Esko has today unveiled the CDI Crystal XPS ‘Quartz Edition’, its newest innovation that sets incredible new standards in flexographic print quality and offers a genuine alternative to gravure. 

“This is the pinnacle of flexo platemaking,” said Pascal Thomas, Director of Flexo Business with Esko. “In flexible packaging, gravure is still widely considered as delivering the best in print quality. With this new innovation we are giving printers a way to match that print quality in flexography. We are raising the bar on quality to the very highest level and truly enabling flexo printers to achieve the optimum results for their customers.” 

A new top-of-the-line addition to the successful family of Esko CDI Crystal XPS plate imaging and exposing solutions, the CDI Crystal XPS ‘Quartz Edition’ combines the upgraded optics of the CDI Crystal with optimized Crystal Screening software. 

“Our new Quartz optical technology enables users to image higher frequency surface structures at 2000lpi (Q-Cells) with an imaging resolution of 4000ppi, providing another major leap forward in flexo plate imaging speed and print quality,” said Pacal. “Imaging at 4000ppi is nearly double the current industry standard, and microcells engraved in the solid ink areas at a 2000lpi resolution is proven to significantly boost ink transfer. The Esko CDI Crystal XPS ‘Quartz Edition’ sets a whole new standard for quality.” 

Market-leading flexo print quality 

The innovation is primarily targeted at label and packaging converters – and their premedia plate suppliers - who are intent on delivering market-leading flexo print quality. “The hardware and software combination delivers Esko Pixel+ Q-cell screens at 2000lpi resolution, which results in a previously unattainable behavior of solid areas, smooth highlights and ink density,” said Pacal. “What’s more, this is achieved with a single optics head, reducing complexity and further simplifying the process.” 

The Esko CDI Crystal XPS ‘Quartz Edition’ is compatible with solvent and water-based inks – delivering an increased density of up to 0.7 for water-based inks, which are becoming increasingly popular due to their sustainability benefits. 

The new CDI Crystal XPS ‘Quartz Edition’ delivers: 

• Unsurpassed quality – with smoother ink coverage, better contrast and deeper shadows 

• Solid ink density – increased by up to 0.7 to achieve new levels of depth 

• Solids are smoother – no pinholes or negative artefacts 

• Eliminate dot-bridging - negative small elements stay open longer and dot-bridging in screens is eliminated, keeping fades and pictures cleaner 

• Improved tonal range in print – higher ink laydown enables the usage of finer anilox rollers, and thus brilliant solids in combination with fine highlights and fades to zero 

• Sustainability gains - reduced ink usage and compatibility with water-based inks make sustainability goals achievable 

Greater accuracy, reduced ink usage, best quality print 

Jan De Roeck, Director of Marketing, Industry Relations & Strategy at Esko, said that with the new Esko CDI Crystal XPS ‘Quartz Edition’, Esko continues to deliver solutions that accelerate go-to-market while meeting the needs of customers. “This is a brand-new, top-of-the-line complete flexo platemaking solution, for those looking for the very best quality in flexo printing,” he said. 

Jan explained that the screening technology is an evolution from the award-winning Esko Print Control Wizard software, which uses all critical print parameters and variables – imaging resolution, exposure settings, plate, substrate, anilox, press type and inks – to simplify the flexo platemaking process. “The software standardizes the generation of Crystal Screens specifically used in combination with the XPS Crystal flexo plate LED UV exposure unit,” he said. “With the CDI Crystal XPS ‘Quartz Edition’ we are taking that to the next level, adding VQ (variable highlight Q-cells) and SQ (stochastic Q-cells) for unrivalled screening accuracy. 

“This is a perfect combination of Esko hardware and software,” he added. “The Quartz cells form in a flexo plate when exposed with the UV LED technology of the XPS Crystal, providing highly consistent and repeatable plate quality. 

“Put simply, the CDI Crystal XPS ‘Quartz Edition’ massively changes the game in flexo platemaking,” said Jan. “Not only does the technologically advanced system produce the most accurate and best quality plates, but it also reduces ink usage making them cleaner to use, and it does all this while delivering the absolute best quality final print.” 

The new Esko CDI Crystal XPS ‘Quartz Edition’ is compatible with all existing Esko software, so users can continue running all legacy jobs without ripping them again. It will be commercially available from late 2024, available in sizes 4835, 4260 and up to 5080. 

Landa Digital Printing announces that it is launching the next generation of its market leading B1 digital print technology, the Landa S11 and S11P Nanographic Printing Presses.

The new Landa models offer extreme production versatility while reaching 11,200 SPH print speed. The increased speed drives superior economics for customers looking to increase productivity while reducing job turnaround times. 

Commercially available at Drupa 2024 and utilising artificial intelligence technology, the new Landa presses will also offer a new PrintAI module which enhances print quality even further. It ensures a perfect fit for even the most demanding folding cartons and commercial print applications requiring micro text and other brand protection features. PrintAI opens the door to additional profit generating opportunities for many businesses.

Gil Oron, CEO, Landa Digital Printing comments, “We’re delighted to announce the launch of the Landa S11 and S11P. Following the success of our customers with current Landa S10 and S10P models and based on deep understanding of the industry’s future needs, we are taking Nanography to its next level. The new Landa models enable printers and packaging converters to not only increase print quality, but also elevate productivity and profitability while further reducing job turnaround times.

“As a mature and proven technology platform, we’re proud that over 50 Landa presses are now at the heart of many businesses in 14 countries around the world - with more than 20% of our customers having placed a repeat order for a second or third press. Considered a critical growth engine for folding carton converters, commercial printers, and point of purchase specialists, we’ve entered a new era of print production with Nanography. A time when previous technology limitations have been removed, and print buyers can finally have what they want, when they want it – beautiful print, with unlimited design potential produced economically, at market leading turnaround times, and with the environment always in mind.”

New 11K Module

The new Landa S11 and S11P models include a new ink drying system that enables transfer of dry ink from the blanket to the media, at the higher speed of 11,200 SPH. Unlocking additional productivity and improving economic benefits, the new high-speed capability is key for printers and converters looking to produce more jobs, with shorter deadlines.

Press Customisation

The new Landa S11 and S11P can be customised to the exact requirements of every customer. This means that each new press comes with a choice of four or seven colors, a continuous printing capability, an optional in-line coating unit, and the opportunity to purchase the 11K Module elevating productivity to 11,200 SPH and/or the PrintAI module.

Gil Oron, concludes: “The new Landa modules provide a significant premium to customers. While much of the new S11 series is based on the same robust and proven S10 platform, with the additional capabilities launched today, customers can expand their service offering or break into profitable new markets. More widely, there’s no question that the B1 digital print revolution is underway, with Landa presses helping many print houses and converters to meet some of the industry’s biggest challenges - and take advantage of some of its biggest opportunities.”

The new ColorStream 8200 and 8110 models extend the production speeds of the ColorStream 8000 series to meet additional customer needs while delivering proven print quality, reliability and application flexibility.

Following the success to date of its ColorStream 8000 series of high-speed, web-fed inkjet presses, Canon today expands the series with two new models, the ColorStream 8200 and 8110. The ColorStream 8200 is now the most productive model in the series, with a maximum speed of up to 200 meters per minute (656 feet per minute). At 110 meters per minute (361 feet per minute), the ColorStream 8110 is ideal for print service providers (PSPs) wanting to invest in a new ColorStream press while maintaining existing finishing equipment.

Since its launch in 2011, the ColorStream range has proved to be an attractive investment for high-volume print production environments, with more than 1800 towers having been installed worldwide. Building on that customer demand, the new Canon ColorStream 8200 is the most productive and automated ColorStream press to date, minimizing the need for manual intervention and offering excellent uptime and efficiency. Operating at maximum speed, the ColorStream 8200 delivers 2,692 A4 pages per minute (2,860 Letter pages per minute). That level of productivity makes it perfect for business communication, transactional and book printers and PSPs needing to handle production peaks with ease while producing a mix of output, including transactional statements, publications, books, direct mail and product inserts.

Offering a print quality equal to the existing ColorStream 8000 models, the new ColorStream 8200 and 8110 models feature native 1200 dpi printheads and highly pigmented water-based polymer inks, for a wide color gamut on uncoated, recycled, inkjet-coated and inkjet-treated paper without pre-treatment. The use of durable, long-life components in the ColorStream 8200 and 8110, together with automation features, such as auto splice handling and tight communication with inline finishing devices, reflects Canon’s focus on supporting customers to achieve peak productivity, while at the same time reducing the environmental impact of its products and operations.

To maximize the efficiency of the ColorStream 8000 series, customers can combine it with PRISMAproduction, an integrated and scalable, high-performance workflow and production management platform that automates and integrates data input and conversion, prepress and print output. Enhancing files for high-performance production printing, PRISMAproduction enables AFP and PDF pre-flighting and make-ready, data enrichment and page composition in one flexible print workflow via a single platform. The batching functionality in PRISMAproduction also allows customers to optimize their order processing and production sequence in line with the ongoing trend in the reduction of run lengths, resulting in efficient output handling on the ColorStream 8000 series.

Peter Wolff, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President, Canon Production Printing, comments: 

“Customers of the ColorStream 8000 series have been delighted with the robust build and print quality of these presses, praising their level of automation, exceptional uptime and consequential OEE performance. With the introduction of the new flagship ColorStream 8200, we’re now helping to boost  their productivity even further without compromising reliability or quality. And as business communication printers and publishers are keen to produce books on more easily recycled, uncoated papers, we’re confident they will find the new ColorStream particularly appealing.”

The new ColorStream 8200 will have its global debut on the Canon stand in Hall 8a at drupa 2024, as a part of an inline, on-demand book production solution. With integrated inline Hunkeler finishing equipment, the press will produce book blocks with auto splice handling, changing formats, variable page counts and variable book spine lengths for any run length at the maximum printing speed of 200 meters per minute (656 feet per minute), delivering outstanding productivity, efficiency and quality in both print and finishing.

For more information about the ColorStream 8000 series, go to https://cpp.canon/products/colorstream-8000-series/.

Durst Group, the leading manufacturer of digital printing and production technologies, is offering the P5 350 HS PACK, a highly automated solution for digital corrugated and display printing.

With the P5 PACK series, the Durst Group is launching a printing solution that is specially tailored to the production of corrugated displays and packaging. The P5 350 HS PACK combines the well-known versatility of a P5 hybrid printing system with the ability to print on a wide range of materials used in the POP/POS and retail markets. Durst has once again set a benchmark in terms of quality and efficiency. "The modular design of the P5 technology platform enables us to develop new products for a wide range of applications. We identify market requirements and incorporate them into our development process," emphasizes Andrea Riccardi, Head of Product Management, Graphics at Durst. "The P5 350 HS PACK is another result of our customer-oriented approach and expands our P5 portfolio."

Maximum efficiency thanks to automated corrugated option

The P5 PACK series is equipped with all the functions that enable efficient print production of corrugated boards. An innovative material guide and pressure rollers system aim to ease production. Automated corrugated edge holders avoid collisions between the print heads and the substrates. The width and height are set automatically by simply selecting the media channel in the software, which significantly reduces set-up time.

In addition, a powerful vacuum system increases the suction power on the print belt by up to 40% compared to the conventional systems. This means that even heavy and warped corrugated boards can be flattened and printed cleanly.

The P5 PACK series includes the sensor-controlled Multitrack 6 function. Managed by 6 independent printing queues, this enables up to 6 corrugated boards to be printed in parallel by manual feeding.

Automation of production processes

Starting with software for the print file creation, up to the finishing process, the automation of the production processes plays a major role.To maximize production potential of the printing system, the P5 Pack series, as all P5 printing systems, can be equipped with the proprietary Durst Workflow Rip/Color Management and Analytics software.

In this context, the P5 350 HS PACK can be combined with the Durst Automat MT. With this new solution for the automatic feeding and stacking of boards, up to 4 lanes can be processed in parallel. The multi-lane operation of the Automat MT works together with the Multitrack 6 function of the P5 350 HS PACK. Finely tuned movements of the suction elements in combination with a reinforced blow and brush bar result in clean and fast media separation, even with difficult synthetic boards and thin substrates.

Continuous and stable production is ensured by pneumatically controlled flaps that prevent the materials from slipping during the loading and unloading process.

The entire printing process is continuously monitored by surveillance cameras.

The feed and delivery tables have also been further developed to ensure smooth transportation of the boards. "With the Automat MT, we can map different levels of automation, ranging from 3/4 to full automation. This allows us to raise our customers' productivity to a new level," assures Christian Harder, Vice President Sales at Durst Group.

New inks on board

As part of the P5 PACK series, Durst is introducing a new ink set that is specially tailored to the requirements of display and packaging printing. The LUVERA LED ink is characterized by low odor and high abrasion resistance. With this new ink, Durst has succeeded in covering an even wider color gamut to give displays and packaging a high level of vibrancy. The LUVERA inks are also IKEA and IOT-Mat compliant.

The LUVERA LED ink is the result of a holistic ink development program that Durst has undertaken in the last years, which will expand the Durst Ink portfolio during 2024 to cover a wide range of applications and market requirements. The new ink generation will take Durst's ink system to the next level.

The availability of the P5 PACK series is planned for Q3 2024.

HP has ushered in a new era for digital printing with the latest line-up of HP digital printing presses and intelligent solutions designed to address today’s production challenges in the commercial printing and labels and packaging industries. 

Printing businesses face challenges such as inflation, labour shortages, material scarcity, and environmental concerns. To sustainably grow their business, offset players need to access new growth opportunities by embracing digital printing and an intelligent production floor. 

"We're committed to unlocking profitable and sustainable growth for our customers," said Haim Levit, SVP and Division President of HP Industrial Print. " Our LEP, LEPx, and inkjet technologies have improved in terms of quality, versatility, productivity, sustainability, and economics and our commitment and significant investment into continuous innovation has enabled over 8,000 printers and converters to expand their businesses and grow sustainably. HP has been a digital transformation leader for more than 30 years, and our digital printing technology has established the gold standard in commercial print and labels and packaging production."

Today’s printing businesses are navigating increasing production challenges. Supply chain disruption, energy supply concerns and worsening sector labour shortages reinforce the need for greater efficiency, speed, and reliability across the production floor. 

The HP Indigo 120K Digital Press announced today sets a new standard for high-volume production and automation, while enabling printers to move jobs from analogue to digital more intuitively and economically to meet demanding customer needs. Optimising production floors by combining analogue and digital technologies, the HP Indigo 120K reduces human touchpoints and enables multi-press operation by a single operator. The new press delivers offset-matching image quality, flexible job routing between offset and digital, and an ECO mode option that reduces the press's carbon footprint by 11%, supporting sustainability goals. 

Unlocking Profitable Growth 

The next-generation of the bestselling B2 sheet-fed digital press, today’s launch of the HP Indigo 18K Digital Press takes versatility, efficiency, and user-friendliness to new heights. As the commercial printing sector tackles significant competitive transformation, the need for presses and solutions that help printers enrich their offering and sustainably grow their business is critical. 

The new HP Indigo 18K Digital Press handles the widest range of print applications ever produced with a single B2 digital press, accommodating diverse substrates and job types seamlessly. Advanced AI features like auto recovery and proactive alerts enhance productivity and simplify the entire production process, achieving up to 80% press availability5 within a single shift. 

Aligning with HP’s sustainability commitment, the Indigo 18K supports Enhanced Productivity Mode (EPM), delivering 24% energy savings per sheet. 

Innovating for Restricted Digital Security Printing 

Today HP introduces the ground-breaking HP Indigo 7K Secure Digital Press, revolutionizing restricted digital security printing by executing security-focused print jobs in a single pass. Collaborating with Jura JSP, this cutting-edge sheet-fed press enables workflows tailor-made for security production lines, so customers can diversify their offerings, cater to a comprehensive range of security needs, and acquire new customers to grow their business. 

"As the printing industry embraces automation and digitalization, HP Indigo empowers customers with unprecedented levels of productivity, efficiency, versatility, quality, and cost-effectiveness," said Noam Zilbershtain, VP and GM, HP Indigo and Scitex. "Our portfolio defines the industry standard for automation and sustainability, reflecting HP's vision for the print production floor.” 

“We’re also excited to announce that today HP will roll out general commercial availability of the HP Indigo V12 Digital Press, the fastest narrow web digital press on the market and first press to utilise new innovative LEPx technology7. Commercial availability comes after successful beta site installations including Brook + Whittle, a leader in sustainable packaging and digital printing in the US" continued Noam Zilbershtain, VP and GM, HP Indigo and Scitex. 

Paving the Way for Success with Intelligent Factory Floors 

HP is defining the industry approach to automation through AI and robotics, launching a comprehensive print production automation ecosystem. Based on internal studies, customers who leverage automated processes achieve 51% higher volume and 80% more jobs per press compared to less automated customers. These customers also grow at an average of 27% year-over-year which is higher than the industry average. HP's holistic approach combines effective presses with intelligent features from job submission to delivery. 

Specific efficiency innovations include: 

• PrintOS Production Beat Support for analogue printing and finishing equipment, to enable customers to monitor their entire production floor, not only HP presses, capturing data in real time from analogue equipment and digitalizing the entire production. 
• HP Indigo PQ Maestro, offering an intelligent start-of-day wizard that optimizes press performance. 
• Preflight, an AI-based decision-making tool that automatically predicts the suitability of the best-fit print mode by learning customers preferences. 
• AAA 2.0 (Auto Alert Agent) advanced, a machine-learning algorithm that increases print productivity with zero human intervention. 

“By using AAA 2.0 we experience a significant reduction in production time, saving 1 hour for every 80,000 impressions. This not only enhances our operational efficiency, but also drastically reduces customer complaints and returns by 5-7%” highlighted Andreas Organzidis Head of Colour Digital Printing, Elanders. 

As the industry moves towards a more productive production floor, HP introduces Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) in collaboration with Movigo to automate media transfer, saving up to two hours per day, per press. 

Developed in collaboration with printers and converters, today HP also announces the launch of the HP Sustainability Amplifier program enabling printers and converters to accelerate their sustainability agenda and offer more sustainable prints. The program, in collaboration with HP’s Sustainable Impact Strategy, aligns with HP's commitment to renewable energy and reducing CO2 emissions.

Driving Continuous Innovation in Inkjet 

An industry pioneer in inkjet technology for 40 years, HP PageWide Web Presses use HP’s proprietary thermal inkjet technology to deliver offset class quality and productivity with the benefits of digital printing. 

“Since our first HP inkjet web press in 2009, HP customers9 have printed more than 1 trillion pages on PageWide. Along the way, we’ve invested in innovation to protect our customers' investments and help them grow sustainably. Today we're introducing the new HP PageWide Plus Package, to enhance productivity, automation, and economics," said Annette Friskopp, VP and GM, HP PageWide. 

The enhancements to HP PageWide Plus Package unveiled today include the following: 

• Performance Economy Color (EC) Mode: Delivering print quality customers require for faster turnaround with less colour ink and a 60% increase in productivity up to 800 fpm (244 mpm)10. 
• General availability of Smart Workcell Controller: Offering significant advancements in intelligent automation and productivity improvements of up to a factor of 15x11. 
• On Press Color Profiling: Automation transforms colour profiling into a less than 5 minutes job, a tenth of what it normally takes. 

HP also announces two new additional capabilities expanding the versatility of the HP PageWide Advantage 2200 web inkjet press: 

• Heavier Media Expansion: Enabling printers to use thicker substrates allowing them to capture more high value jobs up to 320 gsm/18pt13. 
• Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) for Transactional Print Systems: Enabling printers to capture more speciality jobs and grow their business. 

At drupa 2024 HP members of the global print community will be able to see first-hand eight automated production lines equipped with the latest innovation across HP Industrial, involving over 25 partner companies and incorporating more than 20 unique automation solutions. 

For more information about HP at drupa 2024, please visit HP Industrial's Official social media hub via LinkedIn HP Digital Print and see HP innovation for yourself at drupa 2024 in Hall 17.

Hybrid Inline Stacker Supports Long-sheet Stacking with Simple Docking/undocking for Easy Lifting and Transporting Heavy Paper Stocks

Konica Minolta has announced the availability of the Plockmatic MPS XL, a multi-purpose stacker capable of stacking a wide range of media sizes, from 8.27" x 8.27", up to sheets as large as 13" x 51" (Konica Minolta Colour Engine maximum sheet size). This long-sheet stacking greatly expands the banner-stacking capabilities of the company’s AccurioPress color production machines.

Equally beneficial, the Plockmatic MPS XL Stacker for Konica Minolta has the ability to dock and undock from the production press system. A stacking table that can be operated while undocked from the press – when connected to power – provides easy lifting, transportation and managing of heavy paper stacks.

The MPS XL Stacker connects to the Konica Minolta Large Capacity Stacker LS-507 to stack large volumes of long sheets – as well as standard-size sheets – and is equipped with multiple sensors that can detect jams and stack capacity limits, which will trigger a soft stop within the printer. This integration and automated communication conveniently allow operators to pause and resume jobs directly from the stacker control panel.

The MPS XL Stacker is currently compatible with the Konica Minolta AccurioPress C14000, C12000, C7100, C7090, C4080 and C4070 digital production presses. The new stacker is rated for a maximum load of 88.2 lbs. or a maximum stack height of up to 6.9" for sheets under 28.1", and up to 5.5" for sheets 28.1" or longer. This capability allows for stacking functionality that not only matches true production quantities, but also presents a solution for the transportation and lifting of heavy stacks of paper.

The MPS XL Stacker also pairs well with the Plockmatic SD-435/450 booklet makers. With both of these systems having the ability to undock from the LS-507, customers have the unique capability to swap between the two, allowing them to match changing production demands with an appropriate  finisher. Whether utilising the MPS XL Stacker for expanded high-capacity flat sheet stacking, or swapping to the SD-435/450 to meet booklet making production, customers now have more ways to easily diversify and expand their current production capabilities.

“With the extended range of paper sizes for stacking and the ability to easily dock and undock from our AccurioPress production printing devices, plus the flexibility of adding the LS-507, our customers can quickly switch from printing large volumes of flat sheets to making booklets,” said Dino Pagliarello, Senior Vice President, Portfolio Management and Planning, Konica Minolta. “The Plockmatic MPS XL Stacker offers another way to easily diversify and expand current production capabilities. Our continued partnership with the Plockmatic Group for inline finishing and with Morgana for offline finishing further differentiates our finishing options across Konica Minolta’s AccurioPress colour and mono production machines to meet all the finishing needs of CRDs and commercial printers.”

Visit Konica Minolta online for more information about the Plockmatic MPS XL Stacker.

Combined with intelligent on-demand production, Müller Martini's Smart Factory is the answer to sustainability in the printing industry – not only significantly reducing the carbon footprint, but also driving the digital transformation. Müller Martini will be demonstrating the economic and ecological benefits at drupa booth 1B50 and at the drupa "touchpoint sustainability" in Hall 14.

According to a calculation by the German Bundesverband Druck und Medien (Federal Association of Printing and Media BVDM), the CO2 emissions of all printed products produced by a citizen in Germany account for less than one percent of the annual CO2 footprint. However, it is important for Müller Martini to take responsibility for the sustainability of print products and to make a significant contribution to reducing the CO2 footprint.

Müller Martini is focusing on three key operational areas where a direct impact can be achieved: business operations at production sites, the use of machines in operations, and the realisation of ecologically sustainable business models for our customers. Considering the long service life of Müller Martini's robust machines, the greatest lever for ecological optimisation lies in reducing paper consumption, as this is where a large portion of the CO2 footprint is generated.

Müller Martini's Smart Factory, which can produce individualised print products down to a quantity of 1 without setup times and start-up waste, is keeping with the spirit of sustainability.The advantages of on-demand production are obvious in this context, especially in conjunction with digital printing systems (web and sheetfed). The print run is precisely matched to demand – only what is sold is printed – everything else is not produced at all.

The environmental and economic benefits of on-demand production:

Efficient resource management Reduction of energy and resource consumption Reduction of storage and labor costs Increasing productivity Reduction of capital commitment Increasing liquidity Reduction of the CO2 footprint Reduction of initial publication costs Simplified reprinting in case of errors.

At the heart of the Smart Factory

The current transformation of the graphic arts industry requires flexible finishing solutions with short, automated changeover processes and minimal waste. This is where Muller Martini's Finishing 4.0 development strategy comes in. No or only minimal adjustments are required for job changes. This setup support saves time and minimizes start-up waste. The added value of Finishing 4.0 is also visible in energy and resource efficiency. On-demand production saves significant amounts of paper, ink, solvents, water and energy, which account for more than 95 percent of a print product's carbon footprint.

Production under control

In order to link the individual systems with each other in a network, a comprehensive workflow system is needed that connects all the work steps – from order acceptance to shipping. Today the Connex workflow from Müller Martini can map a wide range of production scenarios, such as print-on-demand or book-of-one. The Connex workflow is the heart of the Smart Factory, where there are no out-of-the-box solutions. “It takes a workflow that is perfectly tailored to the individual company to implement the digital transformation in practice”, says Adrian Mayr, Head of Product Management at Müller Martini.The Connex workflow ensures networking between the organization level (MES/MIS) and the production level. This makes it possible to track production feedback right down to the individual product in real time. Smart optimisation of production allows further reductions in changeover work and paper waste, which in turn contributes to efficiency and sustainability. Müller Martini's approach in this context is based on the principle of “first copy sellable.”

Driving the Digital Transformation

“Most of our systems are prepared for future expansion with components for the processing of digitally printed products. This applies to saddle stitchers as well as perfect binders and hardcover systems”, Adrian Mayer emphasizes in this regard. In practice, this means that installed systems can be upgraded in the field to meet current market demands. For example, an existing saddle stitcher can be upgraded with a digital option and thus be used for digital sheet-fed as well as web-fed printing or for combined applications.

SCREEN Graphic Solutions Co., Ltd. announces that it has finalized the development of its new Truepress JET 560HDX roll-fed digital inkjet press. The system will join SCREEN GA’s lineup for the commercial printing, direct mail and publishing printing markets.

The commercial printing market requires flexible print solutions with high value economics. More complex work with faster turnaround times, shorter print runs, multiple versions, late-stage revisions, and variable information are being required to drive relevancy for customers. These requirements have created new business opportunities for high productivity digital inkjet presses offering offset-like economics.

In the publishing market, aggressive economics and high-quality and flexible format sizes enable a growing number of companies to benefit from the capabilities of high-speed, roll-fed digital inkjet presses. While facing the increasing shortening of production runs and demand for book-of-one requirements, book production systems need to be optimized for extremely low- to mid-volume production.

The direct mail market’s needs for high productivity and flexibility when running lightweight uncoated papers and thick, attention-getting high-gloss self-mailers at low fixed and variable costs are needed to help offset the rising cost of postage. Driving direct mail production costs as low as possible will encourage marketers to continue to utilize the valuable medium.

In response to these changing market realities, SCREEN GA initially introduced its Truepress JET 520HD with the Truepress SC and SC+ ink sets as a practical inkjet solution for printing directly onto offset coated papers without the need for an inkjet treatment.

SCREEN GA’s latest development in this area is the Truepress JET 560HDX, a unique new system that is expected to drive further innovation in printing. The Truepress JET 560HDX can operate in a variety of print modes, enabling it to handle paper widths up to 560 millimeters at speeds up to 150 meters per minute with a maximum resolution of 1,200 x 1,200 dpi. It is also compatible with SCREEN GA’s Truepress ink SC2. This newly developed high optical density ink set allows printing directly onto offset coated papers without any pretreatment. The SC2 ink set’s special properties produce high vibrancy colors that pop and have deep saturated hues as well as dense and neutral blacks for clearer printing of even fine text and line work.

Additionally, the new high-efficiency, intelligent drying system enables substrates with high ink densities to be dried efficiently, supporting superior quality and wide gamut printing on a wide range of papers.

The Truepress JET 560HDX is also equipped with a new fast-start operating system that inherits and further improves on the Truepress series’ market-proven technologies. This system ensures flawless integration of all internal hardware and software as well as with both pre- and post-finishing equipment.

The Truepress JET 560HDX will become a game changing contributor for the next-generation of smart factories, where it is expected to introduce new economic efficiency, high-availability productivity and print quality to satisfy customers. More information about this major development in printing will be shared on this website: https://screen-tpj560hdx.com.

The new system will also be displayed at SCREEN’s Inkjet Innovation Center in the United States and Europe. It is also scheduled to appear at drupa 2024, to be held from Tuesday, May 28 to Friday, June 7, in Dusseldorf, Germany.

SCREEN GA remains committed to enriching lives and continuing to make the world more colorful through print. This underpins its goal of helping to build a sustainable society and create greater prosperity for its customers and all others worldwide.

Queensland based print company, CPX Printing and Logistics, have recently installed a Canon VarioPrint iX3200. They are impressed by the uptime and productivity and are confident it will help them extend their services to the Australian publishing industry. 

James Bennett, Director at CPX said of their initial impressions, “it’s absolutely amazing technology. We now have 97% uptime with the Canon iX3200. To keep up with it, we’re pulling jobs from other offset press and toner machines and running them on the iX3200. If you spoke to my staff, they would say to you that the device is amazing. 

Finding the perfect printing technology for CPX was not a decision taken lightly. “I visited over 12 sites across the world, looking for CPX’s sheet fed solution’’, said James and ultimately, the print quality, productivity and flexibility of the Canon varioPRINT iX3200 meant it was the obvious choice.

Now implemented in their Kelvin Grove print production and warehousing facilities, the team at CPX have found the adoption of Canon technology incredibly easy. “It was seamless, we were shocked at how fast we could adopt the technology. We have been working in the digital production environment for a very long time and we have a strong understanding of digital files. So, when you give us a product that works, it’s very simple.” 

Brisbane based, CPX Printing and Logistics, are a privately owned business that have an extensive range of production services including on demand solutions, reducing customer held stock levels and associated long term inventory costs. CPX ship goods from the on demand production centre and their warehouse Australia wide – every day. As one of the biggest offset and digital printers in Queensland, the Canon iX3200 is the perfect tool to execute CPX’s plans to expand their reach even further.

Determined to increase their already significant share of the market, CPX are actively chasing the Australian publishing market. Their extensive array of print and binding options are perfect for POD, short and medium book runs and the warehouse and distribution centre constitute a complete solution for production, storage and distribution. 

“We had a previous generation competitor inkjet before, but with the iX we have added a reliable engine that produces top quality, ideal for publishing work. We intend to aggressively attack the market and provide innovative solutions”, said James. “We have invested into the right machinery and we have developed systems that make it easy to work with us.” 

Many print companies worldwide are now producing bookwork for publishing companies on the Canon varioPRINT iX-series. However, CPX are currently one of the only few Australian businesses that possess the Canon varioPRINT iX3200 technology along with in-house finishing equipment and the unique capabilities for flexible run lengths for publishing production. 

The Canon varioPRINT iX-series revolutionises the commercial printing business experience. It combines stunning image quality and a wide media range with the high productivity and attractive cost efficiency of inkjet. So commercial printers can say “yes” to virtually any job, based on the agreed turnaround time and price, then print it for more profit and more business.

Of the varioPRINT iX-series, Craig Nethercott, Managing Director of Canon Production Printing Oceania said, “the appeal of inkjet is its excellent productivity in the face of ever tighter deadlines and higher volumes of short-run jobs needing quick changeovers. With the Canon varioPRINT iX-series, there’s no longer a need to compromise between quality and media range, or between productivity and cost efficiency. We have been very impressed in how quickly the team at CPX have embraced the new capabilities the iX3200 has delivered to their business and look forward to continuing to support them in their quest to change the publishing landscape here in Australia. 

Muller Martini, a pioneer in print finishing solutions, is proud to unveil the Antaro perfect binder, available in two versions. This groundbreaking new binder platform redefines efficiency and versatility within a smaller footprint.

A Perfect Binder for Every NeedMuller Martini's Antaro binder is designed to meet the evolving demands of the print industry for both on-demand and conventional, offset applications:

· Antaro Digital: For digital finishing applications, the Antaro Digital stands in a class of its own, producing print-on-demand books at an unparalleled rate of up to 2,000 cycles per hour – an industry-leading achievement, while requiring minimal staffing.

· Antaro: For offset print applications, the Antaro delivers at an impressive rate of up to 4,000 cycles per hour. Its robust performance makes it the perfect choice for short-run offset production in small spaces.

Unparalleled Flexibility and Investment Protection

The Antaro platform brings flexibility and investment protection to the forefront. Its modular, expandable design caters to both digital nearline/inline production and conventional production environments:

· Antaro Digital: This version takes single book production to a new level, offering automation with manual feed or inline connection to the SigmaLine Compact digital book production system. With six clamps, it achieves an impressive output of 2,000 books per hour. Plus, its compact design delivers the same output with fewer than half the operators required by current single-book production solutions.

· Antaro: When combined with a gatherer and equipped with 12 clamps, the Antaro shines in offset runs, delivering an output of 4,000 cycles per hour.

Efficiency through Automation

Both Antaro models feature a continuously running swing clamp system, ensuring the smooth horizontal transport of book blocks through the machine. The Antaro Digital's unique clamp design enables the continuous production of brochures with varying block thicknesses of up to 20 mm, all at the highest performance level. These thickness variations are changed automatically, ensuring an unsurpassed productivity rate of up to 2,000 copies per hour for digitally printed products.

Exceptional Quality Guaranteed

The Antaro is equipped with two spine preparation stations, guaranteeing the highest quality book binding. The system utilizes EVA and PUR adhesives, backed by a glue monitoring system in the PUR nozzle for precise glue application. Replacing the gluing units is straightforward, enhancing maintenance efficiency.

The Antaro Digital features a newly designed drum coverfeeder coupled with a cover buffer wheel for reliable separation of covers and uninterrupted production through continuous feeding. Its barcode reader ensures a exact 100% match between book blocks and covers. The system's buffer wheel creates sufficient distance for barcode reading, enabling automatic responses in case of mismatches without interrupting the binding process. Together with the standard cover reject feature positioned in front of the scoring device, this system achieves a new level of productivity through waste reduction.

Unrivaled Versatility

The Antaro platform flawlessly combines trusted technology from Muller Martini with innovative features. It accommodates all conventional types of book blocks, including signature stacks, pre-glued or thread-sewn book blocks, as well as single-sheet stacks. Even without an inline connection, manual feeding is ergonomic and efficient. The platform surpasses other systems available today with its exceptional end-product delivery capabilities, spanning softcover brochures, hardcover book blocks, flex brochures, glued book blocks, and layflat brochures. Set to redefine the print finishing landscape, it offers unmatched efficiency, quality, and adaptability.

Accelerates Digital Transformation for Print Service Providers Seeking New Ways to Engage Customers

RICOH Pro Z75 Digital Press offers businesses a clear path from offset to digital with global availability after driving efficiency, adding production flexibility, and expanding application opportunities for beta customer.

Ricoh announced the global debut of the RICOH Pro Z75 Digital Press, the first B2 perfecting (auto-duplexing) sheetfed inkjet platform using aqueous ink, accelerating the shift from offset to digital with higher print quality, faster turnaround times and fewer demands on staff following successful in-market testing. The press will be officially available for public orders in North America as of November 15, 2023, with orders for immediate placement expected based on strong interest across international markets.

In June 2022, Heeter Printing – a Pittsburgh area full-service secure marketing provider for highly demanding industries like insurance, retail, and gaming – teamed up with Ricoh to serve as the official beta site for the iF DESIGN AWARD winning B2 sheetfed inkjet press platform.

“There’s a significant gap in the industry today when it comes to the size of jobs that are most efficient to run on offset, continuous feed inkjet and cutsheet digital production platforms,” said Kirk Schlecker, President, Heeter Printing. “The RICOH Pro Z75 is like a multitool for our operation. It gives us flexibility in how we produce customer jobs by bridging that gap, with the productivity to take on work from our traditional 40” offset, inkjet web and cutsheet toner devices. It combines the image quality, efficiency, print size, substrate flexibility and economics that allow us to say ‘yes’ to more jobs, and ultimately deliver a better customer experience for our clients. With the support Ricoh provides and their commitment to stand behind their products, the RICOH Pro Z75 makes a compelling case for any print service provider looking to achieve what they once could have only imagined.”

The RICOH Pro Z75 delivers the advantages of a sheetfed platform with the low running costs and high productivity of inkjet. It offers print speeds of up to 4,500 sheets per hour (SPH) in straight printing or 2,250 SPH in duplex / perfecting printing. Stainless steel piezo print heads bring 1,200 dpi native resolution at all speeds with 4 Colour (CMYK) pigment-based inks, while the proprietary drying system greatly reduces cockling and waviness ensuring high-quality results ready for immediate finishing. The RICOH Pro Z75 also expands substrate flexibility, handling uncoated, inkjet treated and offset coated media up to 400 gsm (24pt) with a max sheet size of 23 x 29-inches.

“As shorter runs and increasing demand for data-driven communications push print service providers to adapt their production strategies, we are helping them leverage the latest hardware, software and data to become indispensable to their end customers with the RICOH Pro Z75 as a powerful example of that commitment in action," said Gavin Jordan-Smith, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Head of Global Sales Strategy Division & RICOH Graphic Communications North America Sales, RICOH Graphic Communications. “The result is a new level of performance that enables easier, faster and more profitable production of applications like direct mail, postcards, marketing materials and other commercial print work.”

Beyond the high print speeds and automatic duplexing capabilities, the press incorporates significant automation solutions and an intuitive control panel to reduce the need for operator intervention and improve shift efficiency. A heavy-duty, offset-like build quality and advanced, durable printheads are designed to maximize press uptime and availability. Attention to detail from the air-assisted sheet feeding that minimises feed and paper transport issues, to a configurable high-capacity stacker that delivers accurate, flush paper stacking, streamlines the entire job process.

Designed for print businesses managing high volumes of jobs that require reliable uptime and significant throughput capacity, the new production inkjet platform is backed by Ricoh’s global organisation that is committed to customer success. Customers will have access to Ricoh’s best-in-class proprietary workflow automation solutions, such as RICOH TotalFlow™ Producer, RICOH TotalFlow BatchBuilder™ and RICOH Supervisor™, plus consulting services and full-service marketing solutions such as MarcomCentral®, to maximise return-on-investment and business value.

For more information about the RICOH Pro Z75 or to get in touch with a Ricoh sales representative visit https://takealookatricohproduction.com/production-inkjet/sheet-fed-inkjet/ricoh-pro-z75/.

Digital printing remains a lucrative growth market in the printing industry worldwide. It now accounts for some 20 percent of the global print production volume (PPV) and is growing at an annual rate of around 3 percent.

The latest Versafire generation from Heidelberg offers systematically enhanced digital presses for the commercial sector. The company is thus taking the integration of offset and digital printing to the next level and further strengthening its market position in the digital segment.

“Our integrated solutions are a must for anyone who is looking to combine offset and digital printing and use them efficiently in tandem. That’s because Heidelberg has comprehensive process and application knowledge relating to both these printing methods, which makes us unique in the industry,” said Heidelberg CEO Dr. Ludwin Monz.

Virtually all offset print shops focusing on the commercial sector are already using a digital press. Heidelberg has therefore equipped the new Versafire LV and Versafire LP digital printing systems with an enhanced Prinect Digital Frontend (DFE). In conjunction with a new user interface, this software ensures a flexible, standardized, highly productive, and intuitive combination of offset and digital printing technology.

The new generation incorporates integration know-how and experience based on the installation of several thousand Versafire digital printing systems for customers located worldwide.

“With the latest Versafire generation, customers are investing in a further improved over-all performance and enhanced competitiveness,” says Frank Schaum, head of the print solutions segment at Heidelberg.

Here is a brief summary of further benefits of the digital printing solutions from Heidelberg:

• Versafire LP: This is the ideal solution for the cost-effective production of larger volumes and/or lots of short runs. With up to a million clicks each month, it is one of the market’s most productive toner-based digital presses in the A3 format and gives digital print pro-duction a far more industrial thrust.

• Versafire LV: The possibility of a fifth inking unit and thus a choice of seven spot colors makes this the flexible solution for wide-ranging applications in short-run printing. Thanks to its impressive level of automation and upgrade options, the Versafire LV offers excellent flexibility and investment security.

• Prinect Digital Frontend: This software solution was developed in-house by Heidelberg. The second generation that has now been unveiled is the centerpiece of the new Versafire systems and supports the standardization of print shop production.

• Ecosystem: Heidelberg digital printing customers have access to an extensive ecosys-tem that includes consumables, digital services, software, cloud-based solutions, training, consulting, inventory management, and logistics and thus benefit from significant added value with just a single contact partner.

• Expansion of digital printing portfolio: In recent years, Heidelberg has established it-self on the market as a high-performance supplier of digital printing solutions by steadily expanding its digital printing portfolio with the Versafire systems for the commercial sec-tor and the Labelfire and Gallus One digital inkjet systems from the company’s Swiss sub-sidiary Gallus for the labels market.

SCREEN Graphic Solutions Co., Ltd. announces its cooperation with KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc. in the development of the Truepress JET S320, an A3 sheetfed digital inkjet printer. The Truepress JET S320 prototype will make its debut at PRINTING United Expo October 18–20, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia.

In recent years, especially in the commercial printing and publishing markets, there has been a shift toward businesses utilising digital printing technology. This change is driven by a broader societal shift toward businesses that leverage digital data. In contrast to the traditional production of broadcast-style advertisements and prediction-based mass production, there is now a demand for data-driven targeting and personalized advertising materials. This shift has resulted in a move toward production that involves printing only the necessary quantity at the required time, often with targeted messaging.

SCREEN GA has provided a line of high-speed, continuous-feed inkjet digital presses, the Truepress JET 520 series, in response to these needs. These digital inkjet presses have been widely embraced for various printing applications such as transactions, direct mail, catalogs, brochures, publications, and more. Now a global leader in this market, SCREEN GA has been commercialising an A3 sheetfed inkjet digital printing machine by leveraging the technical expertise in A3 production printers held by KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc., along with SCREEN GA’s Truepress ink SC/SC+ technology for ink compatibility with standard coated papers. This proprietary ink prints on commercially available coated papers without the requirement of coating or priming.

With the introduction of this product, SCREEN GA is expanding various solutions, including the enhancement of workflow solutions integrated with our EQUIOS workflow system, hybrid printing in conjunction with CTP and offset printing, and increased productivity through the combined use of the Truepress JET 520 series.

Konica Minolta Australia has announced the introduction of the AccurioShine 3600, its newest inkjet spot UV coater that incorporates innovative varnish technology by MGI, to the Australian market.  

The AccurioShine 3600 enables digital spot UV varnishing and digital hot foiling in a compact solution that forgoes the need for screens, plates, or dyes. The fully digital solution features industry-leading artificial intelligence (AI) registration technology and an eco-friendly LED curing system.  

Andrew Cocker, general manager, production and industrial print, Konica Minolta Australia, said, “The AccurioShine 3600 is a testament towards Konica Minolta’s 2023 commitment for enhancing the local production print and industrial print industries. As digital printing becomes more prominent in the industry, more emphasis is being placed on digitalising pre-press and post-press processes, as well as on-demand, short-run printing. The AccurioShine 3600 fulfils this need and is the ideal, cost-effective solution for printers to provide impactful, premium, short-run embellishments on day-to-day print jobs, adding value for their customers while differentiating themselves in the market.”  

With its ground-breaking technology and compact size, the new AccurioShine 3600 solution lets printers provide 2D and 3D gloss and digital hot foiling effects at a reasonable cost and without the complicated steps of conventional systems. It can be used from the prototyping stage to full production printing.  

The AccurioShine 3600 supports a large range of media sheet sizes up to a maximum of 750mm and is equipped to enhance printouts such as name cards, greeting cards, photobook covers, and packaging on demand. It also supports Variable Data Printing (VDP) to add more impact to tickets, personalised packages and labels, invitations, and one-to-one marketing collateral, among other high visual print products. The barcode scanner on the AccurioShine 3600 can read barcodes from a pre-printed sheet and instantly select the corresponding TIFF file already stored on the workstation. Used in combination with the VDP barcode scanner with automatic PDF file converter, the workflow is fast-tracked by transforming files from PDF to the output tray in minutes.

Andrew Cocker said, “The value the AccurioShine 3600 provides Australian printers with a range of high impact finishing effects to offer customers while delivering high-quality outputs. Printers can use this new solution to enhance their business competitiveness and meet the needs and demands of today’s printing environment.”  

For more information visit: konicaminolta.com.au/home  

Koenig & Bauer Durst is scaling up its VariJET 106 build program to cope with high demands for digital production in folding carton markets, which it expects to accelerate further this year.

The announcement comes as two beta sites get under way and the first commercial customer will start live production in the second half of the year.

Printing starts in May at a first beta site of the VariJET 106 B1 single pass digital press for folding carton markets. A second beta test customer, also in central Europe, will begin a few weeks later. The VariJET 106 is the first joint development between Durst and Koenig & Bauer. The announcements were made at Koenig & Bauer Durst VariJET 106’s Open House at Sheetfed Division of Koenig & Bauer where more than 60 delegates have been hosted in Radebeul, Germany, on April 26-27.

Robert Stabler, Managing Director of Koenig & Bauer Durst, said: “Built on market-proven technology, the VariJET 106 installations represent huge statements to the market – and we are really pleased with the substantial progress that has been made. Production is being ramped up and new machines will become available in the second half of 2023 on the back of the relatively high demand we are witnessing.”

He added: "These presses are tailored to individual requirements and afford a major opportunity for those companies that can optimize their production and reduce costs while offering new high added value business models. Challenges like these are what our VariJET 106 has been developed to answer. The VariJET 106 combines the best of both worlds of Koenig & Bauer’s Rapida 106 technology and all the digital know-how and expertise of Durst. It brings together the strengths of digital inkjet and classic offset printing.”

Koenig & Bauer Durst’s VariJET 106 is equipped to be able to address a wide range of applications. The press produces up to 5,500 sheets per hour. It uses water-based inks that comply with all the main food security standards. The inks are also de-inkable which is important to future proof an investment in the light of tightening legislation around recyclability and reusage rates.

• Industry analyst and commentator Dr Sean Smyth was the keynote speaker at VariJET 106 Open House in Radebeul. Sustainability, waste reduction targets and potential new European regulations on recyclability among the topics. Backing up the production demos, there were expert discussions on all facets of the printing process including a deep dive into how workflows and analytics support customers to cost effectively manage high volumes of shorter run length print jobs.

So you own an Inca Onset HS X3 or some such equivalent printer, all day every day you print POS display panels and corrugated board, you want a cutter to load those materials from a pallet, trim, cut, crease or otherwise convert them, and then stack them, accurately, back on to another pallet. Oh, by the way, you want that all done fast, fully unattended, overnight even.

That’s what the new Zünd Q-Line with BHS180 delivers. Always available lights-off unattended cutting.

The new Q-Line is the fastest ever Zünd. That speed has been made possible by making the heavy bits that don’t move out of steel and concrete, and the light bits that move a lot out of carbon fibre, unleashing - with the aid of linear drive motors - cutting speeds of up to 2.8 metres per second, gantry acceleration of up to 2.1g and cutting pressures of up to 50kg.

If the Zünd G3 and the dual gantry D3 were, and remain still, the versatile ultra flexible workhorses of the Zünd range, then the new Q-Line is the shiny new hyper performance specialist of the family.

If you’re at all serious about the digital cutting of graphics and packaging, then the new Q-Line is a must see, because Zünd have just rewritten the rulebook of digital cutting, and I predict their competitors - all of them - are going to be playing catchup for some time to come.

So that’s my opinion. Here’s what Zünd themselves have to say…

Zünd Q-Line with BHS180

Zünd, the leading manufacturer of digital cutting technology, is expanding its machine portfolio with a powerful system solution. The company has raised the bar for industrial, pallet-to-pallet production with the new Q-Line with BHS180 Board Handling System and UNDERCAM. Its smart machine-control technology and high level of automation make the Q-Line with BHS180 the leading digital cutting solution in its class.

Zünd is further expanding its portfolio of powerful digital cutting solutions. The new Q-Line with BHS180 complements Zünd's current offering and raises the bar for industrial, efficient, pallet-to-pallet production. The new Q-Line with BHS180 board handling system is an integrated system solution. It is specifically intended for the demands of highly automated, industrial finishing of printed boards for displays and packaging. The individual components – board feeder with UNDERCAM, the new Q-Line cutter generation, and the off-load unit – are optimally coordinated and provide previously unattainable levels of productivity. Together, they offer incredible cutting accuracy and reliability. Consequently, they make it easier than ever for packaging and display manufacturers to automate their cutting operations and achieve maximum efficiency. In doing so, the Q-Line with BHS180 helps manufacturers optimize their production processes and increase their overall productivity.

A new machine concept for the ultimate in performance

The Q-Line with BHS180 is a comprehensive, advanced system solution that takes digital production to a new level. It offers exceptional performance for any display and packaging manufacturer. Each component of this advanced digital cutting system is replete with exciting new features. In combination, they enable an unsupervised, uninterrupted production workflow and provide users with an enormous potential for savings, irrespective of company size. The bottom line is that this constitutes an investment that can help customers sustainably improve their competitive edge.

The all-new machine concept behind the Q-Line with BHS180 has redefined performance in many respects. Working together, the new machine components generate an impressive speed of up to 2.8 m/s. The new substructure for Q-Line cutters is made from extremely stable concrete. It ensures incredibly smooth operation and optimum cutting precision, even at extremely high speeds. The beams are made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, which makes them very light and exceedingly strong. This means even demanding materials can be processed at top speeds and the highest quality levels. Unprecedented performance also manifests itself in various other aspects, including in the impressive acceleration of up to 2.1g made possible by

The Q-Line with BHS180 comes with the latest generation of modules and tools. AUTOMO L is all about force and provides a creasing pressure of up to 50 kg. This makes it the perfect carrier module for creasing with large crease wheels such as the CRETO 150. AUTOMO E excels particularly in the speed in which it lowers and lifts the tools in use. Each beam is equipped with a total of four modules: two AUTOMO E modules, one AUTOMO L, and one fixed INCAM sensor module to capture registration marks, QR codes, and material edges.

The tools

UNITO is the tool used with centered and off-centered drag knives and is suitable for processing materials up to 5 mm thick. ELOSTO is available in two different variations for cutting operations requiring electric motor-driven oscillation. If creasing wheels are to be used, CRETO is the required tool. CRETO 24, CRETO 61, and CRETO 150 differ slightly in their design and can accommodate crease wheels of different types and diameters. PERTO is the tool used in conjunction with perforating wheels. DRAWTO is for marking and drawing on an extremely wide range of materials.

Digital tool management

The new tool-management system for Q-Line with BHS180 makes digital finishing more efficient than ever before. Q-Line cutters come standard with an automatic tool-changing system. The TOMAC Tool Management Client takes care of tool management from start to finish, ensuring easy and, above all, automated processes. Tool management digitally links the tools with presets, which saves valuable time in setup and tool changes.

Automated pallet-to-pallet production

The Q-Line with BHS180 removes bottlenecks in digital cutting by eliminating the need for manual material handling. Automatic material transport from pallet to pallet maximizes the productivity of the production workflow and prevents idle time.

A customizable, transparent production workflow also ensures smooth and reliable order processing. The system captures the information stored for each job using QR codes and thus ensures an intelligent, error-free, QR code-based production workflow. It enables processing a variety of different jobs in the stack. Processing begins automatically.

The UNDERCAM integrated in the board feeder captures the precise location of the image printed on the board. It reliably identifies any distortions in the print, compensates for them, and perfectly matches the cut to the print every time. With every scan, the software adjusts the cut paths to the printed image, on the fly and in real time, significantly reducing the cycle time for each job.

During the feeding process, sensors capture the edges of the material, and the board is correctly aligned. If the board is not within tolerance, the board feeder grabs the board once more and realigns it so that it can be fed onto the cutter without interruption. This allows even imperfectly stacked materials to be processed, which further streamlines the production workflow. To ensure reliable board and sheet separation, redeveloped suction cups can be individually adjusted for different materials via Zünd Cut Center – ZCC.

The innovative design of the off-load unit allows bridge-free cut boards to be stacked easily and cleanly. Different jobs are stacked slightly offset, which enables finished jobs to be easily and neatly removed for downstream processing. Any faulty boards are also set aside with an offset and can easily be detected as the pallet is removed.

The new Q-Line with BHS180 is an all-in-one solution. In addition to the hardware, it also comprises a complete set of services, intuitive and straightforward software, such as the latest Zünd Cut Center – ZCC operating software, Version 4.0, or the Zünd Connect production monitoring and analyzing tool, as well as a wide selection of consumables. All components were developed with a consistent focus on maximizing machine performance and productivity while decreasing setup times. And first and foremost, they have already been extensively and successfully tested by various beta customers, ensuring outstanding results at maximum speeds.

Cutter sizes

In an initial phase, the new Q-Line with BHS180 is available as a dual-beam system in three different sizes. Users select the appropriate machine size for their specific requirements, no matter whether their production involves one-offs, small batches, or high-volume orders. The Zünd Cutter Q 32-32 D has a working width of 3.2 m, the Q 22-32 D a working width of 2.2 m, and the Q 18-32 D a working width of 1.8 m.

www.zund.com

Nordmeccanica, a world leader in the manufacture of coating, laminating and metallising technology, is the latest strategic partner announced by Fujifilm to further deliver production benefits for customers of its upcoming Jet Press FP790 digital inkjet flexible packaging solution.

This latest partnership agreement with Nordmeccanica follows recent announcements of alliances with HYBRID Software and Henkel Adhesive Technologies, and marks another milestone in Fujifilm’s drive to partner with leading suppliers and technology experts for its Jet Press FP790 press, from across the flexible packaging industry.

The partner organisations have worked closely to complete a series of test production trials to assess compatibility of output from Fujifilm’s Jet Press FP790 digital inkjet press, for the flexible food packaging sector. The most recent involved working with Nordmeccanica’s Simplex range of two-layer laminating machines for solvent-less adhesives, which took place at Henkel’s test laboratory.

Explains Raynald Barillot, Category Manager, Digital Packaging at Fujifilm Graphic Communications EMEA, “The clear objective for our new FP790 has been to offer customers an inkjet press that not only produces the best possible printed output, but that delivers on its potential from day one, for a quicker return on investment. For that to be possible, it’s essential for it to work seamlessly with existing best-in-class technologies – be that front-end software, substrates & adhesives or post-press solutions.

“By collaborating with renowned and leading manufacturers of pre-press and post-press technologies, we can clearly demonstrate that our new Jet Press FP790 is fully compatible and integrates effortlessly into existing production environments offering a ‘plug and play’ digital solution that delivers the highest quality finished packaging with minimal testing, training or setup.”

Michele Zanutto, R&D and Technology Director at Nordmeccanica is also excited by the opportunity that Fujifilm’s new Jet Press FP790 water-based digital inkjet press offers packaging converters in terms of presenting a true sustainable production workflow. Says Zanutto, “The flexible packaging market is constantly looking at ways to improve its environmental footprint, while still addressing the requirements of its customers for quality, functional and creative packaging solutions."

He continues, “The environmental benefits of Fujifilm’s new digital water-based press, combined with Henkel’s solvent-free adhesives and our solvent-less lamination technology, completes a ‘closed loop’ in terms of delivering a truly sustainable and environmentally friendly production environment. In addition, it will enable packaging converters to remain compliant with the increasingly stringent environmental regulations that are now commonplace throughout our industry.”

Fujifilm’s new Jet Press FP790 digital inkjet flexible packaging solution will feature on Fujifilm’s stand F65 in Hall 8a at interpack 2023, together with test samples of output completed using Nordmeccanica’s Simplex range of solvent-less laminators.

Graham & Brown has invested in more “absolute game-changing” Alpha Wallpaper Edition technology from Durst in what has become the central pillar in the international wallpaper brand’s drive to total carbon neutral production.

“The potential is enormous,” said Sam Dobson, Operations Director for Graham & Brown, of Blackburn, Lancashire, UK. “Digital is an extremely important technology for the wallpaper industry. It’s really about print-on-demand, reducing print run-lengths and giving a more bespoke offering to customers. At the moment, this industrial-scale digital production has filled the gap between high run lengths of conventional printing and the low volumes on our previous digital machines.

“We see the Durst as a complementary technology that has many environmental and other benefits. As one example, the main resource we need to power the machine is electricity, and all of that is renewable. For the last year all of our digital production – representing 35% of the Graham & Brown brand offer – has been carbon zero.”

Graham & Brown’s digital journey ran in parallel with its e-commerce proposition to create unique wallpaper, more flexibility and reduce its warehouse stock by becoming more of a print-on-demand brand to meet evolving customer demands. The installation of the first Durst Alpha Wallpaper Edition production printer in January 2022 was so successful that a second machine was installed a year later.

Martin Winkler, Durst Group wallpaper specialist and Business Development Manager, Textiles, said: "The move to digital production in the wallpaper industry is accelerating as buying habits change. We are proud to have partnered with Graham & Brown as it expands digital printing volumes to provide carbon neutral production, which only digital can deliver. The installation of a second Durst Alpha Wallpaper Edition is underpins our belief that wallpaper has since ceased to be just a ‘renovation object’ and has now become a lifestyle product with which customers express their individuality and create a feel-good atmosphere.”

Durst, manufacturer of digital printing and production technologies, has adapted its digital printing technology in the wallpaper printing to initiate a digital disruption. A shift from conventional printing presses to more sustainable production processes using less water and energy consumption, enabling smaller volumes to be produced inexpensively without warehousing costs is accelerating. Other important drivers are the use of new environmentally friendly materials that are odour-free and can be made from recycled raw substrates.

The Durst Alpha Wallpaper Edition is the most productive digital printing system on the market, with a production capacity of over 1,500 rolls per day or up to 1.2 million linear meters per year. In addition to productivity and outstanding color consistency across the entire print width or run length, total cost of owner (TCO) is also important for producers. This is where Durst has another advantage with its expertise in print quality and ink consumption. With Durst Alpha Pigment Inks, Durst also offers fully water-based inks in eight colors that enable “Healthy Sustained Wallpaper”, with a natural and high-quality look.

HUNKELER INNOVATIONDAYS, Switzerland, 27^TH February 2023 – Canon today announces the launch of the ProStream 3000 series, the next generation of its high-speed, web-fed inkjet presses for commercial print. Built on the established ProStream technology platform, the new ProStream 3000 series delivers consistent offset print quality at industrial speed on a wider selection of substrates including heavyweight paper, enabling ultra-fast digital production of a broader range of commercial print jobs. 

This extended media capability makes it even easier for print businesses – including  general commercial and online printers, book producers and photo product specialists – to migrate high-volume, high-value work from offset. With ProStream, customers can now reap the full end-to-end productivity benefits of inkjet production across the majority of applications, from direct mail and books, to postcards, posters and calendars.

Available in two models – the 80m/262ft per minute ProStream 3080 and the 133m/436ft per minute ProStream 3133 – the new press produces ProStream’s renowned high print quality on web widths up to 558mm/22in and for page lengths up to 1524mm/60in. The new ProStream series can duplex print up to 1790 four-colour A4 impressions per minute or 11300 B2 sheets per hour, equating to 62 million US letter/58 million A4 impressions per month, on a wide range of substrates and weights, including standard offset coated, uncoated and inkjet-optimised papers up to 300gsm, without the need to slow down significantly for heavier media weights.

To deliver offset quality at the highest possible speed across a wider range of substrates, the ProStream 3000 series incorporates an enhanced drying system. This uses air floatation throughout the paper path – including the turning bar – to protect the surface quality of the printed output at all stages. The system’s asymmetric design dries all jobs evenly and in a controlled way without coming into contact with the paper, ensuring exceptional quality even on the most scratch-sensitive media. 

Consistently high quality with accurate, vibrant colour is delivered by native 1200dpi piezo drop-on-demand print heads in combination with proven polymer pigment inks and Smart ColorGrip, a new version of Canon’s paper conditioning solution. With Smart ColorGrip, which is also now available as an option for the ProStream 1000 series, the amount of ColorGrip solution can be customised to specific areas of the page to adjust for heavy or light ink coverage, delivering optimal printed results.  Canon’s Inline Quality Control, a high-performance camera system, also provides automatic print quality assurance, so operators can spend less time on quality control.

Thanks to the increased efficiency of both its drying system and cooling unit, the new ProStream’s energy consumption is lower than the 1000 series for most applications. The new press can be connected to less power supply, which makes the ProStream 3000 series a feasible choice for smaller print businesses via reduced electrical infrastructure. The drying and cooling units and the power supply have also been relocated in the new product’s architecture, improving accessibility for ease and speed of servicing. 

Craig Nethercott, Managing Director, Canon Production Printing Australia, comments, “At Canon, we share our customers’ passion for print and we’re driven to create technology solutions that accelerate their progress towards their business goals. Customers worldwide have already embraced ProStream’s exceptional productivity for everything from high-margin books to premium direct mailing jobs, while benefiting from minimal waste and very high uptime.“

“With the launch of the new ProStream 3000 series, we’re building on this success to power our customers faster and further, delivering the speed, efficiency and media versatility they need to energize their growth. The scope to print virtually any job at full ProStream speed means that customers can now confidently migrate even more offset work to digital on-demand, reducing turnaround, slashing makeready time and waste, making today’s shrinking run lengths more profitable and meeting brand owners’ demands for shorter time to market.”

The first ProStream 3000 will be installed in the Pixartprinting Group in Italy, joining the company’s existing line-up of three ProStream 1800 printers, which have served to bridge the ‘margin maximisation gap’ between the company’s existing offset and digital B2 toner technologies, without compromising quality. Chief Manufacturing Officer Alessio Piazzetta, remarks: “Our products are printed using only the most advanced machinery. Since the first installation in 2018, the ProStreams have allowed us to further optimise production by choosing the most cost-effective system based on the variables of the job in question. The main benefits have been higher productivity and efficiency, and the fact that the technology is so user friendly.” 

Based on the significant commercial impact of the ProStream technology, Pixartprinting has chosen to boost its inkjet firepower further by investing in the next-generation press, aiming to fulfil the company’s OEE (overall equipment effectiveness) requirements and raise digital break-even points above those of offset for even more products and papers.

The ProStream 3000 series has its global debut at Hunkeler Innovationdays (27 February – 2^nd March 2023, Lucerne, Switzerland), where it is being exhibited in live production workflows of a broad range of commercial print applications. The new press is available immediately, either directly from Canon or from its accredited channel partners, depending on the territory.

To find out more about the Canon ProStream 3000 series, visit  https://www.canon-europe.com/business/products/production-printers/digital-presses/prostream-3000-series/?utm_content=pr&utm_medium=social 

HUNKELER INNOVATIONDAYS, Switzerland, 27^TH February 2023 – Since its launch in 2020, the Canon varioPRINT iX-series sheetfed inkjet press has proven its value as a high-quality, highly reliable production system for its users, with 275 global orders and installations and 30% of all varioPRINT iX users worldwide opting for a second press or more. In line with Canon’s focus on innovation through rigorous research and development, and in close collaboration with customers, Canon is launching a new release to the successful series, enabling the varioPRINT iX-series to deliver even higher performance in terms of image quality, efficiency and productivity.

The varioPRINT iX-series offers a high level of automation and multiple efficiency features that support PSPs in saving labor costs and reducing maintenance activity, resulting in an improved return on investment and cost efficiencies. Its innovative iQuariusIX ink and printing technology deliver high output quality, achieving a 91% reproduction of Pantone spot colors, which has been verified by certifications from Fogra and Idealliance.

varioPRINT iX users have also reaped the benefits of its media versatility. With more than 1,000 approved substrates, including standard offset coated, uncoated and creative media, varioPRINT iX-series customers have been printing a wide range of applications, ranging from brochures, premium direct mails and books, to flyers and calendars. With the fastest print speed in its class, unparalleled productivity and a proven uptime of over 90%, the top ten varioPRINT iX-series users are printing, on average, over six million images per month.

Richard Kampert, Managing Director at the Dutch commercial online printer, Kampert-Nauta comments, “Since we installed our first varioPRINT iX3200, we’ve been very impressed with the high print quality and productivity we’ve been able to achieve, especially when printing on thicker substrates for our greeting cards, for example. And as our online business generally requires quick turnarounds, the high uptime of the varioPRINT iX has also been an important benefit for us. We therefore increased the volume we were printing on the iX, generated from new business and moving small jobs from our offset presses. As a result, we needed to invest in a further device to fulfil the increasing demand and made the decision to install a second varioPRINT iX3200 on our premises in 2022. Looking to the future, we see inkjet as the technology that is going to best meet our needs —producing great quality on a wide range of stocks and being very reliable and cost-efficient, it really has everything a commercial printer requires”

Setting a new benchmark for quality, productivity and efficiency

Listening closely to customer requirements and with its focus on continuously pushing the boundaries, Canon is launching a new software release R4.3, which delivers an exceptional level of image quality, efficiency and productivity. It gives customers the ability to bring the advantages of short-run or personalized digital printing to even more applications, such as demanding premium direct mail and high-quality, image-rich books. This is achieved through a new, automatic image quality verification system, which scans every sheet to check the quality and dynamically makes system adjustments as needed.

Other performance advances include the automatic customer media validation process (MVP) for the easy set-up of new media with the support of a wizard, as well as improved detection of potential multi-sheet feeds in the paper input module (PIM), which diverts detected sheets to the sentry bin. No operator intervention is required and production continues uninterrupted.

The update also brings a host of workflow benefits with the Canon PRISMAsync controller such as SMB hot-folder support, subset support via JDF, media handling for two-sided media with different front/back treatment and improved encrypted disk support.

Peter Wolff, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President, Canon Production Printing, comments, “Due to its high quality and exceptional productivity, even on heavy media up to 350 gsm, the varioPRINT iX has proved to be a popular investment option within the commercial print market and feedback from customers has been extremely positive. As with all our technologies, we are continuously investing in research and development to ensure they are delivering to their maximum and supporting users with their changing needs, enabling them to future-proof their businesses. Both existing and new users will now benefit from the new benchmark we are setting in high-quality, efficient and productive print manufacturing with release R4.3.“

The software-driven release is retrofittable to all varioPRINT iX devices and will be rolled out to our customers starting in March 2023. 

To find out more about the Canon varioPRINT iX-series, visit: https://cpp.canon/products/varioprint-ix-series/