26 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk March / April 2025 - Issue 353 mentation and robust adherence and the new printer can print on a wide range of substrates, just as the lithographic older sibling can. As for the substrate itself, there are a number of modules at the feeder end of the press that can take a variety of paper sizes up to B3. To ensure the paper is in the best condition, and as the first piece of the quality puzzle, each of these units is climate controlled which in turn conditions the paper prior to being fed into the machine. Once on its way, the paper passes through a sheet detection system which checks for any deformation or imperfections in the paper, any that are found are automatically displaced into a container so the press itself is never likely to be damaged. The paper continues on its way and is placed on a stainless-steel belt with small holes perforated in it though which air passes securing each sheet firmly to it. This is only one of several of the features of the Jetfire 50 which ensures a wide range of substrates can be used. At the Business End At the heart of the machine is the print head which has four inkjet heads for each of the four process colours and a precoating head. The technology within the heads produces a true 1,200 x 1,200dpi copy meaning quality can be taken for granted. As you would expect with a premium product, it is stacked with print head maintenance tools which will keep the heads in optimum condition. Nozzle uniformity control scans the nozzles in each head and ensures each is at consistent output and nozzle activity control, which assesses in real time the condition of each nozzle, closing-down and reappropriating other nozzles to take their place. All these systems go to ensure each copy is has consistent high, smooth print quality. Once printed, the sheet passes through two drying sections to ensure the copy is dry and fit for purpose. Firstly, the sheet passes around a large drying drum which evaporates the water from the freshly printed copy. Next up the sheet goes through the second stage which is a post fixation unit that fully cures the colour meaning it can go straight to post production such as trimming and stitching. Depending on how the machine is configured, in simplex or duplex, the sheet is either sent directly to the stacking unit or the process of the second side being printed is undertaken. In the Family It would be very easy for HEIDELBERG to have taken a machine from Canon and had it sat in the inventory as a stand-alone product. But this would have failed to do what was intended which was to seamlessly fill the gap it identified. What they demonstrated at drupa was this new press slots perfectly into the family and is connected across the print floor via the very successful Print Prinect production manager and the Digital Print Manager. With an inclusion of AI software, HEIDELBERG very much see the modern print shop automatically deciding what press the next job goes on but what the production manager can be assured of with the range of presses now available from HEIDELBERG, the final copy will be the same regardless of which route it took. Brian Sims, principal consultant, Metis Print Consultancy, www.metis-uk.eu UNDER THE HOOD / HEIDELBERG JETFIRE 50 Sheet size Max 356 x 508mm Min 203 x 208mm Production speed Max 4,560 duplex/9,120 simplex Colour CMYK plus precoat Substrates Uncoated/coated/matt offset papers Substrate weight 60/350gsm Statistics ▲ The Jetfire 50 can operate via its Prinect Touch Free Production Manager ▼ Litho and digital print are now being used in partnership more and more
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