Press Release
Koenig & Bauer offers close-up insights into rotary die‑cutting 

Workshops on the Rapida RDC 106

•	Production speeds up to 15,000 sheets/hr
•	One machine, three segments, five technologies
•	Economical for all run lengths

Radebeul, 28.03.2018
Under the motto “Ready for the next step!”, Koenig & Bauer invited trade professionals to its Radebeul facility in the second half of March to learn more about the benefits of rotary die-cutting on the Rapida RDC 106 in packaging, label and commercial production. During the course of each one-day workshop, up to 20 participants were able to test the claims made about the innovative rotary die-cutter for themselves and gained a first-hand impression of its performance capabilities.
The Rapida RDC 106 brings printed sheets into final shape both efficiently and precisely, whether labels, business stationery or folding cartons. With production speeds up to 15,000 sheets/hour, makeready savings of 40% and more, and up to 65% higher efficiency, the Rapida RDC 106 is a genuine game-changer compared to traditional flat-bed die-cutters. At the same time, different equipment variants for the individual units enable several processes to be combined on a single pass through the machine: Die-cutting/kiss-cutting, hole punching and extraction, creasing/embossing, stripping – everything is possible. The Rapida RDC 106 is a single machine handling five technologies for three market segments.
During the workshops, the visitors witnessed high-speed die-cutting production and fast job changeovers. The demonstrations were tailored to the interests of each group and ranged from pencil boxes and pharmaceutical packaging to banderoles, self-adhesive stickers and a diversity of labels. The two demo machines processed not only 60 µm inmould label films, but also 260 gsm board.
Alongside the practical presentations, the workshops offered ample opportunity to explore the technical details of the Rapida RDC 106. Technicians and operators willingly opened guards and covers to allow the visitors a close-up view of the die-cutting units, where they could familiarise themselves with the high-precision adjustments (e.g. setting of the die-cutting pressure in 1 µm steps, separately for each side) and follow the fast forme changing with their own eyes.
With its high production speeds, the Rapida RDC 106 is ideal for long runs, but thanks to the fast job changeovers equally economical on short runs. The times in which two die-cutters were necessary to keep pace with the print output from a sheetfed offset press are a thing of the past with the Rapida RDC 106.  
 
Early adopters and further prospective users of the rotary die-cutter Rapida RDC 106 are already to be found in Germany, Denmark and France, and even as far afield as Brazil and Japan.
Interesting website: nextstep.koenig-bauer.com 
Photo 1:
Mario Gerber (left), senior sales manager for postpress solutions at Koenig & Bauer, and Michel Faust, CEO of KBA-France, explain the die-cutting process on the Rapida RDC 106. In the background: A single-unit machine for the processing of inmould labels.
Photo 2:
All the covers were opened to offer visitors close-up views of the die-cutting formes and a first-hand impression of the precision with which the die-cutting pressure can be set

Photo 3:
Convincing performance: Creasing, cutting and stripping at 15,000 sheets/hr. Only recently, the machine was presented at the world record speed of 17,000 sheets/hr

Photo 4:
The visitors were full of praise for the production results, here kiss-cutting of a self-adhesive label 

Press contact
KBA-Sheetfed Solutions AG & Co. KG
Martin Dänhardt
T +49 351 833-2580
M martin.daenhardt@koenig-bauer.com

About Koenig & Bauer
Koenig & Bauer is the world’s second-largest printing press manufacturer with the broadest product range in the industry. For 200 years, the company has been supporting printers with innovative technology, tailor-made processes and a wide array of services. The portfolio ranges from banknotes, via board, film, metal and glass packaging, through to book, display, coding, magazine, advertising and newspaper printing. Sheetfed and webfed offset and flexo printing, waterless offset, intaglio, simultaneous perfecting and screen printing or digital inkjet – Koenig & Bauer is at home in virtually all printing processes and is the market leader in many of them. In the financial year 2017, the approximately 5,500 highly qualified employees worldwide generated annual sales of more than EUR 1.2 billion.

Further information can be found at www.koenig-bauer.com