Fresh off its launch at LabelExpo a brand new Gidue M5 Excellence lands its first Australian install, touching down at Print Media Group early in the new year. Boasting the latest advances in complete hands-free automation, the state-of-the-art digital flexo press is touted to cover 95% of the PMS range with eight-colours.
Distributed locally by Gulmen Engineering, the Gidue M5 Excellence is designed to deliver greater productivity for converters, with unprecedented efficiency across short to medium to long run work. It is claimed to have the lowest press downtime, less than ten metres wastage between jobs, and set-up times of as little as one minute. The M5 allows converters to prepare a new print and die-cut job on a running press and automatically changeover on the fly, without operator assistance.
Eddie Gulmen, managing director of Gulmen Engineering, reveals it is the press’s innovative blend of digital and conventional technology that makes the quick-change a reality.
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“The system is fully automated. When it gets ready for a changeover, while it’s running it slows down, there’s a cylinder already pre-mounted onto a cradle. It basically takes the one that’s printing off impression and, like a carousel, moves it onto the next one. The system then brings all eight colours into register and you’re printing again with just ten meters of waste, and all without an operator touching a thing,” he said.
According to Gulmen, the major obstacle to total automation has always been ink and roller changes.
“The M5 Excellence uses Apex GTT (Genetic Transfer Technology) anilox rollers, which is what makes it possible for the whole automation to work. What it means is with the right prep you can now achieve 95% of PMS with eight colours, which makes it possible to hit that goal of total hands-free automation.
“The M5 uses this special new generation of anilox manufacturing which effectively allows the ink to flow more freely. It basically offers a greater density of ink coverage. But that means is that if you prepare your artroom properly, and manage the plates right you can actually cover 95% of the PMS range with eight colours. That’s how we get the full automation, because you’re not physically stopping the press to change the rollers or the inks,” said Gulmen.
Print Media Group will install the 430 mm M5 Excellence in early 2014, also running ExcelDie for closed loop in-line quality control.