Page 39 - Print 21 Magazine Jan-Feb 2019
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Digital Printing
for inkjet printability on standard coated/uncoated offset stocks, rather than more expensive inkjet-receptive coatings. The Truepress Jet 520HD reel-fed press prints with up to six colours for gamut, and with new SC inks that adhere to standard offset stocks with outstanding definition.
The press is able to place 2-picolitre droplets — the world’s smallest level — exactly where the dots are required on paper as it moves through a high- speed transfer system, the company claims. Combined with the maximum resolution of 1200 dpi, the Truepress Jet520HD clearly images detail smaller than 0.10 of a point.
Screen says that its digital printers have breakthrough absorption technology eliminating any pre- processing or additional primer coatings that are typically required to print to standard offset coated papers. Printing directly to the paper saves time and cost, and preserves the paper surface texture to open
up a range of new possibilities and new markets for inkjet printing, including commercial print, catalogues, magazines and high
end books. The 530HD with SC inks was awarded the 2017 Intertech award for innovation excellence.
Kodak, meanwhile, is looking
at making large volume digital packaging printing viable through its continuous inkjet technology: either
Tantalising: Reel-fed high speed inkjet
the Prosper Stream technology, or the higher definition Ultrastream that may come to market this year.
The Ultrastream unit cost is
set to rival piezo drop on demand printheads. Kodak says it is a simpler and smaller print head than Stream, and enables smaller droplets to get onto the stock. The low unit cost
is to enable the heads to go into
other equipment under OEM deals. Resolutions will be 600 x 1800dpi, with the company believing its quality will match offset on offset stocks.
Ricoh, which took over the JV with itself and IBM for high speed inkjet, now has the VC60000 and the ‘new benchmark’ VC70000, which runs at 150 metres a minute, up from the VC60000’s 120 mpm rate. The increase has come through new drying capacity, which the company says allows it to print at higher speeds on offset paper with greater ink coverage than ever before.
Its piezo drop on demand printheads print at 1200dpi on coated, uncoated and inkjet stocks, and it will knock out 130,000 A4 impressions an hour. It comes with a new set of inks that Ricoh says will deliver savings.
Xerox is developing two streams of aqueous inkjet web, the Trivor and the Impika, from the French manufacturer it bought in 2013. The Impika Evolution can print at up to 833 feet a minute.
Sheetfed inkjet
In sheetfed inkjet the conundrum is even more striking. In theory inkjet should be the unchallenged winner: the presses are simpler, faster, and digital. However, they are more expensive to buy, the drying can be an issue, and the inks can be more expensive. B2 inkjet presses have been around for a decade now, but their benefits are taking a long time to gain acceptance.
The Fujifilm B2 Jet Press 720S and the Screen TruePress Jet SX both appeared in Australia, but neither hit the mark. The new Konica Minolta AccurioJet KM-1 has gone into two separate printers in Victoria, one
of which, Revolution in Ballarat,
won the state title for quality print competing against the Konica Minolta toner machines. This was quite an achievement and testimony to what can be done on the KM-1 – the judges were independent of Konica Minolta. Komori has its own version of the same press, the IS29, although none as yet have come to these shores.
All these B2 presses use UV inks, so
do not have an issue with water on
the paperstock or with drying. Konica Minolta was also showing a B1 inkjet carton press at the last drupa, the KM-C, which may make an appearance at drupa next year.
Canon has the B3 i300 with aqueous inks that can print on coated and uncoated thanks to a primer; the press runs at 106ppm A4 printing both sides at once. Notable installations here include Waratah Direct and Soar Print.
Visitors to the last drupa who went to the far corners of the
Canon booth will also have seen its prototype B2 inkjet sheetfed press, the Voyager, which was printing in up to seven colours at 3,000sph with a 2400 x 1200 resolution. It is being considered for the photo realist and packaging markets. There has been little in the way of updates since drupa, but progress is sure to be underway in the Canon R&D labs.
Xerox also has an A3 inkjet printer, the Brenva. It doesn’t run as fast as the Canon, but costs less; there are no plans to launch it here as yet.
Inkjet packaging
In packaging print there is a rush
to inkjet, with the vendors banking on the brand owners wanting to
take advantage of short run work. Developers such as HP with Pagewide C500, EFI with Nozomi, and Heidelberg with its Primefire 106, the world’s first B1 digital press, are already in the market. Benny Landa is hoping his nanographic technology will finally be ready by drupa, with the B1 S10 single sided carton press set to be the first version available. Among other major players Screen
is also developing a digital carton press with BHS, to produce a 2.8m wide printer; Memjet-powered New Solutions will also have digital carton printing systems at drupa.
Big hitters KBA and Durst have just launched a new joint venture company which will develop the VariJet 106,
a hybrid packaging press which will combine KBA offset technology
with Durst inkjet to produce a single production system which can print offset, flexo, screen and digital, plus foil and cut all in one pass.
Developers have some way to go
to convince customers that spending millions of dollars on an inkjet press is better than using a wide format flatbed for short run or sample packaging – but they are investing big money in R&D with these machines, so they must be convinced. 21
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