During drupa 2012, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) is to unveil the Speedmaster XL 105 with a speed of 18,000 sheets per hour in perfecting mode to the public. The press is aimed at printers who want to achieve lean production and will be exhibited in the section of the drupa stand devoted to advertising printing under the banner of HEI Productivity. Delivery of the first presses from series production is scheduled for July 2012. As a result, the company is expanding its Peak Performance Class portfolio for highly industrialized advertising printers who produce more than 40 up to 60 million sheets a year and experience capacity bottlenecks. In the past, this press has been available with speeds of up to 15,000 sheets per hour. One Pass Productivity - once through the press is all it takes - coupled with maximum automation and optimum ease of use leads to cost-effective production and boosts competitiveness. This high-performance press gives customers the opportunity either to ramp up production capacity without increasing personnel costs or to streamline their existing machine park while retaining the same capacity levels for lower costs. It boosts productivity by up to 20 percent compared to the 15,000 sheets per hour achieved by the Speedmaster XL 105-P, the most productive perfecting press to date. "The new Speedmaster XL 105 with a speed of 18,000 sheets per hour in perfecting mode is our response to market calls for lean production," says Stephan Plenz, Member of the Management Board responsible for Heidelberg Equipment. "We offer our customers precisely coordinated processes and products that deliver maximum productivity and can be integrated seamlessly into their workflow. Numerous discussions enabled us to identity aspects that give customers in this segment a further competitive edge and thus to develop an optimum solution," adds Plenz.

New perfecting and delivery concept coupled with optimized sheet control make increased speed possible
The rapid and stable production speeds of up to 18,000 sheets per hour achieved in perfecting mode on the Speedmaster XL 105 are the result of numerous technological innovations. These include a new perfecting and delivery concept and an adapted sheet control system. The modified storage drum and improved reversing drum with a new pincer gripper system increase the retaining force and ensure precise registration even at very high speeds. The delivery is fitted with an extension module that includes the new CleanStar, which supports more efficient powder extraction and minimizes powder levels around the press. The press operator only needs to input three parameters - substrate thickness, sheet length, and sheet width - via the high-performance Prinect Press Center control station to set the entire press.

First user in the UK confirms exceptional stability and quality
UK print shop Sterling has been using the first Speedmaster XL 105 ten-color press with CutStar, Prinect Inpress Control, and a speed of 18,000 sheets per hour in perfecting mode since mid-November this year and is extremely satisfied with its stability and high quality. The full-service print shop based in Kettering has a workforce of 170 employees and a reputation for providing a fast and high-quality service. Its customer base includes clients from industry, government, and educational establishments. "We want to offer our customers the best service and that's why we invest in the right staff and the right machines and technologies," say Steve and John Pizzey, co-owners of Sterling.

Established in 1990, the company has grown 80 percent over the last four years and has invested over 9 million pounds (approx. EUR 10.5 million) in the same period. Sterling installed the world's first Heidelberg XL 105 ten-color perfecting press with CutStar in 2008. The Pizzey brothers were so impressed by this machine that they ordered a second press of the same model just three months later. "Our strong growth meant that we very quickly hit the limit of our capacity and needed to further boost our productivity and cut delivery times," says John Pizzey. As the first user of the Speedmaster XL 105 with a speed of 18,000 sph in perfecting mode, we first of all conducted thorough testing at Wiesloch-Walldorf using our own jobs, and we were impressed by the results," adds John Pizzey. "Since the machine has been installed here, we have increased productivity by more than 20 percent, gaining a major competitive edge over other print shops, particularly since we achieve rapid delivery times with the aid of the Prinect print shop workflow as well," confirms Steve Pizzey. All prepress equipment - such as the two Suprasetter CtP systems - and postpress units - such as the Stahlfolder TD 94 and the Polar cutting system - are integrated into the Prinect workflow.