If ink drying is the worst enemy of productivity, then Cyber appeals as productivity’s new best friend. Auckland printer PDQ Print recently installed ink dryers from Cyber intoits Ryobi press with excellent results
Founded in 1986 by David Lowe, PDQ Print employs a staff of 21 people, providing offset and digital printing services for local and nationwide customers. Rick Blewett, who joined the company and became a partner in 1991, describes PDQ as a commercial jobbing printer. He says, “We pride ourselves on our service and we have a loyal customer base. We will walk over glass to give our customers what they want.”PDQ continually searches for ways to improve its processes. Three years ago, the company installed a Ryobi 524X – the company’s first four-colour press. Blewett says it has been a boon and PDQ never looked back. However last year, when Blewett and Lowe examined the company’s performance, they identified an area that could give them an edge: ink drying.
Drying for short runs
Like other printers, PDQ recognised a trend for shorter print runs on its offset machine. Blewett says, “Obviously digital has a place for short runs, but we find it’s economical with offset. So, we were doing a lot of short runs with the Ryobi, but without a dryer we had a lot of down-time with jobs.”
Meanwhile, David Taylor, general manager of Cyber New Zealand, was fielding several enquiries for IR dryers for A3 presses. He says “Most printers seem to have the preconceived idea that IR dryers are only for larger presses, for which we do supply both IR-UV units. However recently we had a great success installing units in even low pile A3 presses.”
Cyber installed a PRI Quick Dry Unit in the Ryobi press at PDQ Print with immediate success. Taylor explains how they work, “These units, from the States, use a hot air curtain, cutting drying time by 30 per cent. The drying head is effectively cooled by fans. This air is heated when passing the lamp ends and over the lamps, the air is then blown on to the sheet through the reflector. The soft air supply is working as a carrier, transferring the heat to the printed-paper without interfering with powder sprayer or sheet handling systems. The air cushion will also keep the layer of air between radiator and sheet clean, which increases the effectiveness of the short wave IR radiation. Turn around is reduced using these units also cutting the use of spray powder by 50 per cent, which aids press maintenance.”
He outlines convincing case for dryers saying, “Makereadies are now so short, and it makes no sense to be waiting half an hour to an hour to turn the job around. Also, quick drying means the job can be guillotined and folded in a short time, to allow the job to be delivered to meet customers’ expectations.”
Blewett, who describes himself as an old school printer, agrees that the dryers have made a huge difference. He says, “The quicker turnaround means we have less downtime on jobs. It also helps improve quality.”
Taylor says that IR dryers are fitted as standard to the Ryobi DI press and can even be fitted to smaller portrait presses such as the Ryobi 3304HA.
He adds that Cyber has also experienced success in the last three years with Baldwin Dryers with installations on A3 and A2 high pile presses. He says, “Like our other suppliers, Baldwin tailor fit all dryers to the press, thus eliminating the problem of bracketing and incorporating control systems of the dryer into the press. Baldwin also use short wave IR lamps controlled by integrated electronics. Air is taken from outside the press to avoid heat build up. These units deliver full power in less than one second, optimising energy efficiency.”
Ryobi also choose Eltosch dryers for the high-speed A2 and A1 presses with coaters, which incorporate both or either UV-IR Dryers. Taylor says, “The beauty of Eltosch is the ease of removal for cleaning and being so ultra efficient. Power consumption on dryers is always a problem, in some cases drawing more power than the press and this can sometimes deter customers from purchasing. However, all brands we are connected to offer the highest of efficiencies and so the lowest consumption.”
At PDQ, Blewett expresses some satisfaction with the decision to install the drying unit but doesn’t believe the company can sit back. He says, “We’ll always being looking at ways of improving our processes. Because the industry changes, we need to stay sharper, more efficient and more competitive.”
