drupa 2012 at a Glance

With the fairgrounds spanning 19 halls, it’s simply not practical to cover all that the show had to offer. For a taste of the rest, the following are some of the key announcements made in other hot product categories.

Binding & Finishing

The Stitchmaster ST 500 saddlestitcher debuted at the Heidelberg booth. The ST 500 touts individual drive technology, centralized control system and a wide range of feeder models. The stitcher has a capacity of 13,000 cph and it enables users to collate stack-signature brochures in preparation for adhesive binding. Automation options for the feeder, trimmer, stitcher and compensating stacker help reduce makeready times.

The Clarion APEX sorting system was showcased by Bell and Howell. The APEX processes mail in uniform batches or mixed with various types and sizes. Applying constant gap and pitch control to every mail piece helps minimize processing time and maximize throughput. Options include detectors for doubles, metal, height, indicia and thickness.

Duplo showcased its DC-745 slitter/cutter/creaser, which is geared toward mid- to high-volume production digital printers. The DC-745 touts greater speed, productivity and versatility, with the ability to finish a wider range of digitally-printed applications in a single pass. The machine can perform up to 10 slits, 20 cuts and 15 creases, all in one pass, and eliminates white borders and toner cracking on fold lines.

The SigmaLine digital book solution headlined Muller Martini’s product display at drupa, going from PDF to finished book in a single, integrated operation. The Connex data and process management system is the central control element of the SigmaLine, linking all production stages utilizing JDF and JMF. Also featured was the Alegro perfect binder operating at up to 7,000 cph to support digital and offset printing finishing needs.

Standard Finishing touted its Standard Horizon HT-1000V variable three-knife trimmer. The unit is capable of one-to-one variable trimming, in-line or off-line. Its setup and variable trimming is achieved by reading a barcode printed on a cover sheet. It can trim up to 1,000 variable-thickness and format size books per hour. The HT-1000V will accept a wide range of input sizes and deliver trimmed books from 5.7x4.05˝ up to 13.38x11.69˝.

Morgana unveiled its new range of PUR binders for digital printers. Joining the DigiBook 300, which debuted in Europe last year, were the 150 and 450 series binders. The DigiBook 150 is capable of producing 150 cph and can bind publications with spine thicknesses from 2mm to 50mm. The DigiBook 300 runs at up to 300 bph while, the top of the line machine, the DigiBook 450, can produce up to 450 cph with automatic cover feeding.

Brandtjen & Kluge is now co-marketing the Brausse 1050 Series of foil stamping, embossing and diecutting machines. It features a non-stop feeder and register system that delivers optimal registration. An LCD screen display provides real-time operating information for each section of the machine and an integrated microprocessor for system monitoring and self-diagnosis. The system can be enhanced with the optional triple action stripping station.

On Demand Machinery (ODM) highlighted its Super Sewer XXL with Back Tack technology. This solution is designed for sewing book blocks up to 1˝ (25mm) thick, ranging in size from 4x4˝ wallet (100x100mm) to 18x18˝ tabloid (450x450mm). The Super Sewer XXL produces 400 books (up to 1˝ thick) per hour.

Baum exhibited several new solutions, including the heavy-duty CF20 buckle folder, shown at the Binderhaus GmbH booth. It features extra-large-diameter folding rollers with special polyurethane coating to handle all types of imaging. The folder also includes built-in, variable height adjustment to operate in-line with many print engines, creasers and scoring machines.

Hohner showcased its new HSB 13.000 saddle binder, a next-generation machine that replaces the former HSB 10.000 saddlestitcher. The new binder is fully automated with more efficiency at 13,000 cph. It is geared toward ease of use and promises reduced manpower requirements, and is equipped with a completely new drive technology, managed by Hohner’s proprietary Motion Control.

Pitney Bowes rolled out new print head and ink technology to enable 800-fpm monochrome printing speeds on the IntelliJet 30 and IntelliJet 42 printing systems, as well as 400 fpm monochrome and color speeds on the IntelliJet 20. Pitney Bowes, which uses HP inkjet web press technology in its IntelliJet family, demonstrated the 800 fpm, 100-percent variable data color capabilities running on the T400 inkjet web press in the adjacent HP booth.

Among the highlights at the Kolbus booth was the KM 600.C, an improved version of its perfect binder. The 9,000 cph machine is targeted for production of brochures, magazines, catalogs and book blocks. Engineering enhancements from infeed to delivery improve performance, reduce makeready times and augment user-friendliness.

Among the latest products offered by MBO is the T535-EA (Efficiency Automatic) buckle folder. Its features include Vario control with touchscreen, Rapidset computerized makeready system, Combiplate combination plate and an A-56 mobile delivery. The T535-EA also boasts the automatic setting of sheet gap and infeed through the suction wheel.

Digital Plates

Set for implementation in 2013, Fujifilm previewed its new “MultiGrain Z” technology for manufacturing processless plates that it says will result in a 50 percent improvement in run lengths for its HD PRO-T3 processless plate, while retaining the current ink-water balance, on-press processing stability and image quality characteristics of the plate. Launched at drupa was the Brillia HD LH-PXE positive-working thermal plate, an addition to the company’s low-chemistry line that supports run lengths of 500,000 impressions unbaked, and more than 1 million when baked.

Kodak’s Sonora XP process-free plates use non-ablative thermal exposure technology that offers enhancements in both imaging speed and latent image contrast compared to the company’s Thermal Direct plates. The negative-working plate provides a resolution of 1-99 percent at 200 lpi and is rated for 100,000 impressions on sheetfed presses and 200,000 impressions on web presses.

Violet Digitplate (VDP) is a new chemistry-free, cross-linking polymer plate from Mitsubishi Imaging that is being offered as polyester- or paper-based plate material in thicknesses up to .28mm. After imaging, the plates are washed off using only water. They can be used with the Violet Digiplate VDP-CF 3070 platesetter.

Fit Primus from Xingraphics is a positive-working thermal plate designed for high-quality commercial printing applications. The product doesn’t require any pre-heat step and is rated for 250,000 impressions unbaked and 1 million impressions when baked. It is said to offer a wide operating latitude and improved imaging stability with a 1-99 percent dot at 450 lpi resolution.

Web-to-Print Solutions

EFI Fiery Dashboard provides a cloud-based service, giving users real-time access to production data for Fiery-driven devices from any Internet browser, including mobile phones and tablets. Shop managers can remotely view production parameters such as print engine utilization and status, jobs and pages printed by media and the split between color and black-and-white jobs, as well as access to a range of metrics that identify the source of production inefficiencies.

Also in the cloud is the XMF PrintCentre V3 hosted system from Fujifilm that delivers print-ready PDF files to production systems such as the company’s XMF Workflow. New features in version 3 include a text editor module within the template editor, enhanced PDF preflight control for ad-hoc print jobs and a larger preview of jobs being ordered. The system also now includes features specifically for wide-format printing.

XMPie, a Xerox company, was preparing to release uStore 6.0, which adds a document submission feature to the Web-to-print system. It supports the uploading and production of customer-submitted documents in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint or PDF format, which can be combined with documents available in the portal’s catalog. Among the other new features are a 3D preview of the job with the chosen binding method, real-time dynamic pricing and online automatic preflight.

Agfa Graphics’ :Apogee StoreFront is a cloud-based solution for both printed and non-printed products, enabling multiple customized stores to be set up for different types of customers. Orders from the software as a service (SAAS) offering can be processed using any print production system, but it seamlessly integrates with :Apogee Prepress 8. The Online Editor function lets print buyers design or edit their own documents.

Wide-Format Inkjet

Agfa Graphics’ :M-Press Leopard inkjet press handles rigid and flexible materials up to 63x130˝ and 2˝ thick with a choice of manual- or auto-loading options. It prints in four-color at a maximum 1,260x720 dpi and outputs 41 to 71 sph, depending on resolution, using piezo heads and UV inks. The company also showed its recently introduced FTR (flat-to-roll) option for its grand-format :Jeti 3020 Titan flatbed printer.

Targeted as a replacement for screen printing, the EFI VUTEk HS100 Pro prints flexible or rigid substrates up to 126.5˝ wide and 2˝ thick using UV inks in up to eight colors, including white and specials inks. Driven by the Orion OS software for color accuracy and consistency, it outputs up to 3,600 square feet per hour at 600 dpi. Also, the entry-level EFI VUTEk QS2 Pro UV hybrid printer handles media up to 80˝ wide and prints in six colors plus white.

Characterized as a prototype that will be available in the first quarter of 2013, the Ricoh Pro L4000 series printer features piezoelectric printheads running seven colors—CMYK, plus light cyan, light magenta and white—of aqueous latex ink for a lower environmental impact. Available in 54˝ and 64˝ models, the series prints at up to 59 square feet per hour on a wide range of substrates, from PVC and synthetics, to paper and textiles.

The new Inca Onset S40i flatbed UV inkjet press, distributed by Fujifilm, is designed for high-volume, fast-turnaround production of formats up to 123.6x63˝. Its 168 user-replaceable printheads deliver a 28-picoliter drop size and are monitored by an auto-sensor system that informs the operator when automatic cleaning is required. The printer outputs the equivalent of 94 full-bed sph.

Océ, a Canon Group company, showed a product concept called Velocity that combines five Memjet inkjet printheads with an Océ workflow to print up to 500 color prints per hour at 1,600x800 dpi and in a 42˝-wide format. The printer features the same six-media roll capacity of the Océ ColorWave 600/650 printer series and the intuitive touchscreen control panel used on the Océ VarioPrint 6000 series printer.

Screen’s Truepress Jet W1632UV inkjet printer outputs 1,012 square feet per hour and supports media sizes up to 63x126˝ and 1.9˝ thick. Its 12-picoliter, micro-droplet printheads produce 1,200 dpi text, fine image definition and smooth vignettes, aided by the use of light cyan and light magenta inks. An auto-cleaning function increases output stability.

Scheduled to ship soon after drupa, the Xanté Excelagraphix 4200, powered by Memjet, supports a maximum 42˝-wide by 50˝-long format size at up to 1,600x1,600 dpi. It uses dye-based aqueous inks to print in CMYK at up to 12˝/second at 1,600x800 dpi. The adjustable media path handles a variety of media, including foam board and corrugated cardboard up to 3⁄8˝ thick. PI