Unlike the MAN Roland DICOweb, which offers a similar concept, the sleeves will be de-imaged, coated and re-imaged off press.

We decided on an offline system because it delivers several benefits, said international marketing executive for the print machinery planning group James Gann. The press doesnt stop during imaging, makeready is reduced and capital expenditure is reduced as one Reusable Plate System (RPS) can supply multiple presses.

The prototype RPS to be shown at Drupa can produce a new plate in 14 minutes, although the firm expects the commercial version, which will go into test in the Japanese market within two years, to take three minutes.

It uses sprayable polymer and reusable plates, which are good for up to 20 uses. The plates can produce 100,000 impressions per use. Currently the plates are supplied by sister firm Mitsubishi Chemical. The firm didnt reveal details of any other partners in the project.

The Diamond MAX-V has a cut off range of 546-625mm. Blanket and plate cylinder changes take two minutes, with ink and fount roller train and folder settings being automatically adjusted. Its going to change everything forever, said Gann. At Drupa a single unit machine will be shown.

The firms dedicated straight perfector, the Diamond 3000TP, will be shown with new features for Drupa, including aqueous coating and IR drying in a 4/4 configuration. It will also show a new auto plate loading system that slashes changeover time, using what it claims is a world first simultaneous plate cylinder repositioning.

The semi-automatic version that the firm will show was claimed to halve the time to change all eight plates from an industry standard of eight to four minutes. The firm promises the fully-automatic system will cut that to just one minute.

A Diamond 3000LX will show a raft of new pre-setting features. Like Heidelbergs latest Speedmaster 102, sheet size, thickness and type can be set, controlling the feeder and other settings including the fans in the delivery.

It will also have a shutter in the delivery allowing printing to continue while the pile is removed.

by Barney Cox