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In-plant managers from all over the country met in downtown Philadelphia for the 40th annual IPMA conference. By Bob Neubauer To celebrate its 40th anniversary, the International Publishing Management Association went back to its roots: Philadelphia. That was where the group got its start back in 1964. And that was where about 150 IPMA members gathered recently for the 40th annual conference. Since Philadelphia is also In-Plant Graphics' home turf, more IPG staff than usual were on hand to mingle with managers during the four-day event, which included educational sessions, an exhibition hall and several evening outings. One of those outings took

Finding the high-speed/high-volume printer that provides the maximum productivity and cost savings for your in-plant is not easy. Here's some help. By Michael Fego There are many printer/copier manufacturers, but relatively few offer high-speed/high-volume models. Since "high-speed" and "high-volume" can be somewhat relative terms, let's first define what constitutes a high-speed printer. Most experts consider devices with print/copy speeds of 70 pages per minute (ppm) or more to be high-speed devices. For the purpose of this article, we will use this definition. Manufacturers offering products with speeds between 70 and 90 ppm include Konica Minolta, Kyocera Mita, Sharp, Xerox, Canon, Ricoh and

Folding machines are built to last. But many that were sold in the 1980s don't have the tools needed to handle 21st-century work. By W. Eric Martin Folding and printing go hand-in-hand. Rarely is an item delivered from the press to the end user without being manipulated: letters must fit into envelopes; brochures and magazines must be folded before being trimmed; and holiday cards must be made mantle-ready. While folding itself is fairly straightforward, knowing what you need from the equipment doing the folding can be a bit trickier. Folding equipment seems to have an amazingly long life span, creating creases for decades before

The Association of College and University Printers conference took place in IPG's home town of Philadelphia this year, drawing 95 managers from four countries. By Bob Neubauer Philadelphia may be a showplace of American history, but for printers the city carries a separate significance thanks to local legend Benjamin Franklin. After opening one of the city's first print shops here, he went on to make a name for himself as a printer and patriot. So when the Association of College and University Printers came to town recently, how could the group get through its three-day conference without a visit from old Ben? On

In part two of our variable data printing coverage, Vic Barkin explains how your in-plant can move into this lucrative business. By Vic Nathan Barkin During the American Revolution, every rifle was what today we would refer to as a customized model. A master craftsman produced each lock, stock and barrel individually. No two were exactly alike. Finding the optimum load for each rifle meant that a rifleman had to test the accuracy of different powder volumes, patch thicknesses and ball size combinations to ensure, when the time came to hit his mark, he could trust his tool to do the job. Marketing

As Drupa 2004 kicks off this month in Germany, perhaps the biggest news will be that there is so little news. Sure, the major vendors will have plenty of new products to show, but as for revolutionary technologies that will change the way you print, it just doesn't seem like it will be that kind of Drupa. I'm not discounting JDF connectivity, processless plates or other new technologies that will draw crowds. But let's face it, most of those have been talked about so much they hardly seem new any more. No, I'm merely observing that, at this Drupa, equipment

Installing CTP means rethinking your proofing methods. When the State of Washington Department of Printing decided to add a Creo Lotem 800 II Quantum platesetter last fall, the in-plant had to start thinking about proofing in a whole new way. Without film, its DuPont Waterproof system wouldn't be much use. So the in-plant added Creo's Iris4Print ink-jet proofer, with an eye toward upgrading to the new Creo Veris 1,500x1,500-dpi proofer this spring, according to Dan Maygra, interim prepress manager. The same thing happened at Arkansas State University Printing Services when it added a Heidelberg ProSetter 74 in September. The in-plant went with

Relocating is never easy, especially when you're one of the country's largest in-plants. But that's what University of California-Berkeley Printing Services is facing, after 65 years in its facility. By Cheryl A. Adams A stone's throw from downtown Berkeley, Printing Services at the University of California-Berkeley has sat conveniently across the street from campus since the 1930s. While the student protests of the '60s were making national headlines nearby, the in-plant was churning out growing volumes of print while slowly expanding its equipment arsenal. Today it is the largest university in-plant in the country, according to IPG's Top 50. After 130 years of operation,

The in-plant aboard the Queen Mary 2 ocean liner has a heavy workload. But the fringe benefits are sure nice. By Mark Michelson William Neugebauer plans out his print shop's workload—and the required paper and consumables needed—well in advance. Four months in advance, to be precise. As chief printer in charge of the in-plant on board the new Queen Mary 2 ocean liner, the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) graduate carefully coordinates the shipment of supplies to faraway ports where the vessel docks. "A ship is not very ideal for printing," he notes. Chemicals slosh around in the plate processor while the Queen Mary

Here is one in-plant production manager's take on recent technology introductions and how they address trends in the in-plant market. By Heath Cajandig In this industry, vendors are continuously trying to gear up the hype machine to tout a new vision for the future. Over time, it is hard not to be skeptical of any claim. Every now and then, though, a product actually does come along that perfectly sums up the current and future state of the industry. This past January, one of these products arrived: The Xerox DocuTech 100 series copier/printer. For Xerox it helps solidify a digital future for the company; for