IN THIS ISSUE
- Welcome to myHeidelbergONLINE
- Customized Machines
- Postpress Discount
- Show Us Your Heidelberg
- POLAR Replacement Special
- "Houston, We Have A Problem!"
- QM 46 bundles
Welcome to the inaugural issue of
myHeidelbergONLINE from Heidelberg USA!
Customized Machines: (Almost) Nothing is Impossible
More and more customers are choosing customized models when purchasing a printing press. Customization experts at Heidelberg individually tailor them to fit printers' needs. And they come up with quite a lot of ideas in the process of creating the best possible solutions.Whether small extras or completely new configurations, the reasons for purchasing customized machines are similar: "Our customers want to distinguish themselves from the competition. They achieve this by increasing their performance or creating products and effects which stand out," says Roland Varga, Product Manager Customizing 70 x 100. Almost every one in five 70 x 100 format presses supplied by Heidelberg now includes individual customer adjustments. In other formats, the trend is towards customized models as well. Customers either approach their Heidelberg SSU with a configuration suggestion or they bring an example of their applications and are advised by the customization experts. Simply different: Extras from the series
The modular design of the presses enables Heidelberg to create a wide range of customer-specific configurations, using as many components as possible from the series production models. "That's not only economical, it also ensures our high level of quality, for example on the Speedmaster XL 105 Duo," explains Varga. The printing press combines flexographic and offset printing units. This enables diverse effects to be achieved in one pass, which otherwise would only be possible with expensive materials or several passes. This means that a complete pass can be saved on the coating unit before the printing units, for example. Configurations which were originally developed as customer requests are now being mass produced due to high demand. For example, the Speedmaster SM 102 long perfecting press also began its "career" as a customized model. The path to a customer-specific printing press
Regardless of whether there are minimal deviations from the series model or completely new configurations, the customization experts always look for the best possible solution. After an initial customer consultation, the development and production departments are contacted to ascertain whether the desired configuration has been done before or whether the new development is technologically possible and the desired applications feasible. Based on cost-effectiveness and feasibility tests, the experts determine the ideal configuration. Then the print shop receives an offer. If the customer confirms the order, the customization team produces the custom-tailored solution in close coordination with the customer.
The team includes specialists from product management, production and development as well as from service. An installation representative serves as a link between the customer and the customization team and is always available to field questions from the customer. They are also very familiar with the customer's operations, and are able to determine if structural or technical changes are needed to make the machine perform at its best. The machine is tested extensively in the Wiesloch-Walldorf factory. "Only when the unique machine completely meets the customer's needs is it installed," says Varga.
Postpress Discounts
For a limited
time you can receive unprecedented discounts on the Stahlfolder USA
B 20, our highly flexible and super productive small-format folder,
and the Stitchmaster ST 90, the perfect short to medium-run
saddlestitcher for small- to medium-sized shops.
Contact us for details. Offer Ends April 30, 2009.
Show Us Your Heidelberg
"We're a Heidelberg shop." It's always been a mark of distinction in the printing industry, and the Heidelberg users on these pages are proud to claim it. We salute them!
We created this e-newsletter not to replace our print magazines, Heidelberg Direct and Heidelberg News, but to supplement them by providing you with one more way to stay in touch with relevant news and product offers.
This newsletter will provide you with regular monthly updates on Heidelberg equipment, innovations and technology trends. Plus, you'll have the latest information on our industry events, training opportunities, product offers and professional services. We hope you enjoy reading the inaugural issue of myHeidelbergONLINE.
Comments? Email us at: info@Heidelberg.com
Details
Details
POLAR Replacement Special
Right now, we've
revised our POLAR Replacement Special from 25 years to just 15
years of ownership to help you get into the latest technology
quicker - if your POLAR Cutter is 15 years old or more, you can
replace it with a new X/XT generation cutter (same size or larger)
at a never before available price.
Contact us for details. Offer Ends April 30, 2009.
A printing press that places an emergency call? The Remote
Service Module eCall makes it possible. When technical disturbances
arise, it sends an alert to the Heidelberg Systemservice team and
ensures that customers receive help faster than ever before.
6:23 a.m.: Error at the actuator
It happens at the beginning of the early morning shift. Just as the Speedmaster SM 74-4 reaches its full production speed, it suddenly stops. The machine operator at the Gerhard Keinath offset print shop in Dettingen in Southern Germany runs over to the control center. The error message on the screen reads, "Actuator was not recognized." And right away the eCall window pops up. It lists the error message and priority as well as the print shop's contact information for returning the call. "It's really convenient. All I have to do is confirm eCall with one click, and I get support from Heidelberg," reports Print Shop Manager Keinath.
6:25 a.m.: eCall reaches Heidelberg
Within a minute, the support request reaches Heidelberg Systemservice. "Thanks to eCall, the print shop no longer has to call Heidelberg, give its contact information and explain the problem," says Bernhard Steinel, Senior Vice President of Service at Heidelberg. Instead, the information is relayed automatically. The team of experts can work on the problem and help the customer in no time.
6:23 a.m.: Error at the actuator
It happens at the beginning of the early morning shift. Just as the Speedmaster SM 74-4 reaches its full production speed, it suddenly stops. The machine operator at the Gerhard Keinath offset print shop in Dettingen in Southern Germany runs over to the control center. The error message on the screen reads, "Actuator was not recognized." And right away the eCall window pops up. It lists the error message and priority as well as the print shop's contact information for returning the call. "It's really convenient. All I have to do is confirm eCall with one click, and I get support from Heidelberg," reports Print Shop Manager Keinath.
6:25 a.m.: eCall reaches Heidelberg
Within a minute, the support request reaches Heidelberg Systemservice. "Thanks to eCall, the print shop no longer has to call Heidelberg, give its contact information and explain the problem," says Bernhard Steinel, Senior Vice President of Service at Heidelberg. Instead, the information is relayed automatically. The team of experts can work on the problem and help the customer in no time.
6:55 a.m.: The Speedmaster SM 74 is running at full capacity
again
Back at the Keinath offset print shop. The telephone rings less than 20 minutes later. Thomas Keinath has a Systemservice expert from Heidelberg on the phone. He briefly explains which settings he has to carry out on the Speedmaster SM 74 to get the actuator working again. "Thanks to the fast solution, we can still finish a large print job on time," says Keinath. He admits to having been somewhat skeptical at first. The first time there was a disturbance he didn't want to rely solely on the newly installed web-based Remote Service. "We were under enormous time pressure that day because of an important print job. So we decided to try and deal with the problem ourselves as well. We hadn't expected such fast and effective help," Keinath said.
As of 2009: eCall available for other machines
Service Director Steinel can also attest to the short reaction times. "Thanks to eCall, error reports can be handled up to 50 percent faster than when reported by telephone." The so-called first time fix rate, meaning the number of problems solved upon first contact, is impressive: The figure is around 70 percent in press electronics; and in Prinect Software it's even up to 90 percent. Heidelberg is setting standards in the industry with its Remote Service. The company is the only provider in the print media industry to offer remote solutions for all print shop areas from a single source. The remote diagnoses minimize down-time, which can even be prevented with regular Remote Service inspections. "Our offer fulfills the market demand for fast and cost-effective service solutions for all production areas. Customer feedback confirms this as well," explains Steinel. For him and his team, it's an incentive to expand their service range further. According to plan, eCall is to be integrated step by step into other machines and systems in 2009.
Back at the Keinath offset print shop. The telephone rings less than 20 minutes later. Thomas Keinath has a Systemservice expert from Heidelberg on the phone. He briefly explains which settings he has to carry out on the Speedmaster SM 74 to get the actuator working again. "Thanks to the fast solution, we can still finish a large print job on time," says Keinath. He admits to having been somewhat skeptical at first. The first time there was a disturbance he didn't want to rely solely on the newly installed web-based Remote Service. "We were under enormous time pressure that day because of an important print job. So we decided to try and deal with the problem ourselves as well. We hadn't expected such fast and effective help," Keinath said.
As of 2009: eCall available for other machines
Service Director Steinel can also attest to the short reaction times. "Thanks to eCall, error reports can be handled up to 50 percent faster than when reported by telephone." The so-called first time fix rate, meaning the number of problems solved upon first contact, is impressive: The figure is around 70 percent in press electronics; and in Prinect Software it's even up to 90 percent. Heidelberg is setting standards in the industry with its Remote Service. The company is the only provider in the print media industry to offer remote solutions for all print shop areas from a single source. The remote diagnoses minimize down-time, which can even be prevented with regular Remote Service inspections. "Our offer fulfills the market demand for fast and cost-effective service solutions for all production areas. Customer feedback confirms this as well," explains Steinel. For him and his team, it's an incentive to expand their service range further. According to plan, eCall is to be integrated step by step into other machines and systems in 2009.
QM 46 Bundles
For a limited
time, when you purchase a Printmaster QM 46, you can bundle it with
select Folders, Cutters, and Platesetters at special pricing.
Contact us for details. Offer Ends April 30, 2009.
Also in this edition:
Industry News
