Traditional MFP Manufacturers Emphasize High-End Print Technology at the International Graphic Arts Show
Above: A demonstration of the RICOH Pro VC6000
IGAS (International Graphic Arts Show) 2018 was held in Japan July 26″“31 at Tokyo Big Sight, officially known as the Tokyo International Exhibition Center. On display were commercial and industrial digital printing machines developed by copier manufacturers, signifying a generational change from analog offset and flexography printing to digital printing.
Plate-making analog printing presses still represent the majority of commercial and industrial printing machine placements, but with improvements in the print quality of digital printers and efforts to develop applications, it is expected they will eventually be replaced by digital printers. Digital printers are suitable for printing of small jobs and variable data printing and offer added value for digital decoration by enhancing images with UV inks and varnishes, and stamping with gold, silver, and clear inks.
PULL QUOTE: Plate-making analog printing presses still represent the majority of commercial and industrial printing machine placements, but with improvements in the print quality of digital printers and efforts to develop applications, it is expected they will eventually be replaced by digital printers.
Let’s look at what some of what the traditional copier and printer companies had on display.
Canon. With the theme of “PRINT, and BEYOND ““ To print and deliver value of the future,” Canon introduced various technologies for use with its digital printers, examples of business applications, and solutions for front-end and back-end processes in cooperation with alliance partners. The company highlighted its inkjet photo-quality production printing press, VOYAGER, and its compatibility with B2+ size cut paper. VOYAGER was not actually on display at IGAS. Instead, Canon had high-quality print samples and projected a life-size image of the device on a three-dimensional panel along with an animated video of the printing process.
Canon developed VOYAGER to compete with Fujifilm and Konica Minolta, which already have inkjet printing machines compatible with B2+ size cut paper. Although each company seems to be the same in B2+ format arena, the actual print size differs for each model. VOYAGER is currently the only device capable of handling duodecimo half-size (788 mm × 545 mm) that is widely used in the printing industry in Japan.
Fujifilm and Fuji Xerox. Fujifilm announced the development of Jet Press 750S, an inkjet digital press compatible with B2+ size cut paper the day before IGAS. This is an updated version of the Jet Press 720S (maximum paper size: 750 mm × 532 mm). The Jet Press 750S features a new print head and handles 3,600 sheets per hour with high precision. Maximum paper size has been expanded to 750 mm × 585 mm, making it possible to print with six impositions in B5 format. The Jet Press series has an installed base of approximately 150 units worldwide.
The rotary inkjet digital press 11000 Inkjet Press (tentative name) developed by Fuji Xerox features the Samba technology head, a derivative of Fujifilm’s inkjet technology, and offers a printing speed of 150 m/min at 1,200 × 600 dpi resolution or high-speed performance of 80 m/min at 1,200 × 1,200 dpi. Print width is 20.5 inches (about 520 mm). Fujifilm also introduced Fuji Xerox “˜s SE-BizObjects Production Cockpit 1.0, a process management system that it said allows printing companies to efficiently process various type and small lot jobs.
HP. Apart from the Japanese copier manufacturers, HP presented its most advanced machines, including the Indigo. The company exhibited more than 200 kinds of printed materials with the theme of “Paper Revives” at the booth called “Wonderland.” In addition, HP announced and exhibited Latex’s first hybrid printer, the HP Latex R2000 Plus Printer, which can print directly to rigid (board material) and roll material with one unit.
HP Japan also exhibited the HP Indigo 12000HD, demonstrating for the first time in the world the new HP Indigo FM screening technology HP Indigo HDFM mode. HP said this technology improves the accuracy of ink-dot placement by randomly distributing ink dots, suppresses the generation of rosette patterns and moiré, and brings sharp print quality to high-definition images and halftone text.
Konica Minolta. The company exhibited the AccurioJet KM-1, a UV inkjet, and Japan’s first publicly available digital UV spot-varnish (Varnish) coater, the JETvarnish 3D Evolution, as well as digital printing workflow for paper products and packages, combining Rollem’s die-cut machine, the Insignia 7. Konica Minolta also showcased the high-quality print output on the KM-1 and the value-added digital decoration capabilities of the JETvarnish 3D.
Ricoh. With the concept of “Opportunity Has Arrived ““ DIGITAL & Smart,” Ricoh exhibited the RICOH Pro VC 60000, a high-speed continuous-paper inkjet printing system for the first time in Japan. The company also announced new ink for the RICOH Pro VC and the RICOH Pro VC 70000. The ink offers improved print quality and paper handling. The company also introduced TotalFlow BatchBuilder software, which allows for more efficient high-mix, small-lot printing on digital printers. BatchBuilder automatically collects and executes various jobs using attributes such as the type of paper being used and post-process type. The software reportedly allows users to complete even more jobs, making it more convenient to create a wide variety of POP displays for use in retail establishments while achieving equivalent results to faster digital-printing machines.
The availability of production machines for high-quality commercial-printing applications was very much in evidence throughout IGAS. At the next IGAS in three years, I believe we’ll see technology that enables printers to produce designs and printed materials on digital printers that exceed conventional analog printing.
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