Old KBA 104 4 colors, printing with 2 colors

[Savage]

My company as received a price request to print a 2 color book.
Due to the timing of the said book, it should be printed on a 4 color KBA 104, but this machine doesent have duplex, so it would only print with 2 units, only 1 side at a time.
The press operator disconnects 2 of the units to print 2 color jobs on occasion, but only for small runs. This book would take 4 million sheets (that would be 8 million sides printed). The press operator is not very familiar with the machine and is unsure if it would damage the machine, because the rolls of the machine keep spining on the disconnected units.
Whats your opinion? Is it safe for the machine our should we rearrange our scheduled jobs to print on a duplex machine?
Thanks

 

[Alois Senefelder]

Hello Savage,


Not ideal........ BUT you could do it. I suggest a way. 1) Disconnect the Roller trains on Unit's 1 and 2 Print on units 3 and 4.

Important that you run Unit's 1 and 2 on Impression using Blank Plates.


Regards, Alois

 

[aqazi81]

It can be done without any damage to the press, as Alois mentioned, keep your roller train disengaged if it is an option on your press, otherwise you can turn off the roller oscillation and put some roller lube in ink train. This will prevent damage to your rollers.

Regards

 

[Savage]

Thank you both for your answers. We will try, and hopefully all will go well.

 

[jimas67]

We run a KBA Performa 74- 4 color, we do one and two color all the time. Just put some roller lube on the rollers (like Aqazi mentioned) and disengage the unit.

 

[turbotom1052]

does disengaging the roller train stop ALL rollers from turning to include water system? If not I would suggest for a run that long, that you remove your rubber water rollers. Also worthy of mention would be that roller lube should probably be washed up once a week and replenished with fresh. I suggest the wash because airborne contaminants to include spray powder will build on the roller train over the course of a long run, and act as an abrasive to your rubber.