The QM46 DI-4 Speedmaster Digital Direct Imaging Press is a digital printing press that was developed by Heidelberg in 1996 for the short-run quick printing market.
As we all know, traditional printing has many input devices, large error rates, high management costs, and long lead times due to a number of links, including filming, plate making, printing, registering, and color matching. The difference is that the digital press greatly simplifies the original cumbersome production process, and the production cycle can be calculated in units of hours. Fully digitalized process flow, fast delivery cycle, simple and automatic operation link, substantial increase in product quality, reduced management cost, and many other advantages give digital presses more value-added space, bringing a new beginning to the printing industry. .
The QM46 DI-4 Digital Speedmaster Direct Imaging Press has the following technical features.
Digital process flow
The company with QM 46 DI can directly convert the customer's ideas into digital files by using the prepress equipment owned by the customer to store the digital files stored on the MO disk (including PS, PDF and other file formats) directly. Transfer to the printer for printing. In the entire production process, there is no need to produce films, printing plates and other processes to reduce the intermediate links in production, which greatly eliminates the interference of human factors and guarantees the printing quality.
Satellite structure
The QM 46 DI was designed and built on the basis of the Heidelberg Speedmaster to the printing press. The difference is that the machine adopts a satellite structure and the four printing units surround a central four-dimensional impression cylinder. In this way, the four-color printing can be completed simply by closing the teeth, reducing the paper stress and ensuring accurate registration.
Direct imaging
An infrared laser diode is mounted on each of the four plate units of the QM 46 DI. When the machine receives a plate-making instruction, the high-intensity beam generated by the laser diode is directed onto the multi-layer plate and ablated into tiny concaves with sharp edges. In pits, the exposed underlying material in these pits remains untouched and the ink-repellent silicon layer remains unchanged. The waterless offset principle adopted by the QM 46 DI determines the specificity of the printing plate. This version does not require the fountain solution used in traditional offset printing. At the same time, the waterless offset ink is rich in color and rich in color, which is easy for operators to control.
Currently, the OM 46 DI can print at 150 lines/inch and 175 lines/inch at resolutions of 1270 dpi and 2540 dpi, respectively. In order to meet the high quality demands of users, QM 46 DI users equipped with Delta RIP can upgrade the machine to achieve 200 lines/inch printing since the second quarter of this year, thereby further improving the quality of printing.
Job conversion
The QM 46 DI plate cylinder is equipped with an automatic plate change system that allows the conversion of new and old plates in seconds. The plate in the plate cylinder can be used for 35 consecutive print jobs. After the new version is in place, after 4 minutes of direct imaging, the four plates can be accurately registered. After that, the automatic cleaning device starts to automatically clean the plate. . After printing plates are ready, the printing process can be fully automatic, taking only 12 minutes.
Speedmaster DI calculates the ink distribution of all four colors based on the RIP image data, and uses the ink distribution curve to preset the CPC-controlled ink fountain. In this way, you can obtain satisfactory printed sheets with only a small amount of power-on test. The only thing that needs to be done before starting the machine is to make some minor adjustments. The operator can remotely adjust the ink supply of each printing unit on the console. The automatic setting of the ink parameters greatly shortens the time for colorization and improves the delivery speed.
Due to the precise registration at the time of plate making, it is no longer necessary to individually adjust the registration of each ink. In addition, the use of waterless offset printing eliminates the need to adjust the ink balance. Further saves time. Once switched on, the DP-Ready DI can print high quality short runs at a maximum speed of 10,000 sheets per hour.
In order to further meet the demand for quick delivery of short-run printing, Heidelberg launched the Infrared Drying System solution of Speedmaster DI in 2000. This program is equipped with Heidelberg's prestigious DryStar infrared drying system in the delivery part of the PA-DI PA, which saves the amount of powder spraying and shortens the drying time by 40% to 60%, shortening the delivery time of the finished product. .
Digital production control
All functions of Speedmaster DI are managed and monitored through Heidelberg's CP window digital press control system. There is a flat control panel on the center console of the machine, and the operation keys are arranged clearly. The display shows the number of incoming prints and the machine speed continuously. The color display is supplemented by a graphical user interface. The operator can control the print preparation by means of the cursor keys and the mouse ball and adjust the ink supply for the printing unit. This friendly user interface allows operators to get around.
Format and paper
Speedmaster DI offers users great flexibility in printing materials, from 60g/m2 tissue to 0.3mm corrugated cardboard. And other special papers such as PVC and textured paper can be printed.
The printing format also has a certain degree of flexibility. From four-color postcards to A3-format posters, all can be printed in DI. The maximum printing paper size of the machine is 340mm x 460mm, and the minimum width is 89mm x 140mm. In this range, the user can print any size of print, and the format conversion of paper feed and take-up is quick and easy.
Off-press digital printing presses equipped with direct imaging technology equipped with Speedmaster DI are able to generate comparable dots in terms of sharpness and regularity comparable to traditional printing. At the same time, the waterless offset printing technology adopted by the fast tyrants DI, the print inks obtained by the high density, rich colors, contrasting. The various technical features of the Speedmaster D46 make it quick to enter the short-run printing market and occupy a place, and also make its users stand firm in the highly competitive market. I believe that with the passage of time, its application will be more extensive. The outlook will be even better