KBA North America announces that it will present two new half-size presses as well as many new features on its small format press line at Drupa 2012 scheduled for May 3-16 in Düsseldorf, Germany. KBA has booked a large 37,700ft² stand in Hall 16, Stand C47 as the showcase for its many new developments for sheetfed, digital and web offset printers.

At this year’s international festival, KBA will launch a brand-new high-end Rapida 76 boasting a higher speed and an enhanced level of automation. The new Rapida 76 23.82 x 29.52-inch model is a five-color coater press featuring a maximum speed of 18,000sph in straight printing. It will attract both commercial and packaging printers and will incorporate many of the automation options of its medium-format sister Rapida 106. These include DriveTronic SIS sidelay-free infeed; fast automatic plate changers; DriveTronic SPC dedicated drives for the plate cylinders; fast, simultaneous washing with CleanTronic Synchro and ErgoTronic online color measurement and control at the new console; or inline color measurement and control with QualiTronic. With the Rapida 76, KBA has transferred cutting-edge solutions from its large and medium-format presses into the half-format class.

Additionally, a new compact, energy-saving Rapida 75 23.82 x 29.52 six page press will be unveiled at Drupa 2012 with a fast maximum speed of 16,000 sph and a new 11.81 x 11.81 minimum sheet format. This new press is offered with the new ErgoTronic console, QualiTronic inline color measurement and control system, and the new VariDry UV system, which provides high flexibility in press configuration, fast set-up times during production, and adaptation to operating hours ensuring sufficient UV lamp power and high process reliability.The Rapida 75 is now available in a four-over-four perfector version. It provides reduced makeready costs and greater ease of operation.

The small-format Genius 52UV series, a waterless offset press with UV-curing for paper, cardboard, plastic, and sensitive materials, available from the subsidiary KBA-MePrint will be on display with a number of new features to be available in the future. These include an envelope feeder and rainbow printing. The rainbow printing unit provides higher security falsification and ID applications. The Genius 52UV is the most environmentally-friendly offset printing technology in the world. There are no volatile organic compounds, no dampening unit, no conditioning of fountain solution, no additives, no biocides, no powder, no isopropanol alcohol, and no fogging. The Genius 52UV will be running at the KBA booth and at the neighbouring stand of Japanese partner Toray Industries.