It has been a huge year for print technology arriving on Australia’s shores. Check out ProPrint’s top picks for 2019.
CTP, Plates & Platesetters
Esko CDI Crystal 5080
For Esko the CDI (Cyrel Digital Imager) offers results that before were only achievable in offset or gravure. There is a CDI for every need from narrow web label printing to flexible packaging and wide-format corrugated printing, one-colour printed corrugated boxes to sophisticated multi-colour packaging and even security printing. New to the Esko portfolio is the CDI Crystal 5080 XPS flexo platemaking system, designed to address the overriding market pressures driven by shorter run lengths and a growing number of SKUs. It requires fast plate turnaround to address this increasing demand for product versioning and the CDI Crystal 5080 XPS delivers that.
It also brings higher quality to flexo, delivering better consistency, and is simple to use for operators at all skill levels. The CDI Crystal 5080 flexo platemaking system exposes both sides of a flexo plate using UV LED heads. It also combines imaging and exposing into the same compact footprint. This results in 50 per cent fewer manual steps, 30 per cent faster access to plates and 73 per cent less required operator time. Along with Full HD Flexo will be Esko’s Digital Flexo Suite (DFS), offering significant cost savings through the automation of flexo plate production. Label ‘one-ups’ are nested economically on the plate to reduce plate and substrate waste. The optimised plate and the corresponding cutting layout are simultaneously sent to a CDI and Kongsberg table. The plate is staggered cut to enable flexo cylinders to print continuous labels on the press. The Kongsberg X20 offers the flexibility of upgrading to add more cutting, creasing and milling tools as business needs develop.
Esko has a local team in the Australian region, providing full training and service locally for all products and solutions.
Kodak Sonora X Process Free Plate
Kodak says the Sonora X Process Free Plate is the plate the print industry has been waiting for. It combines all the cost and environmental benefits of eliminating plate processing with the productivity and robustness of an unbaked processed plate. Kodak says its plate scientists have made it their mission to develop a process free plate that will work for nearly everyone. They say they have succeeded with this breakthrough enabling up to 80 per cent of offset printers to eliminate plate processing.
The company says the Sonora X plates also deliver significantly longer run lengths, faster imaging speeds, and more robust handling capabilities than other process free plates, matching the performance of unbaked wet processed plates in a wide variety of applications and print environments.
The plates can achieve long run lengths of up to 400,000 impressions on web presses and 200,000 impressions on sheetfed presses. Kodak says they are also ideal for UV and low-energy UV applications, achieving run lengths of up to 75,000 impressions.
It also says the plates are very robust and can be handled just like a processed plate due to the product having an improved scratch resistance compared to other process free plates.
The required laser energy for the plates is 120 mJ/cm2, allowing all but the very fastest platesetters to achieve maximum productivity. Kodak says by eliminating the processing step and variability, printers can get to press even faster.
Depending on the capability of the imaging device, it also says the plates are able to offer up to 450 lpi and 20-micron FM. Also, eliminating the variability of processing enables printers to manage quality and colour consistency more easily.
Kodak says now just about any printer can increase the sustainability and productivity of their business with the Sonora X Plates.
Digital Printing
Fuji Xerox Iridesse
The Fuji Xerox Iridesse is a new toner-based digital press offering speeds of 120ppm with substrates up to 400gsm, with print resolution of 2,400dpi.
The company says the new high speed Iridesse offers printers new levels of flexibility and versatility, and will enable them to increase their product range to the market.
Along with the four process colours Iridesse is able to print specialty colours including metallic with a single pass, by housing up to two additional specialty dry inks of gold, silver, clear and white.
The newly launched print engine enables CMYK dry ink layers to be processed on top of the special dry ink layer. An overlay of another specialty dry ink can be processed on top of CMYK dry ink layers, a feature made available with another Fuji Xerox digital printer, the Color 1000i Press.
Fuji Xerox says, “While conventional offset printing requires mixing silver ink to make metallic ink, this new product allows for simultaneous printing of several metallic colours during a single printing process.”
The standard colour library contains Pantone+Metallic and Pantone+Premium Metallic, which are swatches of metallic colours commonly used in the printing industry. With these colour swatches, the operator can reproduce colours similar to Pantone metallic colours on printing materials by designating the colour codes.
Finishing options include Fuji Xerox’s Finisher D6 with Booklet Maker, Crease/Two-sided Trimmer D2, and SquareFold Trimmer D1, which can be connected to the Iridesse press, allowing for automatic production of booklets and folded leaflets.
The company says the finishing options expand the possible printing applications by enabling to produce complex folded leaflets including accordion-fold and gatefold.
Roger Labrum, senior product marketing manager, Graphic Communications Services, Fuji Xerox Australia, says, “It is about personalisation for end users. Businesses should be able to align their collateral in accordance with their brand. With the Iridesse Production Press, collateral colours can be matched to brands or personalised, with colours patterned, mixed, enhanced to provide more.”
HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press
HP has launched an updated version of its Indigo 12000 B2 digital press, which it says doubles the image resolution.
Supplied by Currie Group and based on the world’s best-selling B2 digital press the HP Indigo 10000, the new version of the Indigo 12000 has HP claiming it delivers sharper, smoother, finer print, enabling printers ‘to surpass offset quality’ and open new digital possibilities in high-end commercial and photo applications. The press uses an all-new High Definition Imaging System, using 48 parallel laser beams and high screen sets up to 290 LPI. Alon Bar-Shany, general manager, HP Indigo, HP Inc says, “HP print service providers are experiencing unprecedented growth and momentum as print buyers, agencies, and brands are looking for ways to connect the online world with the physical world. HP’s digital print technologies are blending these realities, providing new application opportunities, alongside higher productivity.”
The HP Indigo 12000 HD also features ColorUP!, which it says delivers an extended colour gamut using colour profiles to expand the on-press colour gamut using additional hits of CMY inks.
The B2 29-inch (75 x 53cm), seven-colour HP Indigo 12000 Digital Press is able to print for nearly any commercial application. At a speed of 4,600 pages per hour, it can produce more than two million colour sheets per month. In its monochrome setting, the press can print 4,600 duplex sheets per hour for quick publishing and direct mail needs.
HP says its automation tools also boost production efficiency and uptime, allowing users to process thousands of jobs per day. The on-press Optimizer tool uses artificial intelligence to enable non-stop printing, and the Automatic Alert Agent conducts real-time print quality error detection.
HP says that with dozens of software and hardware innovations, the HP Indigo 12000 Digital Press delivers smooth and sharp prints that match or even exceed offset quality.
It also supports a wide range of substrates, including canvas, synthetics, and metallised media, with One Shot technology, extending high-value opportunities. The press also enables full sheet printing to produce canvas wall art, posters and folders.
Konica Minolta AccurioPress C3080
Konica Minolta says the AccurioPress C3080 series delivers productivity increases of up to 20 per cent when the revolutionary, optional, Intelligent Quality Optimiser (IQ-501) is added.
It also says the AccurioPress C3080 series offers enhanced productivity and brilliant quality. It can deliver speeds up to 81ppm, which equates to 4,399 A4 sheets or 2,113 SRA3 sheets per hour, helping print companies manage deadlines without compromising quality.
Konica Minolta says long life consumables and parts means the AccurioPress C3080/C3070 delivers an increased overall performance with higher productivity and improved uptime to meet customer demands.
Further productivity benefits as well as automation and colour consistency can be achieved with the optional Intelligent Quality Optimiser (IQ-501). Konica Minolta says the IQ-501 greatly reduces manual set-up, enabling less experienced operators to produce precisely registered, calibrated and profiled colour prints: on the first run and on every run. Sue Threlfo, general manager of production and industrial print at Konica Minolta, estimates that by using the AccurioPress C3080 series with the IQ-501, “printers can realise productivity increases of up to 20 per cent. This helps improve the speed and range of services that printers can offer their customers”.
Other features of the AccurioPress C3080 series include high-speed digital colour printing up to 81ppm in colour and black and white and high-speed dual colour scanning at up 240opm. It has a 3600 x 1200dpi print resolution with 8-bit processing for smooth, superb colour reproduction while the SEAD IV Screen-Enhancing Active Digital Processing provides the highest quality image output.
The Simitri HDE toner brings colours to life while reducing environmental impact and the 18,000 sheet maximum media capacity for long uninterrupted printing. It can also handle media weights from 62 to 350gsm, 350gsm auto duplex and long sheet banner printing, simplex up to 1300mm and up to 762mm auto duplex.
The Konica Minolta AccurioPress C3080 with EFI IC-417 has also been recognised for its reliability, picking up the prestigious BLI award in 2018 in the outstanding mid/light production category.
Ricoh Pro C9200 graphic arts edition
The successor model to the market-leading Pro C9100 Series is the new Pro C9200 Series, Graphic Arts Edition, primarily aimed at the commercial print market. Ricoh says notable changes from the Pro C9100 Series include improved image quality and consistency, new toner formulation, higher resolution imaging, combined with a raft of image quality enhancements.
The company says the new Pro C9200 has higher reliability with higher monthly print volumes, new swing-and-shift registration technology, auto registration with real time adjustments and new auto colour diagnosis. There is a broader media capability with heavier stock capability to 470 gsm (500 microns), auto duplex banner capability to 1,030mm, longer simplex banner sheet capability to 1,260mm, and enhanced NCR and envelope support.
It has improved productivity with higher print speed and an hourly operating ratio of near 100 per cent. There is greater ease of use with new large operating panel, enhanced media library and new Media Management Tool, auto calibration, auto registration adjustment, and new jam LED guidance. New and enhanced accessories include enhanced Vacuum Feed LCIT, enhanced High Capacity Stacker, new BDT banner sheet feeder, a High Capacity Interposer, and new Plockmatic Banner Sheet Stacker. New print controllers include TotalFlow Print Server R-62 (with a choice of three PDF RIP engines for integration into Heidelberg Prinect, Kodak Prinergy, Agfa Apogee or Screen Equios offset workflows) or the EFI Fiery E-45 or E-85 Print Controllers based on the latest Fiery FS300 Pro system and new generation Fiery NX.
Wide Format/Labels
Jetmark Vulcan Classic
The Vulcan Classic 3.2m UV roll to roll press is the latest offering in Jetmark’s stable. The Vulcan is empowered with V8 technology, printing at up to 2400dpi, with smart memory utilisation, speedy communication with advance cabling system and thermal design technology. Jetmark says it offers ESAS (Electro Static Absorber System) that absorbs static electricity from the Medias, improves productivity and ensures easy trouble-free prints.
The Classic’s fast firing heads use AIVC technology, with an aim to ensure high quality continuous printing, equipped with an advanced industrial head with great expanding capability that enormously enhance productivity and profitability. It can print at speeds of up to 91sqm/hr and is designed to be a complete solution, offering white printing, flexi layer technologies and a LED light box system. Jetmark says its CWC Option (Colour White Colour) shows Day and Night Effect without shift in colour hues. Proprietary CIPO Technology (Colorjet Intelligent Pass Optimization) is used, aiming to ensure multiple print patterns are produced as per the needs of the customer, no matter the kind of media being put to use. It also is said to offer benefits of multitasking and multithreading to speed up printing operations. Additionally, Jetmark says the Vulcan offers advanced motorised carriage height adjustment, automatic ink regulation, LED lamps, advance plasma anti-static device, high-tech vacuum system, pneumatic press rubber roller, reinforced beams, and carriage safety sensor features. The printer is also loaded with an eco-cooling system, which includes a water cooling system, maintaining printing temperature and removing media wrinkle to ensure high quality prints. At the same time, the dual-roll option enables customers to install two or more rolls one after another, helping to execute multiple jobs simultaneously and also enhancing the efficiency of the printer on smaller media.
The Vulcan is also available in a 5m wide option as well for those after ultra wide printing.
Screen Truepress Jet L350 SAI
The 350mm wide narrow web width for label production is the ‘workhorse’ size for the majority of labels produced in Australia and New Zealand. Wider webs, both digital and flexographic, at 420mm and up to 760mm are being installed but these are typically used for flexible packaging, folding cartons and/or shrink sleeves. 350mm remains the ‘sweet spot’ for the bulk of labels produced and for this reason, the Screen Truepress Jet L350UV series have proved immensely popular since the first release in 2014.
As Screen’s L350 series has evolved, the speed and features have grown too. At Labelexpo in September, Screen showed the all-new L350 SAI model, which runs at up to 80 linear metres per minute (‘Z’ model) and can include additional blue and orange ink to the standard CMYK+white. This gamut expansion is very pleasing to food and beverage FMCGs in particular. Also for the food industry is the option for low-migration ink, which uses nitrogen purge to aid fast UV curing of the inks, thereby preventing seepage through the label facestock. With the increasing use of clear-wraps on fresh meats and cheeses that incorporate a colour label, this is a welcome addition. The L350SAI, due for release in early 2020, uses advanced colour management from CGS (ORIS), who are recognised world leaders in precision colour management and matching for packaging, commercial print, proofing and digital. Meanwhile, the rest of the L350 family at up to 60 metres per minute, continues to sell well globally with over 150 sites – several of them with multiple presses such as the UK’s Springfield where four L350s are now installed. Locally, through dealer Jet Technologies and Fujifilm New Zealand, there are six L350UV lines operating. The configurations are all roll-to-roll with nearline finishing and embellishing, although it is possible to link up to online converting, die-cutting and matrix stripping devices such as ABG Digicon, Nilpeter, Cartes, Prati and others. The L350 SAI is sure to take Screen and Jet to the next level in digital label production.
PostPress
Currie Group – Horizon SmartSlitter
The Horizon SmartSlitter is an all-in-one smart sheet processing system that can slit, gutter cut, edge trim, cross-cut, perforate, and crease all in one pass.
Perforation and creasing can be performed in both horizontal and vertical directions in the same pass. Skip perforation feature can produce T- and L-perfs ideal for coupons, tickets and business reply cards.
The system can deliver multiple up greeting cards with or without creasing, table tents, invitations, and more with both matrix and rotary creasing. For accordion fold applications or perfect bound books, up and down creasing can also be performed in one pass. Standard size business cards can be printed 21-up on a sheet and processed to a receding stacker for easy handling. Print mark registration adjusts for digital print image shift from sheet to sheet. The colour touch screen features a simple user interface for easy operation including job set-up via barcode. There are a number of features that Horizon stresses, including the ability to run partial perforations both across and along the sheet to create tear out coupons for example. It can take a sheet to 670mm in length (370mm across), so coping with the increasing number of 6pp digital presses installed.
The sheet is fed on to a registration table and registered using conventional side and front lays. A camera reads a barcode to pull down information about the settings for that sheet. It can be a stand 1D, 2D or data matrix code. As the sheet moves forwards, an image shift is accounted for, moving both X and Y axis if necessary. It also registers to the previous action, a crease to the previous crease for example.
Access to the slitting, creasing and perforating models is through panels on the side of the machine. The cassettes slide out and back in rather than being lifted in and out of the machine. It is possible to replace blades rather than replacing the cassette itself.
There are three slitter modules, each with twin blades. This enables the SmartSlitter to remove the gutter between business cards as well as handling full bleed cards for example. Business cards are delivered into a special stacking module. Products are otherwise fed to a conveyor delivery.
There is a touch panel interface to set up jobs with the option of a Smart Connect module to both accept JDF jobs and deliver JMF data back to the workflow. The operator can store and retrieve settings for easy setup and job rerun. It can also accept a PDF file and use this to overlay the position of creases, cuts and folds and so on.
Graffica Pty Ltd – Century Die Cutter, Folding Box Gluing Machines and cutting tables
Century products are supplied in Australia by Graffica Pty Ltd and include a range of flat bed die cutters for carton board and corrugated from 800mm wide through to 2100mm.
The larger 1650, 1850 and 2100 machines do not use gripper prongs so a wide variety of stock can be processed.
The Century machines are available in full auto and semi auto.
The flagship machine (pictured) has been installed in Melbourne at a large display company.
Heidelberg Stahlfolder TH/KH 82-P
Heidelberg says print service providers that opt for the new generation Stahlfolder TH/KH 82P folding machine will be able to boost their productivity by up to 50 per cent. Heidelberg launched the new models at drupa 2016 with the P standing for productivity, performance and reliability.
The series is aimed at industrialised commercial printers with peak performance machines from the Speedmaster XL series of book binders with an annual production of more than 40m sheets.
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