When it comes to Beijing Zhenhengli Printing Machinery Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Zhenhengli”), its star product—the sheet-fed gravure printing press—is renowned throughout the industry. However, Zhenhengli is not a company that relies solely on a single product line. It has consistently prioritized technological innovation as its core, grounded in market needs, and continuously strives for advancement. The coating machine has emerged as a “sharp sword” in recent years, earning Zhenhengli widespread acclaim. Leveraging years of R&D expertise in coating machinery, Zhenhengli has achieved another technological breakthrough. In early 2014, the company collaborated with Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication to develop an external coating unit, which successfully passed acceptance testing this August. As a compact, simplified coating solution, this external unit offers printing enterprises greater flexibility and enhanced cost-effectiveness.
Leveraging Rich Experience to Craft Professional Equipment
“Zhenhengli has been manufacturing coating machines since 1996. Nearly a decade of R&D has given us a thorough understanding of coating technology—it's truly our specialty. With the research support from Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication, we remained confident in this project despite encountering challenges during development,” stated Feng Yan, General Manager of Zhenhengli.
According to Feng Yan, the external coating unit does not occupy offset printing color units. It can be installed on the last color unit of an offset press, sharing the impression cylinder with that unit to achieve precise spot coating. Simultaneously, the innovative cavity-type blade design allows both upper and lower blades to function optimally. Within the cavity, varnish bubbles are effectively eliminated, and leakage during application is minimized, resulting in a more uniform and smooth finish that significantly enhances varnishing quality.
Beyond these advantages, the external varnishing unit employs highly mature servo motor technology, facilitating easier installation and removal while avoiding physical damage to the equipment's transmission cover through drilling.
Currently, the external varnishing unit has been successfully applied to offset printing presses at Beijing Michelangelo Printing Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Michelangelo”), Beijing Baoxin Printing, and Shandong Hucai Taishan Printing Co., Ltd. It delivers stable and outstanding varnishing results, earning recognition from customers.
Industry-Academia-Research Collaboration Plus Application: Refining the R&D System
Feng Yan believes that for a brand-new project, market demand validation is both crucial and indispensable. Therefore, during the initial development phase of the external coating device, Zhenhengli conducted comprehensive and meticulous market research. Concurrently, Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication carried out relatively independent market analysis, ultimately confirming significant market potential for the external coating device. Beyond Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication's scientific and financial support during development, Michelangelo, as the new machine's end-user, played a vital role in its continuous refinement and upgrades.
“The traditional industry-academia-research model no longer aligns with current market R&D mechanisms. Most users hesitate to be the ‘first to try something new.’ Consequently, newly developed equipment often sits idle due to lack of user adoption, resulting in extremely slow market penetration,” Feng Yan reflected. “Feng Yan remarked, ”To address this, we proposed the ‘industry-academia-research + user’ model, where users must participate in the development process. Michelangelo tests prototypes, provides feedback, and we refine the designs accordingly. This iterative process ensures the equipment genuinely meets customer needs, forming a comprehensive market-driven R&D system."
The successful development of the external coating device fills a gap in China's multicolor offset printing machine sector, achieving world-class standards. In the future, we believe Zhenhengli will achieve even more advanced breakthroughs in printing equipment R&D and manufacturing, deliver higher-end innovations, and drive rapid progress in the printing industry!