GRAPH EXPO & CONVERTING EXPO 2004 DIGITAL PRINTING -- Solution
BY MARK SMITH
Technology Editor
Scientists have challenged its veracity, but the "boiling frog" legend endures. Here's a short version: Drop a frog into a pot of boiling water and it will immediately jump up. Place a frog into a pot of temperate water, then slowly turn up the heat, and it will stay in the pot until it is overcome.
Admittedly, the dire consequences of this cautionary tale are overblown when it's applied to the current status of digital printing. Nonetheless, it does give one a visceral sense for how the slow pace of a change can mask its magnitude over time and lead to complacency.
Rather than being the next big thing, digital printing continues to make steady progress toward achieving critical mass for status on a par with offset as a production option. Advancements on display around the show floor of Graph Expo and Converting Expo 2004 reflected a further maturation of the technology, with particular focus on robustness and reliability.
The trend of digital printing system vendors introducing new monochrome solutions continued in Chicago. In several cases, these are existing devices or OEM versions being distributed by additional firms.
Just prior to the show, Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG) signed an agreement with NexPress Solutions under which the former will sell NexPress color and Digimaster monochrome printing systems on a worldwide basis. KPG is starting with the NexPress 2100 color press and, in fact, reports taking its first order at the show. That machine now features the ability to use a fifth imaging unit to apply a clear coat or spot color, the latter of which has enabled the press to become a Pantone-licensed device.
Now officially a Kodak company, NexPress Solutions added the Digimaster E125 (125 ppm) print system to its monochrome product family. Like the E150 model introduced earlier this year, it features enhanced image quality (600x600 dpi), a modular design and optional MICR capabilities. In addition, both models support a greater range of substrate weights (up to 266 gsm) and sheet sizes (up to 14.33x18.5˝) than previous models.
At Graph Expo 2004, Canon U.S.A. featured the imageRUNNER Pro 125VP (125 ppm) and Pro 150VP (150 ppm) black-and-white production printer additions to its product family. The company held its own Digital Solutions Forum exhibition in Las Vegas later in October. There it made 14 product introductions, including the imageRUNNER 8070/9070 and 85+/105+ black-and-white devices based on the ImagePlatform architecture.
In the cut-sheet arena, Océ announced U.S. general availability status for its VarioPrint 2110 600 dpi, 105 ppm monochrome printer. It also reported continued development of the VarioStream 9000 webfed production platform, with the VarioStream 9220 highlight-color, two-over-two configuration entering pilot testing. Océ says it eventually intends to extend the lineup to a five-over-five color version.
For Production Printing
Konica Minolta Business Solutions introduced bizhub PRO, a subset of its bizhub brand tailored for production printing environments. The bizhub PRO 1050 is a 105 ppm, 600 dpi monochrome production printing system that features patented Simitri polymerized toner, supports a large maximum paper size (12.75x18.11˝) and can be configured with a range of finishing options to meet specific production requirements. The company also previewed the bizhub PRO C500, its next-generation color production device, and PageScope Publisher, a low-cost application designed to streamline job management and "makeready" processes in print-for-pay environments.
According to Delphax Technologies, the "Books for Schools" program surpassed its pre-show goal for production of classic books during Graph Expo 2004. Inside pages were produced using a new Delphax CR2000 monochrome web printer capable of running at up to 450 fpm—or nearly 2,000 81⁄2x11˝ ppm—using electron beam imaging.
The group had committed to donating a minimum of 5,000 books to the Chicago Public Schools, and had already exceeded that number before the end of the second day of the show.
Color covers were produced by Xeikon America, which was highlighting its Xeikon 5000 digital color press. The press is said to be an all-new design offering improved image quality, reliability and durability, with a top print speeds of 130 ppm and a 20˝ maximum media width.
Other vendors providing components for the book production line included Keene Technology (splicer); Stralfors Inc. (sheeter); MBO America (MBO folder and Palamides stacker); Shuttleworth Inc. (conveyor); Muller Martini (perfect binder); and GBC (lamination). Glatfelter provided the paper.
Nipson showed two new continuous-feed printers: the VaryPress 200 (230 fpm) and 400 (410 fpm), based on magnetographic imaging with cold-flash fusing. The monochrome printing systems feature a next-generation writing head designed to offer longer life and a smaller spot size.
Color system vendors continue to fill out their product lines, as well.
Xerox Corp. unveiled the DocuColor 8000 digital color press, which outputs 80 ppm at 2,400 dpi and supports up to a maximum 12.6x19.2˝ page size. The company says that the device builds on and provides a next step up from the DocuColor 6060, which remains in the production line, and shouldn't be considered a "baby iGen3." Also introduced was the Xerox 180 highlight color system, a cut-sheet device that prints at 180 ppm in one color plus black.
LabelExpo 2004 actually served as the launching pad for HP's newest product, the HP Indigo press ws4050. It is designed to produced full-color, variable labels from roll stock up to 13˝ wide at 52.4 fpm. In the commercial print sector, the company previously introduced the HP Indigo press 5000 and 3050, both of which produce up to 4,000 pages per hour, offer an 800-dpi resolution and print in up to seven colors.
In a deal that primarily addresses the corporate data center market, Kodak Versamark and Emtex have teamed up to integrate the latter's VIP and VDE output management software with Kodak Versamark printing systems. Kodak Versamark's CS600 controller, jointly developed with EFI, remains the intended front end for the new VX500e continuous ink-jet color system targeted to graphic arts applications. It prints a 1,200 dpi equivalent resolution at more than 1,400 impressions per minute.
At the other end of the ink-jet scale, Riso formally unveiled its HC5000 cut-sheet ink-jet printer, which produces 105 ppm with a low per-page cost. The device offers a choice of 600- or 900-dpi printing on a maximum page size of 133⁄8x215⁄8˝.
The State of DI
While a fairly stable group of players continue to develop the underlying technology, there has been an ebb and flow among the ranks of companies that actually market presses incorporating DI (Digital Imaging) and other forms of on-press imaging.
Of late, KPG has been reporting a steady stream of DirectPress sales. Its latest models, the KPG DirectPress 5634 and 5334, incorporate Presstek's new ProFire Excel imaging technology and ProFire Digital Media. This combination is said to produce a 16-micron spot, thereby enabling 300 lpi printing with support for FM/stochastic and hybrid screening options.
The core of the machine is a press unit from Ryobi, which is marketing its own version (Ryobi 3404-DI) in the U.S. through its distributor, xpedx/Import Group.
For its part, Heidelberg has opted to incorporate Presstek's new ProSpot imaging into the Quickmaster DI Pro digital press while continuing to use PearlDry Plus plate material.
Screen (USA) demonstrated the TruePress 344 digital offset press—making its U.S. debut—running processless plate technology from Konica Minolta to produce up to 7,000 sph. The press handles a maximum sheet size of 13.4x18.5˝ and offers a 2,400 dpi resolution that supports Spekta hybrid screening.
Variable Data Update
Any mention made of a trend toward adoption of variable data printing (VDP) risks being met with derision. Years of VDP failing to meet high expectations does warrant healthy skepticism.
There is a danger, though, of doubters being slow to pick up on real opportunity when it comes. According to the TrendWatch Graphic Arts research firm, 38 percent of the creative firms that responded to its latest Design & Production Survey reported producing a variable data print job in the past 12 months.
Product introductions at Graph Expo 2004 and other developments show indications of shift in focus to empowering designers and marketing professionals to take charge of variable data projects. This includes giving them tools to directly execute a program.
In Chicago, Adobe Systems launched the VDP Resource Center (www.adobe.com/vdp). It is billed as an educational resource for creative professionals, marketing departments and print service providers that aims to kick-start the adoption and implementation of variable data publishing (VDP) solutions.
The resource center will showcase technologies and products that assist creative professionals and print providers in building VDP campaigns. Visitors can download free trial software and purchase VDP plug-in solutions from Adobe ISV partners.
XMPie announced one such product, called uDirect, at the show. This desktop variable data printing solution for Mac or PC integrates into InDesign as a plug-in and is compatible with XMPie's high-end PersonalEffect VDP system. Point-and-click functionality links document elements to variable data sources, and supported output formats include Creo VPS, Xerox VIPP and PPML/VDX.
Creo Inc. previewed a new version of its Darwin VI (variable information) authoring tool that will also work as a plug-in to InDesign CS. It is slated to be available in early 2005, running on Mac OSX. In addition, Creo demonstrated Darwin 6.1.1 software for QuarkXPress 6.1 users.
Meanwhile, Quark Inc. was previewing the forthcoming release of its QuarkXPress 6.5 update, which features the previously announced QuarkXClusive variable data publishing XTension. The utility was developed in conjunction with HP to enable production of customized, database-driven documents output on HP Indigo digital presses.
