Event Highlights Fujifilm’s Inkjet Strategy

In June, Fujifilm’s Graphic Systems Div. showcased its production inkjet strategy by holding an event at Gilson Graphics, in Grand Rapids, Mich., an early adopter of cutsheet and continuous-feed Fujifilm inkjet presses.

“I try to invest back into our companies, in both good times and bad,” noted Gilson President and CEO Dave Gilson. The head of the $23 million, 165-employee company purchased the first Fujifilm J Press 720 B2-format cut-sheet inkjet press in the United States in 2011. Gilson Graphics is also one of the first Fujifilm J Press 540W press customers.

Event co-host Stephen Sanker of Fujifilm Graphic Systems Div., described the recent launch of the second-generation J Press 720 platform, which includes the 720S for the commercial market and the 720F for the folding carton/packaging market.

“Each machine will share all of the enhancements and deliver equal levels of print quality, color accuracy, repeatability and expanded gamut performance from the same Fujifilm Dimatix imaging system,” he explained.

Advantages of this common platform design and J Press technology include:

• Improvements in sheet handling and chain delivery systems enable better control of the sheet over a longer distance during printing, drying and curing. The 720S prints 1,200x1,200-dpi on a range of substrates (70-lb. text up to 14-pt. board) from a single print head design using Silicon MEMS technology.
• The modular print head configuration allows for easy print head maintenance.
• Fujifilm’s enhanced Vavidia ink formula expands color gamut capabilities, improves drying/curing, and enables high image quality and color accuracy on offset papers.
• Variable data operational improvements allow the system to deploy a “read and pull” verification system, supporting variable data printing at 2,700 sheets per hour.

“J Press sheets also hold up and perform just like an offset sheet during bindery operations,” added Sanker, enabling the sheets to be treated in the same manner when running them through postpress applications.”