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B1 sheetfed technology is generally acknowledged to be almost as much of a commodity as the print it produces these days. There are more than 350 B1 sheetfed printers in the UK (and that total is dropping by the month as more and more printers merge in an attempt to beat difficult trading conditions). They’re all fairly loyal to their chosen press supplier and a switch from one to another is rare. So when a new press supplier enters the B1 arena, it’s a case of raised eyebrows all round.

Except in Hemel Hempstead, that is, where Apex Digital Graphics is celebrating the arrival of just such a B1 press: the Ryobi 1050. The B1 machine was announced at a distributor gathering in February at Ryobi’s Hiroshima headquarters and then officially launched at Drupa last month. Already, says Ryobi offset presses marketing manager Neil Handforth, there have been quite a few enquiries, although shipping isn’t expected to start until early next year. But we’re not under any illusions, Handforth adds, and neither is Ryobi. These are tough times and it’s a tough market.

Tackling that tough market takes a combination of canny marketing and aggressive pricing. Apex is offering both. The UK agent intends not only to build on its existing installed base of Ryobi users who are moving up to B1, but also, by means of the pricing question, to offer a viable alternative to B1 printers who, for reasons of product or service, are looking for a new supplier.

When we launched the 750 [Ryobi’s B2 machine, back in 2006] we expected customers to come more from within our existing 52cm market than without, but we were surprised. We expect the same scenario with the 1050, says Handforth. Apex doesn’t expect to become the largest B1 press supplier overnight – but with a solid background in B2 and our reputation for reliability and technical innovation, we expect a similar pattern, even if not in the same kind of volume.

In keeping with its price-competitive tag, the Ryobi 1050 is a bread-and-butter press with a high level of automation and some tried and tested features – Ryobi’s double-diameter impression cylinders and transfer drums, for instance, together with a seven o’clock cylinder layout that’s said to reduce marking.

It’s available in two different models: the S-type, printing 1,050x710mm on the B1 sheet; and the XL-type, printing up to 1,050x770mm. A standard chamber-type doctor-blade system coater is an option. It’s possible to print and coat with UV or aqueous inks or varnishes on the 1050, facilitated by UV or IR drying and a choice of four styles of delivery unit (extra-long, long, semi-long and standard). So, users have a choice of substrates wider than the norm, including film, metallised paper and other non-absorbent materials.

Ryobi has covered the major automation bases with a range of presets, including paper size and impression cylinder, together with standard semi-automatic plate change and the option for fully automatic. There’s also the standard inclusion of both its Ink Volume Setter (IVS) software and its Print Quality System (PQS) – essentially an inline camera/densitometer system. A CCD camera mounted in the delivery takes a digital picture and runs this through a densitometer, which analyses and compares the result with the test sheet; variations are calculated and fed automatically back to the press’s control console.

Flagging up defects
The PQS system also picks up on defects such as hickeys, scratches, standard marking and ghosting and flags these up on the console. Neatly, it also links to a tabbing device in the delivery stack: this inserts a tab printed with the image or area of defect, together with a cancelling tab once the defect is corrected – so the press operator can take out those sheets when the stack is aired or turned.

Ryobi’s Ink Volume Setter software takes the CTP-generated digital file and analyses this to pre-set the ink ducts on the press – so the first sheet off the press is very close to colour, says Handforth. Built into the IVS software is Programme Inking, a facility that calculates the run length and powers down the delivery of ink to the ducts as the job comes to an end. This achieves two objects: first, a blank(ish) sheet for the IVS to begin the next job, and second a wash-up that’s quicker, easier and less wasteful of ink.

The 1050 also comes with new operating software for its off-press console: this has a split-screen display for dual performance of separate tasks. So if, for instance, you have job management on the screen, explains Handforth, but you wanted to come out of that and do a wash-up in between jobs, where you’d normally have to come out of one menu and bring up another one, on this you can display one side by side with the other. It saves a bit of time and fiddling about.

Energy saving
The cost of energy being what it currently is, potential 1050 users might be interested to know that Ryobi has focused on the power consumption of the 1050 as a key issue. Ryobi has adopted the latest electronic drives and motors, which is part of what allows the press to run using substantially less power than other manufacturers’ machines, Handforth says. Makeready waste is reduced by use of IVS and PQS and all Ryobi machines now come equipped as standard for running alcohol substitutes. In fact, the press has a dual-control ink temperature management system: the whole of the inking system is chilled, but the ink ducts run on a separate water circuit from the ink oscillating rollers, to allow machine operators to run a higher temperature through the ink ducts to reduce ink viscosity, while keeping ink delivery to the forme rollers at a slightly lower temperature to maintain viscosity control.

As key factors in the aggressive pricing of the Ryobi 1050, Apex joint managing director Bob Usher cites the increased capacity at Ryobi’s Hiroshima factory for volume manufacturing, together with a high quality of build: These two factors will ensure that the Ryobi 1050 will be marketed at a very competitive price. Handforth adds: The proof of the pudding will be in the eating. We come back to the proven aspects of the 750 – the quality of dot reproduction, the solid rollout, the heavy build and Ryobi’s ever-increasing track record in the larger press formats. This is the first machine in a series: Ryobi will add to the running speed and the number of units in the coming 12 months.

SPECIFICATIONS
Max speed 16,000sph
Number of units 4, 5, 6 with optional coater
Max substrate thickness 0.6mm (1mm option)
Max sheet size 1,085x780mm
Min sheet size 480x340mm
Price TBA
Contact Apex Digital Graphics 0142 235236 www.apexdigital.co.uk

THE ALTERNATIVES
Heidelberg SM 102
Heidelberg’s 13,000sph industry-standard machine holds up well against the Ryobi in specification terms: it’s optionally convertible to perfecting and has a thicker standard sheet measurement, although it’s slower and it has a smaller maximum sheet size, but if it’s speed and a larger format you want, there’s always the XL 105.
Number of units up to 12 with optional coater
Max substrate thickness 0.8mm
Sheet size 420x280mm-1,020x720mm
Price from £464,000
Contacteidelberg 020 8490 3500 www.heidelberg.com

KBA Rapida 105 Universal
The Universal is a 15,000sph production-orientated B1 machine with a high specification: up to eight units, only a fraction slower than the Ryobi and a world-beating maximum stock thickness. It has a high level of automation, with fully automatic plate change, washes and presets.
Number of units up to eight with optional coater
Max substrate thickness 1.2mm
Sheet size 500x350mm-1,050x720mm
Price from £1m
Contact KBA UK 01923 819922 www.kba-print.de

Komori Lithrone S40
This is Komori’s 16,000sph non-dedicated perfector, but still it racks up an impressive performance. It has fully automatic plate change as standard, a fast top speed and a high level of automation, including full presets and wash-ups.
Number of units up to 12 with optional coater
Max substrate thickness 1mm
Sheet size 360x520mm-1,030x720mm
Price from £750,000
Contact Komori UK 0113 279 9900 www.komori.com

Manroland 700
A behemoth among the B1 presses, the highly automated 17,000sph 700 has a maximum 16 units with a huge top sheet size and the fastest of all the B1 machines’ top speed, barring Heidelberg’s XL model.
Number of units up to 16 with optional coater
Max substrate thickness 1mm
Sheet size 340x480mm-1,040x780mm
Price from £1.1m
Contact Manroland www.man-roland-gb.com

Mitsubishi Diamond 3000
Mitsubishi is renowned for its levels of automation and this 16,000sph press is no exception. Fast running speed, good maximum sheet thickness, and the number of units and choice of coaters is wide.
Number of units up to 14 with optional coater
Max substrate thickness 1mm
Sheet size 540x360mm-1,040x740mm
Price six-colour plus coater £980,000
Contact MLP UK www.mitsubishipresses.co.uk