KBA has revamped its large-format Rapida 145 with a host of new features that speed up makeready and production on the press.

The 145, which has a format of 105x145cm, can now run at a top speed of 17,000sph in non-stop production mode, whereby the infeed pallet is automatically changed while the press is still running at maximum speed.

"This is the fastest press in this class. We have deliberately given the press to customers who run this sort of production over several shifts and they are running at 90% availability," stated sheetfed head of marketing Jurgen Veil.

At its open house event this week KBA also showed a four-back-four perfecting version of the 145 that perfects at 15,000sph thanks to a new three-drum perfecting mechanism, which KBA described as "revolutionary".

A new extended delivery for the press, AirTronic, is also available.

Fast makeready technologies from KBA's B1 range have now been incorporated into its larger-format presses, too, including DriveTronic SPC simultaneous plate changing, which allows plate changing to happen at the same time as other processes.

The manufacturer carried out a plate change, blanket wash, and loading of new ink profiles in less than two minutes. "A complete makeready takes around three minutes," added Veil.

KBA claims makeready time savings of between 40%-70% on competing presses, calculated over 1,000 job changes. 

Also new is an innovative coating tower that uses anilox sleeves instead of heavy rollers. A simple exchange mechanism allows a single operator to slide the rollers out of the press when making a coating change.

Due to the use of DriveTronic technology this can take place while the press is still running, and in the case of presses with double-coaters could also be used for speedier job-to-job changes.

"You could be doing a full makeready on the second coating tower while a job is printing, meaning there is zero makeready on the coating tower," Veil explained.

At Drupa KBA will show a plinth-mounted Rapida 145 with the new coater, a triple-extended delivery, and automated pile handling.