Heidelberg Speedmaster Series Wins Technology Award

By: Toni McQuilken

For the first time in 35 years, Printing Industries of America (PIA) honored a 57”/64” sheetfed offset press with a 2013 InterTech Technology Award. Heidelberg’s Speedmaster XL 145/162 VLF press series was recognized for its twin-gripper delivery system and Remote Fan-Out Control (RFOC), features that bring peak performance to large-format, light paper printing and perfecting. The combined cost savings of both technologies can top $1 million per year in time and paper costs alone.  

“True leadership is proven by consistency,” said Harald Weimer, president, Heidelberg USA. “This is the 32nd time a Heidelberg innovation has been privileged to receive an InterTech Technology Award, and we are extremely proud to continue our unique history of innovation. This year, Heidelberg is the only offset press manufacturer to be so honored. Launched in 2008, our XL 145/162 platform is the newest in the industry, as well as the first to receive an InterTech Technology Award in this class.”  

Launched at drupa 2012, the twin-gripper delivery secures both the front and tail edge of the sheet, guiding it all the way through the delivery—without any scratching or marking. As the sheet approaches the delivery pile, a separate slow-down system takes the tail end of the sheet and positions it on the delivery pile, eliminating the need for sheet brake corridors, thereby saving up to 1.9” in sheet width on every sheet.  

Lightweight paper tends to stretch during the offset printing process, leading to paper growth or “fan-out” that used to force an operator to stop the press and manually adjust the tail clamps of the plate. With Remote Fan-Out Control, however, these adjustments are made directly from the Prinect Press Center console, and register-fit is achieved throughout the sheet from gripper to tail. At the end of a job, the press automatically moves all tail clamps back into zero position before the plates are ejected.