Screen Graphic Solutions has taken a 2018 technology award by the Japanese Society of Printing Science and Technology (JSPST) for its digital inkjet press.

The prize has gone to Screen’s Truepress Jet520HD, a digital inkjet press that has become its flagship high-speed web model.

When running Screen’s new SC inks, it can print directly on standard offset coated papers, without the need for any pre-treatment.

Peter Scott, managing director, Screen GP Australia says, “This is a great recognition of Screen’s determination to bring high volume digital inkjet up to offset standards.

“It comes six months after the 520HD and SC inks received the InterTech Technology Award presented by Printing Industries of America, at the Print 17 trade show in Chicago last September.  The ability to print on offset coated stocks using inkjet brings down the barriers that have prevented quality offset printers from fully embracing digital. Paper costs have also reduced since standard offset stocks cost less than specially coated inkjet media, or pre-treating of offset papers.

“Using high-speed inkjet to print on readily available offset stocks has been the holy grail of that market for such a long time.

“It is also a great press for offset replacement.

“They are commercially available here, and been popular. With any interested customers, we talk about files, what stocks we print on, and I can arrange samples, with quality and costings, all of which are available now.

“Anyone who has thought about high-speed inkjet in the past, but put-off by print quality, should consider it and take a look.”

The JSPST presents the awards in February each year to recognise technologies that have made an outstanding contribution to the growth of the printing industry or to the development of applications for other fields. In making its selection, the JSPST considers points including the level of innovation, progress, marketability and expandability shown by each technology.

Screen says its Truepress Jet520HD is equipped with 1,200 dpi high-resolution inkjet printheads that effectively deliver the rich color gamut, texture, detail, vibrancy and depth required for high-quality publishing and commercial printing. The press enables the achievement of superior image quality approaching offset printing at industry leading speeds.

The specially developed SC inks enable the Truepress Jet520HD to print directly onto offset coated paper without any pretreatment or primer processing. This ability preserves the texture of surfaces while cutting lead times and costs. Thanks to these innovations, both products have been rapidly adopted by companies around the world for use in the publishing, commercial printing and direct mail markets.

Screen has previously won three JSPST technology awards; for its TaigaSPACE integrated prepress system, the PlateRite 8000 and 8600 thermal CtP recorders and original Truepress Jet520 high-speed roll-fed inkjet press.

Tsuneo Baba, president, Screen Graphic Solutions was presented with the JSPST award and says, “ SCREEN is delighted to have been honored by the JSPST with one of its prestigious technology awards.

“Until recently, specialized inkjet paper was the only choice available when using inkjet presses. However, we listened to calls from the market to be able to print directly onto standard offset coated paper and subsequently developed our award winning Truepress Jet520HD and SC inks.

“Together these products deliver significantly improved cost efficiency and image quality that opens up a wide range of new applications in areas ranging from personalized direct mail to publishing and standard commercial printing. Our technical capabilities have allowed us to develop unrivaled propriety technologies and we are extremely grateful for this recognition of their advanced functionality and viability.

“We plan to continue our work to create new business models that closely target the needs of our customers. It is our hope that the next-generation technologies developed as part of these efforts will make a major contribution to the ongoing expansion of the global printing industry.”

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