Kodak is releasing a new digital press, the Nexfinity press, which the company says by building on the success of the of its predecessor the Kodak Nexpress, is set to become the most versatile sheetfed digital press on the market.
Kodak says the press will change how printers evaluate what can be run on digital, with low running costs, higher speed and dynamic imaging.
The machine is said to be built with Dynamic Imaging Technology, a patented Kodak innovation for digital printing. Kodak says the technology works by applying algorithmic adjustments to specific areas of an image, which optimizes image quality and consistency based on the image content in each area. The company says the result, for example, produces crisp text, hard lines, soft skin tones on the same page, whether it is for one print or millions.
Kodak says with a new high resolution and multi-bit LED writing system, the press produces the broadest range of applications, including direct mail, commercial print, publishing, and packaging. The press is also said to include seamless integration into workflow and finishing solutions meaning it is optimised for a printer’s production workflow.
Chris Balls, general manager, Equipment and VP, Print Systems Division of Kodak says, "With Nexfinity Press, printers get a robust digital printing platform that delivers offset quality while driving down costs and equipping them with the flexibility and speed to handle an expansive range of applications for their customers, whether it is an order for a few hundred or millions of impressions.”
Kodak says the Nexfinity delivers the industry's highest information density at more than 1.8 billion pieces of image information per square inch and it ensures smooth flat fields and excellent image detail in the printed product. For example, Kodak claims the system can reproduce fine details on the fly, like highlight areas and consistency in mid-tones by adjusting the exposure levels for incredibly high levels of print quality. The company says the press has a LED writing system with 256 levels of exposure on the imaging cylinder, compared to laser systems that only are on or off, meaning it provides excellent, consistent quality, utilizing closed-loop process controls that maximize uptime and lower running costs.
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The company says Nexfinity Press also delivers speed and flexibility, with an increased range of 83 to 152 ppm, expanded sheet lengths up to 48 inches and capable of handling stocks up to 24pt. Kodak claims when all of this is combined with the machine’s colour sequence flexibility that allows for dry inks to be printed in alternative orders or combinations required by specific print jobs, the creative possibilities to help printers grow their business are extensive.
Stephan de Vries, CEO at Fotofabriek in Groningen, Netherlands, says, “Fotofabriek began using the Nexpress fifteen years ago, mainly because of its image quality. That is important to our business because the main ingredient of our growth and what we are best known for is our photo books and albums. As the first printer in Europe to use the Nexfinity Press, we are excited about the new applications we can offer. The Nexfinity Press offers quality, consistency and colour uniformity that will allow even better products at more competitive pricing, with its long sheet option at 120cm, we will be able to expand our photo offering by making beautiful lay flat albums, and with the ability to run thicker substrates we see the possibility to add new products for the retail market, like boxes and cardboard signs.”
Ben Shaw, VP of US Production at Mimeo.com, says, “At Mimeo, we strive to stay on the leading edge in terms of innovation and technology, so testing the Nexfinity Press is a natural fit for us. In a short time, we have already run millions of pages on it, and we have been thrilled with the results. It is a really versatile machine that delivers a powerful combination of image quality, consistency, and low running costs.”
Kodak says or printers managing a variety of applications, the new Kodak Multi-Press Station allows a press operator to handle multiple jobs on up to four Nexfinity Presses from one location. Additionally, the company says a new Kodak Nexfinity Productivity Cart provides a convenient location for cleaning swap set components as well as storage of these parts for maximum production efficiency.
Kodak says all Nexfinity Presses are powered by its new Kodak Nexfinity Front End, which features the flexibility to operate as a complete standalone prepress toolset, with imposing, trapping, color management, job specification and job management and reporting capabilities. The company says the Front End is also equipped with an automated workflow using JDF and JMF which are compatible with a variety of workflow solutions, including Kodak’s industry-leading Prinergy Workflow. Kodak says fast ripping of short-run, image-intensive applications, as well as complex variable jobs keeps the press highly productive. Based on a specific customer’s requirements, the Nexfinity Platform’s workflow supposedly can be tuned to optimize the integration with existing workflows and enhance applications with simple, easy to use functionality such as dimensional artwork, coatings, gamut expansion, security elements and unique finishes applied beyond CMYK, all at production speeds.
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