HEIDELBERG LAUNCHES SPEEDMASTER SX 102

The world’s biggest press manufacturer Heidelberg is launching a new-generation Speedmaster SX 102, which will also be available in 92cm format.

Heidelberg says the press is aimed primarily at commercial print shops that “require a high level of productivity and top-quality perfecting printing”. Typical areas of use range - from brochures and commercial print products to inserts for pharmaceutical packaging - and therefore include applications involving very thin materials that need to be produced in a single pass.

The company is promoting the basic model on its price-performance ratio, with configurations extending all the way through to an autonomous Push-to-Stop perfecting press. The new 92 format option (650 x 94mm) cuts printing plate costs by up to 20 per cent compared with the conventional 102 sheet format (720 x 1,020mm), which is also available. Heidelberg says this is a key economic consideration, especially given the sharp rise in raw material prices.

The new Speedmaster SX 102 is designed as a scalable press. Depending on the range of applications and the output/automation requirements, the basic model - already equipped with the tried-and-tested Heidelberg perfecting technology - can be ordered with many other assistance systems transferred from Speedmaster XL technology.

These include Intellistart 3, Intelliline, Intellirun, Wash Assistant and Powder Assistant. If required, the configuration can be extended all the way through to Push-to-Stop for autonomous printing.

With the help of AI, the digital assistance systems also achieve a further significant reduction in the number of manual interventions by operators. Besides saving time, this also means there is less risk of errors.

Thanks to the Prinect Press Center XL 3 and the Prinect workflow, the Speedmaster SX 102 can be fully integrated into a print shop’s overall workflow, which ensures efficient data management, precise presettings, up-to-date production data, and informative reports. The Preset Plus feeder and delivery have also been taken over from XL technology, along with further proven solutions.

The Speedmaster SX 102 features what Heidelberg says is an innovative, ergonomic design with a new gallery and guards that also come from the Speedmaster XL series. The end-to-end ergonomics extend to the operation of every single component. Heidelberg says by making life easier for operators with its user-friendly navigation, the Prinect Press Center XL 3 with Speedmaster Operating System delivers predictable results and boosts performance. The various Prinect color measurement systems that are available focus on reproducible color stability and minimal paper waste.

“With the new Speedmaster SX 102, we are once again emphasising our technology leadership,” says Stefan Hasenzahl, head of product management at Heidelberg. “Our customers benefit from a scalable press that can be fully integrated and, if necessary, adapted to their precise requirements using a whole host of established assistance systems from our Speedmaster XL solutions."

Heidelberg has been offering the 102 format class since 1975. In this segment, it is the market leader by some margin. To date, the company has sold well over 100,000 printing and coating units in this format class.

“I’m confident we will continue this success story with the new Speedmaster SX 102. The press makes high-tech solutions affordable to a great many print shops, who also benefit from the industry’s largest and most efficient service network,” concludes Hasenzahl.