Graph Expo--Roll Out The Technology

Despite falling just a month after IPEX in England, this year's show drew more than 44,000 visitors—and the vendors didn't let them down.

When graphic arts industry representatives from all over the world arrived in Chicago for Graph Expo recently, Xeikon decided to shock them a little bit. At a press conference, the Belgium-based digital color press manufacturer contended that digital color production costs are now comparable with offset at runs of 1,000 units or more.

Based on a study Xeikon had commissioned, which used real costs and time factors in actual production environments, the company insisted that digital color presses have entered the mainstream of publication and commercial printing—they are no longer limited to niche applications. In the print-on-demand market, Xeikon contended, Xeikon presses are "significantly more profitable than the offset alternatives." Xeikon tested its presses against the Heidelberg Quickmaster DI and Speedmaster 52-4.

Though the study certainly gave printers something to contemplate, it was by no means the only news at Graph Expo, which attracted more than 44,000 visitors during its four-day tour of Chicago's McCormick Place. Despite the fact that the show followed closely on the heels of IPEX, its more than 550 exhibitors reported significant sales. Heidelberg, for example, boasted $108 million in sales. MAN Roland announced an impressive $57 million in orders, with total expectations in the $70 million range. Muller-Martini revealed that it exceeded its sales expectations by 50 percent the first day of the show.

Visitors were treated to an impressive array of sophisticated prepress software and hardware options, as well as the latest performers in digital and traditional printing press markets, and a score of workhorse finishing devices.

Among the more interesting announcements:

• A.B. Dick introduced a new computer-to-plate device for the small-format market. The new Digital PlateMaster 1340 CP can produce process color on polyester plates from a desktop computer.

• Indigo launched a low-cost digital color press which it is aiming at entry-level users.

• Xerox touted its digital book publishing capabilities by printing and binding a book of award-winning essays from high school students. It was printed on a DocuTech Book Publisher, which, although it can print 360 book pages a minute, Xerox stressed can also be used to produce single copies on demand.

• Heidelberg, as usual, had the largest booth at the show. One needed a map to navigate the 25,000-square-foot exhibit, which contained all aspects of Heidelberg Prepress, Heidelberg USA and Heidelberg Web Press, as well as an array of Heidelberg saddle stitching and perfect binding systems.

• The thermal push throughout the prepress segment remained strong, with Agfa showcasing the thermal version of its digital platesetter, Galileo, as well as Agfa and Optronics promoting their new ThermalSetter imagers, which use the Kodak IR thermal diode imaging head.

• Imation held a press conference with Creo and Presstek to officially launch the Matchprint Laser Proof system, a digital halftone proofing device.

Next year, Graph Expo 99 will be held October 17 to 20, moving to the South Hall of Chicago's McCormick Place. Until then, here's a look at what was on display at the show.

On The Show Floor

The new design of the "J" Series press from Akiyama was unveiled. It eliminates the need for a perfector system by allowing for top and bottom printing of the sheet during one pass through the press. Each printing tower has plate, blanket, impression and transfer cylinders dedicated to it. The newly designed ink roller train utilizes four form rollers of different diameters for controlled ink laydown.

Baum USA introduced the 2020 in-line folder, featuring adjustable slitter shafts, sealed ball bearings, a helical gear drive and a hang-on delivery stacker. The folder is a variation on the 2020 Pile Feed folder, with the feeder and electrical box removed. It is designed for mailing operations.

On display from Champion was the 370 XG paper cutter, which features a 37˝ cutting width. This cutter has computerized operation and system monitoring, plus dual LCD screens, which visually diagram cutting patterns and job progress, as well as cut dimensions, providing more control.

ColorSpan enhanced its DisplayMaker HiRes series to provide additional support for six-color printing and simultaneous use of up to two spot colors. Users can now chose four-, six- or eight-color printing. This feature, called Gamut+, can be obtained as a software upgrade. It comes standard on new products. Users can now print high-quality, apparent 800-dpi images.

C.P. Bourg showed its BDF Document Finisher, which combines stitching, folding and trimming in one self-contained module. The BDF features toolless changeovers even for non-standard paper sizes. It finishes up to 4,000 books per hour and can accept all types and weights of coated paper. The BDF has a graphic interface and comprehensive detection system. It can be used with any type of collator, laser copier or digital printer, and can be used online or offline with a DocuTech.

DK&A displayed INposition 2.5 imposition software, which allows you to impose, preview, edit, proof, color separate and print all within one application. Users can impose PostScript and native QuarkXPress 4.0.3 and PageMaker files simultaneously. It imports Adobe DSC 3.0 compliant PostScript files from both Macintosh and Windows applications.

ECRM demonstrated its new easy-to-use, wide-format imagesetters, the StingRay 6300, with a 25˝ width and the StingRay 5200, with a 20.5˝ width. The 6300's width enables it to produce eight-up impositions.

Highlighted at the EPSON booth was the Stylus Pro 5000 print engine, which accepts any media (from 4x6˝ to 13x19˝ full bleed), has true 1,440x720-dpi resolution and offers precise 11-nanogram dot size. It has a wide color gamut created by the six-color ink system.

Fujifilm announced the commercial release of Pictro Proof, an entry-level and remote digital proofing solution. Pictro Proof features ease of use, low maintenance, environmentally friendly processing, quick print times and automatic calibration through its closed-loop color calibration system. The four-page halftone proofing device will image all four colors automatically using a multi-beam infrared laser diode.

New from Hamada of America was the B452 four-color sheetfed press equipped with EPS (easy plate setting system). The 20x14˝ press has 13⁄8˝ thick cast iron side frames and a heavy-duty cast iron bed to ensure press speeds of 10,000 impressions per hour. Feeding is landscape for a high level of sheet control and quality registration.

Though Heidelberg provided a multimedia presentation about its new Speedmaster 74 DI, the six-color press was not at the show. Instead, Heidelberg showed off its other presses, including a 10-color Speedmaster 102 perfector, which was shown working in tandem with a Heidelberg/CREO 3244 platesetter. The new CP 2000 digital control system was also in operation, featuring touch-screen technology.

Heidelberg Color Publishing Solutions showed off its Linotype Circon scanner. With its triple lens system, Circon offers three resolution modes. It provides film scanner quality from 35mm transparencies, with up to 2,400x2,400-dpi resolution. Circon has 42-bit depth. Its AutoFocus with EverSharp—previously available only on high-end scanners—delivers optimum image sharpness.

Howtek brought its HiDemand 200 CCD scanner along. It boasts a built-in light table and magnetic film holder. It eliminates the introduction of noise and image distortion by holding the line of sight from the original to the lens straight, flat and in focus. The internal rotating drum moves and bends the original, eliminating image registration inaccuracies and color flare.

Indigo launched the four-color e-Print Pro, which it calls "the industry's lowest-cost digital color press." Aimed at entry-level users for short-run applications such as brochures, flyers and advertising, the e-Print Pro is priced at $249,000. It prints 2,000 two-up A4 simplex pages per hour.

The One Pass printable laminates, new from Hunt Graphics Americas, combine ink-jet printing media and laminating film into one material. For use with most thermal, dye-based, ink jet printers, One Pass offers a fast way to produce full-color, rigid indoor displays at a lower cost than with traditional printing media and production processes.

Logic showed its new Windows-based QuickQuote system, designed for printers with short-runs. An alternative to estimating, QuickQuote calculates prices and creates invoices. It allows users to build an unlimited number of price lists for jobs, products and services. Invoices are printed within an hour.

Polaroid presented its new Dryjet II Model 2820 proofing system, which can produce a four-up color proof including bleeds and crop marks. It includes an automatic paper handling system for a range of actual printing stocks and specialty materials. It can produce a 600-dpi four-up proof in 11 to 13 minutes.

Debuting at the show was the Portalis Pressport. It creates a digital replica of a hard copy original within minutes for printing on a digital press. The system combines the simplicity of a color copier with advanced scanning and color management. It is compatible with Agfa, Heidelberg, IBM, Indigo, Xeikon and Xerox digital presses.

A new product from Powis Parker, the PowisPrinter, allows users to imprint titles in foil on document spines. The PowisPrinter turns documents printed by desktop or digital printers into books. Users can imprint the same title design repetitively or customize each title instantly.

Rampage Systems announced it is now shipping Version 7.2 of the Rampage RIPing System, which seamlessly supports TrueType fonts. It will enable users to establish local linearization parameters that override system-level settings, get faster preflight results and RIP and image separated PostScript files.

Ricoh exhibited the Fiery ZX3300 print controller for the Ricoh Aficio Color 5000 series of color copiers. The controller empowers the systems with a wider range of printing functionality and improved color output. The ColorWise feature provides default calibration measurements to ensure accurate and consistent color replication quality.

Rollem showed its Auto-4 Multi-Pro, which brings together numbering, perforating, scoring, slitting, hot foil stamping, blind embossing, cold carbon numbering and hot foil numbering capabilities all on one machine. The Multi-Pro accommodates standard dies. Business cards, letterhead, stationery, envelopes, business forms and invitations are just a few of the applications that this product can be used for.

Standard Horizon introduced the new Horizon SpeedVAC-100 saddlestitching system, a 10-station vertical suction collator. It utilizes a rotary-pulse vacuum feeding system and is equipped with a touch-screen control console. Standard also debuted the AccuBind document binding system. With the press of a button, AccuBind produces a "lie flat" style book bind for 81⁄2x11˝ paper in a variety of widths. It can produce up to 200 books an hour.

Townsend Industries introduced a new second color head to convert single-color Multigraphics or Toko offset presses to perfect register two-color printing systems. Each two-color job can be printed in one pass through the press. Fast makeready is ensured by on-the-fly vertical, horizontal or twist plate adjustments. The T-51 will be available during the first quarter of 1999.

Expanding beyond its traditional litho ink business, Van Son announced the development of DIGI-INK for use in digital duplicators, such as those offered by Riso and Ricoh. DIGI-INK dries quickly to high levels of density and sharpness. Van Son is also offering ink-jet products for the wide-format market. Van Son has expanded into the large sheetfed commercial market with the establishment of a new printing ink division called Van Son Commercial.

Varn Fountainpure provides filtration for fountain recirculating systems. It helps provide longer press runs, higher print quality, less plate scumming, tinting and wear, and better conductivity control.

Computer-to-plate Products

With its eye on the small-format market, A.B. Dick introduced a new computer-to-plate device, the Digital PlateMaster 1340 CP. It can produce process color on polyester plates from a desktop computer. It has a maximum media size of 13.4x23˝ and performs at 321⁄2˝ per minute. After producing the first plate in three minutes, it outputs each additional plate in 45 seconds.

Several new offerings were displayed at the Mitsubishi Imaging booth, including the DPX Genesis platesetting system, an entry-level system targeted at duplicator-size offset presses up to 13.4˝. The DPX Genesis features an in-line processor system that consumes less chemistry than other platesetters, handles polyester and paper-based material and comes with a PostScript software RIP.

Screen entered the thermal computer-to-plate market with the PlateRite 8000. It images 12 plates an hour at 2,400 dpi. The exposure system, using a 32-channel head, images at high speeds with multiple resolution settings of 1,200, 2,000, 2,400 or 4,000 dpi. Options include an in-line punch system and connection to an in-line processor.

Featured from Autotype were the Omega Plus II and Omega E-Z polyester offset printing plates. The Plus II plate can be imaged on any platemaker laser printer. The Omega E-Z was created for printers who are concerned with on-press durability. Both require no films or chemical processing.