Moquin sets speed record with Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106

US-based Moquin Press has set a new world record producing 452,755 net sellable sheets on its Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106 in 24 hours.

With speeds up to 21,000 sheets per hour, Moquin’s 7-color press with in-line coating, installed at its Belmont facility, is the first in the world from Heidelberg specially designed for label production.

Central to this accomplishment were numerous press modifications, including special sheet travel adjustments in the units and the delivery and the new fourth generation CutStar, all optimized for production of thin materials at higher speeds.

Moquin aimed to complete its new world record producing a 60 lb. C1S wet-glue label. Thanks to the Speedmaster XL 106’s built-in Prinect Inpress Control 3 color control technology, the company achieved color consistency across three shifts and six different operators, achieving an average Delta E of 0.6.

‘Maintaining the highest print quality is still our number one priority,’ said Bryan Moquin, vice president of sales for Moquin.

With press speeds of 21,000 sheets per hour, operators would need to pull sheets every three to four minutes to check color off-line.

‘Maintaining this kind of color consistency without Inpress Control would be an impossible task,’ said Marcio Ribiero, general manager for Moquin. ‘It is the press’s most important ally for quality control.”

With real-time press reporting, Prinect allowed Ribiero to access data on color and other production metrics any time during the 24-hour press run. He noted the quality and productivity of the job remained consistent across all operators, who all had varying levels of experience.

‘Previously, we would have seen changes in run speed or quality variance due to shift changeover, but it worked seamlessly,’ said Ribierio. ‘Our operators really embrace the press’s technology, which was an essential element to achieving this feat.’

Throughout the world record production, the press team performed seven plate changes to ensure quality of the plate and dot integrity and changed thirteen rolls of material on the CutStar in-line sheeter.

Ribiero said: ‘There wasn’t a moment that wasn’t productive. While the operators changed rolls, the machine automatically started changing plates or washing blankets.’

‘To achieve a world record with virtually flawless execution, you need to not only have the best equipment in the world, but you also need to have the best operators in the world,’ added Moquin. ‘We cannot thank our team enough for the amazing feat they have accomplished.’

‘A big congratulations to the team at Moquin Press for this incredible achievement,’ said Clarence Penge, executive vice president of sales, product management and marketing for Heidelberg USA. “The enduring success underscores the importance of continuously investing in the best people and latest technologies to stay competitive and adapt to changes in the market.’