Business

KBA will demonstrate closed-loop quality control for packaging on a six-colour Rapida 162 at Drupa 2008.

The packaging press will be fitted with the new DensiTronic PDF tool, which scans sheets produced during makeready at 330dpi and checks them against the original PDF for errors.

The scanner is attached to the measuring arm of the densitometry system and is said to detect and automatically record even minimal deviations.

This is combined with existing QualiTronic Professional technology, an inline density measuring system, and takes around 60 sheets to normalise density – a process that takes around an hour without the new tool.

The complete closed-loop inspection system has so far been installed on one press, a Rapida 162, at a Swiss packaging printer.

The perfecting version of the press, the 162a, has been extended to 1,170mm, meaning the full sheet can be used in perfecting mode. The 162 and the perfecting model can both run with alcohol-free inks.

Kolorcraft Group, the point-of-sale printer in West Yorkshire, has ordered a six-colour plus coater Rapida 162a with CX package for substrate flexibility. The press is due to be installed in June. 

KBA will also show its new larger Rapida 75 at Drupa. The press now has a maximum sheet size of 605x750mm, to enable it to print labels. It can be configured with two to eight colours plus coater and perfector, and replaces the Rapida 74 and Performa 74.