Catalent purchases 10-colour KBA press to support its European printed components business
Catalent Pharma Solutions, a US provider of technology and services to the global pharmaceutical, biotechnology and consumer health industry, has bought a 10-colour KBA Rapida 106 printing press for its printed components facility in Dublin, Ireland. Due to be installed next month, the press is capable of printing 15,000 sheets per hour. It is fitted with KBA’s QualiTronic full-sheet scanning system, which was developed for the German manufacturer’s currency printing presses.
The QualiTronic camera scans each sheet at a resolution of more than three million pixels at full production speed. The image is then inspected and compared with an approved master sheet for any inconsistencies or deviations. If any deviations are found, the sheet is marked for removal downstream. The system can also detect any minute colour changes and automatically adjust the press in a closed-loop sequence, without the need for operator intervention. The press also has a simultaneous plate changing system for rapid make-readies and PlateIdent to reduce run-up waste and ensure correct sequencing. Its innovative 2-over-8 configuration enables for the first time the concurrent production and make-ready of alternate jobs on a single press, reducing downtime to a minimum. This provides the flexibility to handle both high- and low-volume jobs without sacrificing quality. The press also runs at low energy consumption levels, which supports Catalent’s efficiency goals. ‘The KBA Press brings a variety of innovative capabilities specifically tailored to meet the changing needs of our customer base,’ said Victor Dixon, vice president and general manager of Catalent’s printed components business. ‘It introduces a higher standard in pharmaceutical carton supply and follows our investment in similar technology upgrades at our plants in the US and Puerto Rico.’ www.catalent.com
