Finishing - Digital

Most of us in the finishing world are familiar with machine-level automation, which has made enormous progress since the early 1990's. Craftsman-level machine adjustments and makereadies have been largely automated and can now take only a few minutes. But finishing material workflow has been a more difficult challenge.

A number of exciting announcements—including more than 35 new products launching or on display—from Dscoop partners are anticipated at the Dscoop9 conference, taking place March 6-8 in Orlando, Fl.

Walker 360 of Montgomery, AL, Vedda Printing+ of Cleveland, and McCarty Printing of Erie, PA, share their success stories using the Stahlfolders of Heidelberg’s TH/KH generation.

When it comes to the finishing end of digital print, there is still a lack of "connectivity." The offset world saw the introduction of JDF (Job Definition Format) more than 15 years ago. Enter digital print. Each vendors' print engine ran on a different software workflow. There was no JDF equivalent of a universal digital print-to-finish "language."

We've been through many challenging years for print, and as finishing is an integral part, it's fair to ask where we're going, and where new opportunities may lie. So let's break out the old crystal ball and gaze...

Digital print advances will create many new finishing opportunities. The finishing expert of the near future will truly have to "think outside the box" to be able to create products in new and innovative ways.

Years ago, I had listened to presentations on the personalization possibilities that digital print would bring to the newspaper industry. So far, those predictions have not come to pass. As inkjet continues to evolve (and gets faster), this market may finally evolve.

West Chester, PA-based Anro Inc. has placed an order for the Highcon Euclid digital cutting and creasing machine. The Highcon Euclid will join Anro's digital printing line-up, allowing the company to offer its customers a one-stop shop; faster speed to market, greater flexibility and shorter-run packaging.

Building on this year’s SGIA Expo theme of “The Full Spectrum of Specialty Imaging Technology and Equipment,” xpedx will feature a large collection of substrates and equipment for digital and wide-format printing.

This week, Structural Graphics presents several designs that include Web keys that the company has produced for clients across multiple industries, including insurance, pharmaceutical, travel and entertainment and automotive.