Drupa--Direct Imaging Takes Center Stage

Thousands of visitors flocked to Drupa 2000, the world's largest graphic arts trade show. IPG was among them. Find out what we learned about the direction the printing industry is heading.

Everything worth seeing in the graphic arts world was at Drupa 2000. For two solid weeks, the world's printers crowded Düsseldorf, Germany's fairgrounds to visit some 1,669 exhibitors from 44 countries. In-Plant Graphics was there, finding out about the latest innovations and trends so we could share them with you. With 18 halls to visit, though, the task was a bit overwhelming.

The most prevalent trend in the offset world was the move to on-press imaging. Numerous vendors offered new direct imaging (DI) presses, such as Komori, MAN Roland, Sakurai, Adast, Karat Digital Press, Screen and Ryobi.

Elsewhere, manufacturers crossed categories left and right. Offset vendors unveiled digital printers, experts in digital color printing moved into the black-and-white domain and vendors of all types scrambled to offer "e-services," or to otherwise link themselves to the Internet world.

"We believe we've really become the output to e-business," noted IBM's Bill McCracken, a statement echoed by vendors everywhere.

Offset king Heidelberg—which moved into digital printing last year with the black-and-white Digimaster 9110—went a step farther at Drupa and introduced a digital color printer, the NexPress 2100. MAN Roland teamed up with Xeikon to market, sell and service Xeikon digital color printing systems under the MAN Roland name. And in a similar category-crossing vein, Xerox showed off a direct imaging offset press, which used its DigiPath software.

Even digital color press manufacturers crossed categories. Two of the biggest, Indigo and Xeikon, turned some attention to the black-and-white world. Indigo showed its previously introduced Ebony press, with a production speed of 136 letter-size pages per minute, and Xeikon announced plans to market Nipson black-and-white digital presses under the Xeikon brand.

On demand book printing was big, with IBM, Xerox and others showing systems that output bound books from digital data.

Variable data printing was all the rage, as well. Heidelberg touted its glories when promoting its NexPress 2100, IBM talked about personalizing statements with marketing information tailored directly to the recipient, and Xerox demonstrated 1:1 marketing technologies such as color custom catalogs.

Unfortunately, many of the most exciting technologies shown at Drupa aren't yet for sale. Still, they provided a good view of where the industry is heading.

A Trade Show Of Its Own

With two halls, Heidelberg was by far the largest exhibitor. Its entire lineup of products was on display, from prepress through finishing.

The biggest news, because of the pre-Drupa secrecy surrounding it, was the unveiling of the NexPress 2100 digital color printer by NexPress Solutions, a Heidelberg/Kodak joint venture. In a room packed with hundreds of journalists from all over the world, NexPress officials boasted that the device combined the power of a press with the flexibility of a printer.

Built with a blanket and an impression cylinder like a press, the 2100 prints 2,100 tabloid sheets an hour on a variety of stocks. It has auto perfecting and electronic collation, so it delivers completed, collated jobs. At the front end, the NexStation combines workflow management, press operations control and on-board diagnostics. It uses Adobe Extreme architecture. The 2100 won't ship until mid 2001.

Heidelberg didn't stop here, though. In addition to its many prepress announcements (see page 22), it announced improved ergonomics on its popular Printmaster GTO 52. Other new features are ultrasound double sheet detection and forwards/backwards crawl speed.

Heidelberg also debuted the Printmaster PM 74, which outputs 12,000 sheets per hour. Intended for entry-level users, it prints in the 50x70-cm format and has a central control panel that provides access to all major press functions.

Heidelberg and Xerox, the two giants of the printing industry, have been pulled into competition ever since Heidelberg debuted its Digimaster 9110 a year ago. Heidelberg recently shipped its 1,000th Digimaster, proclaiming it had exceeded its first-year sales objective by more than 25 percent. Perhaps spurred on by this news, Pierre Danon, president of Xerox Europe, announced that Xerox would overtake Heidelberg as the leading vendor in the worldwide graphic arts industry by 2003.

At Drupa, Heidelberg challenged Xerox again by announcing a 600x600-dpi, 65-ppm scanner that competes directly with the Xerox DigiPath scanner. The Heidelberg Imagedirect 665 Production Scanner integrates with the Heidelberg Digimaster 9110. Undaunted, Xerox boasted to IPG of the 50 new features in its DigiPath 2.0 software and noted that because it has installed more than 20,000 DocuTechs and has a full family of print engines, its systems offer more advantages than Heidelberg's.

At Drupa, Xerox announced plans to add an integrated digital color scanner and feeding and finishing options to its DocuColor 2000. In another look to the future, Xerox introduced the Futurecolor press, which it says will produce 1 million full color pages per month. Still two to three years away from release, Futurecolor will automatically mix multiple paper stocks, tabs, inserts and bindings and produce assembled, color books, catalogs, brochures and more, using variable data to personalize each one.

At Drupa, Xerox and Presstek displayed the fruit of their earlier alliance by showing the PAX DI press system, which combined Digipath, Presstek imaging and proofing and an Adast press.

Another system, the DocuColor 130CSX, was also on display. A web-fed system, it handles variable data using the Xeikon DCP 500D engine.

In the media end, Xerox announced 27 media products, including Digital Laser Harlequin, a glossy coated stock designed for high-speed black-and-white printers.

Imaging On Press

Judging by the numerous Drupa DI announcements, offset press manufacturers certainly see a big future for direct imaging. Fueling this trend were Presstek and the new CreoScitex, which designed the imaging units for many of the DI presses.

At a packed press conference, MAN Roland unveiled its DICOweb, a digital offset press with on-press imaging and erasing. It was built to handle runs from 1,000 to 30,000 copies. Data is transferred onto a form cylinder using Creo's SQUAREspot thermal imaging to image a thermotransfer ribbon. The transferred material is heated to make it last during the print run. The cylinder is conditioned for water acceptance. Changeovers take 10 minutes. After the run, the ink and thermotransfer material are removed, and the cylinder is ready for a new image.

The DICOweb was the centerpiece of Print City, an entire hall featuring MAN Roland, Agfa and more than 60 vendors from every step in the print process.

Like the DICOweb, Komori used Creo's SQUAREspot thermal imaging to make its move into the DI world. It demonstrated a new eight-page 40˝ digital offset press, which it billed Project D. The 830-nm SQUAREspot imaging heads image four no-process thermal plates—supplied by Kodak Polychrome Graphics and Agfa-Gevaert—at 2,400 dpi in under four minutes. Komori's Color Management System and Hi-Performance System are linked with this platform, providing fast makereadies. Komori will field test the press later this year.

Komori's DoNet (Digital Open Architecture Network) also drew attention at Drupa. It offers seamless transfer of prepress and job management data to the press, fostering an open environment.

Sakurai debuted the newest version of Presstek's DI technology—the ProFire integrated imaging head solution—in its Oliver-474EPII DI press. The four-page press is initially available in a four-color version with a perfector, and can be run either in DI or conventional mode. With automated features like plate changing, washing and blanket cleaning, the press is designed for short runs. Imaging time is 5.3 minutes.

Sakurai also introduced its redesigned four-color 173⁄4x223⁄4˝ 458EII press. It features Sakurai's automatic plate changing system, which mounts all types of plates automatically. This new format allows the production of pocket folders.

Also using Presstek imaging was the new waterless Ryobi 3404DI, an A3-size portrait-format four-color press. It automatically cleans ink rollers, blankets and impression cylinders, and its auto print system streamlines the printing process from plate advancing and imaging to printing and cleaning. It prints 1,500 to 7,000 sheets per hour with a maximum paper size of 13.39x18.11˝.

Adast, which has used Presstek imaging technology for years on its DI presses, introduced the 507 DI press (shown as the PAX DI press in the Xerox and Presstek booths). Exhibited in a five-unit configuration, the 15x201⁄2˝ waterless press has less automation than other DI presses, which drives its price down. Yet it still boasts a sophisticated operating system. A communications center, with a touch screen, controls plate loading and imaging, automated register control, remote ink key settings and wash up. Imaging takes place in two minutes and 20 seconds, and the 507 DI prints in landscape format.

Karat Digital Press launched the commercial version of its 74 Karat press. At its booth, two presses were hard at work producing print jobs supplied by prospective customers during the show. The press interfaces with an offline digital prepress system, offering complete digital workflow and color management. Boasting an automated 15-minute makeready, it is optimized for short- to medium-run four-color print jobs. The 74 Karat press can print up to 10,000 sheets per hour in formats up to 201⁄2x29˝. It images all four Presstek PEARLdry aluminum plates on press in six minutes.

Using Sakurai paper supply and delivery technology, Dainippon Screen introduced the TruePress 744 digital press. The four-color B2 size press images plates automatically and prints at 8,000 impressions an hour using conventional inks and consumables. Plates are automatically loaded and imaged at up to 2,400 dpi directly on the printing cylinder with two sequential colors on one cylinder.

Direct Imaging Not For Everyone

But not every offset manufacturer was on the DI bandwagon.

"Imaging on the press, whether it takes two minutes or 24 minutes, is still downtime," proclaimed Tom Nishimura, president of Hamada of America, in an IPG interview. For this reason, Hamada introduced the V48, a five-color, landscape-feed, waterless offset press, sold together with a Toray waterless computer-to-plate device to let the operator create plates while printing. Feeding and delivery of 18.5x13.39˝ sheets are on the same end of the press. Hamada's first waterless press features keyless ink adjustment and a new pin system for better registration. No availability date for the press has been set.

Though Akiyama had no DI press on display, President Karl Yamanaka told IPG that Akiyama is working with Presstek to introduce a 29˝ DI thermal imaging press. An imaging head was on display at the booth. Also on site were several models from Akiyama's compact J Print series of perfecting presses. The auto plate system allows mounting of all plates on the top or bottom cylinders at the same time.

A.B.Dick showed off its range of platesetters and presses, including the Colour digital offset press, an entry-level four-color press. Introduced at Drupa were the 9995-ICS and 9995A with ICS two-color presses. The 9995-ICS features A.B.Dick's ICS ink control system,which takes image color data from prepress systems and uses it to preset ink ducts. The 9995A with ICS features a new semi-automated plate changing system, which reduces plate changing to under two minutes. Both have a maximum sheet size of 13.3x17.7˝ and can output 10,000 iph.

Scitex Digital Printing went for speed in its new VersaMark BusinessColor Press, which can exceed 2,000 pages a minute. It prints variable data in CMYK process color. With a modular design, it can be configured for one-up simplex process color printing, and upgraded to a two-up duplex configuration. Two models are available: one outputs 325 feet per minute, one outputs 500 feet per minute. The press is designed for direct mail, coupon and statement printing.

An interesting Drupa debut came from Aprion Digital, which showed off its MAGIC (Multiple Array Graphic Ink-jet Color) technology, based on multilayer ink-jet heads. IPG viewed this technology in February in Aprion's Israel headquarters. The heads are only a few millimeters thick and can be formed into virtually any length and width of printing area. Current products are rated at 25,000 droplets/second, but Aprion ink-jet heads can reach speeds of 100 KHz, equal to about 800 running ft/min. Aprion, an independent company set up by Scitex, showed a book publishing press called BookNet, capable of delivering bound, individual copies up to 600 pages thick in less than 10 minutes, with color printed covers.

After giving journalists a similar sneak preview in February, Indigo finally launched its new digital offset color sheetfed and web presses. The Israeli company's amphitheater-like demo area in its booth was always packed to overflowing with attendees. On display was the modular seven-color Series 2 generation. Sheetfed models can be configured in single- or twin-engine architectures, and web models can come in single-, twin- and four-engine designs. In Series 2, each engine prints all colors, ensuring virtually perfect registration.

New products include the UltraStream 2000 sheetfed press—with a dual paper feed mechanism for non-stop printing—and the Publisher 4000 and 8000 web presses.

Another new digital press, the Ebony, marks Indigo's entry into the black-and-white realm. It has a production speed of 136 letter-size pages per minute (two up).

Xeikon, another giant in the digital printing world, introduced the DCP 320 D and the DCP 500 D, Xeikon's third generation of web-fed digital color presses. Built on the platform of the second-generation DCP/32D and DCP/50D, both offer increased production speeds: from 70 to 130 ppm for the DCP 320 D and from 100 ppm to 130 ppm for the DCP500 D. The result is 3,900 duplex-printed color 81⁄2x11˝ sheets per hour.

Both incorporate Xeikon's One-Pass Duplex electro photographic technology. New features include a pneumatic paper axle that simplifies reel loading and improves the running of very smooth papers, and an electromagnetic brake for precise control of web tension. New Version 3 toner/developer technology enhances quality and extends developer life.

Xeikon also announced its plans to market its line of Nipson black-and-white digital presses under the Xeikon brand to capture more of the black-and-white market. On display were:

• Xeikon VaryPress: A 1,500-ppm black-and-white press.

• Xeikon 7000: For direct mail and print-on-demand applications.

• Xeikon 918CF: A mid-range volume printer for direct mail applications.

Also looking to capitalize on variable data printing, IBM introduced the Infoprint Color Plus and Color 130, both using the Xeikon 500D engine to offer 138 color impressions per minute. The object caching feature reduces RIP processing, and page level error recovery restarts a job exactly on the page where it stopped. The 130 is an entry system for users just starting into variable printing, and it can be upgraded to the Color Plus.

IBM also previewed a new version of its Infoprint Customizer solution for creating variable content on the Color Plus. It lets users create color statements with personalized marketing messages.

by Bob Neubauer