Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) unveils the Quickmaster DI Pro – the new generation of digital offset presses in A3 format at Print 01 in Chicago. The enhanced Quickmaster DI Pro is now more versatile, delivering better quality and featuring a new operating concept. This proven technology is now more attractive for the growing short-run color market. Direct Imaging (DI) is the state of the art for rapid printing of short-run color jobs in high offset quality. The short-run color market is the market of the future. Heidelberg is the leading DI supplier with over 10 years experience delivering DI technology. There are significant improvements to Heidelberg's successful Quickmaster DI series More than 1,600 presses are installed worldwide. Direct transfer of digital data from the prepress for imaging in the press and a high level of automation make this press ideal for short color runs. "The new Quickmaster DI Pro represents a logical step forward in Direct Imaging technology, for Heidelberg and its customers. This innovation will help Heidelberg expand its existing strong position on this market," said Dr. Klaus Spiegel, Member of the Management Board and Head of the Sheetfed Solution Center. With a wide range of innovations, the Quickmaster DI Pro sets new professional standards in digital offset printing. "In developing the Quickmaster DI Pro, we focused on the needs of our customers and the market. In so doing, we created a press which meets the ever-growing need for versatility, short throughput times, user-friendliness and quality," said Gotthard Schmid, Head of the Direct Imaging Product Center. "The new features make the Quickmaster DI Pro even more attractive for traditional printshops and prepress houses. The Quickmaster DI Pro is the No.1 solution when it comes to cost-effective printing of short color runs." Quickmaster DI Pro – state-of-the-art design and high-tech control The Quickmaster DI Pro combines cutting-edge high-tech design outside, precision with perfection inside. The new control console builds on the successful Heidelberg CP2000 concept. It provides users with an ergonomic work area, facilitates control procedures and simplifies the whole process of operating a press. All settings, including the status of current processes, display on a clearly arranged user interface in the form of a touchscreen. Proactive status messages and features, such as job previews, automatic color presetting and feeder display make for easy handling. Outstanding quality and feed precision The new, powerful stream feeder works like the familiar Heidelberg feeder system, ensuring extremely accurate feed and registration and allows the imprinting of a fifth or sixth color. The Quickmaster DI Pro also has important features for precise sheet orientation and reliable sheet travel. These include precise adjustment of side and front lays via the CP2000 Center and the self-adjusting double-sheet detector. For the user, this means straightforward operation, a smooth print process and greater overall stability of paper travel. Heidelberg can now produce a 200 lpi screen with 1,270 dpi using Delta Technology 7.0. Greater versatility guarantees an even broader spectrum of applications Another advantage of the Quickmaster DI Pro is the highly efficient feeder that ensures rapid and straightforward changeover of printing stock and format. The variety of printing stock ranges from 0.0016” thin label printing paper to 0.012” thick chromo board. And the fact that the Quickmaster DI Pro can switch between stream- and single-sheet feeding makes it ideal for printing envelopes. It even prints smaller envelope formats effortlessly. It also supports an extensive range of formats with any size from 18 ?1" x 13 ?“ to 5 ½” x 3 ½ “, the smallest format. The new Quickmaster DI Pro is highly versatile with short makeready times for the cost-effective production of runs from 200 to 5,000 sheets. Also the Quickmaster allows profitable printing of higher run lengths due to its maximum production speed of 10,000 sheets per hour. First customers very pleased with the results – 40% higher productivity For Jürgen Högerl, Managing Director of Colorline (Nuremberg, Germany),the new Quickmaster DI Pro is a clear step forward in terms of quality. His business partner Harald Keinztel adds: "It was the high level of reliability in production that convinced us." Peter Gissler, owner of Gissler Druck AG in Allschwil near Basle, Switzerland explains: "The press was quickly put into production and we are achieving outstanding print results with consistently high quality." Rolf Müller from Gissler Druck AG adds: "The unbelievably short setup time makes the process more cost-efficient. We are able to meet ever-shorter deadlines, giving us a crucial competitive advantage. The new DI Pro represents a quantum leap forward for us, with up to 40% higher productivity." At the Taylor Corporation, in the United States, the Quickmaster DI Pro is regarded as an excellent addition to the company's existing equipment. Craig E. Krone, Information Technology Director at Taylor is convinced: "The new future-focused features are ideally suited to the needs of the market". Brian Oughton, Research and Development Manager at Taylor, adds: "The excellent register accuracy which allows a wide range of printing stock to be processed and supports special colors greatly extends our product portfolio." The Quickmaster DI Pro also supports a wide range of additional technical accessories such as the comprehensive, high-convenience feeder package and the DryStar Ink compact infrared dryer. This greatly accelerates the finishing process.