More on AI - ChatGPT admits it gets it wrong, apologises!

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, commonly known as Heidelberg, is a German company that specializes in the manufacturing of printing equipment and services. Here's a brief overview of the history of Heidelberger Druck:

1. Early Years (1850s-1920s): Heidelberg was founded in 1850 by Andreas Hamm and Andreas Albert in Heidelberg, Germany, under the name "Hamm & Co." The company initially produced instruments for the precision mechanics industry. In 1903, the company introduced its first offset printing press, which marked the beginning of its focus on printing technology. [FACTCHECK: Yes, Andreas Hamm took over his brother's company in 1850 but it made church bells, not printing presses. It was in Frankenthal and named "Hemmer, Hamm & Compagnie." It was not until 1856 that Hamm met Andreas Albert who had worked at Koenig & Bauer, and they formed a partnership company - still making bells and other castings - and started casting and manufacturing printing presses. They split up in 1873 and became competitors. Hamm continued making presses. He DID NOT introduce an offset press in 1903! (Rubel did in America).The first Heidelberg offset press was the KOR in 1962. Hamm did introduce a cylinder Letterpress before his death in 1894. His son Carl Hamm sold the Frankenthal company to investors, who moved it to the town of Heidelberg in 1905 and renamed it "Schnellpressenfabrik AG Heidelberg."]
   

2. Expansion and Product Innovation (1930s-1950s): During the 1930s and 1940s, Heidelberg experienced significant growth and expanded its product portfolio. They introduced the Heidelberg Tiegel letterpress in 1933, followed by the introduction of the Heidelberg Cylinder press in 1949. These advancements solidified Heidelberg's position as a leading manufacturer of printing presses. [FACTCHECK: The Heidelberg Tiegel Platen Press WAS NOT introduced in 1933. It was introduced at the Leipzig Book & Graphic trade fair in 1914, the war interrupted production and its heydays were 1923-1985 when it was discontinued. Heidelberg had manufactured and sold 165,000 of these 'T Platens'. Also, the Zylinder Automat (Cylinder) press was introduced in 1935, not 1949 - and it took off like wildfire.]
   

3. Post-War Recovery and International Expansion (1960s-1980s): After World War II, Heidelberg quickly recovered and resumed production. In the 1960s, the company introduced the Speedmaster, a revolutionary offset printing press that became one of its most successful products. Heidelberg expanded its operations globally, establishing subsidiaries and manufacturing facilities in various countries. [FACTCHECK: Heidelberg was making presses and parts up to 1942 when Hitler ordered the factory to switch production to making machine tools - lathes in particular. Under the Marshall plan, the USA occupiers agreed that it could start again in 1949. Heidelberg CEO Hubert Sternberg was also the founder of the Drupa trade expos in Dusseldorf; the first was in 1951 and very popular were its cylinder presses - Zylinder Automat, SB, SBG etc. All Letterpress - not offset!]
   

4. Digital Transformation and Diversification (1990s-Present): In the 1990s, Heidelberg began adapting to the digital age by integrating digital technology into its printing equipment. They introduced the DI (Direct Imaging) offset press, which enabled direct imaging from computer to printing plate. In recent years, Heidelberg has continued to innovate and diversify its product range, offering solutions for packaging printing, digital printing, and software-based services. [Factcheck: Before the Speedmaster came the Rotaspeed - not a success, then the Speedmaster series. The DI press program was abandoned in 2006. Why no mention of the Nexpress joint venture with Kodak? Or the PrimeFire failed digital venture with Fujifilm? Or the shifting of much manufacturing to China following the sale of 8.5% of Heidelberg to Masterwork (Li Li) of Shanghai? Today, Heidelberg makes no digital presses to speak of, apart from the jv with Ricoh to make the Linoprint toner printer/duplicators. It does, however use digital workflow and automation to make offset presses faster, with make-readies measured in a few minutes and superb registration on multi-colour perfecting presses.
   

5. Throughout its history, Heidelberg has been at the forefront of technological advancements in the printing industry. The company has a strong global presence and is recognized for its high-quality printing equipment and services.

Please note that the above overview provides a general outline of Heidelberg's history. For more specific and detailed information, it is recommended to refer to official company records, historical archives, or publications dedicated to the history of Heidelberg. [OK ChatGPT but why bother putting together misinformation masquerading as knowledge - what useful purpose does it accomplish? Trrawling already flawed databases multiplies the inaccuracies. In fact, as this example and others show, you are not an 'Artificial Intelligence' platform at all. Artificial, yes, but intelligent? Hardly!]

Footnote: We pointed out the wrong dates and information to ChatGPT. We received an apology (ChatGPT is at least polite!), and a 'corrected' version. It was as bad or worse than the original, so we won't bore you with it!

We are indebted to the research work of our good mate Nick Howard of Howard's Ironworks in Canada - a world expert on Heidelberg, KBA and other Letterpress manufacturers and who operates a private museum, restoring older presses.