On 17 September 2020 Bobst announced the launch of its Expert RS 6003 which it says is a new generation gravure printing press that will enable gravure converters to tackle today’s market challenges. A packaging market in a profound transformation with brand owners expecting faster time-to-market and more sustainable solutions.
“Technology directed to bringing equipment and process performance always a step forward to the current market and future requirements is always on the move at Bobst,” explains Jonathan Giubilato, Gravure Product Line manager at Bobst Italia. “The flexible packaging market demands increasingly short-run production, packaging versioning, lighter, thinner, recyclable solutions, global color consistency. Then we are ready to support our converting customers with solutions delivering faster time to market, increased quality, productivity, agility, and safety. Gravure technology is of course no exception.”
Flexibility and productivity are the words for the EXPERT RS 6003, which can reach the maximum speed of 500 meters a minute and be configured with either shaftless or shafted printing cylinders.
Configuration options extend to the inking system choice, to ensure the best quality output according to production requirements. The standard MPI (Multi-Purpose Inking) or the optional HSM (High-Speed Metering) inking systems, both deliver consistent repeatable high-quality printing under any conditions and with all ink and solvent types.
To make press make-ready and job changeovers easier and faster, the company has devised a new, innovative system exclusive to the Expert RS 6003 press. Flex Trolley is a service-type trolley that can either stay on board during printing or be removed after the print unit has been set-up. This reduces considerably the minimum number of trolleys required for press operation and allows maximum flexibility for the changeover operations.
The drying system integrates many of the technical hallmarks of Bobst’s drying technology that have been revisited to ensure the required drying efficiency with a shorter hood length. This solution shortens considerably the web length in the press with a consequent waste decrease of about 30% at start-up and changeover compared to conventional drying chambers.
Bobst’s OneECG-ready gravure press
The press handles high-speed printing with both solvent and water-based inks, and it is oneECG-ready. Bobst has pioneered the use of the Extended Color Gamut (ECG) in gravure with its oneECG solution, which is opening the doors of the digital world for gravure printing to step into a new mode of keeping the pace up with today’s market requirements.
The new press is in line with its vision where connectivity, digitalization, automation, and sustainability are the cornerstones of packaging production, monitoring Apps and Bobst Connect are available for fully remote connectivity and support.
“With our latest developments in gravure we are reinventing the process and reviving the advantages of gravure in a way that gives a factual answer to the question whether gravure is capable of evolving in today’s market transformation to secure a future and sustainable growth to the users,” commented Jonathan Giubilato, Product Line Manager Gravure at Bobst Italia, “We have the tools in place – equipment, processes, digitalized workflows – that will change the industry mindset about gravure and pave the way to a solid future for our gravure printing customers,” he concludes.
