How to Keep Your Press Running Like New

While some new offset “iron” is being purchased by print firms in North America, most plant owners and managers still are trying to make do with legacy equipment. But sometimes it takes more than the basics of “changing the oil and tires” to keep older presses printing efficiently and with high quality. And over the course of the past five years or so, offset OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) – including Goss, Heidelberg, KBA, Komori, manroland, Presstek, and Ryobi MHI -- have stepped up their service games to assist customers with tightened budget belts who cannot afford to buy new.

And don’t forget about ongoing operator training, advises John Arnold, technical service manager for Graphco, which distributes Ryobi MHI presses in the Midwest. “Whenever you decide to talk to any one of your vendors, ask about bringing in a technician to make sure you are utilizing their product to maximize its potential,” says Arnold, who has more than 26 years of experience with the Ryobi brand. “It usually ends up being something that either benefits your production immediately or provides a printer the information and personal contacts to solve problems in the future.

Social media helps to get the message out, too. On Twitter last week, Japanese press manufacturer Komori was promoting its KomoriKare extended service package. “Your printing press is your major source of income, so why not let the professionals at Komori take care of it for you through a Service Program that ensures your press will be running in peak condition throughout the year?” its website asks.

KKRT Register Evaluation Test  seems simple enough: Print some sheets with a specific mark and Komori will evaluate them. However, the data obtained from those sheets is invaluable to determine if you have a problem and where that problem may be. It is by far the best toolto evaluate how a press is performing, Komori contends.

The firm’s Pressroom Performance Services also include an audit that can help answer questions such as:

• Is your press in as good a shape as you think it is?
• Are parts that reduce productivity and cost you money wearing out and you don't even know it?
• Is your press on the verge of a major breakdown and you have no clue

Komori will send a service technician to your plant for one day and provide an accurate assessment of just what kind of condition your press really is in. The benefits and cost savings from this program make it a no-brainier, says the manufacturer.

Web-offset maintenance

At the Graph Expo 15 show in 17 days, Goss will have its Lifetime Support team on hand in Chicago to present parts, service, and enhancement programs, designed to extend the competitive lifespan of its press and finishing systems. Visitors who stop by the Goss booth can find out what special parts promotions are being offered during the show.

Also at the show, on the web-offset side of the market, KBA another German press manufacturer, will promote its web service retrofit/rebuild program, which offers preventative change-over installation from discontinued drive components from AMK and BRC on an existing press to new proven technology. The Buffalo News has just ordered a retrofit for nine reelstands from KBA (they have a total of 18 reelstands), which will begin in mid-September, and a Canadian customer has just ordered two retrofits; they have a total of 4 reelstands.

Earlier this year, KBA performed a BRC retrofit on a KBA Comet press and this October KBA will perform a retrofit on a KBA Colora press

Meanwhile, with the recent trends from several web press manufacturers to decrease their focus on controls retrofits for existing newspaper presses, manroland web systems is poised to use its well-known and widely respected custom-phased approach to controls upgrades and retrofits for all web presses, including those not bearing the manroland web systems brand.

“The time is right for us to offer these technologies as a solution for all web press brands. In this market,” states Greg Blue, CEO of manroland web systems North America. “Web printers need to not only extend the life of their existing installed base, but also increase production, color, and format flexibility. Our controls technology, which has been proven in the field to be top-of-the-line, is a perfect fit.”

manroland web systems engineers have created a controls upgrade package consisting of software and hardware modules for the complete automation and networking of print production, available on existing newspaper presslines of any brand. Modern publishers benefit from this cutting-edge concept by installing manroland's world-renowned PECOM-X controls interface, allowing numerous production benefits. These upgrades are done by retrofitting existing press consoles with manroland web systems’ gateway hardware.

In addition to upgrading controls, newspaper companies in North America have had increased installations of Interbus retrofits. Companies are securing their printing presses’ performance, as the new components are less susceptible to failure and are optimally integrated in the PECOM system, the manufacturer reports.

manroland web systems also offers its expertise as an OEM with in-depth knowledge of printing press automation. manroland web systems can optimally adjust the interaction of old and new electronics components. This fulfills an essential customer requirement: a smooth production process during retrofitting. Thorough planning ensures that there are no unforeseen downtimes during the conversion, and the total project expenses can be accurately planned.

“We have been using customized, phased approaches for years, ensuring our customers get the benefits of updated controls systems without massive capital expenditures or interruptions to production,” Blue continues, “Our customers have had the benefit of the depth of knowledge provided by manroland web systems’ engineers, and now we are able to provide that knowledge, along with first rate hardware and software solutions, to web printers across the board.”

So, whether you are looking for additional formats through a retrofit or upgrade, or looking to improve efficiency by reducing waste, manroland web systems’ engineers are experts in creating thriving pressrooms for today’s changing and complicated print market. During Graph Expo 2015, the team from manroland web systems will be available at Booth #1267 for discussions with printers of all sizes and needs.