Polytype AG in Switzerland (a company of the Wifag//Polytype group) and Mechatronica Co in Bulgaria have entered into a close partnership to mutually develop and market packaging machinery for the oral care, cosmetic and beverage market. For this purpose Polytype has acquired 49% of Mechatronica shares.

Mechatronica, located in Gabrovo (Bulgaria) has developed best price-performance packaging machinery for laminated plastic tubes, form-fill-and-seal equipment for semi-liquid and liquid cosmetics and beverages as well as specialty forming equipment for metal containers over the last 15 years.

Polytype is a leader in the decoration and finishing of extruded plastic tubes for the cosmetic market. With this partnership Polytype will get access to the growing market of laminated tubes and is complementing its portfolio for the oral care and cosmetic market. The form-fill-and seal concept for plastic tubes allows new production approaches for latest stage customization and reduced inventory and logistic cost for the oral care and cosmetic packaging market for semi-liquid goods. The sales and service organization in USA, China, Thailand, Brazil and India of Polytype can improve the market coverage for the Mechatronica products and increase the sales channel efficiency of Polytype. With the low cost basis of Mechatronica and the Polytype reputation both companies can leverage their respective strengths to participate better in the fast growing market for extruded as well as laminated tubes.

A similar form-fill-and-seal concept has been introduced by Mechatronica to the beverage market for non carbonated juices packaged in cylindrical pouches and is complementing the Polytype packaging solutions for the beverage market. Polytype offers decoration concepts for low cost plastic drinking cups as well as highly sophisticated metal bottles in aluminum or steel under the brand of Mall&Herlan.

Untapped potentials exist in a special forming technology of Mechatronica, which allows new kinds of shaping of metal containers, typically recognized as “cola bottle ripples type shapes”. This technology could enlarge the leading position for the metal container offering to existing and new Mall&Herlan customers in the beverage industry.

Polytype and Mechatronica will remain active under their respective company and product brands and continue to act as separate companies but jointly on the market. An exclusive dealer agreement for India has been already signed before closing this partnership between Mechatronica and wifag//polytype Marketing India Ptv, other distribution agreements between the Polytype Group companies and Mechatronica will be implemented in the near future.

Mr. Alain Berset, Business Unit Leader of the Plastic Packaging Division in the wifag//polytype Group (www.wifag-polytype.com) and Mr. Miroslav Hinkov, founder and owner of Mechatronica (www.kombis.net) will be the main contacts for any kind of questions regarding this strategic cooperation.

SQP will present their latest development at Drupa in hall 09, booth C57.  Nyala, the new precision flatbed printer is an eye catcher with the dimension of the printing table a width of 3.2m. The system can be equipped with fourfold CMYK, which increases the output compared to a basic configuration by four times.

Nyala is the third innovation developed by the young Swiss company, and again it is going to surprise! The printing system has an ultra large printing table which looks like an aircraft carrier among the existing printing systems.

Either 3.2 x 1.6m board material or 3.2m roll material can be printed with the basic configuration or with the roll to roll option. This is achievable with the swissQprint quality and amazing speed. The increased output is possible with four times (4x) CMYK, meaning four print heads per color, including white, printing simultaneously. The draft printing mode allows you to print up to 215m2/h. This is doubling the speed of an Impala, which broke records when it was introduced two years ago.

The Nyala offers the same superior quality and modularity as its older siblings, the Impala and Oryx.  Please visit swissQprint live at their booth to see the new inkjet system.

“PAC is pleased to add the revolutionary Nyala to our flatbed offering” states Jim Cain, Director of Sales-DIGITAL for PAC, “with the addition of the 3.2 m Nyala, swissQ has added strength and increased productivity to their industry leading position”.

 

About Polytype America
Polytype America Corp. (PAC) is the exclusive distributor of swissQ print’s flatbed/roll-to-roll UV printers throughout North America. The swissQ printers are Swiss designed and manufactured in swissQ’s Widnau, Switzerland factory. SwissQ’s Oryx and Impala UV printers offer True flatbed, Over Sized and roll-to-roll option and provide a heavyweight, stable print platform, producing superior print quality and handing features.

About swissQprint
SwissQprint AG is offers first class performance through innovative technical solutions and outstanding services that reflect the very latest state of the art technology. SwissQ specializes in the development and manufacture of high quality mechanical and electronic solutions for Inkjet digital printing. Our interest in the specific problems of our customers and the right modular and market-oriented solutions for them ensures that our customers benefit from reliable and economic solutions that they can really use. International sales and support are handled by a global network of handpicked dealers


Polytype America Corporation       
10 Industrial Avenue
Mahwah, NJ 07430 U.S.A.

Corporate Contact:
James Cain, Director of Sales – DIGITAL
Phone: 201-962-9594
Email: jc@remove-this.polytypeamerica.com

After a long and extensive investigation by the management and technical team to modernize press controls and add new closed loop controls for density, colour register and cut-off register, BT Trykk opts for Wifag to implement the in-house, state-of-the art Wifag “Platform Plus” controls and thereby start the replacement of the existing controls.
In cooperation with 3T Control for the closed loop controls, this is an exciting premiere in Scandinavia. The project will be realized in the course of 2012. This is the first time that such a comprehensive package will be realized on a Wifag press.
The Wifag OF 370 press line comprising 9 towers and 2 folders was commissioned in 1998. Bergens Tidende is printed at BT Trykk. It is Norway's fourth largest newspaper and largest regional newspaper that reaches approximately 260,000 readers every day. BT Trykk is part of the Media Norge, the largest media company in Norway, with strong positions in national and regional media as well as printing such as Bergens Tidende, VG, Dagbladet, Aftenposten. BA and Haugesunds Avis.

APM Print d.o.o. in Belgrade, Republic of Serbia, is a specialized Ringier Axel Springer company which produces daily newspapers. Among other publications, it produces the daily newspapers BLIC with an average print run of 180,000*, ALO with an print run of 160,000*, and 24 sata with a daily average of 155,000* copies. With its decision to invest in a new newspaper web press, APM Print d.o.o. begins a comprehensive renovation of its entire newspaper production.
The ordered printing press includes three WIFAG evolution 473/6 triple-width/double circumference satellite printing towers, three WIFAG M60 autopasters, and two 2:5:5 jaw folders. With a folder superstructure of three formers and the optional ribbon stitchers, up to 72 pages of broadsheet or 144 pages of tabloid can be combined in a variety of book structures.
Thanks to WIFAG‘s Platform+ drive and press control system complemented by a no-mark cut-off register control as well as semi-automatic plate changers, the printing press is highly automated to ensure low start-up waste, consistent print quality and short change-over times. WIFAG‘s own control system permits future system expansion with offset or ink jet based printing units from WIFAG.
The wide-ranging renovation of newspaper production at APM Print d.o.o. begins with the construction of a new press hall at its current location in Belgrade's Novi district. The new WIFAG evolution 473/6 will be delivered in the summer of 2012 and will be put into operation in the 4th quarter of 2012 along with the expanded mailroom.

Visitors to drupa will witness the official world-wide release of Polytype's ground-breaking new wide-format digital ink-jet printing platform, the Virtu Quantum, which promises a blend of quality and speed hitherto unavailable in the marketplace. Now available in widths of 2.5m and 3.5m, the UV-curable machine incorporates high-definition 10pl print-heads, specially integrated by Polytype to produce 1,400dpi resolution for lush, rich images suited to a range of industrial and display applications.

In a move characteristic of the Swiss manufacturer, the Virtu Quantum was vigorously tested over a period of months in a fully operational production environment after proof of concept was first demonstrated in 2011. Resultingly, the engine's speeds reach an impressive 300sq m/hour in production mode and a sporty 150-180sq m/hour in photographic mode, meaning that business owners no longer have to compromise between image quality and turnaround time when making large capital investments in their wide-format machinery. Applicable to both roll-to-roll and flat-bed modes and across a range of both popular and unusual media, the versatility afforded owners is a distinct advantage in the current, extremely competitive climate.

Polytype's dedication to accuracy means that customers ordering at the show can have total confidence in the feasibility of the system, and be able to integrate it effortlessly to upgrade their current production processes. The new Quantum series will allow even more depth and colour gamut for the accurate reproduction of typically difficult images, such as skin tones and sought-after brand shades – but at productivity speeds that will challenge even billboard quality modes from rival manufacturers.

“Polytype does what other manufacturers dare not do: we will drive a new machine hard in an actual working situation to make sure that we are aware of all of its capabilities,” explains Sylvia Muhr, sales and marketing director for Polytype's Virtu Business Unit. “In doing so, we have fine-tuned the Virtu Quantum to deliver an unparalleled combination of speed and quality in its machine category, and visitors to our stand at drupa 2012 will be amongst the first to witness it match its full potential.”

Polytype's wide-format technologies are renowned in the marketplace for their exceptional build quality and ability to output with finesse of graduation and detail on innumerable substrates, and have won multiple awards from within the printing industry and in related sectors, such as design. The company's experience ranges from display applications to highly industrial work, with the Virtu Quantum able to sit as the core element in a glass production workflow; significantly, Polytype consults with each customer to ensure that every machine is tuned to their precise specifications, ensuring maximum return on investment for users.

Caption:

Polytype SA (formerly WP Digital) is renowned in the wide-format digital ink-jet space as a manufacturer of resilient, reliable printing technologies for the production of many different decorative, display and industrial applications. With characteristic Swiss attention to precision engineering inherent to all of its technologies, its Virtu range of wide- and super-wide-format UV-curable printers is recognised for its ability to produce high-quality graphics on a practically unlimited range of substrates.

For further information about Polytype's technology, products and services, or to discuss key markets or applications, please contact sales and marketing director Sylvia Muhr at sylvia.muhr@remove-this.polytype.com, by telephone at +41 (0)26 426 15 16 or by fax at +41 (0)26 426 16 44. Polytype's postal address is 26, route de la Glâne, CH-1701 Fribourg, Switzerland.

The success of the //wifag automation solutions for the newspaper production industry continues with the order to replace the existing command and control console.
The media group Suomen Lehtiyhtymä Oy in Finland, has ordered a command retrofit for its existing OF370 printing press which includes a new control console as well as a new //wifag softproof solution to enhance quality control for their printing center in Hämeen Lehtipaino Oy, Hämeenlinna, Finland.
The replacement of the existing system will allow the customer to have a consistent and coherent command system for the whole press line. This cost-efficient investment prolongs the useful life of the press and makes a decisive contribution to efficiency and the operator friendliness.
The new systems will be commissioned in the course of 2012.
For further information
noel.mcevoy@remove-this.wifag.com

Application of decoration
Skara KG in Würzburg has been specializing in digital printing on decorating materials and has since 2007 set up a new business segment: finishing of glass. Next to the application of decoration for interiors they have ordered and installed an industrial production line Virtu RS35 from Polytype for printing on glass, which enables professional growth.

Skara KG has been established in 1997 as digital printing shop and is today directed by Carl-Robert Kümpers and Martin Hack as managing stockholders. The company with 18 employees prints on decorating materials of up to a width of 250 cm on a dye-sublimation printer as well as on 3 latex printers in widths up to 165 and 260 cm. They produce typical posters for impinging light or transparency on photographic paper for brilliant colors and good contrasts or backlit films for display cases. Latex printers are used to print on wallpapers for internal and external use or for company name plates, car decorations and exhibition boards.

When the first Virtu RS25 flatbed printer for rigid materials was installed one could also produce large size posters up to 18/1 placards and twin-wall sheet  as a rigid alternative for printing on paper or expanded plastic slabs. Since UV-curable inks adhere extremely well to non-absorbing substrates it became possible to print on all kinds of plastics as well as on wood, glass and acryl. 

Arbucomp: Facades and glass roofs
Arbucomp GmbH was established by Carl-Robert Kümpers as a company for the design of facades and roofs using special glass materials. The company merged with Skarpa KG in 2010.

Originally Mr. Kümper had studied law and became a lawyer, however, instead of joining a law firm he joined Okalux GmbH, a company established by his father and specializing in the production of special insulation glass for external applications. He has arranged for Okalux to realize, among other projects, the impressive glass roof of the Great Court of the British Museum, the glass shell of the Seattle Central Library and the glass façades of the Rathauspassage in Innsbruck. 
After his father’s death he headed the company as Managing Director until 2005 and became afterwards independent with Arbucomp.  During the execution of his projects he has among others also worked with Skara because imaging on glass was very brilliant.  Carl-Robert Kümper compliments the concept of the Virtu design: “…the print quality of Virtu is outstanding”. However, the manual preparation of the glass  panels for printing turned out to be difficult  and error-prone. Therefore, he planned for the merger of the two companies the installation of an automatic industrial production line Virtu RS35 with a width of 350 cm and the sole possibility to comply with the high quality demands on printing on glass. 

Security glass
The industrial printing on glass is realized on rear window heaters, thin layer solar panels and ceramic stove tops, however, they are only manufactured by specialized companies.
Digital print shops use ink jet systems for imaging on float glass, tampered and laminated safety glass. The latter two are derived from float glass which is today’s most used structural glass for windows and facades.
Toughened safety glass is a tempered glass which is heated up to 650°C and then evenly quenched with chilled air. When broken by external action it will crack into tiny fragments without sharp edges. Skarpa mainly use tempered safety glass which they purchase from a glass supplier. 

The Virtu RS35 production line
Bernd Würth, the responsible product and sales manager at Polytype for Virtu printing systems for industrial digital printing explains the production line. He has composed the installation at Skara and developed the individual modules.

The entire production line comprises the following components: cleaning, flame treatment, primer application and printing unit plus the respective conveyors between the stations. Skara already owned a vertical cleaning unit for glass panels of up to 250 x 600 cm. After the cleaning the panels are placed on a mobile table which the operator will move to the loading conveyor from where the glass panels are transferred to the in-feed conveyor of the production line.  Bernd Würth explained the computer terminal where the print jobs are received from the pre-print department and conveyed to control the transport through the flame treating and primer stations.
In the pre-treating station the glass panel is treated by a gas fired open flame. This improves the evenness of the glass surface tension, it burns off residue or dirt which had not been removed in the washing station and the silane gas enhances the adhesion of the primer.

An accumulator or buffer conveyor transfers the panels into the primer station where 4 nozzles spray the primer at high speed onto the glass. Afterwards the glass is moved to a long positioning conveyor which serves as buffer and to put the panels at exact right angle XY position for the printer.
A take-off conveyor takes the panels out of the Virtu RS35 from where they will be handled manually. The electronic control of the 20 m production line accounts for the dimensions of the various panel sizes for pre-treating and priming and sensors control the conveying speed. The high printing speed of the Virtu RS35 can thus be adapted to the in-time arrival of the glass panel for the following job order. 

Virtu printing systems
Virtu printing systems have been developed in the US in 1999 and have been developed further, produced and sold worldwide by Spühl in Switzerland since 2003. The concept of the Virtu RS25 with a print width of 250 cm offered the possibility to decorate on the flatbed either roll-to-roll or panels of up to 250 x 200 cm. In 2003 the first Virtu flatbed machine users could already print with UV-inks which adhere to non-absorbing substrates. The range of products of large format print shops could thus considerably be increased. The larger machine Virtu RS35 with a print width of 350 cm was introduced in 2006, followed by Virtu RR50 in 2009 with 500 cm wide roll-to-roll printing possibility.

Spühl, a Swiss company with a typical tendency for precision, has developed custom designed additions, which corresponded with the highest demands for print accuracy. Higher print accuracy enables better butting of images, sharper type face and material savings. 

In 2010 Polytype AG in Fribourg (CH) acquired the Virtu company from Spühl and continued with the development and the manufacturing of the printing systems. Since not all customers have the same requirements they can decide for themselves which additions they must or must not have. Therefore, these machines will only be assembled on demand and the 90 Virtu machines which have been delivered so far in Europe have been built according to the customers’ requirements.

The Virtu RS printer
Real XY-printing! The printing table is covered with a blanket with reticular structure for the vacuum which transports the substrate through the machine. The entire print table is subdivided in square segments and in turn the strong vacuum will only develop under the actual substrate. 

The print head is moved by very precisely working linear motors in both directions across the entire print width on the crossbar which in turn can also cover the entire length of the print table. This XY-technology enables to print one large or several small panels on the print table with the head approaching the panels at high speed. 

An encoder-wheel takes the measurement of the movements of both the print head and the print table with a precision of one thousandth of a millimeter. On other machines this encoder-wheel is geared to the conveyor rolls and can, therefore, not detect slippage of the material.

Sparing consumption
Next to high precision the components of Virtu printers operate with sparing consumption. Only a few centimeters of the roll-material are drawn onto the print table and fixed by vacuum and, therefore, only a few centimeters of material are wasted at substrate changes. An ideal type of ink is offered for each application:
for roll-to-roll applications on flexible substrates Polytype Flex Ink; for combined roll-to-roll and flatbed applications Polytype Multi Purpose Ink and for printing on glass Polytype Vetro Ink. In order to reduce ink consumption for process printing the server converts all image data to RGB technology. Cleaning of UV-printing heads is only required at the beginning or ending of the shift or after several hours of production interruption and not as on other printing machines at the start of every new print job.

DRUPA news: Quantum printer
Virtu models print at high speeds with 6 colors plus white and a resolution of 1200 dpi resulting in very high picture quality with an ink consumption of 80 or 30 picoliter. With the development of new ink jet nozzles it is now possible to achieve the same picture quality with smaller jets at higher frequency resulting in two to four times higher productivity. The new “Quantum Printer” will be introduced at DRUPA 2012 and is for users who want a particularly high print capacity.

Printing on glass will grow
After our final discussion Carl-Robert Kümpers is convinced of the growth of digital printing on glass. “Photographic reproduction on glass already results in more brilliant images than on paper or at least we can match the quality”. Printed glass panels in the entry of his print shop confirm this statement. Nevertheless many customers still shy away from printing on glass and use acryl instead. However, it is not true that acryl is cheaper than glass. First of all glass is cheaper than acryl; second, larger size acryl panels need to be reinforced with aluminum to avoid fluttering.

Admittedly printing on glass can represent a lot of problems for many print shops because the manual cleaning, flame treating and priming cannot be done cleanly and efficiently enough and thus resulting in expensive waste. Skara has solved these problems with the installation of an industrial production line.

The two salesmen in Germany and Mr. Kümpers for the international market are booked to capacity – but growth can still be enhanced. The Web site of Skara AG is in particular very helpful by presenting the entire Skara production range with impressive pictures. Also see the Webshop  www.pretty-impressive.de.

Mr. Kümpers states: “Digital printing on glass will make inroads in the sector decoration, because it is possible to realize individual concepts, production is more flexible than with silk screen printing, production is cheaper when many different colors and motifs must be printed because there are no costs for printing plates and in comparison with silk screen printing smaller lot sizes can be printed more economically”.

The can is made via the Draw and Wall Ironing (DWI) process on Mall + Herlan's new MH Hi-Flex ^TM DWI Line. This new packaging is a very attractive alternative to containes made via welding of three piece cans (3pc).

Mall + Herlan is proud to announce that now the German Packaging Institute (DVI) has nominated this brand new type of packing for the German packaging Award. 

For more information please contact Mall + Herlan's Business Development Manager Dr. Bernd Ullmann. 
Kindly refer to Sales Contacts / Metal Packaging.

Peter Ruth is responsible for the Systems Division and will, from January 1st, 2012 as new CEO of the wifag//polytype, also be responsible for the Divisions Trading and New Business. 

The Systems Division of the wifag//polytype is active in the fields of Metal Packaging (aerosol cans, aluminum bottles), Plastic Packaging (plastic tubes, plastic cups), Coating/Converting for flexibles, Printing Presses for newspapers/books and Digital large format printing.

The Division Trading is active in the supplies and consumables, equipment, service and support for the printing industry.

Based on the core competencies of the group and acquisitions, the New Business Division aims to build up new markets and applications in other growth markets in the near future.

The wifag//polytype has about 1000 employees worldwide and assures local market presence with it’s own subsidiaries in the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, USA, Thailand, China/Hongkong, India and Brasil.

ICE daily: “What benefits do you expect from the cooperation between your companies?”

Detlef Merklinger (CEO Polytype Converting AG): “The general idea is that Huaying will continue to promote their existing machine portfolio under the brand Huaying. In addition to that we have selected a common range of machinery which will be promoted under the brand name Polytype-Huaying. If Huaying for example builds a 300 metre silicone line with our components then it will be sold with our common name.”

ICE daily: “Will these machines also be used outside the Chinese market?”

D. Merklinger: “These machines are made either for the local Chinese market or for markets where Huaying is already selling today. Indeed about 80% of Huaying machines are located in countries where we as Polytype do not have any sales activities.”

Xu Peng (General Manager Huaying Soft-Packging Equipment): “Polytype is very famous in this industry, they have a lot of experience. During recent years Chinese packaging producers have more and more

realised that coating gives added value to their products and also can bring new business opportunities for them. More and more users pay attention to new coating technologies. The collaboration with Polytype will optimise our manufacturing skill and will give our customers better services.”

ICE daily: “What is the structure of this joint venture?”

D. Merklinger: “Polytype bought 20% of the Huaying shares. The total value of the deal is 1 Million Euro, to be paid partly in cash and partly in know-how transfer. We ensured the possibility to extend this contingent. We really want to have a long-term relationship and wish to support Huaying on their way. For this reason we also have 30% of board voting rights. That means we’re not only investors, we really have the chance to discuss together the strategy for future business areas. Our goal is to be successful together.”

ICE daily: “What are your concrete goals?”

D. Merklinger: “For sure Huaying is interested in getting components and knowledge from us to extend their business in Asia. Our interest is that we are able to supply a `beginner generation´ of machines to get a foot inside the Asian market and get in contact with customers who might be interested in high level Polytype lines later on. Another point is that we would like to improve our service situation in China: With a service partner such as Huaying we can optimize serving our machines and get support in installations.”

ICE daily: “Will this strategy effecct your European customers?”

D. Merklinger:“We are certainly not considering manufacturing certain elements in China for cost reasons and then selling them to our best clients in Europe or overseas. What we are doing is to put Huaying in the position to be able to enter a market in which they are currently not a player. By doing so we help to make the Polytype brand better known, which can help us win new customers in the future. At the same time we can increase our level of service to our existing client base in China, which we already serve with the help of Huaying. Another consideration of ours is to build our series of flotation dryers for Asian installations with Huaying instead of in Germany. In summary, the cooperation with Huaying is for us an add-on business and we don’t want to substitute anything but is a means to find new ways to enter new markets.”

ICE daily: “Will you still employ your own Polytype sales staff for the Chinese market?”

D. Merklinger: “The cooperation with Huaying is specifically restricted to the upper commodity market. All other lines are built as normal in Switzerland and sold by our own Chinese salesperson.”

Esa-Matti Aalto (Business & Operations Manager Pagendarm BTT GmbH): “If we consider the drying technology market, we are not looking at the upper end of the pyramid. Indeed we will offer dryers just for the Chinese market which are no longer sold in Europe by Pagendarm BTT.”

Download ICEdaily-Interview

With the acquisition of Solna by WIFAG Maschinenfabrik AG, current and future customers from both companies will benefit with the design of new and interesting offers.
A new division, WIFAG Automation, has been created in which the skills of both WIFAG and Solna are concentrated. As a result, the products and expertise from both companies are united to form a more harmonized entity. With a combined team of more than 30 employees, WIFAG Automation and their partner companies, as-automotion AG and Swedish Graphic Systems, will be able to offer a combined expertise to both existing and prospective customers. WIFAG Automation is now in a unique position to offer complete solutions from one source. These consist primarily of production planning and management systems, control desks and systems for machine control as well as color register, cut-off register and color density controls.
Integrated retrofit solutions, whether modular or complete, illustrate interesting concepts for the conservation of value and production safety of the entire printing press. Innovative automation functions, whether reducing waste, or increasing the degree of automation or improving the service and diagnostic capabilities, are all a part of the product portfolio of WIFAG Automation, as well as the extension of existing presses with soft-proofing systems, fully automatic plate changers and roll logistics solutions.
All activities and products of WIFAG automation are presented in a new, clear and concise brochure.
Visit us at IFRA Expo in Vienna, Austria
10-12 October 2011
HALL B, Stand 180,
and let’s talk about Competitive Printing Solutions.
For further information contact:
Noel McEvoy
noel.mcevoy@remove-this.wifag.com
tel. +41 26 426 18 88

In April 2011 //wifag acquired Solna AB, a leading Swedish supplier of high speed single wide presses for newspapers and books. The organizational integration of Solna into //wifag is progressing successfully and the //wifag assembly crew in Fribourg is enthusiastic about the task at hand of assembling this high performance single width press. The first components for the leading financial daily in Hong Kong, Hong Kong Economical Times have already arrived at the wifag//Polytype factory in Fribourg, Switzerland.
This order will be the first carried out by Swedish and Swiss engineers for our faithful customer in Hong Kong.
With the new press, HKET extends its existing printing fleet with a whole new D390 press line, consisting of eight 4-high towers and one folder. Furthermore, their existing Solna D380 printing press line will be extended with two additional 4-high towers D390. After installation of these recently ordered printing units, HKET will, together with existing Solna presses, have a total of 392 printing couples (196 printing units) running.
Come see us at the WAN-IFRA Conference and Expo:
10-12 October 2011, Vienna
Booth B 180
And let’s talk about
Competitive Printing Solutions.
For further information
noel.mcevoy@remove-this.wifag.com

//wifag’s newest and completely future oriented development offers a wide spectrum of new applications unknown to conventional offset printing processes. The new //wifag digital Newspaper and Book production lines consequently use the advantages of the single pass inkjet technology with no repeating printing form.
The result of this development, combined with //wifag’s profound knowledge of industrial newspaper and book production, culminates in new production lines with greatest format flexibility, shortest changeover and make ready times and printing possibilities on different paper grades. The in-house developed workflow solution for page content and all relevant job data allows an easy connection to existing editorial systems or easy workflow integration into existing book production lines.
The inkjet printing system is an industrial, in-house developed inkjet printing tower for black and full color quality printing to recognized industry standards, designed for continuous runs. The precision of the printing head positioning is realized through a pre-positioning system with high accuracy to achieve high print quality and quick replacement of printing heads. The cleaning station consists of a non-contact cleaning system to flush and clean the inkjet nozzles and the surface of the heads.
The new //wifag digital Newspaper solution with its new and totally variable folding equipment is an excellent tool for decentralized printing of a wide variety of newspaper and semi-commercial products for short to medium production runs. The folding equipment allows the same book structure as the conventional offset newspaper press which makes splitting of editions between digital and conventional offset production easy.
The new //wifag digital Book solution with its unique cutting and sheet collecting arrangement allows direct feed to the finishing machine with the complete stack of book pages. Alternative options with folded signatures are also available.
The new //wifag digital Newspaper and Book production equipment are on offer as complete production lines or as modules to replace or extend existing printing equipment.
Come see us at the WAN-IFRA Conference and Expo from 10 to 12 October 2011, Vienna
//wifag at Booth B 180
And learn more about the //wifag digital Newspaper and Book production lines
For further information
noel.mcevoy@remove-this.wifag.com
WIFAG Maschinenfabrik AG
26, route de la Glâne
P.O. Box 1184
CH-1701 Fribourg/Switzerland
Phone: +41 26 426 18 88
Fax: +41 26 426 18 77
wifag@remove-this.wifag-polytype.com
www.wifag-polytype.com

The development was done through collaboration with NELA, the leading supplier of register systems and automation solutions for the pre-press industry. The APX takes plate automation to a new level. Operator interaction at the press is reduced to a minimum.
Multiple Productions can be loaded with plates handled as a single package, which reduces mistakes, operator time at the machine and plate damage through handling. The system distributes the plates automatically to the right zones on the cylinder. Up to 12 plates can be loaded as a single package. New packages or single Plates can be continuously added to the loader.
The system requires less accuracy in plate delivery since the plates will be positioned just before they are pushed over the register pins. Therefore, it is fairly easy to extend the system with automated plate logistics from the CTP.
Advantages:
- Plates are loaded by the operator in packages
- Quick and ergonomic procedure, short time for operator in front of print units
- Multiple productions can be loaded
- Semiautomatic backup is always possible
- Easy cylinder access
- High reliability through accurate self centering of plate
- Easily expandable from semi to automatic, even to plate logistics
Come see us at the WAN-IFRA Conference and Expo from 10 to 12 October 2011, Vienna
//wifag at Booth B 180
And learn more about WIFAG Automation Solutions like the APX!
Visit also Nela at Booth 415 and learn more about the plate changing capabilities.
For further information
noel.mcevoy@remove-this.wifag.com

Deutscher Drucker | Nr. 30 | 13.10.2011 4

Die Polytype AG wurde 1960 von Otto Wirz in Fribourg als Maschinenfabrik und Tochterfirma der Wifag AG in Bern gegründet, in der Spezialmaschinen hergestellt werden sollten. Heute werden in Fribourg Becher- und Deckeldruckmaschinen, Tuben- und Dosen-Fabrikationsstraßen gefertigt und weltweit vertrieben, mit denen //polytype einen Marktanteil von mehr als 70 Prozent hält. Heute gehören zur wifag//polytype-Gruppe die Wifag AG mit Rollenoffsetmaschinen, die Polytype Converting AG für die Herstellung von hochpräzisen Beschichtungs- und Kaschiermaschinen für die Papier-, Kunststoff- und Alufolien-Veredelung, die Polytype AG für den Druck von runden und polygonalen Bechern, Tuben und Dosen, sowie vier verschiedene Firmen für die Herstellung von Bechern, Tuben und Dosen aus Plastik- und Metall. Zu diesen Geschäftsbereichen sind nun die Virtu-Drucksysteme hinzu gekommen. Mit weltweit 720 Mitarbeitern erwartet die Polytype AG für 2011 einen Umsatz von 450 Millionen Schweizer Franken (ca. 375 Mio. Euro).

Die Virtu-Drucksysteme

Der Geschäftsbereich wifag//polytype Digital Printing wird geleitet von Frédéric Pavesi, und die Verkaufsdirektorin für Europa, Sylvia Muhr, führt uns durch die große Fabrikationshalle, die Virtu-Produktionsabteilung und den Demoraum. Die Virtu-Drucksysteme wurden 1999 bei Leggett&Platt entwickelt und ab 2003 von ihrer Tochterfirma Spühl AG in der Schweiz weiter entwickelt, produziert und weltweit vertrieben. Das Konzept der Virtu RS25 mit 250 cm Druckbreite bot die Möglichkeit, auf dem Flachbetttisch von Rolle zu Rolle oder überlange Platten bis 250 x 200 cm zu drucken. So konnten bereits 2003 die Anwender auf dem Virtu-Drucker in den damals neuen Flachbettdruck mit UV-härtenden Tinten einsteigen. 2006 wurde mit dem Virtu RS35 ein breiteres Modell mit 350 cm Druckbreite eingeführt und 2009 der Virtu RR50, ein Rollendrucker mit bis zu 500 cm Druckbreite. Spühl als Schweizer Unternehmen mit ihrem Hang zur Präzision entwickelte nach den Wünschen der Kunden Erweiterungen hinzu, die auch die höchsten Ansprüche an die Genauigkeit der Drucke erfüllten. Dadurch kann eine höhere Genauigkeit im Druck und ein sparsamerer Materialeinsatz erreicht werden. Weil nicht alle Kunden die gleichen Ansprüche an ihre Maschine haben, kann jeder Kunde selbst bestimmen, welche Erweiterungen er benötigt und auf welche er verzichten kann. Deshalb werden die Maschinen nur auf Bestellung gebaut und die bisher 85 in Europa installierten Virtu-Drucksysteme ganz auf die Kunden abgestimmt.

Echter XY-Druck

Über den Drucktisch läuft ein Drucktuch mit netzförmiger Struktur für das Vakuum, auf dem das Druckmaterial durch die Maschine geführt wird. Der ganze Drucktisch ist in quadratische Sektionen eingeteilt, so dass nur unter dem Drucksubstrat ein starkes Vakuum erzeugt wird. Die Druckkopf-Traverse führt den Druckkopf mit exakt arbeitenden Linearmotoren in beiden Richtungen über die gesamte Druckbreite, und kann auch über die ganze Länge des Drucktisches fahren. Durch diese XY-Technologie können überall auf dem Tisch eine große oder mehrere kleine Platten bedruckt werden, wobei der Druckkopf die Platten in Hochgeschwindigkeit anfährt. Ein Encoder-Rad misst die Bewegungen des Druckkopfes und des Druckmaterials auf dem Drucktisch auf ein Tausendstel Millimeter genau. Üblicherweise läuft dieses Encoderrad bei anderen Druckmaschinen auf der Transportwalze, wobei der Materialschlupf nicht erfasst wird.

Sparsamer Verbrauch

Viele Details zeigen, dass ein sparsamer Verbrauch angestrebt wird.

• So wird das Rollenmaterial nur ein paar Zentimeter auf den Drucktisch gezogen und mit Vakuum fixiert, so dass bei einem Materialwechsel nur wenige Zentimeter Material verloren gehen.
• Für jeden Einsatz wird die ideale Tinte angeboten. Für die reine Rollendruckmaschine auf flexible Materialien die //polytype Flex Tinte, für den kombinierten Rollen-Flachbetteinsatz die //polytype Multi Purpose Tinte und für den Glasdruck die//polytype Vetro Ink Tinte.
• Um den Tintenverbrauch auch in den Farbbildern zu verringern, rechnet der Server alle Bilddaten in GCR-Technologie um.
• Die Druckkopfreinigung der UV-Tinten ist nur bei Schichtanfang und -ende nötig, oder nach mehrstündigem Pausen zwischen dem Drucken und nicht vor jedem Druck wie bei anderen Druckmaschinen.

Quantum-Drucker

Die von Large Format Druckern produzierten Poster sind normalerweise nur für größere Betrachtungsabstände gedacht und drucken deshalb nur mit grober Auflösung, um mit höherer Druckgeschwindigkeit zu produzieren. Die Virtu-Modelle hingegen drucken schnell in 1200 dpi Auflösung mit 6 Farben plus Weiß und erzeugen mit 80 oder 30 Picoliter eine sehr hohe Bildqualität. Durch die Entwicklung neuer Sprühdüsen ist es nun möglich geworden, mit noch kleineren Düsen und höherer Frequenz bei gleicher Bildqualität eine zwei- bis vierfach höhere Produktivität zu produzieren. Dies kann Polytype jetzt bereits anbieten und wird es auf der Drupa 2012 zeigen. Da nicht alle Anwender diese Spitzenproduktivität und -qualität benötigen, wird die heutige Virtu-Produktpalette beibehalten.

Der Glasdruck bei Lechner

Grundsätzlich kann jeder Flachbettdrucker mit UV-härtenden Farben auch auf Glas drucken, was die meisten Druckereien auch anbieten. Die Frage ist allerdings, wie kratzfest, lichtecht und feuchtigkeitsbeständig die Farben sind und wie gut und lange sie auf dem Glas haften. Deshalb ist //polytype auf die Wünsche vieler Kunden eingegangen, hat die Virtu-Modelle auf Glasdruck spezialisiert und deshalb auch die Glas-Vorbearbeitungsmaschinen im Lieferprogramm. Ein eindrückliches Beispiel für den fachgerechten und industriellen Glasdruck ist die Firma Lechner AG in Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

Europäischer Marktführer

Vor den Toren der mittelalterlichen Kleinstadt produziert Lechner auf 70000 m² mit 600 Mitarbeitern in Großserie oder maßgeschneidert Arbeitsplatten, Küchenplatten und Rückwände für Küche, Bad und Wohnmöbel. Die Arbeits- und Küchenplatten werden gefertigt aus Laminat, Massivholz, Quarzstein, Keramik oder Mineralwerkstoff und seit 2006 auch aus Glas. Alle Küchenplatten benötigen Aussparungen für den Einbau der Spülen, Kochfelder oder Schneidelemente. 14 000 Arbeitsplatten werden jede Woche produziert und mit 35 eigenen Lastwagen an die Firmenkunden in ganz Europa, meist Küchenstudios und Möbelfabriken, ausgeliefert.
2006 wurde für die Glasverarbeitung eine Halle mit 5 000 m² für das Arbeitsplattenprogramm LaVico und die Rückwandkollektion Vitro gebaut. Der Produktionsleiter Thomas Kühlwein und Heike Rost, zuständig für die Pressearbeit, sowie Bernd Würth, Produktmanager für Industielle Lösungen bei //polytype-Virtu führen uns durch die Halle, in der 28 Mitarbeiter in zwei Schichten rund 1 000 Glasplatten pro Woche produzieren. 

Die Glasvorbereitung

Das Glas wird angeliefert in Formaten bis zu 6 x 3 Meter und mit CNC-Schneidemaschinen in die gewünschten Plattengrößen geschnitten, abgekantet und mit den Aussparungen und Bohrlöchern für die Befestigung versehen. Danach laufen die Glasplatten in der ganzen Breite langsam durch den Härteofen, wobei das Floatglas auf ca. 630°C erhitzt, durch Abblasen mit kalter Luft rasch abgekühlt und zu Einscheibensicherheitsglas wird, das bei einem Glasbruch in kleine, stumpfkantige Krümel zerfällt. Vor dem Bedrucken mit den zwei //polytype Virtu RS35 Druckmaschinen muss das Glas in drei Stationen vorbehandelt werden.

• Die Reinigung ist nötig, weil die Glasoberfläche eben ist, glänzend, nicht porös und statisch geladen. Dadurch neigt es dazu, alle Art von Beschichtungen abzustoßen. Die Platten werden in einer Waschanlage mit enthärtetem Wasser von Schleifstaub und Öl befreit und so für den Druck vorbereitet. Die Reinigung kann bei kleinen Musterplatten manuell erfolgen, für größere wird eine automatische Durchlaufmaschine zwingend notwendig.
• Die zweite Station ist die Flammbeschichtung, bei der gleichzeitig die Glasoberfläche aufgerauht wird, was die Haftung zwischen Glas und Tinte verbessert.
• In der dritten Station wird eine feine Schicht Haftvermittler aufgesprüht, der die UV-Tintenschicht noch besser mit dem Glas verbindet. Mit einer automatischen Produktionstraße wird das Glas zum Virtu RS 35 transportiert. Bei Lechner jedoch stehen die zwei Virtu RS 35 nebeneinander, so dass die Glasplatten manuell in die Maschinen eingelegt werden. Vom Format DIN A5 bis zu 3,25 x 3 m können die Platten mit der //polytype Vetro Ink UV-Tinte bedruckt werden.

Für alle Platten, die keinen individuellen Druck benötigen, besteht eine zweite Produktionslinie, in der die Glasplatten nach der gleichen Vorbehandlung im Siebdruck im Format 1,30 x 3,10 Meter mit keramischen Farben bedruckt und anschließend eingebrannt werden.

Fünf Jahre Garantie

Thomas Kühlwein hat sich erst für die Virtu-Drucksysteme entschieden, nachdem //polytype die Kratzfestigkeit, Lichtechtheit, Feuchtigkeitsbeständigkeit und chemische Widerstandsfähigkeit gemäß den entsprechenden DIN-Normen beweisen konnte. Denn Lechner muss seinen Kunden auf diese Eigenschaften fünf Jahre Garantie geben, nicht nur für die Haftung der UV-Farbe auf Glas, sondern auch für die Haftung aller Eigenschaften gegenüber den Kunden. Und die hat er bei //polytype für die Virtu RS 35 gefunden und sagte im Abschlussgespräch: „Auf der Fespa in Hamburg habe ich mich gewundert, dass viele Anbieter sagten, sie könnten auch auf Glas drucken. Aber fünf Jahre Garantie wollte mir keiner geben“.

Im neuen Demoraum kann Sylvia Muhr den Kunden weit besser als auf Ausstellungen den Virtu RR50 zeigen.

Heike Jost zeigt eine Kücheneinrichtung mit Spühle und Küchenplatte mit Rückwand aus Glas.

Thomas Kühlwein, Heike Jost und Bernd Kühlwein vor den Glasplatten im Format bis zu 6 x 3 Meter. 

Download des Artikels 

Die beispiellose Qualität, die durch die Virtu Quantum Serie versprochen wird, liefert außergewöhnlich gute Ergebnisse für eine Vielzahl von Industrie- und Display Produkten, sowie nah anzuschauende Anwendungen wie hinterleuchtete Displays, Dekor Artikel und industrielles Glas.
Besitzer der neuen Virtu Quantum Reihe werden von der Ausweitung der Graustufen Drucktechnologie profitieren, die durch verschiedene Tropfen Größen eine verbesserte Auflösung und optimierte Farbdeckung gewährleisten und die winzigen Zehn-Picoliter Punkte mit einbeziehen. Polytype hat dies angewandt, um die absolute Präzision des Zehn-Picoliter Kopfes mit der bestehenden Vielseitigkeit der bereits preisgekrönten Virtu Plattform zu kombinieren, was zu erheblichen Vorteilen für die Großformatdruck Industrie führt.
Polytype hat den Virtu Quantum Drucker der Art eingerichtet, um eine noch feinere Auflösung auf der gleichen, nahezu unbegrenzten Strecke von Substraten wie bei früheren Modellen zu liefern. Außerordentliche Steuerung über Tropfen Größe bedeutet, dass die Maschinen noch feinere Details produzieren und daher eine hervorragende Klarheit in den Abstufungen und kleinen Schriftgrößen hervorbringen und gleichzeitig werden Übersättigungen in der Produktion von einfarbigen Flächen vermieden. Dies führt zu optimiertem Tintengebrauch und minimiert folglich die Kosten der Verbrauchsmaterialien herab und schlägt sich nieder in den Betriebskosten.
„Alle Arten von Druck Geschäften erwarten hervorragende Eigenschaften und werden durch die Substrate, die sie im Druck anwenden, beschnitten“ sagt Sylvia Muhr, europäische Vertriebsleiterin der Virtu Polytype Business Unit. „ Mit der Polytype Virtu Quantum brauchen Sie sich keine Sorgen mehr zu machen. Jedes Material wie Leder, Glas und Dibond Aluminium profitieren von der nahen fotografischen Auflösung unter Einbeziehung der Leistungsfähigkeit der vorherigen Virtu Modelle.“
Das Thema der FESPA Digital ist Entwicklung und Polytype glaubt, dass es in der Verantwortung der Technologiehersteller liegt, der Druckindustrie den Antrieb zu einem Wechsel zu geben, indem wir erweiterte Plattformen anbieten, die die Qualität erhöhen und vielseitig genug sind, um sich neuen Herausforderungen zu stellen. Weiter fährt sie fort: „ Für diese Überzeugung ist diese Messe der richtige Ort, um das leistungsstarke Angebot der neuen Virtu Quantum zu demonstrieren und wir sind als Hersteller gefordert, kontinuierlich weiter zu entwickeln, um unseren Kunden neue Möglichkeiten zu bieten.“
Die Virtu Reihe von Polytype soll die strengen Qualitätsanforderungen nicht nur erfüllen sondern auch übertreffen, die durch eine Reihe von Anwendungen wie Grafikdisplay Produktion, voll funktionsfähige Glasdruck Linien sowie verschiedene industrielle Zwecke gefordert werden. Die voll hybrid 2,5 m Virtu RS25 und 3,5 m Virtu RS35 Sport mit einem stabilen Tisch als Teil des Aufbaus der Maschine, bieten die vielseitige Verwendbarkeit auf flexiblen Materialien und starren Substraten von unbegrenzter Länge in sechs Farben plus Weiß oder Spot-Lackierungen zu drucken. Polytype’s preisgekrönter Rollen- zu Rollen Drucker, der RR50, zeichnet sich aus durch eindrucksvolle Produktivität und Qualität für graphische Kunstproduktion und andere Jobs. Jede dieser vorgenannten Maschinen kann nun als Virtu Quantum mit sportlichem Zehn-Picoliter Druckkopf und seinen daraus resultierenden Fähigkeiten geliefert werden.
Polytype SA (vormals WP Digital) ist im Bereich des digitalen Großformat Tintenstrahl Drucks ein renommierter Hersteller und bekannt für seine flexiblen und bewährten Drucktechnologien für die Produktion von vielen verschiedenen dekorativen, Display- und industriellen Anwendungen. Mit der charakteristischen Schweizer Aufmerksamkeit für Feinmechanik, die all seinen Technologien anhaften, ist ihre Virtu Reihe von Breitformat und Superbreitformat UV-härtenden Drucker anerkannt für ihre Fähigkeit, Grafiken in höchster Qualität auf eine praktisch unbegrenzte Palette von Substraten zu produzieren.
Für weitere Information über Polytype Technologie, Produkte und Dienstleistungen oder um weitere wichtige Märkte oder Anwendungen zu besprechen, kontaktieren Sie bitte die europäische Vertriebsleiterin, Frau Sylvia Muhr unter: sylvia.muhr@remove-this.polytype.com, Telefon: +41 (0)26 426 15 16 oder Fax: +41 (0)26 426 16 44.
Polytype’s Postadresse: 26, route de la Glâne, CH-1701 Fribourg, Schweiz