Making the Case for a Color Digital Press

In a vast sea of equipment choices and configurations, choosing the right device can be a challenging prospect — no matter what market you’re in. Partnering with the right company, which offers the right solution for your specific needs, is the key to success.

Designed to meet the increasing demand from both commercial and in-house print service providers for higher production volumes without compromising on quality, the Canon imagePRESS C10000VP/C8000VP color digital presses sets new standards in image quality and productivity. Combining existing imagePRESS features with new print technologies, the next-generation digital press addresses much broader business opportunities with a variety of choices for in-line finishing accessories along with vibrant color, high quality and the ability to maintain productivity on all supported media weights whether it be long-run or mixed-media jobs.

In the first quarter of 2016, BFC Print purchased and installed a new Canon imagePRESS C10000VP. A long-time Canon customer, Batavia, Ill.-based BFC Print was looking to extend its range of services. “We’ve had a long-standing relationship with Canon and our dealer, Gordon Flesch,” said Matt Novak, VP of technology and finance at BFC Print. “We have grown to really appreciate the reliability of Canon equipment and were excited to replace our Canon imagePRESS C7000VP series machines with the upgraded Canon imagePRESS C10000VP series for greatly-enhanced speed and quality improvements.”

BFC offers the comprehensive experience, resources, and equipment to serve as an end-to-end solution for all technology, printing, fulfillment and warehousing needs. Learn how partnering with Canon has benefited their business.

Engineered for demanding production environments, the imagePRESS C10000VP incorporates innovative technologies and is positioned to help print providers unleash reliable image quality and productivity with a versatile in-line finishing portfolio for a ‘white-paper-in, finished-product-out’ workflow.

Vibrant and Stable Output Quality

The imagePRESS C10000VP Series can provide the edge print providers need to exceed their customers’ expectations. It provides offset-like quality with 2,400x2,400 dpi output quality, tight registration and stable color on long runs at 100 letter impressions per minute. With dual fixing technology, it can maintain high throughput, even with mixed media and on long runs. The engine is designed for demanding production environments with monthly duty cycles of up to 1.5 million prints.

“Speed is extremely important,” added Novak. “With the new Canon imagePRESS C10000VP, we are now much more efficient in that department. Additionally, the increased capacity has released some bottlenecks in production. For us, efficiency equals profitability.”

Canon imagePRESS C10000VP

Customers expect color to remain accurate throughout a long press run. The imagePRESS C10000VP Series is designed to help minimize the frustration and expense often associated with ensuring that colors are the same within and across print runs. The Canon presses help provide smooth and vibrant output quality across a wide range of applications, including textured and synthetic substrates. CV toner and an Advanced Intermediate Transfer Belt combine to help provide efficient transfer to multiple media. Six flexible screen patterns are designed to satisfy varying image requirements and include an offset-like, 190-lpi dot screen.

Canon imagePRESS C10000VP was recognized for innovation and quality as "Best Cut Sheet Color A3+ Printer Over 200,000 A/4 month" by EDP

For BFC Print, the Canon imagePRESS C10000VP has helped it to produce and provide longer run, full-color variable output. “In the past, we would print masters and then imprint in black,” said Novak. With the new device, that is no longer the case. Instead, BFC Print now can produce even higher-end print pieces with offset-like quality. This is especially essential when BFC needs to match other offset pieces in a portfolio or kit situation.

And because the quality is near identical to offset, “we do not treat the outputs any differently,” said Novak. “We make the decision on an economic basis whether to print offset or digital rather than on a pure quality basis.”

Canon’s unique Gloss Optimization technology provides the ability to adjust the gloss level of the toner image to the substrate being printed on — resulting in print output with an offset look and feel. And, in the case of BFC, this option has helped to make customers even happier with the output, according to Novak. Gloss Optimization adjusts the gloss level through a dual fusing process — the user simply needs to specify the type of paper. It also allows the user to store the media settings, so the device can automatically and intuitively adjust the gloss level to match the media for future projects.

To maintain consistent color day-to-day, and to help limit reprint and waste within long run jobs, MULTI D.A.T. (Real-time Calibration) technology and a series of in-line spectrophotometric sensors are used. Multi-gradation patches are automatically printed on the drum and ITB belt and read on the fly for real-time color correction. This happens automatically with no need for operator intervention. The built-in spectrophotometric sensors are used for post fuse engine calibration measurements, including Auto Gradation Adjustment and Auto Correct Color Tone. And the system keeps track of color adjustments, providing enhanced color consistency over time thus reducing waste and downtime.

The Canon PRISMAsync Color Print Server for imagePRESS color digital presses received the G7 Certified System designation from Idealliance.

Registration is a subtle, yet crucial, indicator of print quality, and the human eye quickly picks up on even very small differences. Much like an offset press, the imagePRESS C10000VP Series uses active registration with a side guide to help correct for skew. The secondary image transfer belt’s stable transfer enhances image-to-sheet registration accuracy. Digital correction compensates for paper shrinkage when duplex printing. Image-to-sheet registration can be controlled by operators for fine adjustments based on media used. Together, these features provide tight registration that helps produce “first-time-right” output that reduces misprints.

Built to Perform

As any print provider knows, there’s more to profitable productivity than just speed. The entire press must integrate multiple technologies designed to deliver reliable performance. It’s such integration that differentiates the imagePRESS C10000VP Series in the market and makes it a high-productivity performer for print providers.

The Dual Fusing Unit automatically routes heavier and coated stocks to a second fixing station. This enables full production speed, regardless of media weight, and high productivity, even for long runs and mixed-media jobs.

The external heat belt maintains even temperatures and provides stable fixing at all print speeds, including continuous runs of heavier substrates.

Canon USA's piece "Artisans" won the Gold Award in the Digital Printing, Marketing Collateral category of the 2016 Gold Ink Awards. The marketing piece was printed on a Canon imagePRESS C10000VP and finished in-line with a BLM300C finisher. Neenah Paper was used for both the interior and exterior of the piece.

The air knife helps to ensure that lightweight substrates are reliably separated from the fixing roller at full speed.

To simplify operator maintenance, some operator replaceable parts, such as the Primary Charging Assembly and Cleaning Web, can be changed without using tools. Trained operators can perform maintenance and image adjustments, promoting maximum uptime and less unplanned maintenance.

The external heat belt maintains even temperatures and provides stable fixing at all print speeds, including continuous runs of heavier substrates.

The air knife helps to ensure that lightweight substrates are reliably separated from the fixing roller at full speed.

To simplify operator maintenance, some operator replaceable parts, such as the Primary Charging Assembly and Cleaning Web, can be changed without using tools to help reduce service calls and maintain uptime. Additionally, trained operators can perform maintenance and image adjustments, promoting maximum uptime and less unplanned maintenance.

Do More for Your Customers

The media versatility of the imagePRESS C10000VP series extends from the press through finishing, enabling print providers to satisfy a broad range of customer requirements with a single machine. The digital press can accommodate media as light as 60 gsm (uncoated) and 70 gsm (coated), all the way up to 350 gsm. It prints standard sizes, as well as long sheet applications — up to 30˝ — on one device. In addition, print providers can deliver high-quality output on textured substrates and specialty media, including vellum, film and synthetics.

“There’s no question that our new imagePRESS gives us unprecedented flexibility and quality, and allows BFC to differentiate ourselves from the competition,” said Novak. “We can confidently compete with our competitors that run presses from other manufacturers.”

Additionally, a wide variety of in-line finishing options is available for the imagePRESS C10000VP Series, letting print providers meet a broad range of customer needs and effectively grow their businesses.

Stapled Documents: Produce stapled documents, such as presentation handouts, of up to 100 sheets, with both corner and double stapling capabilities.

Saddle-Stitched Booklets: In-line saddle-stitching provides up to 100-page (with the Saddle Finisher-AN2) or 120-page brochures, catalogs and programs (with the SDD BLM300C Professional Booklet Maker). Square-fold options and unique Saddle Press technology help to limit bowing, so booklets lie flat. A creasing feature is also available for high-quality half-folding and saddle-stitching that significantly reduces paper or toner cracking on the spine.

Full-Bleed Booklets: Print booklets in sizes of up to 13 x 19.2˝ and benefit from in-line, face- and two-knife trimming for high-quality, full-bleed booklet output.

Perfect-Bound Books: Deliver soft-cover, glue-bound books of up to 400 pages in-line.

Off-Line Finishing: Via the High-Capacity Stacker, the imagePRESS C10000VP/C8000VP presses output neat stacks of loose leaves that can be unloaded to feed off-line, post-processing equipment — without interrupting print production.

Bound Presentations and Manuals: Standard or custom punch dies produce ready-to-bind documents for a variety of binding methods, such as plastic comb, velo bind or color coil binding, eliminating the need for pre-punched sheets or off-line hole punching. The in-line Ring Binder creates up to 200-page punched and bound books in one uninterrupted run, also eliminating the off-line binding step.

Folded Brochures: Produce flyers, mailings, letters and folded leaflets in-line with the folding unit.

No matter the size or focus of your business, remaining competitive and providing more capabilities and innovative applications are essential for continued success. When selecting a technology partner, Canon’s extensive print experience can help you tailor its solutions to help increase productivity and provide production excellence for your business.

To speak to someone regarding the imagePRESS C10000VP color digital press series, please click here.