Here's Heidelberg's press release for their digital presses at IPEX. Good news and bad news for Presstek here. The good news is that the new Quickmaster appears to show some advancement over the old Quickmaster, and still appears to be one of the better options for the short run market. In addition, the release mentions the PearlGold as being imaged on the SM-74 DI. The bad news is that it is pretty apparent from the press release that the SM-74 DI is pure Creo technology, which means no royalties to Presstek, contrary to Scott's guesses. Additionally, Heidelberg gives a guess as to the number of Quickmaster installs (over 700) which suggests that sales have indeed slowed considerably, most likely an effect of the global slowdown as much as anything, although there are also probably printers who have waited to see what the new Quickmaster looks like, also.
"September 21, 1998ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿThe revolution in medium-format presses - world
premiere for Speedmaster DI 74ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿGreater speed and convenience from
Heidelberg - the new Quickmaster DI plusÿÿÿÿÿÿÿHeidelberger
Druckmaschinen AG will be using IPEX '98 in Birmingham to present the
Heidelberg Speedmaster DI 74, the world's first medium-format press
equipped with Direct Imaging technology. The range of four models
includes four, five and six-color presses, all of which are based on the
highly automated Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 74. A coating unit and sheet
reversing device are optional. The Speedmaster DI 74 uses wet offset
technology.
"For both Heidelberg and its customers, the new Speedmaster DI 74
represents a systematic further development of Direct Imaging technology
and is an unambiguous response to a clearly defined need", states
Dietmar Walz, responsible for worldwide sales and marketing at the
Direct Imaging Business Unit of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG. "The
evolutionary jump to the A2 format is a valuable addition where
customers already have a Heidelberg Quickmaster DI installed or where
regular jobs with small and medium runs of less than 5000 A2 sheets need
to be handled with a quick turnaround". The move into digitally imaged
medium-format production is ideal for customer and job structures which
are based on "print-on demand" and where the future Speedmaster DI 74
user already has experience of digital workflows and short-run color
printing.
Another new press providing a gateway to digital production technology
is the Heidelberg Quickmaster with Direct Imaging technology which
combines reduced makeready times with improved print quality and greater
operating comfort. This new model, the Quickmaster DI 46-4 plus, will
also be on display at IPEX '98. The productivity of the digital imaging
press has been further enhanced by a makeready time of approx. 10
minutes and a new RIP platform which is some 2.5 times faster than
earlier models. The enhanced print quality has been made possible by
more precise ink feeding thanks to a technically advanced 12-zone ink
fountain and optional ink unit temperature control system. Various
additional improvements have contributed to making the Quickmaster DI
plus even more user-friendly than its predecessors.
With over 700 units of the Heidelberg Quickmaster DI 46-4 installed
worldwide, Direct Imaging technology has developed into a new market
segment with its own dynamism. Heidelberg is offering both current and
future DI customers an outstanding technical service plus marketing and
/ or marketing-oriented support in the form of the new DI Marketing Kit.
Available from local Heidelberg representatives, it provides specific
recommendations and material assistance to ensure that DI users can look
forward to marketing success. The DI Marketing Kit contains everything
which Heidelberg representatives need - from advertisements and
publicity materials to direct mailing - and also provides comprehensive
support to DI users wanting to position themselves as a "Direct Imaging
Center". Heidelberg DI users can also count on support on specific
problems (by contacting the company's Internet address
"http://www.heidelberg-di.com" and have the chance to be entered as a
Direct Imaging Center on the DI Home Page, with a cross-link to the
company's own home page. Numerous DI users worldwide are already making
use of this unique Heidelberg service.
Heidelberg Speedmaster DI 74 - Innovative Direct Imaging technology
combined with top Speedmaster quality in A2 format
The Speedmaster DI 74 makes Heidelberg the first manufacturer to offer a
press solution which combines a fully digital workflow with the highly
automated, medium-format production technology of the Speedmaster - and
does so with either four, five or six colors and an optional sheet
reversing device and coating unit. The Speedmaster DI 74 is based on the
Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 74 and now also supports direct imaging of the
printing plates in the press.
"A whole host of pioneering achievements - for example, the highly
automated Speedmaster production technology, the ability to select a
digital workflow with direct imaging in the press and a choice of four,
five or six printing units with optional coating unit and sheet
reversing device - once again underline the superiority of Direct
Imaging
technology from Heidelberg both in terms of incorporating a
fully-digital workflow in the print production process and of
accommodating the specific market requirements of the short-run color
printing sector", states Dietmar Walz.
Digital workflow and top production speed
Professional data management is the key to fast, high quality and high
productivity processing of jobs in the short-run color market.
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG can offer complete configuration
solutions in the prepress stage which will ensure a smooth digital
workflow. The Heidelberg Speedmaster DI 74 fits seamlessly into this
workflow thanks to its Digital Imaging RIP which works in conjunction
with the Heidelberg Delta Software. The RIPped data is fed online
directly to the imaging units in the printing press. In order to image
the aluminum printing plates, Heidelberg uses a technology developed in
conjunction with Creo which is already being used in similar form in the
Trendsetter platesetter produced jointly by Heidelberg and Creo. The
Direct Imaging technology can image all printing plates simultaneously
with absolute register accuracy. Processless thermal printing plates
such as Presstek Pearl Gold are imaged.
The familiar high printing quality and productivity of the Speedmaster
class is the result of cutting-edge print technology from Heidelberg.
Features which describe the Speedmaster DI 74 include uniform operation
with CPC and CPTronic, Autoplate and automatic washup devices, Alcolor
dampening unit and, if required, Autoregister. The sheet guidance
technology ensures reliable operation with a maximum production speed of
15,000 sheets per hour.
Speedmaster DI 74 - the fast solution for medium-format presses
The Speedmaster DI 74 is an excellent machine for companies who already
have production and marketing experience with digital workflows -
ideally on a Heidelberg Quickmaster DI 46-4 - and are now looking to
move up to the next format. Direct Imaging technology in A2 format is
particularly advantageous if the job structure is geared to small and
medium-sized orders involving quick turnarounds. The Heidelberg
Speedmaster SM 74 with upstream Heidelberg platesetter is a
highly-efficient solution for industrial production focused on medium
and large runs in businesses with several offset presses, a parallel CtP
workflow and / or conventional film imaging solutions. The low unit
costs characteristic of such an environment ensures substantial
competitive advantages.
Heidelberg Quickmaster DI plus - the gateway to Direct Imaging
technology is now easier than ever before
"With over 700 installations worldwide, the Heidelberg Quickmaster DI
46-4 has not only made a breakthrough in the market", announces Dietmar
Walz. "The technological innovations made by Heidelberger Druckmaschinen
AG in the field of direct imaging has also opened up new market segments
for our customers in the field of short-run color printing". These
customers are no longer willing to restrict their operations to typical
printing markets, since some 50% of Quick-master DI users are not
printers. Users very often come from the prepress sector or the
conventional copier market. Since the Quickmaster DI is usually the only
installed press in these companies, print quality, speed, availability,
a broad performance spectrum and ease of operation are all vitally
important factors. In introducing the new Heidelberg Quickmaster DI plus
at IPEX '98 in Birmingham, Heidelberg has once again improved its
cutting-edge DI technology. The result - more speed, better print
quality and new, easy-to-use functions!
The highlights of the new Heidelberg Quickmaster DI plus include:
ú Makeready time cut to around 10 minutes
ú Faster new RIP platform 2.5 times faster than existing solutions
ú Further time savings thanks to optional print cylinder washup device
ú Improved productivity and quality through new, optional inking unit
temperature control system
ú Precise knife-type ink fountain technology for high quality products
ú Advanced 12-zone ink control system for even more precise ink feeding
and greater reproducibility
"Digital production of smaller four-color runs is becoming increasingly
lucrative", explains Dietmar Walz, "since customers are looking for
flexible publishing solutions which are oriented to specific target
groups. At the same time, more and more of our users are recognizing the
benefits of the digital workflow in meeting these customer needs and the
chance to open up new markets for themselves as well as being able to
provide their existing customers with a more flexible service". All of
this is reason enough for Heidelberg to systematically evolve its Direct
Imaging technology with the Quickmaster DI plus and to maximize its
speed and operating comfort. "
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