Repeated SOMA sales in Japan
A new SOMAFLEX PREMIA flexographic printing machine produced by SOMA Engineering was commissioned in Kinyosha production plant in the city of Oyama in Japanese Omori prefecture on January 23, 2013.
This is already the second flexographic printing machine of the CI type supplied by SOMA company in Japan. The first one was installed in a production plant of Toho Kakou company situated in the same area in the city of Oyama like the Kinyosha factory already in June 2010. Both Japanese companies have concluded a contract on strategic partnership within the framework of which they have started utilizing of a mutually complementing production system based on two SOMA flexographic printing machines. Toho Kakou company which uses also gravure printing started to use all production steps associated with material processing after its flexographic printing such as lamination, cutting and production of packing material itself. Both the companies expect productivity increasing from this step and believe to obtain an advantage ahead of price completion in the field of printing and processing of packing materials and also a strong position in the market with the products fully utilizing characteristic benefits of flexographic printing.
The SOMAFLEX PREMIA flexographic printing machine was supplied in Japan already at the beginning of last December and its installation and preparations associated with its commissioning followed immediately afterward. It is an eight-colour flexographic printing machine designated solely for printing with water soluble inks. Its width of the track is 1,320 mm, maximum printing width 1,270 mm, maximum roll width for winding up and unwinding 1,000 mm and maximum printing speed can be up to 500 m/min
, however, the speed of approximately 350 m/min is used usually. Hot air pre-drying of ink immediately after its application on the substrate takes place between individual inking units and final drying of the completed print is carried out using two hot air nozzles in a drying unit with length of 4.3 m which is positioned in the top part of the machine already before winding up on a roll. With respect to the fact that the temperature changes of the central pressure cylinder on the periphery of which 8 printing units are positioned affect expansion of the printed material and deviations in printing pressures
, cooling of the casing of the PREMIA machine is carried out which results in the quantity of heat discharged in raster and printing rollers. Thermal conductivity can be controlled thanks to the use of two patented technologies Q-SHIELD PCTS and Q-SHIELD CDTS which allows achieving stabilization and unification of the quality of print regardless of ambient temperature. Shaft-free winding up and unwinding makes work of the operator easier and roll supporting from both sides also results in a reduction of roll run-out caused by oscillation during machine operation which also has a positive effect upon achieved printing quality. In particular the FALCON II automatic system for printing points setting thanks to which it is possible to achieve considerable shortening of job preparation time is a characteristic advantage of the PREMIA flexographic printing machine.
Kinyosha company asked for 60 modifications of the machine in total in the contract for delivery of this flexographic printing machine so that the unit could comply with specific requirements of the Japanese market. The Kinyosha technicians were dispatched in the SOMA Engineering production plant so as to carry out flexographic printing machine testing especially from the viewpoint of operation ability of the machine and precision of printing points. “SOMA Engineering considered very seriously all our requirements. Rather than modifications of the machine itself, they have carried out improvements associated with simplification of its operation which improves precision of printing points with immediate effect,” explains Ken Asano, Kinyosha’s president.
This company carried out market survey in connection with their entrance in the flexographic printing industry. They came to the conclusion that big opportunities open for them in this field. “Not only printing machines are concerned but also the equipment required for consequent processing of packing materials which makes an enormous investment from the whole matter. That is why we have decided for business relationship with the Toho Kakou company which carried out the first installation of the SOMAFLEX flexographic printing machine in the domestic market in 2010 and made a great contribution to development and formation of this market. The company has big business strength in the Japanese market with packing materials also thanks to the fact that they succeeded in creating an integral production system including also equipment for consequent printing product processing. And with respect to the fact that they considered extension of the flexographic printing capacity
, they have welcomed our offer of cooperation and cooperative production,” added the president Asano.