Customized Machines: (Almost) Nothing is Impossible

Roland Varga (left) and the Customizing Team

More and more customers are choosing customized models when purchasing a printing press. Customization experts at Heidelberg individually tailor them to fit printers' needs. And they come up with quite a lot of ideas in the process of creating the best possible solutions.

Whether small extras or completely new configurations, the reasons for purchasing customized machines are similar: "Our customers want to distinguish themselves from the competition. They achieve this by increasing their performance or creating products and effects which stand out," says Roland Varga, Product Manager Customizing 70 x 100. Almost every one in five 70 x 100 format presses supplied by Heidelberg now includes individual customer adjustments. In other formats, the trend is towards customized models as well. Customers either approach their Heidelberg SSU with a configuration suggestion or they bring an example of their applications and are advised by the customization experts.

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG: Speedmaster XL 105-LYY-9+LYYL. The machine’s configuration with three coating units before and after the printing units enables an almost limitless number of applications.

Speedmaster XL 105-LYY-9+LYYL. The machine’s configuration with three coating units before and after the printing units enables an almost limitless number of applications.

Details

Simply different: Extras from the series
The modular design of the presses enables Heidelberg to create a wide range of customer-specific configurations, using as many components as possible from the series production models. "That's not only economical, it also ensures our high level of quality, for example on the Speedmaster XL 105 Duo," explains Varga. The printing press combines flexographic and offset printing units. This enables diverse effects to be achieved in one pass, which otherwise would only be possible with expensive materials or several passes. This means that a complete pass can be saved on the coating unit before the printing units, for example. Configurations which were originally developed as customer requests are now being mass produced due to high demand. For example, the Speedmaster SM 102 long perfecting press also began its "career" as a customized model.

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG: Speedmaster XL 105-6+L. The machine was set at its maximum height and equipped with the Heidelberg Logistics Systems for automatic material handling. This allows packaging specialists to achieve the highest levels of productivity.

Speedmaster XL 105-6+L. The machine was set at its maximum height and equipped with the Heidelberg Logistics Systems for automatic material handling. This allows packaging specialists to achieve the highest levels of productivity.

Details

The path to a customer-specific printing press

Regardless of whether there are minimal deviations from the series model or completely new configurations, the customization experts always look for the best possible solution. After an initial customer consultation, the development and production departments are contacted to ascertain whether the desired configuration has been done before or whether the new development is technologically possible and the desired applications feasible. Based on cost-effectiveness and feasibility tests, the experts determine the ideal configuration. Then the print shop receives an offer. If the customer confirms the order, the customization team produces the custom-tailored solution in close coordination with the customer.

The team includes specialists from product management, production and development as well as from service. An installation representative serves as a link between the customer and the customization team and is always available to field questions from the customer. They are also very familiar with the customer's operations, and are able to determine if structural or technical changes are needed to make the machine perform at its best. The machine is tested extensively in the Wiesloch-Walldorf factory. "Only when the unique machine completely meets the customer's needs is it installed," says Varga.

Print Version

Short Interview with Roland Varga

Mr. Varga, how can the customer be sure to receive theis own indi-vidual ideal configu-ration?

Varga: The print shop's job portfolio always plays a decisive role. We determine the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of special confi-gurations in comprehensive analyses and thus provide well-founded investment guidance. To do so, we use tried and tested instruments such as the "BizModel." This simulation software uses the customer's business and production data to show how the different options affect productivity. In addition, our installation employee makes sure that the customer's conditions - such as the foundation's supporting capacity or the power supply - match the customized machine.

How much more expensive is a custom-tailored machine or a new development in relation to the compar-able series model?

Varga: That depends on how complex the change is. Small, simple changes on a mass-produced machine are hardly of consequence percent-wise. A new development, on the other hand, can be up to ten percent more expensive than the series model.

Please tell us about some unusual custom-tailored solutions.

Varga: A Japanese print shop which printed transparent films for light boxes applied two to three layers of opaque white. The UV dryer's radiation was blocked by the opaque white so much that the lower layers of ink couldn't harden completely and adhesion problems arose. The customer therefore turned over the film and ran it through the machine to dry again. We found a practical solution for the customer: We built in an additional dryer from below in the sheet travel guide. This meant the customer only needed one pass and thus saved time and money.