Rotogravure enjoying a resurgence

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Rotogravure enjoying a resurgence

Rotogravure presses continue
to get wider and faster.
Muller Martini Panorama June 2005
After several years of stagnation, rotogravure is currently
experiencing a revival. As presses continue to get wider
and faster, press delivery system requirements also become
more demanding.
For years there had been a downward
trend in new investments in rotogravure
– the “king of printing processes”
according to James Siever, General
Secretary of the European Rotogravure
Association (ERA). 2003 was the sector’s
worst year by far – but now new equipment
is being purchased again now. In
Europe alone there were no fewer than 14
new presses bought in 2004 and 2005.
Europe has more than a 50 percent
share
Pira International, the industry’s monitor,
is also sending out positive signals. According
to the latest Pira survey, from
1999 to 2004 investments in the “stronghold”
of Europe fell back by another
7.5 %. We say “stronghold” because ERA
statistics tell us that over 50 percent of all
the rotogravure presses installed in the
world are running in Europe, where 20,000
people are employed and every year 5.5
million tons of paper are printed for magazines
and catalogs.
However, Pira is forecasting an increase
of 1.9 percent for the period from 2004 to
2009. At first glance, this figure could appear
somewhat modest. But firstly it is
back in the black after five years in the red.
And secondly, the Pira forecasts for a few
countries are already bordering on optimistic.
“The British need to catch up”
A growth of 26.9 percent is forecast for
the United Kingdom in the next five years
– compared to a decrease of 3.9 percent
between 1999 and 2004. “The British have
a lot of catching up to do in the rotogravure
field,” says Johannes Boppel. The
Project Manager responsible for rotogravure
design at German press manufacturer,
Koenig & Bauer AG (KBA), which
incidentally is currently involved with a
number of large systems in a joint venture
with print finishing specialists, Muller
Martini, is also happy to provide the reasons
for his statement: “A significant
number of rotogravure products destined
for the British market is produced outside
the country and must be transported
across the Channel at a considerable expense.”
Of course, transport costs would not be
as significant if the printed products can
be moved by truck. But as soon as they
have to be shipped, the bill skyrockets. In
addition, the time factor has an ever-increasing
role to play for printed products
that have come off a rotogravure press.
Eastern Europe is growth market
A second big growth market is Eastern
Europe. “It has made a substantial contribution
to the upturn in our sector of the
industry,” Erik Rehmann, Marketing Man-
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ager at KBA, informs us. Rotogravure investment
in the countries of Eastern Europe,
where most of the complete new
systems are going in, is set to rise by a
sizeable 18.6 percent by the year 2009
(10.7 percent between 1999 and 2004
alone). The eastern European countries,
where wages are low, are not only producing
for export, but also in increasing quantities
for their own markets, thanks to their
economic boom.
The first 4.32 m wide rotogravure
printing press
New technical developments go hand-inhand
with this upward trend. Presses are
getting wider and faster all the time. KBA,
together with the Italian machine manufacturer
Cerutti (a world leader in rotogravure
illustration printing), has developed
the world’s first 4.32 m (170”) wide rotogravure
press for maul-belser in Nuremberg,
Germany. It was put into operation
at the end of 2004 at the same time as a
press delivery system from Muller Martini.
Three additional machines of this type will
be going into service in the middle of 2006
at the new printing center of arvato in
Liverpool, England.
With a production speed of over 15 m/s,
a previously unknown level of productivity
and performance in terms of area printed
per hour can be achieved. Erik Rehmann
proudly confirms, “the first copies coming
off the new TR12B in Nuremberg have
provided ample proof that the high printing
quality, for which rotogravure is known
is in no way suffering because of the extralarge
width.”
Rotogravure is the keyword
Rotogravure consistently guarantees high
quality with long runs like no other printing
process. Gravure presses are therefore
predestined for the industrial scale manufacturing
of magazines, catalogs and advertising
material. Their big advantage is
the variable circumference of the cylinders.
They allow stepless adaptation to the
60,000 rph
Speeds have also been increasing on par
with the development of press widths.
The XXL presses print at a rate of 60,000
plate cylinder rotations per hour. For example:
30 years ago the top speed was
40,000 rotations. “Previously, I could never
have imagined that 60,000 rotations an
hour would be possible,” confirms Johannes
Boppel. “We are hitting kinetic limits
here. As a result of the acceleration, a 150
gram (5 1 /3 ounces) product in the folder
weighs no less than 23 kilograms (58 lbs).
Therefore, because of the loading limits of
the paper, the speed curve will be somewhat
flatter in the future.”
desired copy size with minimal trim allowance.
Register-accurate paper widths of
over 4.3 m (over 14 feet) can be printed
problem free with 4, 6 or 8 pages on the
circumference, as well as 18 pages across
the width, at the highest possible processing
speeds. Rotogravure printing is also
one of the most environmentally-friendly
With the TR12B, KBA has developed
the first 4.32 m (170”) wide rotogravure
press for maul-belser in Nuremberg.
More favorable cylinder
manufacturing costs
It is true that plate cylinder manufacturing
for rotogravure – especially in comparison
with offset printing – has long been complicated,
labor-intensive, slow and therefore
expensive. Consequently, rotogravure
was only used for printed products of
large editions. However, the complete
process automation that was previously
only partially automated has, depending
on cylinder quantities, enabled a drop in
cylinder manufacturing costs of up to 40
percent. Digitized and automated processing
in the prepress section enables the fast
and reliable manufacture of cylinders.
printing methods, because up to 98 percent
of the solvents used in the adsorption
process can be recycled. “Rotogravure
not only has clear quality advantages, but
also provides cost savings and environmental
benefits,” confirms ERA General
Secretary, James Siever.
6 Muller Martini Panorama June 2005

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1988 1991 1995 1998 2001 2004
Widths of rotogravure printing presses:
Over a period of 16 years, the width of
KBA rotogravure presses has increased
from 308 to 432 cm (121 to 170”).
Printed products with smaller runs can
now be produced cost-effectively using a
rotogravure process. The shorter setup
times are, according to Johannes Bop-
pel, also a good argument for produc-
ing with rotogravure equipment: “In
former days many printing plants did not
change a single cylinder for days, but
these days they are often changed on a
daily basis.”
New press delivery system required
The fact that gravure presses were delivering
higher and higher output rates naturally
had a knock-on effect on the press
delivery system. “Our main responsibility
is the printing,” comments Johannes Boppel.
“But we couldn’t just have the products
produced on our presses flying onto
a heap on the floor. Therefore, during the
overall planning of a new installation it is
important to guarantee the necessary interfaces
and paper flow downstream from
the press.”
“The machines have to keep running,
otherwise it eats into the profits,” says
Felix Stirnimann, Market Sector Manager
for press delivery systems at Muller Martini.
One of the finishing company’s responses
to ever increasing gravure press
outputs is the “Maximo” high-performance
log stacker.
Muller Martini is an industry pioneer
with a long tradition
Press delivery systems have a long tradition
at Muller Martini – and this does not
only apply to products produced on rotogravure
printing presses. An industry pioneer,
the Swiss company developed the
world’s first compensating stacker in 1969
Muller Martini Panorama June 2005
USA
others
Japan
Europe
Rotogravure printing presses around the
world: With its 56 percent share, Europe
is rotogravure’s stronghold.
and then in 1975 the “Jumbo Stacker
244”, which was the first ever fully automatic
log stacker.
The “Maximo” log stacker, which is the
latest achievement by Muller Martini, ensures
that printed products can be picked
up from the press delivery smoothly, due
to a cycle time of 20 seconds, a maximum
page count of 128 per signature and a
bundle length of 500 to 1,200 mm – even
with wider, faster presses. “Muller Martini’s
extensive experience with press delivery
systems is reflected in the new
machine,” says Felix Stirnimann, not without
a certain amount of pride.
Horizontal principle increases
quality
Just like the “AvantiPlus” (top segment)
and “Vivo” (middle segment) log stackers,
the “Maximo”, which was developed for
the highest segment, is also based on the
horizontal principle, which increases log
quality and reduces waste. Apart from the
high level of availability, other outstanding
features of the new log stacker include
product size variability (ideal for catalog
producers), job data storage (ideal for
publishers with repeat orders) and the interface
for internal data recording (ideal
for ensuring continuous workflow according
to JDF/JMF).
The “Maximo” is controlled by a master
control system that has also been newly
developed (Macos). This control system
allows a better overall view of the system
and the process sequence. It also ensures
a more accurate display, so that faults can
be rectified quickly. “Because every holdup,
even short ones, increases the waste
rate,” Felix Stirnimann points out.
rph
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Speed of rotogravure presses: In future,
the speed curve will have a flatter profile
because of the loading limits of the paper
stock.
Log, rolls, bundles, pallets . . .
Including log stackers, Muller Martini has
another couple of strings to its bow in the
press delivery area in regards to roll systems
and bundle-building. “Bundle building
is the most efficient method of shortterm
storage and finishing for products
with medium to longer processing times,”
Mr. Stirnimann informs us. “For example,
it is ideally suited for telephone books.”
However, roll systems have the highest
level of automation. They are especially
useful for publications with short processing
times. Only one person is required to
operate the press delivery system and
load the saddle stitcher or perfect binder.
Building bundles (often from finished
products) and subsequent palletizing is
also highly automated. Loading the bundles
requires the most manpower. “This
method of finishing,” says Felix Stirnimann,
“enables the greatest possible flexibility.”
. . . and rotary trimmers
Beside buffer systems, rotary trimmers
are also responsible for the efficient finishing
of printed products. They can be used
both inline and offline. In the case of rotogravure
and high-volume offset printed
products, however, they are detached
from the press – as in businesses with a
small proportion of finished products.
Therefore, finishing is best not coupled
with the press.
www.mullermartini.com
www.kba-print.de
www.cerutti.it
www.era.eu.org
www.pira.co.uk
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Press delivery systems from Muller Martini
“Maximo” log stacker
� Cycle time:
20 seconds/log
� Maximum number of pages:
128/signature
� Log length:
500–1,200 cm
“AvantiPlus” log stacker
� Cycle time:
32 seconds/log
� Maximum number of pages:
96/signature
� Log length:
500–1,200 cm
“Vivo” log stacker
� Cycle time:
60 seconds/log
� Maximum number of pages:
32/signature
� Log length:
500–1,200 cm
“Forte” compensating stacker
� Cycle time:
1.2 meters/second
� Mechanical output:
100,000 copies/hour
� Maximum stack height:
350 mm
“Cohiba” automatic palletizer
� Bundles per minute:
max. 24 (packaged A4)
� Pallet height:
max. 1,600 mm
� Product size:
A5–A3
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“Fontana” automatic palletizer
� Bundles per minute:
max. 40 (packaged A4)
� Pallet height:
max. 1,600 mm
� Product size:
A6–A3
“PrintRoll Universal” roll system
� Folded signature with overlap:
min. 200 x 145 mm,
max. 480 x 320 mm
� Number of pages:
min. 4 (90 g/m 2 )
or 16 (45 g/m 2 ), max. 96
� Number of straps: 2
“PrintRoll P220” roll system
� Folded signature with overlap:
min. 200 x 145 mm,
max.. 340 x 260 mm
� Number of pages:
min. 4 (90 g/m 2 )
or 16 (45 g/m 2 ), max. 96
� Number of straps: 1
“Compacto” rotary trimmer
� Transport speed:
max. 60 meters/minute
� Trim thickness, compressed:
max. 8 mm
� Signature size: untrimmed
max. 550 � 500 mm,
trimmed max. 544 � 497 mm
“Exacto” rotary trimmer
� Transport speed:
max. 60 meters/minute
� Trim thickness, compressed:
max. 12 mm
� Product size:
untrimmed max. 490 � 490 mm,
trimmed max. 484 � 487 mm
Muller Martini Panorama June 2005