C O M PA N Y R E P O RT

50 years of electromechanical engraving

This truly revolutionary development ushered in the industrial production of gravure cylinders for
illustration, decorative and packaging printing. As a direct, singlestage, semi-autotypical production
method, electromechanical engraving subsequently replaced the
production methods of conventional (cells with variable depth)
and autotypical (cells with variable
area) cylinder etching that had
dominated up to this point. The
complex manufacturing process
was highly manual and featured
multiple stages. Yet on closer inspection, gravure forme production
at that time actually always involved the conventional method. As a
result of their dome-shaped cells of
variable depth, the cylinders produced using this process were characterized during the production run
by superb colour brilliance, colour
saturation, and a certain threedimensionality that is today often
still unequalled. The production and
time- and personnel-intensive outlay that needed to be invested in this
system is illustrated by the following operations for manufacturing a
conventional gravure forme:
Screen and contone copy of the
pigment paper;
Manual cleaning and degreasing
of the Copper surface of the cylinder;

The birth of the

HelioKlischograph K190

According to OTTO M. LILIEN, specialist historian and former Research

Director of the Axel Springer Publishing Group in Hamburg/D, a
meeting took place in October 1959
in the office of Dr WALTER MATUSCHKE (the then Technical Director of
Axel Springer) with Dr RUDOLF HELL
that was actually intended as a discussion about Dr HELL's, as yet, embryonic Colograph colour scanner.
On this occasion, Dr MATUSCHKE
noted that you make such successful colour Klischograph systems for
manufacturing plates. Please do
something like that for gravure cylinders. Dr HELL took with him a
small impression cylinder from the
Isar gravure test printing press located in Axel Springer's laboratory
to perform a few tests. These led at
the beginning of 1960 to print
proofing of the first cylinder engraved on a lathe with a standard
Klischograph engraving head. The
original was scanned using a VarioKlischograph scanning head on a
second lathe that was mechanically
connected to ensure perfect synchrony. This heralded the birth of
the first HelioKlischograph K190
engraver from Dr.-Ing. Rudolf Hell
KG, which was unveiled at DRUPA
1962.

Left:
Hell experimental laboratory in 1959 first test
setup for electromechanical engraving.
Right:
Inventor of electromechanical engraving
Dr Rudolf Hell.

Manual application of the pigment paper onto the cylinder surface;

Subsequent development in 40
C water bath to form a graduated
etched relief (rinsing out the unhardened gelatine);
Covering with asphalt coating/
masking all non-image areas;
Etching with iron (III) chloride;
Coating removal, cylinder cleaning, and measurement of cell depth;
Touching up the circumferential
and lateral seams;
Copper retouching (tonal value
correction through post-etching);
Print
proofing the gravure
forme.

From multiple stages

to a single process

____________________________________________________________

The invention by Dr Rudolf Hell marked the start of industrial and thus
standardized gravure forme production
ANSGAR WESSENDORF

Functional principle
of the K193

Nothing has changed in the functional principle of electromechanical engraving in the last 50 years.
The improved successor to the K190
was the HelioKlischograph K193
with its two equally large cylinders
that were either rigidly connected to
each other (K493 model) or were
located in separate units with a
synchronous drive (K193 model).
Both cylinders rotated at the same
speed. The original cylinder bore the
scanning copy (generally a contone/text combination) and the
Copper surface of the gravure cylinder was engraved using an electromechanically controlled diamond
stylus.
Scanning was mainly performed
by a light source and two photomultipliers that together with an
optical lens and related electronics
were combined in an optical head.
The cylinders rotated at a constant
circumferential speed and the
photomultipliers, which received
the light reflected from the original,
transmitted the density values of the
rotating original as electrical signals. The optical head moved along
the original cylinder with a defined
rate of feed to scan the original in a
helical form. At the same time, the
impression cylinder was engraved
by a diamond stylus operated by an
electromagnetic system and proSource: BORIS FUCHS and CHRISTIAN ONNASCH, Dr. Rudolf Hell Der JahrhundertIngenieur im Spiegelbild des Zeitgeschehens, Heidelberg/D 2005.

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C O M PA N Y R E P O RT

The first engraver was

the HelioKlischograph
K190, unveiled at DRUPA in
1962.

duced a constantly vibrating movement. The cylinder surface moved

constantly during this process.
Every time the stylus pierced this
(4000 times a second = 4 kHz), it
removed a chip from the surface.
The deeper the stylus penetrated the
cylinder skin, the larger the resulting cells. The penetration depth was
controlled by the signals from the
photomultipliers using an operational amplifier, corresponding to
the reflection density, as described
above. Electromechanical engraving of gravure cylinders required
optics, electronics, and mechanical
elements to work in tandem, as is
generally the case for electronic
image reproduction.
The cells took the form of foursided pyramids with their opening
at the top. In the deep image tones,
their edges almost coincided, leaving only a narrow cell wall between
them. In the light sections, on the
other hand, the cell wall became
increasingly wider and ultimately
there were only very small cells to
be seen in the original surface of the
printing forme in the completely
light tones. In the case of conventionally etched cylinders with cells
of variable depth but uniform area,
the lightest tones could be lost during printing as a result of wear to the
cylinder surface. However, most of
the blade-bearing surface of the
electronically engraved cylinder
occurred in the light sections with a
cell depth of around 7 m. Wear
caused by the blade therefore had
scarcely any impact.
The HelioKlischograph K193
(unveiled in 1963) engraved gravure cylinders on a 1:1 scale. It was
possible to process the originals as
reflective images positively or
negatively, in a right-reading or
laterally reversed format (only laterally reversed on the K493 system
model). On a white cylinder, positive or negative contone films could
also be scanned directly in reflective
mode. Numerous quick and easy
methods for creating a scanning
copy from the original were thus
available to the photographic department. Text could either be copied in or superimposed in the form
of transparent masks. However, the
originals had to be the same as each
other in terms of initial density,
density range, and gradation. No

screen copy work was required, as

the engraver itself performed the
screening. The scanning unit and
engraving system were moved
along the originals and impression
cylinder in the axial direction.
A certain distance was travelled
after each cylinder rotation. The
screen cells were engraved in such a
way that every second row of cells
was offset to the first. As a result, the
screen was at a 45 angle to the axial
direction, as was customary for single-colour printing. With multicolour printing, screen angling was
necessary to prevent colour shift
and moir. This was achieved by
changing the crossfeed to a circumferential speed ratio by using a
further step switch at the switch
insert/control centre. Ultimately,
this technical improvement paved
the way for the four classic Hell
screen angles 0, 2, 3, and 4. Either a
60 l/cm (152 lpi) or 70 l/cm (178 lpi)
screen could be selected when purchasing a K193.
The ability to engrave seamless
images in the axial and circumferential directions was a crucial development in packaging printing.
In particular, alternate scanning
solved the difficult problem of
seamless engraving in the circumferential direction. This involved
alternately scanning the two partial
originals using two scanning heads,
with each partial original covering
somewhat more than half of the
scanning cylinder.

while the scale change option also

meant that 1:1 scanning originals
were no longer necessary. The step/
repeat function enabled the individual repeats to be engraved again
and again on the impression cylinder in circumferential and axial
directions. This engraver also allowed engraving with various gradations for packaging and decorative printing. The 201 model was a
single-bed solution (scanning and
impression cylinders on one machine bed), whereas the scanner and
engraver were separate on the 202
model (as with the K193). As well as
illustration gravure, the 202 model
is also still widely used today to
manufacture very wide decorative
gravure cylinders.
3rd generation. Electromechanical engraving was controlled in the
1980s using a process computer
with the K200 Helioklischograph
versions and upwards and the
K301, 302, and 303. The operator
keyed in the relevant parameters
and commands for engraving on
the Klischograph and these were
checked for plausibility by the software and saved onto floppy disk.
Subsequently, this job preparation

The HelioKlischograph
K193 unveiled in 1963 engraved gravure cylinders
on a 1:1 scale. The originals could be processed
as reflective images
positively or negatively, in
a right-reading or laterally
reversed format.

The next generations

2nd generation. At the start of
the 1970s, Hell launched the K200,
the first digital HelioKlischograph.
It was possible to buffer the digital
scanning signal (microprocessor),

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C O M PA N Y R E P O RT

work was no longer performed directly on the engraver but on the

HelioSet job preparation station,
which cut makeready times significantly. The required gradation table
was loaded from the floppy disk
prior to engraving. Using a special
program, users themselves were
able to create a virtually unlimited
number of gradations, enabling the
parameters of the engraved gravure
formes to be adapted to the respective production conditions (inks,
printing stock, print proofing behaviour, etc.). The fast crossfeed
function also allowed the carriages
of the scanning and engraving units
to be moved in both directions at
high speed, thereby cutting engraving times considerably. Introducing
the O/G conversion scanning head
made it possible to process originals
created for offset printing (O) with
screening unsuitable for gravure
(G). The screened film was descreened by the scanning mode, as though
the original were a contone film.
This new technical possibility was
of interest first and foremost because production of contone films
was always complex, time-consuming, and problematic.
4th generation. The start of the
1990s saw fulfilment of the long
sought-after goal of doing away
with the scanning procedure altogether and controlling the engraving heads of the K304, 305, and
306 from the digital data storage
unit of the full-page data processing
system. The engraving data was
created in a closed data format on
electronic image processing systems from Hell, Crosfield or Scitex.
5th generation. The period from

the end of the 1990s until around

2002 was marked by further farreaching developments, which included the K405 (Sprint) for manufacturing packaging and decorative
cylinders. The addition of Sprint
highlighted the fact that the engraving speed, which had been 4 kHz for
over 40 years, almost doubled to 7.5
kHz. The K500, a fully automatic
version with robot loading of gravure formes, was also added to the
range. Digital image processing was
performed on Mac and PC computers, TIFF workflow/TIFF direct engraving was launched and hard and
soft proofing helped prevent errors
and boost quality in gravure forme
production. Open data formats ensured enhanced processing of text
(PostScript) and images (TIFF) and
also simplified data exchange. This
also visibly accelerated the gravure
forme production process.

Early in the 1970s, Hell launched

the K200, the first digital HelioKlischograph.
On the right, the scanning unit
(two scanning heads and white
scanning cylinder), on the left, the
engraving unit (two engraving
systems and a Copper gravure
cylinder to be engraved).

1959
1962
1965
1969
1974
1980
1981
1983
1985

April 1, 2002 can be regarded as a

milestone, not only in the history of
Hell Gravure Systems but also for
modern gravure forme production
as a whole. On that day, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG sold its
stock to Dr SIEGFRIED BEISSWENGER (the
then CEO of Hell Gravure Systems)
and MAX RID (owner of Kaspar
Walter). Intensive and productive
collaboration developed between
the two companies across the entire
value-added chain in manufacturing gravure formes (electroplating,
surface treatment, engraving, quality control) and is something which
continues to this day. This resulted
in fresh impetus that raised the bar
in fully automatic and standardized
inline production through integrating machines and systems. The result of these joint development efforts was the fully automatic production line AutoCon, which is successfully used today throughout the
world with virtually no personnel
requirements in countless gravure
print shops and engraving companies. The major goal of fully automatic industrial production of gravure cylinders was therefore
achieved.

1995

1997

1998
1999
2000
2001
2002

2003

2004

2005

2006
2007
2008

The latest generation

All good things come in threes

First gravure reproduction based on electromechanical

engraving
HelioKlischograph K190 premiere of the HelioKlischograph
HelioKlischograph K193 separate scanning and engraving beds
HelioKlischograph K493
HelioKlischograph K200 with digital electronics
HelioKlischograph K201/202 with process computer
Offset/gravure conversion
HelioKlischograph K301, K302, K303
Electron beam engraving presented to the trade
HDP Helio Data Processing
HelioKlischograph K304
HelioSet job preparation workstation
HelioKlischograph K305, K306
HelioScan CN 420 redigitization of film originals
Gipsy Gravure Image Processing System
HelioForm printing form assembly for publication
HelioRip PostScript connection for gravure output
HelioKlischograph K405/K406
HelioCom cylinder layout workstation for packaging
TIFF direct engraving and job ticket workflow
HelioFormproof cylinder layout proofing system
HelioSprint 8 kHz high-performance engraving system
CellGuard camera system for packaging
HelioKlischograph K500
Gipsy NT real-time data processing on a PC platform
CellGuard camera system for publication
AutoSpacer measuring system for axial register
HandyCam measuring camera with online link
HelioKlischograph Compact
HelioKlischograph K6
SprintEasy camera-based measuring station for engraving heads
BookletProof engraving job simulation
High Quality Hinting quality-optimized gravure output
TIFF Upgrade Kit modernization option for the HelioKlischograph
Hell Security Engraving Intaglio engravings
XtremeEngraving high-resolution engraving
CellGuard III volume-oriented cutting
GravureCheck final quality check
AutoCon fully automated packaging production line
Cellaxy direct laser for chrome and Copper
StatusManager online production monitoring
WebApproval online approval to print
FormManager automated form layout creation
CellEye repeat-accurate cylinder engraving
HelioKlischograph K5
HelioKlischograph K50
HelioKlischograph K500 Twain
HelioSprint III (12 KHz)

1990

Electromechanical engraving a timeline

1988

that's probably what they were

thinking at Hell Gravure Systems
when it presented the three versions
of the HelioKlischograph in 2008.
The K5 is the compact entry-level
model, equipped with an 8 kHz
engraving system and manual control elements. Depending on the

A significant day

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C O M PA N Y R E P O RT

Far left:
The K304 was able to
engrave two gravure
cylinders simultaneously
in the Twin version.

engraving system, it operates in a

screen range of 24210 l/cm (60
533 lpi) with an engraving depth up
to 110 m with either rapid helical or
precise polar line engraving. The
software's features include logging
engraving parameters, engraving
TIFF complete formes, and fast
crossfeed. This model is enjoying
great success, particularly in the
Asian market.
The next level up is the automatic K50, which also has an 8 kHz
engraving head and is equipped
with all functions (CellEye, XtremeEngraving, High Quality Hinting,
SprintEasy etc). The system takes
the job data from the job ticket and
engraves from standard TIFF data.
It also has two feed speeds for setup
and boasts patented sequential engraving. Operation is performed via
a touchscreen or keyboard. The engraver has one-button operation,
where only loading and unloading
the gravure cylinder are manual.
The engraving process (including
the cutting procedure) is fully automatic.
The K500 is the most successful
engraver in the history of Hell. Over
600 systems have been sold since it
was launched onto the market in
1999. Since then, the fully automatic HelioKlischograph, which
can be integrated into automatic
lines, has continued to set new
standards in gravure forme production when it comes to production
speed and quality. In this regard, the
K500 G3 Twain (multi-head engraving) unveiled at DRUPA 2008 is
the most state-of-the-art technology that electromechanical engraving currently has to offer. The entire
cylinder engraving process runs
fully automatically without virtually any personnel requirements. At
the heart of the Twain system are
two HelioSprint III engraving systems of 2 x 12 kHz that move independently of each other, with the
linear drive (instead of a spindle
drive) enabling fast and highly precise positioning. The system automatically divides the packaging

image for cylinder engraving between the two engraving channels.

The automatic CellEye cutting process integrated into the machine,
which is based on the principle of
volume measurement, factors in the
Copper hardness and the actual angle of the engraving diamond stylus, and the SprintEasy measuring
station for measuring the cutting
angle ensure absolutely identical
repeats. For optimum rounding of
contours or engraving extremely
fine text and characters, Hell developed the Helio-Xtreme 32 broadband engraving system. Equipped
with two engraving systems of this
type, the K500 G3 Twain performs
XtremeEngraving at up to 24 kHz (2
x 12 kHz). This innovation is therefore three times faster than its predecessor, the HelioXtreme 22. This
version of the K500 has almost the
same productivity as two K500 NT
engravers (spindle drive; one engraving head).

Left:
Introducing the O/G
conversion scanning head
made it possible to
process originals created
for offset printing (O)
with screening unsuitable
for gravure (G).

tion of gravure cylinders. The

number of HelioKlischograph systems installed throughout the
world, which has now reached over
2000, provides impressive confirmation that this is a view shared by
the market.
www.hell-gravure-systems.com

Interesting facts and figures

1972
1984
1984
1990
1996
1997
1997

Summary

In the course of its 50-year history,

electromechanical engraving has
developed into the leading process
for high-quality production of gravure cylinders. Like no other process, it has repeatedly succeeded in
adapting to changes and varied
market requirements in packaging
and decorative gravure through innovative solutions. The following
points are of crucial importance to
ensure continued success:
Fully-developed and tried-andtested technology.
Rapid availability of the gravure
forme (short jobs) at relatively low
cost.
Intuitive functional features.
Exceptionally high level of automation.
High fidelity even for repeat jobs.
Relatively low investment compared to other methods.
In conclusion, it can be said that
electromechanical engraving has
played a key role in the industrial
and therefore standardized produc

100th HelioKlischograph (Gruner + Jahr, Itzehoe/D)

250th HelioKlischograph
In Europe, 95% of all gravure cylinders are engraved
600th HelioKlischograph
800th HelioKlischograph
Founding of Hell Gravure Systems GmbH
Last Western European gravure print shop discontinues
etching
100th HelioKlischograph K500
100th birthday of Dr RUDOLF HELL
Management buyout of Hell Gravure Systems GmbH
41 HelioKlischograph K500 units for China
1000th HelioSprint engraving system
222nd HelioKlischograph K500
7000th engraving head
300th HelioKlischograph K500
600th HelioKlischograph K500
Heliograph Holding

2001
2001
2002
2002
2002
2003
2003
2004
2008
2009

A momentous history
RUDOLF HELL, the inventor of electromechanical engraving for gravure cylinder production, founded Dr.-Ing. Rudolf Hell KG in Kiel/
D in 1947. The Siemens electronics group acquired a shareholding
in this company in 1971. Following the merger with Linotype AG
in 1990, Dr.-Ing. Rudolf Hell GmbH was renamed Linotype-Hell AG.
In 1997, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG took over the company, which as Hell Gravure Systems GmbH was managed as an
independent entity. In 2002, Hell Gravure Systems was sold to Dr
SIEGFRIED BEISSWENGER (the then CEO) and MAX RID (owner of Kaspar
Walter). Since 2009, the Kiel/D-based company has been owned
by Heliograph Holding. Besides Hell Gravure Systems, this company also owns gravure supplier companies Kaspar Walter, Daetwyler Graphics, Schepers, and Bauer Logistik-Systeme.

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