PRINT 09: Fast Presses, Slow Show

TO BE FAIR, the sorry state of the economy made it almost impossible for PRINT 09 to be a rousing success. Show floor traffic was so slow on the opening day (Friday), it was speculated that someone forgot to flip the sign in the front window at McCormick Place from "closed" to "open for business." And one had to question the logic of conducting a long, weekend-wraparound show on the first week of pro football season, when no one (it was presumed) would be coming to Chicago, let alone spending.

The truth of the final analysis pertaining to PRINT 09—as any adept fence walker will tell you—is somewhere in between. And, as any statistician will try to explain, if you have one foot in a bucket of ice and the other in a raging fire...on average, you should be comfortable. Ah, the middle ground can be a dangerous piece of real estate to choose.

Truth of the matter is, some of the 680 exhibitors' booths were hopping on Monday and Tuesday (one exhibitor even reported success on Friday). One vendor told of selling two machines off the floor, and not caring what happened the rest of the show. Yet there were other smaller booths in both the North and South halls that were colder than Soldier Field in December. Overall, more than 18,000 print professionals from 94 countries attended the show.

So was PRINT 09 a success, even giving it a partial pass for being in the wrong economy at the wrong time? In fairness to the promoter, Graphic Arts Show Co. (GASC), the show must go on, even in the worst of circumstances. GASC certainly did its part in offering incentives for vendors to bring heavy equipment and in trying to attract visitors through a personalized marketing campaign targeted at specific market segments. Outside of dumping the Friday opener, there was probably not much that could have been done to make the event substantially better.

Strong Focus on Applications

Though the show's emphasis on digital printing was still as strong as it usually is, there was a greater emphasis on applications and business development tools this year, as exhibitors sought to reduce their outlay for equipment at the show. A case in point was the Kodak booth, which contained not a single piece of printing equipment. Instead, various interactive displays, including ones activated by placing a printed sample on a screen, presented information on digital and offset printing applications and the Kodak hardware and software solutions best suited to produce them.

Kodak's "Pipeline of Innovation" drew lots of attention. This 24-foot-long touch-screen display swam with a continuous stream of visual images representing Kodak technology. Visitors eagerly reached for the "balls" bouncing around on the screen, which opened to display more information once they were dragged to the screen's edge.

Though it wasn't physically at the show, Kodak announced the PROSPER 1000 Press, a monochrome press based on Kodak's Stream Inkjet Technology. Also introduced was the PROSPER 5000XL Press, for color applications. Kodak announced the commercial availability of new Unified Workflow solutions like PRINERGY Workflow 5.1, PREPS Imposition Software version 6.0 and INSITE Storefront System 6.0. Demonstrations of INSITE Campaign Manager for multi-channel marketing campaigns took place as well.

Xerox had no shortage of equipment in its exhibit. It debuted its Continuous Feed 4-over-1 Solution by combining a Xerox 490 color continuous feed printer with a monochrome Xerox 650 continuous feed printer. This solution maintains the impact of full-color with the economics of black-and-white, and is designed for transpromotional applications. Xerox also showed its fastest monochrome printer yet, the 650/1300 Continuous Feed Printer, running at up to 1,308 impressions per minute (ipm) or 300 feet per minute (fpm). It was listed as one of the Must See 'ems at PRINT 09.

For in-plants who think the iGen4 is just too slow, Xerox offered the iGen4 220 Perfecting Press, which melded two Xerox iGen4 110s. By running them in tandem, the system can print 220 ipm and approach a monthly print volume of up to seven million impressions.

The centerpiece of Océ's booth was the new VarioPrint 6320 Ultra perfecting system, based on Océ Gemini Instant Duplex Technology. At 306 letter-size ppm, Océ contends this system is the world's fastest digital duplex printer. It is targeted at digital book printing operations, where it can produce 2,950 book blocks (6x9˝) in a three-shift operation. New Océ ScreenPoint technology provides intelligent screening and tunable print quality. The Ultra line also includes the VarioPrint 6250 Ultra, 6200 Ultra and the 6160 Ultra systems.

Ricoh Americas launched the Ricoh Pro 907EX/Pro 1107EX and Pro 1357EX digital imaging systems (enhanced versions of the Ricoh Pro 906EX/Pro 1106EX and Pro 1356EX series). At 135 pages-per-minute (ppm) they offer faster performance due to an enhanced memory architecture, which includes a standard 512 MB RAM (upgradeable to 1.5 GB) and a 320 GB hard disk drive. The Ricoh Pro 907EX/Pro 1107EX/Pro 1357EX can create perfect-bound books up to 400 pages (duplex) using its in-line perfect binder, and Ricoh's ring binder unit can produce ready-to-distribute ring-bound booklets.

New Servers Add Functionality

Ricoh also announced a strategic partnership with Kodak's Print On-Demand Solutions Group to introduce the new CREO Color Controller C-80 for its PRO C900. In addition, Ricoh teamed up with EFI to launch the Fiery QX100 controller, also for the PRO C900. For the Ricoh Pro 907EX and Pro 1357EX, EFI launched the EB1357 server.

Canon U.S.A. introduced the CREO imagePRESS CR server A7000 for its imagePRESS C700VP/C6000VP/C6000 digital presses. The server features built-in JDF capabilities and comprehensive variable data printing functionality.

Also new from Canon was the image–RUNNER Advance C9075 PRO light-production color MFP. It produces letter-size monochrome documents at 75 ppm (70 ppm in color) and will provide true 1,200x1,200-dpi resolution. It features a new, intuitive user interface and advanced systems integration capabilities.

Hewlet Packard announced the commercialization of its HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press, a 30˝-wide press with a speed of 400 fpm (up to 2,600 letters). Features include snap-out/snap-in print head maintenance; automation features for print head alignment, print head servicing, press status management and ink container swapping; and in-line, real-time print process monitoring and diagnostics.

Also newly available is the HP Indigo W7200 Digital Press, a roll-fed dual-engine solution that can produce up to 7.5 million letter-size color images (or 30 million monochrome letter-size images) per month. The press's 12.5x38.6˝ image area enables eight-up full-bleed impositioning on 6x9˝ sheets.

InfoPrint Solutions, a joint venture between IBM and Ricoh, announced the addition of six new models to its monochrome cut-sheet portfolio. The InfoPrint Pro 907, Pro 1107 and Pro 1357 printers (along with three corresponding printer/copier models) were designed for users in data centers and in-plants looking to print and finish transactional documents. They print up to 135 ipm and boast duty cycles of 1.9 million impressions per month. Toner and paper can be loaded on the fly, and a decurler/purge unit ensures crisp, clean output. On the color side, InfoPrint showed its new Pro C900AFP.

Check and Envelope Printing

Riso touted its partnership with Kirk-Rudy to market a high-speed, full-color inline MICR check printing solution called MICR-Mate. It works specifically with RISO's ink-jet printers to produce up to 120 checks per minute in monochrome or color. The optional Verification Module enables users to identify and verify continuity with smaller and more manageable parts, ensuring data integrity.

Also launched in conjunction with Kirk-Rudy was a new high-speed in-line envelope feeder, the KR324-R. This continuous feeding shuttle system feeds various sizes of envelopes and card stocks. It runs continuously due to its "top-load, bottom-feed" architecture. (Riso followed this up a few weeks later with the AR9100 high-speed envelope feeder for use with RISO's ComColor and HC5500 ink-jet printers.)

Speaking of envelopes, Xanté unveiled its new Ilumina Digital Envelope Press+ for four-color envelope printing at up to 60 pieces per minute. It has an 800 piece input capacity, can handle envelopes up to 13x15˝ and can print on window envelopes. Also new at the show was the Ilumina 502 Digital Production Press, capable of handling up to 12x18˝ paper. It can run a range of paper weights, from text to ultra thick cover stock.

MGI Digital Graphic Technology received Encore Must See 'em honors for the Meteor DP60 Pro four-color multi-substrate digital press. Touting the near simultaneous acquisitions of this digital press by two different in-plants, MGI demonstrated how the Meteor DP60 Pro can print on paper, plastics and envelopes (up to 130-lb. cover), and can switch between paper and plastic in just seconds. The press can output up to 3,900 A4/letter-size sheets per hour (sph), and has a maximum sheet size of 13x40.15˝. It uses oil-free toners to print 2,400 dpi.

Fujifilm showcased its new Inkjet Digital Press, a digital sheetfed press with print head technology developed by Fujifilm Dimatix. It produces up to 2,700 four-up sph, and has the look and feel of an offset press. The press prints on regular coated offset stocks at up to 2,700 four-up sph (28.3x20.5˝) or 10,800 pph (8.5x11˝).

Screen (USA) introduced the Truepress Jet1600UV-F, a high-quality ink-jet printing system developed for the sign and display business. It prints images as wide as 63˝ and as long as 122˝, and can print 140 square feet per hour on an array of substrates up to 1.96˝ thick. The inks are hard-dried using ultraviolet rays produced by dedicated light-emitting diodes. The UV-LED light source used by the Truepress Jet1600UV-F generates very low heat during imaging.

In addition to demonstrating its new :Apogee Suite 6.0 workflow for the first time, Agfa Graphics announced the availability of two powerful new features on its :Dotrix Modular digital UV inkjet press. The new Express Print Mode increases productivity from 4,800 to 6,300 linear fph, a capacity improvement of 35 percent. Also, Agfa enhanced the color matching capabilities with its new six-color extended gamut capabilities to ensure the best possible color match.

Epson demonstrated the not-yet-available 24˝ Epson Stylus Pro WT7900, which uses an impressive aqueous-based white ink. It employs a clear organic resin technology using hollow resin particles, which allow light to randomly scatter, creating the illusion of white. Designed largely for packaging proof applications, the WT7900 features sophisticated color management and control, wide gamut reproduction and precision printing on a variety of flexible film, paper and metallic media.

Offset Vendors Stress Service Programs

On the offset side, sheetfed press exhibitors were all singing the same tune that the "holy grail" to achieving profitability in these tough times lies in a print shop's efficiency—quick makereadies, waste reduction, higher productivity with fewer people. And with few buyers of heavy iron around, several vendors at the show were also singing the praises of their press maintenance/service programs and consumables offerings.

The concept of a fully integrated print shop connected by end-to-end Prinect workflow solutions was literally the centerpiece of Heidelberg USA's 30,000-square-foot booth. A 10-color, 29˝ Speedmaster XL 75 perfector was equipped with the InPress in-line color and register measuring system, simultaneous plate changers and an aqueous coater. The press also featured Heidelberg's Prinect Press Center with both the Intellistart process-oriented navigation system and high-definition LCD Wallscreen.

As an alternative to short-run, static, digital printing—while still retaining offset quality—a four-color Speedmaster SM 52 showcased Heidelberg's zoneless Anicolor inking technology. Anicolor reportedly speeds makereadies by up to 40 percent, increases press capacity up to 25 percent and reduces makeready waste by up to 90 percent.

xpedx used PRINT 09 as the North American debut of the 42˝ Ryobi 1050 series. A six-color version with in-line aqueous coater was shown. Fully automatic plate changers, UV curing units and a closed-circuit camera that continuously monitors print quality are available.

Also shown for the first time in the United States was a high-speed version of the Ryobi 750 series, the 756G, which runs at speeds to 16,000 sph and incorporates a new feeder. The six-color press on display featured an LED-UV curing unit that replaces conventional UV lamps, cutting power consumption in excess of 70 percent.

Other major press manufacturers were at Print 09 as well. Komori, KBA and Mitsubishi Lithographic Presses all had presses at the show. An exception was manroland, which chose to bring visitors to its nearby Chicago Print Technology Center for demonstrations of the 40˝ Roland 700 DirectDrive press. At its booth, the company highlighted its PRINTVALUE comprehensive support program and promoted its consumables.

Known more for its folding machines and related bindery equipment, Baum introduced a small-format offset press at the show, the BaumPrint 18. Manufactured at Baumfolder's Sidney, Ohio, factory, the new press features bearer-to-bearer pressure for consistent dot transfer, longer plate and blanket life, and sensor-controlled pile feeding. It has electronic sheet-travel monitoring, precise sheet alignment, helical gearing, and an AutoPlate integrated register system. It also has a laser-slit knife-type ink fountain and automatic blanket wash-up. Numbering, imprinting and longitudinal perforation can be done in a single pass.

Presstek was the only manufacturer at the show with a direct imaging offset press. The company introduced an integrated aqueous coater on its 52cm landscape format press. The Presstek 52DI-AC will be available for delivery in early 2010. It supports both flood (full page) and spot aqueous coating. Spot aqueous coating, when applied to specific areas such as individual images and/or text makes those items appear to pop off of the page. The Presstek 52DI-AC not only reduces overall cycle time with quick-drying coatings, it increases the visual appeal and durability of printed materials. The press has a maximum sheet size of 20.47x14.76˝ and can print 300 lpi and FM screening, without added time or expense.

"The show proved a strong venue to announce our new products and reinforce our brand image," noted Brian Wolfenden, director of marketing communications for Presstek. "We took order commitments across our entire product portfolio and captured qualified leads. PRINT 09 also helped us to gain exposure to a larger and more diverse audience."

Presstek also introduced the Presstek DPM Pro 400 polyester CTP platesetter for users of small-format presses. The DPM Pro 400 images plates for both portrait and landscape format presses and supports screen rulings up to 175 lpi. Its built-in processor provides stable plate development and uses up to two-thirds less chemistry compared to most other units on the market. The DPM Pro 400 uses Presstek enhanced MEGAPRO polyester and paper-based plates with the new MEGA LC chemistry.