The print module of the Universal Platform lies on a slide that, along with the same cart allowing the cassette change of the Xpannd Hi-Offset groups, make the printing unit easily glide out of the press and onto the Platform (Patent Pending). This simple movement requires no hard work by the operator who gently extracts the process head from its print position and accompanies it to its final parking location. The whole operation takes only a few minutes. The groups not in use (up to two for each Platform) are stored on the dedicated section of the Organizer, promoting the lean management of the whole multi-process operation. As usual, GIDUE creates a safe and practical environment, tailored around the operator, allowing maximum productivity through reduced wastage and condensed set-up times.

When the interchange is complete, an efficient plug & play system provides the instantaneous plug-in of the group in the machine, which is immediately ready to print.

The Xpannd machine can lodge different Universal Platforms depending on the use by the label converter. As any other print unit on the Xpannd, this innovative modular station is equipped with the multi-camera Intelligent Register Control that ensures dramatically reduced waste and consistent print quality, independently from the operator’s skills.

R.E.A.L. heavy-duty Hot Stamping unit (available on Xpannd presses)
The R.E.A.L. Hot Stamping unit offers indeed Robustness, Ease of use, Automated controls and ‘Lean’ guiding principles. The Hot Stamping unit is built to last, with extremely robust construction (thickness of steel frames: 25mm – 6,3” ) and solid parts that can resist high pressures up to 100N/mm. This sturdiness allows to reach the average speed of 80 meters per minute (262 ft/min) and to print with much higher pressure in order to obtain top print quality on the most difficult substrates, such as natural or textured papers, wine label papers, etc.

The front opening and the temperature quick drop down ensure a fast and simple sleeve changeover and reduce set-up times dramatically. This marks an advantage for the printers who use different formats or change job often during the day. The Hot Stamping is mounted on guides for extreme ease of extraction in case of format replacement or cleaning. The unit main frame is easily opened and the sleeve changed in a matter of seconds. Reduced set-up time and low wastage are secured and the possibility of dangerous contact with the hands of the operator carefully avoided.

The R.E.A.L. unit is also provided with automatic temperature and pressure controls (the pressure becomes a tricky point when printing on complex or textured papers) and with the latest multi-camera Intelligent Register for quick longitudinal and transversal register control. Label converters who print repeat orders may especially benefit of the automatic recall of recipes, job data storage, and register settings memory to avoid the time waste linked to the definition of the hot stamping parameters. To help printers even more, all the controls can be managed through a touch-screen panel positioned on the R.E.A.L. main frame or from the machine general control pulpit.

The foil tension is controlled electronically through a load cell placed before the unit, while an anti-wrinkle device located before the foil stamping and pneumatically controlled, ensures the smoothest operation possible.

The Organizer (running frontally along all the GIDUE presses) is the realization of the “built-around-the-operator” philosophy to grant user-friendliness, safe working environment  and time cutback as it lodges at easy reach all the hot stamping tooling and the auxiliary devices needed by the operator (lifting instruments, tools repository, working surface, etc.). The R.E.A.L. Hot Stamping unit is Patent Pending by GIDUE.

Magnesium plates for hot stamping technologies
The use of Magnesium Plates, combined with the top-level hot stamping technologies by GIDUE, reduces the overall converting costs and offer high performances through ‘lean’ management, quick job changeovers and general simplicity in use.

Magnesium plates are bended and secured just like standard offset plates (with a certified minimum gap of 5mm – 1,3” !) and ensure cost reduction and increased production especially for the most complex works. The price of a single magnesium plate is indeed less than 1/10 of standard hot stamping engraved cylinders – 180 € versus 2000 € on average jobs - whose price may, in addition, vary consistently depending on the complexity of the graphic design (while the cost of a Magnesium Plate is standard for any graphic, from simple to difficult!).

The use of Magnesium Plates brings to a total 20% to 30% production increase on difficult substrates such as textured or natural papers and wine label papers thanks to the higher speed of operation and the reduced wastage involved.

The management of Magnesium Plates is simple and safe. A plate weighs 250 grams   against 50 Kilos of a regular engraved cylinder; thus, the workload for the operator is dramatically shortened in case of repeat orders. The operator basically opens the Hot Stamping frame and replaces the plate directly on the press. On the other hand, when a repeat change is involved, the operator can fully rely on the dedicated Organizer section (storage and working facility provided by GIDUE in front of all their press models) that lodge the format sleeves, the different plates (occupying the equivalent surface of any offset plate) and the whole of the necessary tooling. The Magnesium Plate concept is Patent Pending by GIDUE.