KBA North America, a leading supplier of sheetfed offset and digital presses based in Williston, VT, is announcing that its medium-format KBA Rapida 105 41-inch sheetfed press was presented with first prize in the print category when this year's German Print Industry Innovation Awards were announced on September 29. Following up the success of the KBA Rapida 74 G last year, this was the second commendation for presses from Koenig & Bauer in the two years that the Innovation Awards have been conferred by the trade journals Deutscher Drucker, Publishing Praxis and Grafische Palette. The KBA Rapida 105 was unveiled to the trade public at drupa 2004, as a completely newly designed sheetfed offset press of the 18,000 sph generation. With its outstanding print performance and a multitude of uniquely innovative details, the new Rapida 105 has since been setting the benchmarks for the widely-popular 40-inch format size. The list of features to be found on no other press on the market starts with the shaftless feeder and sidelay-free infeed (SensoricInfeedSystem). The omission of a side lay of whatever type avoids all mechanical stressing of the sheet for lateral alignment, increases the time available for sheet alignment at the infeed despite the higher printing speeds, and brings further benefits where frequent substrates changes are necessary. The shaftless feeder eliminates wear-prone transmission components, enhances smooth running of the press and guarantees absolutely jerk-free pile transport – also in non-stop operation. Cutting edge technology and new press design Bearing in mind the high production speed and the comprehensive substrate flexibility typical for all Rapida presses, the sheet travel profile has been designed even flatter. Additional blower air systems have been integrated to further improve contact-free sheet transfer between the printing units, and the extended delivery has been raised to the level of the suction roller. All air settings are controlled via touchscreen displays. The set values can be saved and are then available at the press of a button for any later production with the same or comparable substrates. Extremely fast makeready is also boosted by the new Fully Automatic Plate Changer System (FAPC), which no longer needs to swing into a separate position for the changing process. A special function to disengage inking units not required for a particular job, furthermore, serves to reduce roller wear and energy consumption. Proven solutions for non-stop production and automated pile logistics, equipment packages for inline finishing, including a new and exceptionally flexible KBA dryer generation, and automatically convertible perfecting systems, to mention just a few of the countless winning details, make the Rapida 105 an invaluable means of production for commercial and packaging printers and for a broad range of special applications. JDF networking via KBA Logotronic, inline measurement and quality control, right up to 100% inline inspection of each printed sheet with KBA Qualitronic II, and the Servicetronic system with modules for remote maintenance and remote visual analysis create an ideal environment for integration of the Rapida 105 into the digital workflow of a modern print enterprise with consistent quality management. Further innovations are already in the pipeline, but are to be kept under wraps until they have confirmed their dependability over a longer period under production conditions. Almost 100 presses of the new KBA medium-format generation have been delivered worldwide since the launch at drupa 2004. A 15 unit Rapida 105 with perfecting, eleven printing units, two coaters, two intermediate dryer towers and an extended delivery is shortly to go into production for multicolor perfecting with inline coating on both sides of the sheets. No other press of the new 18,000 sph generation has been able to make its mark on the world market as quickly and in such a variety of configurations.