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Thunderbolt Solutions15 January 2010
Thunderbolt Solutions has been in business since 1999 and services the printing industry with a range of different products from around the world. One of these products is Conflandey stitching wire in South Africa.
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08 December 2009Hasselt University picks KBA as technology partner for Lumoza † †Electroluminescence driving innovations in print † †At the official launch on 17 November of Lumoza, a joint spin-off from Belgium's Hasselt University, major nanotechnology research institute IMEC and screen printing company Artist Screen, it was announced that KBA had been chosen as the technology partner for print. †
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03 December 2009Production building resembles a giant Rapida † †At the end of September, a delegation from Fararang Aria Printing in Teheran visited the KBA sheetfed offset facility in Radebeul to discuss the purchasing of new presses. Meanwhile, at home in Iran, a six-colour Rapida 105 with coater, UV accessories and raised pile heights was being taken into production in the company's print centre. †
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28 July 2009For most companies buying a new machine is not only a big step in terms of the capital outlay, it can also bring with it concerns over whether the correct purchasing decision was made, whether there will be sufficient capacity to keep the machine busy and therefore, to achieve the return on investment.
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10 July 2009Printing onto plastics and other non-absorbent materials poses a major challenge to printers. The most important requirement is for a press capable of printing UV inks combined with the expertise of handling this type of printing. However, there is a growing demand for packaging related products printed on these materials.
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02 June 2009In an increasingly technical industry like printing, one aspect is of vital importance – Training. Quite clearly technical staff have to have the highest levels of training in order to ensure that unscheduled downtime is kept to an absolute minimum.
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02 June 2009Printing presses from KBA form one of the main pillars of the Thunderbolt Solutions product portfolio along with finishing systems, consumables and service. Until recently, the KBA product range did not feature any presses catering for the small to medium size range.
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02 June 2009The printing industry considers the 720 x 1040mm press size to be the large-format sector of the market. However, for KBA, this is the mid-format range given the fact that KBA manufacturers the broadest range of sheetfed presses from the Performa 66 up to the Rapida 205.
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02 June 2009The ability to use any form of technology is greatly enhanced when hands-on training is provided. Thunderbolt Solutions pays a great deal of attention to training, not only of its technical staff but also to the training of customers' operators.
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02 June 2009Saddle stitching is one of the most popular methods of finishing a printed product. All aspects of the process rely on precision engineering in order for the optimum production speed to be achieved. A lot of time and expertise is put into ensuring that only good quality product is passed through the system and that the lowest possible level of downtime and wastage occurs.
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02 June 2009Thunderbolt Solutions has announced the addition of the industry-leading range of Busch pile turners to its product portfolio.
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02 June 2009Two main factors make for a successful business in the printing industry, the right attitude and the correct equipment. At Zeroplus Printers in Pretoria the first element leads directly to the second.
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02 June 2009Arno Durr, technical service manager from Weilburger Graphics, recently visited South Africa to meet with the sales team from Thunderbolt Solutions.
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02 June 2009†Success in the printing industry is dependent on a number of factors, not the least of which is leading-edge technology. Finding the right technology to meet the needs of the individual printing company is something that can take years and this generally relies on a relationship with the manufacturer and supplier. †
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02 June 2009†Typo Colour Printers in Johannesburg has installed a fully automated Betz ink pumping system to improve productivity, reduce waste and save money. †
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02 June 2009Printers, in conjunction with their clients and respective agencies, are constantly looking for ways to add value to the printed matter which they supply. To this end, they experiment with enhancing the look, feel and, in some cases, even the smell of the printed job.
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02 June 2009The year 2006 will be remembered by Durban-based packaging printer Shave & Gibson for many reasons. Firstly, this is the year that the company celebrated its 25 anniversary. Secondly, it was the year in which a flash fire occurred on its 20-year old KBA Planeta large-format press. Thirdly, 2006 saw the installation of a brand new KBA Rapida 142 large-format press.
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02 June 2009Johannesburg-based forms manufacturer and trade supplier Renform has just completed its first year with the new Müller Martini Concepta web press which was installed at the beginning of 2008.
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02 June 2009Quarto Press, a long-established, Johannesburg-based printing company has upgraded its saddle stitching capability with the installation of a Müller Martini Presto saddle stitcher to replace an ageing 1509 saddle stitcher which was no longer able to keep up with the ever-increasing production volume.
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02 June 2009†Quality is the one factor which is a given in all sectors of the printing industry, and finishing is no different. The quality of the finished product is ultimately more important than the quality of the printed sheet. Consequently, inferior or poor-quality finished products incur greater costs to replace than printed sheets. †
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02 June 2009Innovation is the key to progress, even in age-old processes like saddle stitching. The opportunities for innovation maybe reduced but they do still exist and sometimes it is in the most unlikely of places that they can be found.
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02 June 2009Johannesburg-based trade finishing house Printbind has marked a full year of putting the Müller Martini Bravo Plus T saddle stitcher through its paces and is now more convinced than ever that the decision in favour of the machine was the right one.
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02 June 2009The process of replacing ageing equipment can often be a very trying time in any company. There is the need to look at all of the available technologies, make comparisons, negotiate for the best price, service contracts to consider and then finally make the selection.
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02 June 2009There are various techniques for finishing printed products. The size, weight and application of the product will help to determine what finishing technique is used. Other factors will have an influencing affect, but these are the most important.
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02 June 2009Packaging printing has traditionally been very long run work where the focus is on quantity and turnaround. Quality is a prerequisite with customer demands for ever-increasing quality levels becoming more and more stringent. It is for this reason that Nampak Cartons and Labels Denver turned to Thunderbolt Solutions and KBA when it looked to replace its ageing press technology.
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02 June 2009Drupa 2008 featured so many new product launches that it left many visitors feeling overwhelmed. There was simply too much information to be able to take it all in. This was especially true for visitors to the KBA stand.
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02 June 2009Drupa 2008 featured so many new product launches that it left many visitors feeling overwhelmed. There was simply too much information to be able to take it all in. This was especially true for visitors to the KBA stand.
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02 June 2009For printers the world over, the quality and efficiency of the finishing is as critical to the appearance of the final job as the quality of the printing itself. Attention to detail is even more important in companies with a varied production spread where frequent size changes are required.
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02 June 2009Fishwicks Printers has installed two state-of-the-art KBA presses at its plant in Durban. Fishwicks has been a pioneer in the Durban printing industry for many years and has now installed one of the largest-format sheetfed printing press in KwaZulu-Natal, the KBA Rapida 162.
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02 June 2009South African printer Fineline Print Solutions in Cape Town has become the first company in Africa to install a KBA Performa 74 press following the completion of the acquisition of Czech company Grafitec by KBA.
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02 June 2009In two short years DNA Print, part of the Juiced Media Group in Durban, has significantly increased its production capacity as part of a growth plan designed to entrench the company as a leader in its chosen market. Part of this process saw the installation of the first Müller Martini Presto E90 saddle stitcher in South Africa from Thunderbolt Solutions. The Presto E90 was launched at Drupa 2008.
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02 June 2009Johannesburg-based printer Colour King has installed a Múller Martini Valore saddle stitcher from Thunderbolt Solutions.
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02 June 2009Caxton Printers has yet again opted for a Betz ink pumping system to be connected to its new manroland GEOMAN press installed at its plant in Industria. Betz is represented in the South African marketplace by Thunderbolt Solutions.
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02 June 2009Throughout this series of articles over the past year, I have tried to emphasise the need for the correct cleaning agents, proper on-press settings and general good housekeeping when it comes to your press rollers. When you do this in conjunction with using Böttcher rollers you will see quantifiable savings in your day-to-day printing operations.
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02 June 2009This is the pen-ultimate in the series of Böttcher articles designed to help you identify problem areas in your roller care and maintenance and to correct or adjust operating procedures in order to achieve optimum printing results and extend the life of your rollers.
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02 June 2009This series of articles generated so much discussion that we asked Bottcher Technical Specialist Thomas Jecke to visit South Africa to do a series of presentations on Böttcher rollers and the care and handling of rollers. Thomas was due to present in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban but we had to eventually cancel the Durban leg of the tour as lots of people from Durban were in Johannesburg at the Print Expo.
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02 June 2009This particular issue covers two main subjects, the use of the correct cleaning agents to prevent roller damage and what can happen if the incorrect solvent is used, and secondly the impact of water quality on achieving the correct printing result.
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02 June 2009We continue with our roller tips in this issue, but first a reminder of the series of seminars to be held in March. Thomas Jecke from Bottcher will be in South Africa to address technical issues raised about rollers, as well as to answer some of your specific questions. For more information on the seminars please see the contact details at the end of this piece.
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02 June 2009In a slight deviation from the normal articles, this one will not address any of your questions, rather it serves to inform you of an exciting initiative we have taken.
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02 June 2009This article is based on the number of requests I have received for information on Bottcher rubber compounds for printing with UV inks, reduced IPA and even specialised inks like metallics and fluorescents. This series of questions addresses these subjects with some specific solutions. If you require any assistance or technical advice do not hesitate to contact me.
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02 June 2009For the past few issues, we have discussed different aspects of Bottcher rollers including optimum press conditions and general roller care. In this the fifth article we will further discuss the roller settings and general upkeep.
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02 June 2009A lot of research and care has gone into the construction of Bottcher press rubber rollers to ensure the highest possible print quality. While Bottcher rollers last longer than other rollers, they will eventually wear out and when this happens replacement has to be considered. This article covers these aspects of the Bottcher rollers.
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02 June 2009Roller care is a highly important element in the overall care of your press. Ensuring that rollers are well maintained and correctly stored is pivotal in achieving optimal print results. Not only can old rollers impact negatively on your print quality, they can also result in damage to your press. Changing rollers when they are worn is an important aspect of general press upkeep and maintenance.
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02 June 2009In this second in the series of articles from Wayne Stevens at Thunderbolt Solutions he discusses the advantages of spending a bit more on rollers to achieve a long on-press life and what makes a quality product.
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02 June 2009Best practise starts with the best technology and this is where Thunderbolt Solutions has set a philosophy of acquiring the best agencies in order to be able to provide its customers with state-of-the-art solutions. Among these agencies is Böttcher, the world leader in press rubber rollers and associated chemistry.
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02 June 2009Bakwena International, a Johannesburg-based printer has installed a four-colour KBA Performa 74 press to handle its half-sheet print production requirements.
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02 June 2009†Almost 10 years since Thunderbolt Solutions was founded with the express of aim of representing Müller Martini in the South African marketplace, Alois Hochstrasser, managing director of Müller Martini Marketing visited South Africa. †
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16 October 2007Thunderbolt Solutions' philosophy is to represent leading international agencies, and in keeping with this principle we proudly represent Betz of Germany in South Africa. Betz is at the forefront of ink dispensing technology for both web and sheetfed printing machines.
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22 November 2006In this second in the series of articles from Wayne Stevens at Thunderbolt Solutions he discusses the advantages of spending a bit more on rollers to achieve a long on-press life and what makes a quality product.
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22 November 2006A lot of research and care has gone into the construction of Bottcher press rubber rollers to ensure the highest possible print quality. While Bottcher rollers last longer than other rollers, they will eventually wear out and when this happens replacement has to be considered. This article covers these aspects of the Bottcher rollers.
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