December 15, 2005 -- The Lithrone L640 press currently in operation at Komori’s Leeds showroom is the first six-colour Lithrone in the UK to be equipped with Baldwin’s CombiLiner system, which accurately controls the mixing and temperature of the fount solution as well as the temperature of the ink rollers. Komori has equipped this showroom press with the CombiLiner as part of its Freedom of Impression philosophy, which provides customers with the flexibility to choose the system that best suits their factory. The Baldwin equipment has certainly got the approval of Komori’s showroom supervisor Kevin McHale, who has been running demonstrations on the L640 since it was installed during the summer. “We’re very familiar with Baldwin’s Impact blanket cleaning system but less so with its CombiLiner series,” says Mr McHale. “During our research I travelled to Baldwin’s German factory with Komori’s UK service manager and was immediately impressed by this latest generation of CombiLiner. I particularly liked the way the CombiLiner mixes alcohol, water and fount solution and the way in which it provides a constant indication of the volume of these elements, using independent measuring techniques rather than the normal doser method. “The CombiLiner also controls the temperature of the ink roller water - all the operator has to do is set the desired temperature and the Baldwin system does the rest.” This means that if the ink rollers need heating at the start of a cold Monday morning the CombiLiner will bring the temperature of the ink rollers up to the correct level, and will start to cool them once the press and the ambient air has heated up. The modular CombiLiner system requires little floor space and is easy to retrofit to conventional or waterless sheet-fed presses. Incorporating ink roller and fount solution temporising within one unit results in cost savings and greater efficiency for the printer. There is a high level of automation for accurately metering and measuring the fountain solution, which results in reduced consumption of 2-propanol. “Baldwin fitted the CombiLiner system during the installation of the Lithrone at our showroom and I’ve not had a single moment of trouble with it,” says Kevin McHale. “The unit has proved to be very easy to use and maintain and this is reassuring when you consider that we demonstrate the press virtually every day.”