HEIDELBERG, Germany, - Heidelberg offers the most cost-effective gateway to thermal printing plate production for small and medium-sized commercial print shops - the new Suprasetter A52 and A74 models. These new models perfectly complement the Heidelberg range of platesetters and fill a gap in the entry-level market. The company's Suprasetter family now represents a broad, modular range of platesetters that offers various configuration options and levels of automation to satisfy all the demands of small, medium, and large formats. The new Suprasetter will be available from January 2007 and makes its U.S. debut at Graph Expo in October 2006 in Chicago. The newly designed platesetter uses the same laser technology as the high-end Suprasetter units, a technology developed by Heidelberg and presented at drupa 2004. As a result, there is no need for users of the entry-level Suprasetter models to compromise on quality in their platesetting operations, especially when using high-resolution Prinect AM, FM, and Hybrid screening. The platesetter also provides extremely reliable production as it boasts the Intelligent Diode System (IDS) - another feature it shares with high-end models. The device achieves best results when used with original Heidelberg consumables. "Up-and-coming print shops can't afford to compromise on quality and process reliability. Our aim at Heidelberg has been to provide these customers, who don't have a particularly large plate throughput, with a cost-effective means of moving into thermal printing plate production. As a result, they are benefiting from cutting-edge technology that enables them to produce print products with the highest of quality standards," explains Dr. Jürgen Rautert, Management Board Member responsible for Engineering and Manufacturing at Heidelberg, referring to the advantages of the new entry-level models. Its automation concept makes the Suprasetter A52/A74 the most compact device in its class. By installing the Auto Top Loader (ATL) attachment on the basic machine, the manually operated devices of the standard version can be fully automated - including the removal of slip sheets. The result is the most compact device in its class. The cassettes integrated into the ATL hold between 50 and 100 plates, depending on the plate thickness. Changing the plate cassettes enables various plate formats to be handled. The slip sheets, which are automatically removed, are gathered in the collecting pocket and can be quickly disposed of or re-used. Consequently, investment in an ATL - which can also be retrofitted - pays for itself after only a short time. Indeed, the fully automatic version of the new Suprasetter functions largely without an operator. Entry-level RIP software and integration into the Prinect workflow Heidelberg has developed an entry-level solution for the RIPping and impositioning of data specifically for the Suprasetter A52 - Prinect MetaDimension 52i used in combination with the Prinect Imposition Editor (see separate press release). This makes functions possible, such as processing PostScript and PDF files and impositioning standard folding layouts. Just how user-friendly this software is can be seen clearly from the impositioning functions. The Prinect Imposition Editor, available as an Acrobat plug-in, supports the creation of sheet assembly layouts. A complete job can be viewed as a WYSIWYG preview and changes can be shown directly in a PDF. Other functions such as proofing and trapping can be added as options. If greater integration capability and more functions are required, it is worthwhile investing in the very latest generation of Prinect MetaDimension and Prinect Signa Station. In principle, this will also enable the entry-level models of the Suprasetter family to be completely integrated into the Heidelberg Prinect workflow. Flexibility in plate formats and climatic conditions The operator can process plate types and formats ranging from 240 x 240 millimeters (9.45 x 9.45 inches) to 670 x 750 millimeters (26.38 x 29.53 inches). This means that both conventional and chemical-free or processless thermal plates can be used. Various configurations make this possible. Plates can be output back to the operator, or via the reverse side to a plate stacker, a connected online processor or, as is necessary for production using chemical-free plates, to the washup unit. The Suprasetter is also designed to withstand fluctuating temperatures and humidity levels while retaining the usual production reliability. Internal punching system Two integrated punching systems are available as an option for both the manual version and the version with ATL. This enables a high register accuracy to be achieved on all Heidelberg presses as well as on a large selection of presses from other manufacturers. It also speeds up the work process a great deal and reduces paper waste significantly, while the errors that consistently occur in manual punching are avoided. Comprehensive service concept Depending on your country and region, Heidelberg now offers the Suprasetter models with a comprehensive support and service package which includes supplying all the service parts, including the laser head, that would be needed over a period of up to five years. This safeguards a customer's investment in the long term and enables users to plan costs.