“At SOMA, we’re committed to finding an easier way to deliver predictable, consistent and close to perfect results,” she continues. “We want the U.S. market to know we are here and that we are prepared to be a good partner.” Pavla adds that the printers with which her company partners are “real people, each with a unique success strategy, who operate in challenging real-world and real-time environments. We see our role as putting them in a better position to deliver for their customers, keep them loyal and win additional business from existing clients. Plus, we hope to deliver an assist in welcoming new business whenever and wherever possible.”
SOMA’s U.S. Entry
“We joined FTA to network, learn who’s out there, what challenges them, how they strive to become better printers and to forge strategic partnerships that build relationships simply by taking things step by step,” Pavla says. The firm is exhibiting at INFOFLEX 2018—booth 522.
Both she and Petr issue an open invitation to any interested printer: “Test our technology. Bring us your toughest job. Measure speed and changeover time. Evaluate quality. See if we can help you be more competitive.” They insist all concerns come out: short run, consistency, constant impression, registration, dot stability, etc.
Proud of the smaller, more flexible machines SOMA manufacturers, the pair recalls development of the Optima² started in 2013, and had three primary goals: faster setup, less waste and reduction of plate bounce. The latest press is optimized to run both label stock paper and film packaging materials—products such as in-mold and wraparound labels, shrink sleeves, retort pouches and sachets, as well as paper sacks, cups and plates. Optima² carries a maximum printing speed of 1,640 fpm and is available in configurations with eight or 10 colors and a maximum printing width of 32-in. to nearly 48-in.
Historical Milestones
1890-1948: Lanškroun City Council purchases land and donates it to Schopper-Stodolowski to build a textile factory
1956-1992: Tesla, a division of the state-owned electronics company, commences manufacture of slitting and rewinding machines
1992-1995: SOMA Engineering is founded for the production of special-purpose machines with initial focus on die cutters and slitter/rewinders for the flexible packaging industry
1995: First flexo press-SOMA Flex-with CI drum introduced
2001: Planet family of slitter/rewinders includes compact Pluto, and top-of-the-range Venus, Jupiter and Saturn models
2002: UV flexo printing press with CI drum launched
2004: Solvent-free laminator launched
2005: Addition of a new administration and production facility
2006: Launch of a dedicated machine designed to print on lay-flat tubing and similar materials
2007: SOMA Flex MIDI II 8-color gearless flexo press
2008: SOMA Flex IMPERIA 10-color CI flexo printing press
2012: Addition of a modern, 12,900 sq. ft. SOMA Globe Technology Centre brings customers the opportunity to test the latest printing and converting machines in a real print shop environment
2013: SOMA Flex Optima introduced at K show
2014: Villa Globe training center opened in former private dwelling converted for training purposes and complements the SOMA Globe technology facility
2015: Venus III Turret
2016: Optima²
The press features unwind and rewind systems that are located outside the printing modules. This variable design allows the option of choosing any unwind/rewind configuration and inline upstream or downstream printing and converting units, such as slitting, flying splicing, reverse printing units with turn bars, overprinting, gravure printing units for cold sealing, lacquering and coating units, inline lamination, etc.
Faster, Wider, Efficient
Petr reports that six stages constitute the design and manufacturing process of every press: structure, setup (ARUN fully automatic system for impression, as well as register, Falcon II—automatic impression setting in combination with a semi-automated system for register via Smart Register), job management, recipes, wash-up (Inkstorm) and color setting. Ink Fix is an ink kitchen that consists of a digital scale, touchscreen control panel with mixing software and connection to an online or offline spectrophotometer, gaining real Delta E and L*a*b* values from the print.
He insists, “Optima² boasts a broad range of stand-out advancements, inspired by printers.” Of note:
- Bounce reduction is achieved through SOMA’s ABC system, which consists of several crucial elements in the design of the machine—for example, a single block printing unit frame. All frames are solid and average 5.1-in. thick, with some areas up to 7.9-in. thick. SOMA produces all frames in-house in order to guarantee highest quality
- ARUN zero-meter setup waste system, an off-press automated plate mounter, requires a slightly modified sleeve, which can be supplied by several manufacturers including PolyWest, Flint, Rotec and Rossini. Crucial data for register and impression setting are stored in chips in the sleeve. This information is read by the press for fully automated register and impression setting. Total waste for impression and register setting has been reduced to 16.4-ft. or less, which represents the circumference of the CI drum
- SOMA’s Ink Cartridge system, a first for CI flexo presses, offers a way to reduce costs on jobs where expensive inks for spot colors, special effects or a metallic look are required. The small reservoir mounts directly to the doctor blade chamber and requires 0.26-g. of ink. Field tests show that on average almost 18 percent of the ink can be saved this way
- Cooling of the cylinder housings at motor side, similar to the cooling of the CI drum, prevents any temperature-caused expansion and, hence, dot gain
- Interdeck dryers swing open by 90 degrees, similar to a door, simplifying cleaning and providing easy accessibility to the substrate and CI drum
On the Horizon
Success, coupled with ambition, now sees SOMA planning to nearly double production through a $10 million, three-year reconstruction project to increase assembly hall floor space. Continued emphasis will be placed on value and visibility with attention shining on the Optima², as well as its 10-color and extra-long repeat length—47.2 in. configurations.