systems have been installed at a variety of customer sites, many in high-performance, demanding situations. In the area of web protection, Baldwin offers reliable web separation and clamping devices under the product name ProTect and these include the new WebCatcher S14 and the WebCatcher S18 for use in the commercial web, newspaper and semi-commercial area. The new WebCatcher S14 will prevent press damage from a web break at speeds of up to 13 m/s and the WebCatcher S18 for web speeds of up to 18 m/s. Customer options for the WebCatcher series include the stripe wrap-up recognition system DSWP and the automatically adjustable Airknife A³.
WebSiliconer
Baldwins in-line finishing systems for semi-commercial web applications include the newly developed WebSiliconer, which leads the industry in terms of silicon application technology for web offset presses. Baldwins WebSiliconer applies an even amount of silicon across both sides of the web, up to web widths of 2,860 mm and at speeds of up to 18 m/s. The silicon/water mix can be adjusted extremely accurately in 0.5 per cent steps. Pneumatic cylinders engage and disengage the rollers with the web and a web scraper prevents accidental contact with the paper when the rollers are disengaged. The unit is highly efficient and ensures the minimum amount of silicon is used. It provides excellent access and requires little maintenance.
WebTack
Baldwins WebTack system has been developed by the Swiss gluing technology specialist Robatech AG, for the application of dispersion glue and softening of the paper web. WebTack, marketed globally by Baldwin exclusively for the printing industry, applies fluids via special carbide ducts in contact with the web. The applicator heads are seated on cross beams, either singly or in pairs. Predefined and individually programmable glue patterns enable a fast, waste-saving make-ready and give the option of remote motorized adjustment of the applicator heads both horizontally (laterally) and vertically (towards the web). These settings can be made via corresponding links to either the press control station or the touch screen panel on the WebTack console.
In addition to straightforward newspaper applications, WebTack can be utilized in a huge range of semi-commercial applications in order to produce a variety of products such as magazine supplements, advertising inserts or special publications, including work that is usually stitched on the press. The system is quick to make-ready, requires very little maintenance and is extremely efficient in use, providing a highly accurate edge glue line with clean gaps. The bag in box glue supply is environmentally friendly and helps to ensure low adhesive consumption.