Go Hybrid with RIMA-SYSTEM
Once coldset and heatset web offset printing were considered very separate activities that each required a specialized press and post press. The developments in printing technology and printing materials enable printers to go hybrid, offering their customers both newspaper products and so-called semi-commercial products like flyers and inserts. Basically this is achieved by equipping suitable newspaper presses like a Universal, Comet or Uniset with al dryer and a fast chopper folder. This option and the resulting flexibility to print on improved newsprint but also on coated and uncoated paper offers newspaper printers new business opportunities and increases the uptime of their presses. Once the press is prepared for the semi-commercial jobs, the post press has to be reviewed. Most often commercial products require higher quality standards than newspapers, including accurate 3-side trimming and better stack quality. Traditional newspaper equipment is specialized to work with coldset products and is not always suited for the quality requirements of the retail market. Hybrid equipment on the other hand combines in many cases the features of newspaper and commercial equipment. Especially smaller printers with a simple mailroom can often avoid additional investments by using hybrid machines. Janssen Pers in the Netherlands is a good example for this kind of application. Being a publisher for weekly newspapers for more than 120 years the printer was looking for new business opportunities. Already in 1996 they entered the market for free market for free standing inserts based on a clear strategy: invest in inexpensive, single-width presses (equipped with dryers for semi-commercial productions) with good quality printing to compete against traditional heatset presses use short cut-offs for paper-saving (=cost saving) one set of colours for all kind of productions and papers great flexibility on paginations (4-32p) with a two-folder configuration minimum personnel (two printers, no additional helpers) with the use of optimized Post Press configurations highly automated Post Press systems from RIMA-SYSTEM with low space requirements and hybrid capabilities circulations of at least 100.000 copies in order to minimize change-over and down-time Besides a Continental and a Journal press dedicated for newspaper productions, Janssen Pers runs three Comets for semi-commercial applications. These presses are equipped with complete Post Press systems from RIMA-SYSTEM consisting of floor- and overhead conveyors, space-saving RS 840 double-stream trimming lines and RS 31/32 high speed stackers. The latest press has been equipped with a high-speed chopper and can deliver 2x8p at 70.000 rph. The Post Press there includes an RS 400 four axis palletizing robot for a fully automated solution. The systems are optimized for productivity and accessibility – products are picked up directly at the folder deliveries and are transported to the trimming and stacking area. The pick-up of finished stacks has been centralised so that the system can be handled with only two operators. All presses are running 24/7 increasing the yearly sales and profits of Janssen Pers. The printing company has achieved its goal – entering successfully new markets for additional sales. RIMA-SYSTEM is one of the leading suppliers for complete hybrid Post Press systems offering conveyors, trimming lines, stackers and palletizers that are equally suited for smaller newspaper and semi-commercial productions. The trimming lines of the RS 800 series are equipped with infeed joggers and “Hexbrator Technology”, integrated knife cooling, “Double-Trim Technology” and special non-marking belts guaranteeing a precise trim and a perfect run-out. Several mailroom manufacturers use RIMA-SYSTEM trimmers in their own projects. The trimmed or untrimmed productions can then be stacked by one of the many different stackers available. One example is the new RS 36 indexing stacker. The unique high infeed with divert gate, stream aligner and double squeeze rollers allows only a perfect shingled stream into the stacking area while the indexing upper bin and the servo-technology produce perfect bundles at speeds of up to 100.000 cph. Loose and strapped bundles can optionally be palletized by one of the RS 400 four-axis robots. In single- or double-configuration, with one or two lines and with the automatic pallet conveying system there is the perfect configuration for almost every application.