Page 14 - Print21 magazine Mar-Apr 2023

| COVER STORY | HP INDIGO 100K
The high-volume HP Indigo 100K B2 sheetfed digital colour press is targeted at print business who are looking to upgrade their B2 offset press, reports Wayne Robinson.
HP Indigo 100K – ready for the future
us that it helps them build a hybrid business model, where the 100K and the offset presses complement on another to boost production across fleet. The HP Indigo 100K is targete at large and medium size commercial printers, as well as digital houses looking to move up.”
HP Indigo recognises that
today’s offset presses are a far cry from those of 10 or 20 years ago, with the modern machines having makereadies down to three or
four minutes rather than 30 or 40, however Jackson says it is about ‘maximising opportunities and minimising pain points.’ He says, “Serious efficiencies can be gaine
by switching from offset to HP Indigo 100K, and not just in the printing, there is a lot of capability in the upstream and downstream operations to be more efficient, i MIS, in automated finishing, in saving labour.” While the 100K is a volume press Jackson says this does not mean it needs to run 24/7 to make it pay, he says a daily 10-hour shift business is equally valid, with the prepress infrastructure in place to prepare and preflight
The majority of B2 HP Indigo 100Ks that have gone in around the world work in tandem with a B1 offset press. Jackson says, “It is a winning combination, the B1
There are now some 140 HP Indigo 100K B2 sheetfed digital colour presses running around the world,
including four in Australia; two at CMYKhub and two at IVE. They
are being installed because their non-stop high volume quality
print is in demand, particularly
for offset short and medium runs, on demand printing, and where variable data may be needed. Most have the standard four-colour presses, although a few opted for the fifth colour station for five-colou printing with spot inks.
And non-stop means non-stop, the latest HP Indigo 100K presses come with five paper input sources an
an auto pallet replacement (APR) unit for the delivery, so the press can keep printing. Anthony AJ Jackson, national sales manager ANZ, Commercial HP Indigo, at supplier Currie Group says, “Close to half of the 100Ks in operation around the world are printing over 100,000 impressions per shift, with the record being 145,000 impressions.”
Impressions means the numbers of colours laid down, in terms of B2 sheets produced the 100K will print 4500 an hour in CMYK and 6000 an hour in EPM enhanced productivity mode, which is without the black. Jackson says, “EPM with the three colours works perfectly for colour work, and for black type down to about 9pt. Below that though you need to go for CMYK.”
For those print businesses in Australia and around the world
that are taking advantage of the Enhanced productivity Mode (EPM) some 80 per cent of jobs are printed
BELOW
Full suite of possibilities
in non-stop operation:
HP Indigo 100K
in EPM. It can reproduce 90 per cent of the colour gamut. Jackson says, “It achieves the high quality level that customers expect, and of course for print businesses EPM means a lower cost as one less
ink is being used, and the jobs are produced 33 per cent quicker. There is no debate about the print quality, it is on par with offset.
The HP Indigo 100K can also print both sides at once, saving the need for work and turn. Duplexing (perfecting) cuts the sheet output in half, and is able to be carried out on sheets up to 400gsm.
Currie Group and HP Indigo are clear about where the press will
score. Jackson says, “The reason we see success in the 100K is because customers around the world are telling
14 MARCH/APRIL 2023