A package to upgrade vintage KBA Compacta S80 heatset presses has been developed by DCOS with manufacturers Koenig & Bauer.
A first project is a 1991 S80 in Germany, to be equipped with a fully loaded print inspection system in addition to a complete drive and control system upgrade. DCOS' printing automation platform has been customised to incorporate a new main drive system, shaftless drives (to replace mechanical PIVs), an updated safety system and a new machine and quality control system.
DCOS chief executive Mattias Andersson says customising a retrofit on 30-year-old press - which would have been fairly automated for its time - was always going to bring engineering challenges. "We have enjoyed being part of this project together with Koenig & Bauer and it is rewarding to see the outcome, a modernised and fully-automated press with many productive years ahead," he says.
The installation included closed-loop density, colour register and cut-off control and soft proofing system, with a camera based closed-loop web guide control developed for the project.