Digital Press Buying Tips

How did you research and evaluate digital presses before making your decision?

Joe Morin: We formed a project team to look at historical production data showing our trends in turnaround times, run lengths, sheet size and weight requirements. Actual substrate samples and difficult customer files were used to evaluate performance and rated speeds, substrate performance with solids and photos, registration, equipment features and color gamut, along with testing samples for binding and foil-to-toner adhesion.

Susan Sombeck: Our shop has a small footprint, so I narrowed the field to two vendors with production equipment who could work with our existing job submission software. We received proposals from both companies. They each provided opportunities for us to view their equipment, ask questions, obtain samples and see the printing process. We stayed with our previous vendor because the lease price was better, the equipment was a better fit for our shop and because we were happy with our local service and representatives.

Wesley Grigg: I did on-site demos with all of the major vendors to see the specific equipment that they were going to be replying with to our RFP. I specifically asked for their customer contacts so I could talk with real users of the equipment and see it in action. I also took our paper stock and our files of projects that we print on a regular basis to see how they looked printed on said equipment.

Sherri Broderick: We evaluated a variety of Xerox and other vendors’ color digital presses. We made the decision initially to implement one Xerox CP1000. To be honest, we thought it was overkill at the time, but in reality it wasn’t. We ended up adding another color press, the 1000i with in-line perfect bind. Then this year, our color exploded, and we refreshed the original 1000 to a 1000i.

What would you do differently if you were buying a digital press today?

Morin: The only change we would make would be in the contract language regarding supplies [so that we get] enough toner and other consumables to prevent any disruption in production.

Sombeck: I would have negotiated a higher quantity of color copies into our lease.

Grigg: I would spend a lot more time reading the fine print, going over every detail of the proposed contract, and ask more questions about any other possible needs that may arise. For example, we had to update our HVAC system to handle the air. This would not have changed my choice; I just would like to have been aware that it may need to happen.

Sherri Broderick

Broderick: We went through a thorough evaluation process to ensure we were choosing the best solution at the best value, and I would not do anything differently. I’m really happy with the color presses we chose. Going from a 1000 to a 1000i was significant because there are certain functions that the 1000 didn’t have.

What have you have learned after using your digital press for a while now?

Morin: In-line finishing is acceptable for certain jobs and substrates, but we tend to lean toward off-line finishing for better control and greater flexibility. Grain direction doesn’t appear to be much of a constraint any longer in the digital printing process, and paper mills are continually offering a broader line of digitally compatible substrates from which to choose. We no longer experience the paper stretch as we used to in the offset process.

Susan Sombeck

Sombeck: I wish I would have known how slow printing and marrying different weights of paper is without an insertion tray when we print and [stitch] in-line. We have found ways around this such as pre-printing the covers or [stitching] off-line. I wish I had enough space in our shop to add a 2- to 3-ft. inserting tray on our color copier. Buy the tray module if you can.

Grigg: For us in particular, the NexPress has been a lifesaver. We are printing things that we could formerly never print. I have been told by certain departments that the quality of our printing is now out-performing some of the offset jobs they used to get off campus.

Broderick: You have to be really conscientious of paper stock and GSM. I tend to shy away from paper stock that is pre-cut, pre-scored or diecut, unless I’ve really tested it because it’s very tricky. Some of the stock may not print as expected. Also, when we extended our contract, Xerox threw in the gold, silver and dry ink, which we love. There was a learning curve to print with those inks, but it significantly added an extra dimension to be able to do metallic.

Have you gotten the types of work and the volumes that you expected?

Morin: While there has been a slight uptick in volume, the real gain has been in the increased throughput and reduction of makeready time and waste. It is easy now to produce a customer’s job after hours by queueing it up to run to a high-capacity stacker overnight.

Sombeck: Yes and no. Our digital color volume has increased. Because of the G7 Color Certification we can push a press job to the C7110 if we do not have time to print offset. The white ink has not taken off yet. Advertising would help but we don’t see a big need for white ink.

Grigg: Yes, we have gotten the types of work we were expecting.

Broderick: Our color volume has increased by over 2,700% in the past 3.5 years. We are now able to do a much wider variety of work. We’re getting to do some nice full-color, perfect bound football programs. We’re also doing a lot of perfect bound books internally for the district that are more curriculum-based.

Have you done as much variable data printing as you expected?

Joe Morin (left) and Bob Neubauer

Morin: Not much change in the variable data arena. Most of our requests are for bulk mailings. However, there has definitely been an increase in customer interest for future marketing and personalized mailings.

Sombeck: We are beginning to print more VDP in the form of specialized targeted postcards. We have a new VP for admissions and marketing who is a strong proponent of VDP, so the need has increased recently.

Grigg: No, we have had a hard time marketing variable data, even before we had the NexPress.

Broderick: We just don’t do that much variable data. We are looking into different software such as XMPie. But now, the only variable data we do is very basic within WebCRD, such as customizing notepads and notecards.

Any unexpected installation issues?

Morin: Absolutely none. Everything was planned in advance for space, electrical and networking. We are very pleased with the results of the transformation from offset to full digital.

Sombeck: The bookletmaker was longer than I expected, and we were missing a cord. I had hoped to save about 3 ft. in the length of the machine and I didn’t. When you choose equipment with new advances there are bound to be quirks. Our new copiers were stuck out to sea during the dock strike, which caused a few weeks’ delay. There are always electrical issues: outlets had to be moved and a few last-minute adjustments made. Allow at least a week for production equipment to get up and running.

Grigg: Yes. As I mentioned before, our HVAC system needed to be updated to handle the air.

Broderick: They pretty much ironed out all the wrinkles for the installation of the color press. When we installed the perfect bind, that was a real learning curve for our technicians because they’d never really installed a perfect bind in-line before.

Other issues that you can caution in-plant managers about?

Morin: [The vendor] touts delivery of toners and other consumables within 3-5 business days from time of order. In actuality, we find it takes a good 7-10 business days. I would highly recommend requiring a several month supply of toners and any other consumables from your preferred vendor prior to signing off on the final installation.

Sombeck: The clear toner can go fast if you use it at 100%. We have found that we can decrease it to 60% coverage and obtain the same visual effect while saving money. We had one early job eat up an entire bag of clear toner. We like the online training and help videos that came along with the in-person training we received. There is a lot to learn and a lot of neat things you can do with the new production equipment available. If you plan on printing low volume envelopes, negotiate an extra transfer belt that you can switch out when you print. The envelopes will leave a mark when you switch to larger paper, unless you have one dedicated to envelopes, similar to an oil mark on older machines, when switching from 8.5x11˝ to 11x17˝.

Grigg: My biggest caution is to read the vendors’ proposals very carefully so you know exactly what you are getting and don’t have any surprises. It’s hard not to have any surprises, simply because the vendors are competing for your business; but we thought that by writing our RFP the way we wanted it, vendors would follow it to a T. As we found out, none of them did. There were little changes here and there in the fine print.

Broderick: Make sure [the vendor] is available prior to installation to pre-check your electrical. That’s huge.

Have a comprehensive plan which includes identified team members, facilities requirements, implementation/installation details, training, milestones and an ongoing communication process.