4/3/01 - The introduction of the new Printmaster PM 74 and Speedmaster CD 74 product lines and the new SM 74-10-P Speedmaster significantly extended the product portfolio of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) in the 50x70 sector following drupa 2000. Heidelberg developed the Speedmaster CD 74 series and the Speedmaster SM 74 ten-color press with sheet reversal unit specifically for high-end applications and increased productivity. The Speedmaster CD 74 is a straight-printing press which has been developed from the bottom up and comprises four, five or six printing units and an optional coating system. These models have double-width impression cylinders and air transfer to ensure the reliable transport of a wide range of printing stock. High-speed inking units, Alcolor Vario dampening systems and the CP2000 Center are further key features of this series. The field trial phase conducted in close cooperation with selected customers has now been concluded. The press went into series production in December 2000. “By the end of April 2001 we will have supplied more than 180 printing units”, reports Dr. Jürgen Rautert, Head of Heidelberg’s Sheetfed Business Unit. The new press has already won many new friends, as Thomas Frank, Manager of 50 x 70 Product Management explains: “The field trial customers found no difficulty at all in integrating the CD 74 into their multi-shift production, where it proved to be highly reliable and was used for handling high-quality jobs for discriminating customers.” Heidelberg developed the Speedmaster CD 74 in part for packaging printshops who find themselves printing ever smaller runs of cosmetic and pharmaceutical packagings and/or labels, for example. Special businesses can also use the press to produce plastic cards and tags. However, the machine is also ideal for general commercial and mixed businesses that often swap between paper and card and between different formats. The CD 74 offers these target groups a high level of automation, which in turn is reflected in minimum makeready times and ease of use both during setup and production. “Time and waste are key cost factors that the CD 74 can help reduce”, explains Thomas Frank. Since the press is controlled via the CP 2000 Center, it can also be fully integrated into the workflow. The fact that functionality and aesthetics are not necessarily mutually exclusive in mechanical engineering is amply demonstrated by the CD 74. In January 2001 it received the “Top Ten Award” from the Industrie Forum Design Hannover. From 1,320 new products, the panel of judges chose the CD 74 as one of the ten best designs.