Baldwin Wins World First Newspaper Order For Webcatcher System
11/7/2006
6th November 2006,
BALDWIN WINS WORLD FIRST NEWSPAPER ORDER FOR WEBCATCHER SYSTEM
Baldwin Technology has won its first order from the newspaper market for its groundbreaking WebCatcher system. In a deal agreed between Baldwin Japan and Japanese newspaper printer, Iwate Nichinichi Shimbun, five WebCatcher S15s have been fitted to the five heatset units of a new TKS six-unit press at the company’s Higashidai plant.
“We believe the newspaper sector will become increasingly interested in the ability to prevent web breaks from damaging blankets or other parts of the press,” says product manager Ernst Engelhardt, Baldwin Technology. “As newspaper presses continue to be used more regularly with dryers in order to handle commercial work, so the occurrence of web breaks becomes more of a common problem.”
The WebCatcher S15 is designed for web speeds up to 15 metres per second and can be used with stock between 38 and 130 gsm. The equipment, which can be retrofitted to web offset presses up to 2,000 mm wide, uses laser diode sensors to continuously monitor the web. This technology results in a much shorter response time compared to photo reflection based systems. Baldwin’s latest system, the WebCatcher S18, can be used with webs up to 2,500 mm wide and running at speeds of up to 18 metres per second.
“Baldwin has a great deal of experience in designing and manufacturing equipment that prevents a web of paper causing long production delays or even damage to the press should it break during printing”, continues Ernst Engelhardt. “Most of the functions are highly automated, including the ability of the system to adjust to the width of paper being used and react to movement of the web edge during printing.
“If a web break occurs the WebCatcher S15 initiates an emergency stop of the press. Inside the S15 a trolley cross bar pushes the full width of the paper web to the spinning catching roller, guiding it to the ground in front of the WebCatcher S15, thereby preventing the web from wrapping itself around the blanket or inking rollers. From detecting a tear in the web to catching the web takes only 35 milliseconds. Unlike other web catch equipment, the WebCatcher S15 does not require the secured paper to be taken from the catcher roller before the press can be restarted.”
Web breaks at high speed can be caused by a variety of reasons, from damage to the roll during transit to faults during paper making or the application of too much water on the press. Any web break posses significant potential damage to the press and modern web offset presses running at high speed do not stop instantly when the paper breaks. Even when there is no damage to the blanket or inking rollers, production can be severely interrupted because of the time required to remove paper scraps and reweb the press.
About Baldwin
Baldwin Technology Company, Inc. is a leading international manufacturer of press accessory and controls for the commercial and newspaper printing industries. Baldwin supplies market-leading automated cleaning; dampening and temperature control; drying and curing, and web accessory technologies, products and systems.
With headquarters in Shelton, Connecticut, USA, Baldwin has operations strategically located in the major print markets and distributes its products via a global sales and service infrastructure. Established in 1918, Baldwin employs approximately 510 people worldwide. Since 1987, Baldwin Technology Company, Inc. has been listed on the American Stock Exchange.
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