At drupa 2012, Agfa Graphics unveiled the :Azura CX125 COU cleanout unit, based on what it calls cascade technology, for higher-volume running of its :Azura TS chemistry-free thermal plates. According to the company, this new system yields a 60 percent reduction in gum consumption as compared to previous models.
The :Azura CX125 COU reduces gum consumption and extends bath life, for higher volume users of :Azura TS plates. The :Azura CX125 COU, which accommodates plate widths up to 125c m, is designed to handle plate volumes up to 40,000 m2, while providing a bath life of up to 7,000 m2.
The cascade technology behind the :Azura CX125 COU cleans each plate in two steps: The primary clean out is carried out in Section 1, the plate then passes to Section 2 where the gum is always fresh from the bottle. The key part of the process is the cascade of gum from section 2 to section 1, where a small volume of water is added to compensate for evaporation.
“The patented technology in the new :Azura CX125 COU clean-out unit results in reliable throughput with fewer changeovers, for greater productivity, efficiency and ease of use,” stated Ralph Hilsdon, Marketing Manager, Pre-Press systems, Agfa Graphics.
At drupa, Agfa also highlighted the previously announced launch of :Apogee Suite 8.0, featuring the new :Apogee StoreFront, which is a cloud-based, web-to-print solution, as well as two versions of the UV-curable :Jeti 3020 Titan series – with a 36-print-head configuration that can be field upgraded to a 48-head version.
The company also introduced two new platesetters for the high-volume newspaper market. The :Advantage N PL HS (Pallet Load, High-Speed) and the :Advantage N TR HS (Trolley Load, High-Speed) both run at speeds up to 350 plates per hour, 50 plates more than the :Advantage N. The :Advantage N PL HS features a completely new design and can hold up to 6,000 plates – two pallets of 3,000 plates each.
Agfa also demonstrated for the first time its M-Press Leopard industrial inkjet system, which has an increased bed size of 1.6 x 3.3 metres, as well as an increase to 75 vacuum zones for positioning of the sheet.
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