Part one of four
By DPS Staff
Print 17 returned to Chicago, IL’s familiar McCormick Place from September 10 to 14, 2017. According to show hosts, Graphic Arts Show Company, the event attracted 20,000 graphic arts professionals for product announcements and demonstrations, education, and networking.
More than 450 exhibitors showcased their latest and greatest products and solutions, indicating a continued push to shorter runs and the emergence of inkjet. Several vendors highlighted solutions now suited for industrial applications.
Print Focused
In this event wrap up series, we start by focusing on print engines that were debuted, shown, and previewed at Print 17.
Canon U.S.A., Inc. unveiled the Océ VarioPrint 6000 TITAN Series of sheetfed monochrome production presses. Planned for 2018 availability, the technology is developed to help print providers in commercial, publishing, and transactional segments produce high-quality B&W prints at increased speeds while using a wider selection of media weights and formats.
In addition, the company’s Océ VarioPrint i300 inkjet sheetfed press with ColorGrip was prominently featured in the booth.
In wide format, the company broadened its product line up with the new imagePROGRAF TX Series for technical document creation. The new series includes four devices, the imagePROGRAF TX-3000, TX-3000 MFP T36, TX-4000, and TX-4000 MFP T36. It features a new pigment ink and a 36-inch scanner for multifunction product (MFP) models.
Attendees could also view samples from the Canon Océ ProStream high-quality inkjet printer developed for commercial markets. A prototype of the B2+ duplex Voyager Inkjet Photo Press was also displayed.
Colordyne featured the 1600 Series C, developed for on demand secondary labeling and AIDC applications. The digital printing platform offers fast, flexible, and scalable solutions ideal for reducing costs and eliminating pre-printed label inventories.
Epson showcased its full line of large format digital imaging solutions. The company also highlighted the SurePress L-4033 digital label press.
At Fujifilm North America Corporation’s booth, attendees were treated to live demonstrations of the J Press 720S Sheetfed Inkjet press, which showcased how quickly variable data-driven, short-run projects are staged and run. The press differentiates itself with its high-quality color capabilities.
HP Inc. made several announcements, including enhancements to the HP Indigo 12000 Digital Press, which now includes new High Definition Laser Array technology. This enables the press to double image resolution up to 1,625 dpi. It also offers 12 laser beams in the high-speed writing head, which the company says helps deliver sharper, smoother, and finer print.
Additionally, the company announced that the HP PageWide T240 Web Press includes the new performance HDK mode. It uses dual drop ink, drives pages up to 500 feet per minute (fpm), and improves quality in both color and monochrome at full inkjet press speed.
Further, the company announced that the HP Indigo 50000 Digital Press is now commercially available.
KBA North America featured a dynamic, interactive booth to find print solutions among its latest press technologies for its core commercial, folding carton, and packaging markets. Attendees were updated on the company’s entry into digital sheetfed printing for the folding carton market as well as its KBA VariJET 106 hybrid sheetfed inkjet press.
Komori highlighted the 29-inch inkjet sheetfed UV printing system, which is capable of printing on a wide range of stocks, including standard offset sheets. It runs a 23×29-inch sheet, ideal for six-up print production. It operates in perfecting or straight mode and does not require pre-coated paper. It runs at speeds of up to 3,000 sheets per hour in straight mode.
Konica Minolta demonstrated a variety of commercial and industrial technologies in its booth, and showcased solutions from its strategic partner, MGI. Solutions on display included the MGI JETvarnish 3DWeb varnish and foil solution and the Konica Minolta bizhub PRESS C71cf label printer.
The company also previewed ceramic printing technology with MGI that enables printed electronics.
Additionally, visitors were encouraged to try a virtual reality experience featuring the AccurioJet KM-1 sheetfed inkjet printer.
Memjet showcased its inkjet technology, including its original product, now called VersaPass; as well as the recently announced DuraLink printing platform. The latest Memjet VersaPass-powered solutions were created to open up new opportunities for printers, marketers, and mail house providers who need affordable solutions that can create new lines of business. The new DuraLink digital printing platform combines long-life printheads, pigment ink, and flexible modules to give OEM partners a fast, easy way to develop solutions for high-volume commercial, packaging, and industrial printing markets.
OKI Data Americas highlighted the OKI proColor C942dn printer, which the company says lays down high-density white toner under color in a single pass, allowing for outstanding full-color graphics on dark-colored media in addition to color on white stocks. Offering print shops an opportunity to differentiate themselves from the competition, the small footprint machine uses superior toner at a lower price point and prints on a wide range of media including envelopes, magnetic media, polyester, transparent film, and heavier stock.
Ricoh USA, Inc. highlighted its new and proven offerings for both current and future customers. Its recently formed Commercial & Industrial Printing Business Group took center stage. Several solutions were on the floor, including the Ricoh Pro C7100X five-color digital press, the flagship Ricoh Pro C9110, and the Ricoh Pro 8200 high-speed, flexible B&W digital press. Displayed for the first time in the U.S. was the Ricoh Pro VC400 continuous feed inkjet platform. It features the company’s variable drop-size technology with three sizes of drop for any pixel, giving 600 dpi applications a perceived resolution of 1,200 dpi.
The company also announced an expansion of its partnership with Idealliance, a nonprofit that serves thousands of members worldwide and strives for a more sustaining, competitive, and compelling graphic and visual communications industry. As part of its commitment to empowering digital workplaces, Ricoh offers Idealliance’s G7 Master Qualification, Online Certification Training, and Curve4 Software, as well as an option to join Idealliance itself through Ricoh.
Pitney Bowes showcased the AcceleJet Printing and Finishing, which is a roll to cutsheet printing solution that provides a path to high-quality color inkjet.
RISO, Inc. exhibited its full array of its inkjet printers. The RISO T2, a high-speed duplexing device that achieves up to 320 color impressions per minute, was highlighted. Originally shown as a prototype at last year’s drupa and Orlando FL’s Graph Expo 2016, the T2 is intended as a solution for the high-volume transactional printing market.
Also featured at the RISO booth were several configurations of the ComColor GD Series of Professional inkjet, high-speed, full-color printers that use the company’s patented FORCEJETTM Technology and a five-color print matrix. The fifth ink—gray—results in an exceptional grayscale print quality, truer reproduction of flesh tones, and denser blacks.
Screen Americas introduced new applications offered by its inkjet technology, which includes the Truepress Jet520 series of high-speed, roll-fed inkjet presses, ground-breaking small lot book solutions linked to its EQUIOS universal workflow platform, digital label inkjet presses to better serve the food packaging market, and other leading solutions for printers across virtually all print market segments.
The company showcased its recent development of the Truepress Jet L350UV+LM, a new UV inkjet system designed to expand the ability to print labels for food packages.
At the show, Diversified Nano Solutions Corporation (DNSC) and Screen Graphic Solutions Co, Ltd. announced a strategic cooperation to offer revolutionary INKcrypt anti-counterfeit solutions and x-nano special effect digital inkjet inks for Screen inkjet platforms. Screen demonstrated DNSC inkjet solutions—MICR and invisible UV fluorescent inks—with the Truepress Jet520NX.
Sharp featured its line of high-speed, color MFPs, designed to simplify workflow and improve overall productivity without sacrificing quality. The MFPs offer easy integration with network applications and cloud services, plus PANTONE Color Matching and a Fiery Print Server.
Xanté introduced the UV-4000 UV-curable flatbed printer, which features a media width of 36×24 inches and printheads that rise up to 11 inches, enabling it to print to specialty media and rigid substrates.
Xerox showcased a range of its offerings, specifically highlighting the Xerox Trivor 2400 High Fusion Inkjet Press; the Xerox iGen 5 Press, which includes the newly introduced White Dry Ink for its fifth print station; and Xerox Specialty Imaging.
The High Fusion Inks, announced just prior to the show, are designed to allow print providers to expand their inkjet media range. They are specially formulated to print to optimize printing and drying on offset coated media including matte, silk, and gloss stock from 60 to 250 gms up to 250 feet per minute. The company says that while it is optimized for commodity offset coated papers, it also runs on a range of uncoated media to provide cost-effective redundancy for a versatile set of print jobs.
Additionally, Xerox and Fujifilm North America Corporation’s Graphic Systems Division announced a reseller agreement for Xerox to market and sell the Fujifilm J Press in the U.S. and Canada.
Digital Trends
This is just a selection of the output-producing products highlighted at this year’s Print event. Next year, Graph Expo returns to Chicago from September 30 to October 3, 2018.
We continue our wrap up with a look at finishing in part two.
Click here to read part two of this exclusive online series, Finishing Prospers.
Sep2017, DPS Magazine
