Press & Finishing: An Array of Digital Color Production Presses
GRAPH EXPO presents a significant opportunity for PSPs – the opportunity to see firsthand the offerings of digital color production manufacturers and distributors.
According to InfoTrends, the high-end digital production color market will expand from its current volume of around 60 billion pages to 87 billion pages globally by 2018, presenting a significant growth opportunity for print service providers.
GRAPH EXPO presents its own significant opportunity for PSPs – the opportunity to see firsthand the offerings of digital color production manufacturers and distributors. Here is a sampling of what’s being displayed:
Canon (Booth 1213) is showcasing the imagePRESS C10000VP digital color production press, which delivers up to 100 images per minute on stock ranging from 70-350 gsm media, including textured stock and specialties such as synthetics. The press is designed for commercial, franchise, in-plant and quick printers, transaction and direct mail service providers. New features include the Inline Spectroscopic Sensor and Multi D.A.T.(Multi Density Adjustment Technology); a 50% increase in duty cycle over previous model imagePRESS C7011VP/S; Simple Registration Control for fast registration adjustments; and an air knife that helps separate sheets from the fusing unit. It targets an AMPV of 100,000 to 450,000 pages with maximum monthly duty cycles of 1.5M pages.
From HP (Booth 1202) comes the HP Indigo WS6800 Digital Press, the third generation of the HP Indigo WS6000 Digital Press series. The press delivers an industry-high crossover point in narrow-web production versus analog for the vast majority of pressure-sensitive label jobs. An in-line spectrophotometer helps customers reduce time spent preparing color profiles and PANTONE color matching by up to 75 percent. Using closed-loop control, the spectrophotometer eliminates the need for manual color calibrations and adjustments. An expanded frame width, increased from 317 mm to 320 mm, allows for higher press output and reduced costs. In addition, label converters can produce up to 131 linear feet per minute in color using Enhanced Productivity Mode (EPM).
Presstek (Booth 2640) imaging and plate technologies are engineered to remove complexities from the print production process, raising a printer’s productivity and profits as well as delivering the highest quality offset output. Presstek’s highly automated 4- to-6-color DI digital offset presses feature on-press media imaging, no click charges, and enable for greater profitability on jobs between 500 – 20,000 impressions. Show visitors can save up to 50% on certified pre-owned DI presses or CTP systems for an even faster ROI. Have questions? Speak to one of Presstek’s experts on site.
Ricoh (Booth 1231) is spotlighting its 5th Color Kit, a collection of five-color applications developed on the RICOH Pro C7100X that commercial printers can show their customers. These are produced on a wide variety of substrates including Cougar Smooth, Hazen Brilliance, Neenah SO...Silk and Mohawk Everyday Digital Coated Gloss stock. These real-world applications are bundled with step-by-step instructions for users looking to replicate them using InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop, along with procedures and best practices for tasks like switching between white and clear toner. The 5th Color Kit is divided into customer-centric themes, such as “music venue” and “retail,” each containing examples of applications which businesses in those industries might leverage.
Xeikon (Booth 849) is showing its new Xeikon 9800 dry toner-based digital color press, which replaces the Xeikon 8800 press in its family of digital color production presses. The 9800 uses Xeikon’s new QA-CD toner, offering a print resolution of 1200x3600 with variable dot density. Integrated with the variable data capabilities of the Xeikon X-800 front-end, this press is well suited for high-end direct marketing work. The Xeikon 9800 prints on a wide range of untreated substrates, from 40-300gsm. At speeds of up to 21.5m per minute and 5/5 single-pass duplex printing, the Xeikon 9800 is the most productive digital color press in the Xeikon portfolio.
The Xerox (Booth 613) Color 800i/1000i Presses refresh the Xerox Color 800/1000 Presses, delivering increased press availability, new high-value application enablers that include optional metallic dry inks, and a more flexible and seamless, integrated workflow to boost productivity. Many of the presses’ core strengths remain, including 2,400x2,400 dpi image quality with accurate and repeatable color produced using Xerox-exclusive EA Toner and its fine, uniform, low-melt particles. Print speeds are 80 and 100 ppm. Substrates range from 7.2x7.2" to 13x19.2" and from 55 to 350 gsm and include a wide range of synthetics, polyesters and other specialty media.
Xerox is also exhibiting its Versant 80 entry-level production press, and the steadfast iGen5.
