"The 104 was the first machine to have bottom grippers on the crank drive," explains Bobst area sales manager Stuart Taylor. "We also made adjustments to the sector, which drives the gripper bars from section to section so that the sheet moved through the machine more smoothly. This meant that it could run at higher speed with fewer nicks or notches."
The 104 also featured a fixed central stripping board – on the 102 the stripping board moved up and down as the sheet went through, but the 104's fixed stripping board provided greater stability and aided smoother transport of the sheet.
Presses boost
Thanks to these new enhancements, the 104 quickly found favour with customers, racking up numerous sales in the UK and worldwide, according to Taylor. Another major plus in the machine's favour was the introduction in the mid-1990s of next-generation presses from the likes of KBA and Manroland. "Press manufacturers started bringing out 104 and 105 machines so the sheet size of our machine had to progress to handle that," says Taylor.
Two versions of the 104 were available – the SP 104-E with stripping and the SP 104-ER blanking model, which blanked out and took away all the waste. A number of enhancements were added to the machine before it was superseded by the launch of the SPeria 106-E in 2004 and the Novacut 106-E launched in 2008.
In 2000, the machine's top speed was increased from 8,000 to 8,500 sheets per hour and the Quick Lock chase system, which allowed for faster changeovers and had previously been optional, was included as standard.
While Taylor says that there were "too many optional extras to list", he identifies the two most significant as being the automatic lateral pile correction and the Bernoulli control device from die-cutting to stripping.
An early 2000 version of the 104, depending on spec, would cost circa £350,000 new, according to Taylor, with secondhand models selling for around £200,000.
He says there are a number of 104s still in existence and they're popular machines on the secondhand market. Bobst takes back used models and sells directly, but the company has also set up a selling platform for customers, Bobst Exchange (www.bobstexchange.com).
Although production of the machine was discontinued following the launch of the SPeria, spares are readily available and the company has 24 engineers across the UK.
For anyone weighing up purchasing a used 104, Taylor offers the following words of advice. "In general, it's a very sturdy machine and there's not a lot that can go seriously wrong with it, but you should make sure that the register is good. Check that the chains and gripper bars are in good condition and also check the condition of the clutch."
Even if there are issues in these areas, Taylor adds that they can be replaced or overhauled relatively easily.
Specifications
Max sheet size 40x1,040mm
Min sheet size 400x350mm
Max speed 8,500sph
Weight 15 tonnes
Price 2000 model: around £200,000
What to look for
- Condition of clutch, chains and gripper bars
- Good registration
