A SUPPLEMENT TO
OCTOBER 2007
Profiles of 11 Recipients,
Plus 20 Nominees
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Honoring Excellence
T
his year we are honored to present the PIA/GATF
InterTech Technology Award to 11 recipients. This
program has always been the premiere showcase for
important emerging technologies that are likely to have
a significant impact on the graphic arts industry.
Thirty one technologies were submitted by 25 vendors
(several submitted multiple entries) for consideration in the 2007
competition, and all are profiled in this supplement. The recipients
will be presented with their Award at a banquet that will be held in
Chicago, November 2007.
The InterTech Program is conducted annually by the Printing
Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/
GATF). All nominations are evaluated by a distinguished and
independent selection committee coordinated by Dr. Mark Bohan,
Vice President, Research and Technology for PIA/GATF. Each
entry was judged against specific and rigorous criteria. First and
foremost, the technology has to be truly innovative—not just an
evolutionary improvement on an existing product. Further, it needs
to enable printers to operate more efficiently or to provide a new set
of services and offer a clear return on investment. Finally, it must be
commercially available—not beta/premarket—yet not have achieved
widespread market adoption.
As with prior years’ recipients, technologies that increase
productivity and reduce waste are represented, along with innovative
press designs. A theme to emerge this year is technologies that
minimize the environmental impact of printing.
Great strides were demonstrated in the form of innovative press
design for both digital and conventional, touchless workflow systems
to automate production steps, anti-fraud measures, and new materials
and systems that increase productivity. Many of the technologies that
were nominated had great performance and ROI benefits. “This year’s
judging was animated and intense,” Bohan remarks. “The technologies
we evaluated exhibited great innovation and the themes of automation
and green were evident throughout so many of the nominations.”
The technologies selected to receive the 2007 InterTech Award
are: :Energy Elite Dual Layer “No Bake” Plate (AGFA Graphics N.V.);
EIS UV Printing Blanket Refurbishment (Enviro Image Solutions,
Inc.); Esko DeskPack 3-dX (Esko); Fujifilm C-Fit Image Intelligence
Software (FUJIFILM Graphic Systems U.S.A., Inc.); Font Emulation
in the Harlequin RIP (Global Graphics Software, Inc.); Heidelberg
Anicolor Inking Unit (Heidelberg USA, Inc.); Heidelberg Speedmaster
XL 105; KBA Sensoric Infeed System (KBA North America, Inc.);
KODAK TRACELESS System (Eastman Kodak Company); Océ
VarioPrint 6250Digital Printer (Océ North America, Inc.); and
ROLAND 700 DirectDrive (MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG).
In addition to these recipients, descriptions of the 20
technologies nominated for the InterTech Award are also presented
on pages 19 – 23.
❖
2008 Competition
Companies interested in sharing their latest innovative technologies with the industry
are urged to submit entries in next year’s InterTech Technology Awards program.
For complete details on how to apply, please go to www.intertechaward.com.
October 2007 | GRAPHIC ARTS MONTHLY
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:Energy Elite No-Bake Plate
2007 InterTech Technology Award Winner.
Just when you thought that there was nothing new in CtP, Agfa Graphics, the leader in thermal, violet and
chemistry-free plate technology, brings you the next new advancement in plates. Recipient of a 2007
InterTech™ Technology Award from PIA/GATF for technical innovation, Agfa's :Energy Elite no-bake plate
is receiving rave reviews from customers all around the world.
:Energy Elite offers unbeatable press performance and unsurpassed durability. The high speed, high quality
aluminum thermal plate is designed for long press runs without baking. The plate uses an advanced, patented
emulsion technology with a wide tolerance for variations in exposure and processing. It has excellent chemical
resistance and delivers superb press performance with a wide variety of inks, including UV and hybrid.
Agfa Graphics
100 Challenger Road
Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660
800.540.2432 x4848
www.agfa.com
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Stay Ahead. With Agfa Graphics.
8/28/2007 3:18:08 PM
:Energy Elite Dual-Layer
“No-Bake” Plate
Agfa Graphics N.V. ❖ Mortsel, Belgium ❖ +32 3 444 2111 www.agfa.com
A
gfa Graphics’ :Energy Elite is a high-speed, high-quality
aluminum thermal plate designed for printers who require
long press runs without baking. The plate can print run
lengths of up to 500,000 impressions without baking
(and up to one million with post-baking), using an advanced emulsion
technology that tolerates variations in exposure and processing.
Agfa’s coating technologists formulated a patented base layer under
the thermally sensitized top layer. The double-layer system is the secret
behind :Energy Elite’s outstanding chemical resistance. The technology is
compatible with alcohol substitutes and harsh press chemicals, delivering
superior press performance under a wide range of press conditions
and with a variety of inks, including UV and hybrid. Also, :Energy Elite is
designed to yield durable press performance for printers using alcoholfree fountains, which typically reduce plate run length.
Agfa built upon several generations of thermal heritage and technical
expertise to develop :Energy Elite. Not only is it the firm’s first plate to
incorporate no-bake technology, it also boasts high-exposure sensitivity
that enables platesetters to operate at their maximum throughput.
Agfa is a leader in prepress solutions for the printing and publishing
industries, offering workflow automation, project management, computerto-film, computer-to-plate and proofing solutions. It’s also the world’s
largest plate maker, producing analog,
thermal, visible-light and chemistryfree digital plates to offer solutions for
wide variety of printing conditions and
applications.
In developing :Energy Elite, Agfa
recognized that a growing number of
printers needed more durable, chemically resistant plates on press. Until
now, the best way to address harsh conditions such as the use of ultraviolet
inks or paper stocks that caused plate wear was through baking. To that
end, many printers installed sizeable, expensive “baking lines” that use electrically generated heat in a traveling oven to bake plate coatings. :Energy
Elite eliminates this need for all but the longest run jobs.
In addition, by eliminating post-baking, printers will save money by
reducing their energy costs. In some cases, printers have to run multiple
baking lines that consume several kilowatts each to operate. Most of these
printers also air-condition platemaking areas to alleviate the heat produced
by baking ovens, so the cost of plate baking is often higher than printers
realize. Reducing energy consumption also enables printers to become
more environmentally friendly by decreasing their carbon footprint.
In addition, :Energy Elite has the capability to be post-baked if
printers require extreme run lengths, deal with particularly aggressive
press conditions or require extra durability. Although it’s a so-called “no
bake” plate, the technology can be baked and produce run lengths of up
to one million.
“:Energy Elite takes thermal plate technology to new levels of
performance,” says Richard Hill, Agfa’s worldwide marketing manager.
“The real winners are the printers who can now combine ultimate plate
quality with ultimate press durability and performance.”
One such company is William George Printing, Fayetteville, N.C.,
which reports a noticeable increase in quality since using :Energy Elite
plates. “One of our magazine clients even thought we had started to run
their magazine on our sheetfed press,” says Timothy Adorno, William
George Printing’s plant manager. “Nothing is more important for us than a
satisfied customer, and the plates play a major role in our success.”
October 2007 | GRAPHIC ARTS MONTHLY
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2007
PIA/GATF InterTech Technology Awards
EIS UV Printing Blanket
Refurbishment
Enviro Image Solutions, Inc. ❖ Vancouver, BC ❖ (877) 255-9544 www.enviroimagesolutions.com
T
he explosion of ultraviolet (UV) and energy-curable inks
has revolutionized the printing industry, radically improving
quality while enabling faster make-readies. But printers are
discovering that these inks also make blankets difficult to
reuse due to latent images and blanket swell.
To counter these negative consequences, Enviro Image Solutions
(EIS) developed a worldwide, patent-pending blanket refurbishment
program that extends the life of UV and hybrid printing blankets by as
much as 400%.
The program works as follows: Once a printer determines a blanket
is no longer usable due to the presence of latent images, the company
sends the blanket to EIS for treatment with proprietary processes that
restore it to full quality. EIS then returns the blanket to the printer, which
reinstalls it on the press as good as new. EIS supports blankets for all
manufacturers.
The same blanket can be retreated many times—the average is
four, although EIS has refurbished blankets up to 12 times—and can
print screening as fine as 10-micron stochastic—provided the top layer
of a blanket is uncut. As long as that’s the case, the blanket surface can
be treated and returned to its original condition.
The process allows printers to extend the life of their blankets
without sacrificing the quality of their printed products. It ultimately helps
lower the cost of UV printing and support its continued growth. EIS
claims that printers will see improvement in the profitability of their UV
printing work and be more competitive on job quotes against printers
who use conventional inks.
Prior to the development of the EIS blanket recycling program,
a lithographic printing blanket with latent image or blanket swell was
6
discarded—no amount of scrubbing or chemicals could restore the
blanket to its original quality. When changing to a new form or job, press
crews often were forced to install new blankets. This was considered a
normal cost of UV printing.
Not anymore, thanks to the advent of the EIS’ innovative treatment
program. The company says it’s the only firm in the world that offers
a blanket recycling program of this type. It has worked closely with
leading printers to develop and refine its process, which has been tested
repeatedly on multiple presses with large screen builds.
The results have been impressive: Vancouver-based Metropolitan
Fine Printers has produced multiple award-winning projects using
blankets treated by EIS to print jobs imaged with 10-micron stochastic
screening or 700-line screen rulings. Metropolitan says it has cut its
annual blanket costs in half by participating in this program. In addition to
financial savings, EIS customers don’t have to expend energy attempting
to scrub their latent-stained blankets.
EIS recently invited other printers who are
unfamiliar with the EIS process to sample free
of charge the effectiveness of the refurbishing
treatment on their blankets. Said Ted Cnota of
Quantum Group: “Much to our surprise, the
blankets we sent were returned with a better
feel than when they were first purchased. And
when we put them back on press, we were
astonished at how well they printed. In one word,
incredible.”
Also, at a time when businesses are increasingly looking for ways
to reduce their environmental footprint, the EIS solution scores high on
the sustainability scale. Once a blanket can no longer be refurbished, its
aluminum bar, rubber and fabric materials are stripped and broken down
for use in other applications.
EIS is collaborating with an Alberta, Canada-based drilling company
that has developed a promising process that uses rubber to absorb oil
and gas leftovers. The drilling firm then converts this material into a
base for roads. The long-term goal is to consistently use rubber to soak
up excess oil and stop oil-soaked sawdust (currently the absorption
material of choice in the oil industry) from going into landfills. The oilsoaked rubber, sourced from spent UV printing blankets through the EIS
process, would then be transformed into roads and highways.
GRAPHIC ARTS MONTHLY | October 2007
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EskoArtwork DeskPack 3-dX
EskoArtwork ❖ Gent, Belgium ❖ (011) 32 9 216 92 11 www.esko.com
E
skoArtwork DeskPack 3-dX is a plug-in application for
Adobe Illustrator that automatically generates threedimensional renderings of packaging designs created in
Illustrator. Designers can see exactly what their designs—
which are necessarily two-dimensional on the screen—will look like
when the final packaging is printed, converted and assembled, with
the ability to rotate it 360 degrees, pan and zoom.
DeskPack 3-dX maintains a live “link” between the two-dimensional
design file in Illustrator and the three-dimensional (3D) rendered image.
Once a design element is created or modified, a double click on the
DeskPack 3-dX window automatically updates the 3D image. In addition
to the exterior of the packaging, DeskPack 3-dX also provides the
designer with views of the CAD file as well as transparent views that show
how panel flaps overlay.
One of the most significant benefits of this application is its ability to
reduce the cycle time needed to go from packaging concept to a file ready
for production. Given that a product launch is likely to include stakeholders
from different departments and organizations located remotely from one
another, sharing ideas and design iterations has traditionally been a major
bottleneck. Designers are under pressure to come up with more visually
distinctive designs and to do it faster than ever before. DeskPack 3-dX
gives them instant feedback, without requiring them to do the mental
translations, as to what their designs are going to look like after being
printed and converted. This alone enables them to create and test more
design concepts, which is likely
to yield a more compelling final
design.
Further, the ability to create
three-dimensional mock-ups has
historically been a difficult and
time-consuming task. And, while
generating “mock-ups” for focus
groups and other pre-market
testing is a vital part of the product
launch process, the time and cost
associated with it precludes wider
testing earlier in the design phase.
DeskPack 3-dX eliminates these barriers almost entirely by enabling
product and marketing executives to better evaluate which designs should
proceed to the mock-up phase.
According to EskoArtwork, designers report that their productivity
improves by an average of 50% to 100% by using DeskPack 3-dX.
DeskPack 3-dX enables designers to export their designs as Acrobat
PDF files that are 3D models that can be viewed from any angle as well
as annotated using Acrobat’s notes feature. Files can also be exported
as high-resolution images in TIFF for enhancement in image editing
applications such as Photoshop or inclusion in presentations.
Working in two dimensions and making the mental “translations”
to 3D is challenging, time consuming and prone to causing errors. For
example, one of the challenges in packaging design is maintaining the
correct orientation of text and graphics on all panels and flaps. DeskPack
3-dX automatically positions the design elements in the correct orientation
on every panel to eliminate problems later in the production cycle.
Similarly, it enables the designer to create “snap-to” guidelines so that the
graphic elements are aligned in the same location on all panels. Finally, it
automatically orients text and graphic elements that cross over from one
panel to another so they align when the final package is assembled.
Although EskoArtwork could have developed a stand-alone/dedicated
software application with the same functionality as DeskPack 3-dX, the fact
that it runs seamlessly within Adobe Illustrator opens up this application to
a much wider audience. Today it is estimated that as much as 90% of all
packaging designs are created using Adobe Illustrator, making it the de facto
standard. By creating a plug-in that requires very little training, EskoArtwork
has streamlined the packaging design workflow for the entire industry.
DeskPack 3-dX represents a major advance in the packaging design
workflow by facilitating the complex “translation” from 2D designs to 3D
mock-ups that is inherent in packaging production.
October 2007 | GRAPHIC ARTS MONTHLY
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Fujifilm C-Fit
Image Intelligence Software
FUJIFILM Graphic Systems U.S.A., Inc. ❖ Hanover Park, IL ❖ (800) 877-0555 www.fujifilmcfit.com
F
ujifilm C-Fit Image Intelligence is a software application
that automatically analyzes and optimizes digital images,
and then performs color space conversions to enhance
their reproduction. The software is intended for production
environments that print high volumes of digital photographs,
including newspapers, magazines, catalogs, yearbooks, high-volume
commercial printers and photo labs.
C-Fit uses a hot folder workflow to rapidly process large quantities
of high-resolution images. The software performs two functions that can
run in tandem or separately from one another. To optimize images for
reproduction, C-Fit Image Enhancement uses Fujifilm’s patented Image
Intelligence technology to analyze RGB images, with the ability to detect
faces, skin tones, light sources, and other details of the captured image.
It then corrects for exposure, density/dynamic range, white balance
adjustment, and memory colors (blue skies, green grass).
The software is engineered to mimic the human eye to view images
the same way we do, and automatically adjusts substandard—and even
seemingly unusable—originals into high-quality images. For example, the
eye responds differently to high frequencies, which oscillate at short intervals,
and low frequencies. C-Fit processes images to avoid harsh representations
and thus render natural-looking facial images and skin tones.
Another important capability of the software is light source
recognition. Here the application analyzes both the face and the color
highlights of the image to infer both the light direction and intensity. Then
it adjusts the settings
to optimize the image
and render it as
originally intended.
Uneven local exposure is a common
problem that occurs
in pictures with high
contrast. Fujifilm’s
Dynamic Range control automatically optimizes the density in
any part of the image
to produce images
that achieve natural-
looking transitions from the highlights to the shadows. Finally, to sharpen
images, C-Fit is able to distinguish between wanted and unwanted noise
and then remove the unwanted noise.
The second function performed by C-Fit is color space conversion
from RGB to CMYK for printing. Given that the CMYK color space is smaller
than RGB, the challenge is to maximize the colors that will be printed.
C-Fit does this by using results from the image analysis step about the
donor image’s gamut to maximize the color potential of the gamut of the
output device—such as
a digital or offset press.
C-Fit compresses only
those colors captured
in the image—what is called image-to-gamut conversions. Fuji calls this
technique color fitting—hence the name C-Fit. This approach preserves
more of the look and feel of the original than can be achieved using ICC
conversions, because the latter is compressing the entire RGB gamut into
CMYK, including colors that are not even part of the original image.
From a productivity standpoint, C-Fit represents a major advance
for high-volume operations. First, Fujifilm says that approximately 80% of
all images processed by C-Fit require no additional editing, automating
a tedious process. For each image, C-Fit creates a RGB Digital Master
that is customized to each user’s color workflow and which can be archived, manipulated or converted to the final target color space without
any manual intervention.
In addition, it uses a hot-folder workflow that supports not only
folders and subfolders containing image files, but also complex documents
containing image files. Therefore, C-Fit can automatically process folders
with complete QuarkXPress and Adobe InDesign pages or Acrobat PDFs,
performing image optimization and color space conversions for all images
within those files, all while maintaining links and without altering any other
aspect of the file structure.
C-Fit Image Intelligence is designed to complement, not replace,
image retouching/manipulation applications such as Adobe Photoshop.
Although users can perform address contrast and dynamic range
problems, as well as color space conversions in Photoshop, these tend
to be time-consuming, manual processes. By running images through
the image optimization step in C-Fit prior to retouching in Photoshop,
operations can increase their productivity while improving the quality of
reproduction.
October 2007 | GRAPHIC ARTS MONTHLY
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2007
PIA/GATF InterTech Technology Awards
Font Emulation in the
Harlequin RIP
Global Graphics Software Inc. ❖ Centreville, VA ❖ (703) 266-9588 www.globalgraphics.com
G
lobal Graphics’ Font Emulation feature was developed
to address one of the most vexing and entrenched
problems in prepress workflows: missing fonts in
supplied files.
Available with the Harlequin RIP Genesis Release (v7.0 or later),
Global Graphics’ Font Emulation provides in-RIP font emulation
capabilities that are ideal for time-critical applications such as
newspapers, magazines and print-on-demand documents, or jobs in
which output is required before the customer can be contacted or for
jobs in which artwork is supplied independently of the client.
In what Global Graphics believes to be the most advanced in-RIP
font emulation capability in the market, the Harlequin RIP will make a
typographically acceptable match to missing fonts with no text overflow
and with appropriate character spacing, weight and width. To achieve
10
this, emulated fonts are used to produce suitable facsimile text based on
the characteristics of the font that’s being emulated. A suitable readable
font with similar characteristics of the target font is used in place of the
missing one.
With Font Emulation, problem files are sent to the RIP just the same
as complete ones, and the RIP constructs a suitable replacement on the
fly. The Harlequin RIP has the ability to recognize missing fonts by name;
it includes a database of style, spacing, height and width details for more
than 1,600 fonts. When a job is submitted as a PDF file, information
required to construct the emulation font is derived from the PDF itself.
For PostScript and EPS files, relevant information is drawn from the
database of font metrics supplied with the RIP.
Emulated fonts have the correct width for every glyph in the font,
so that letter and word spacing will be correct, and justified text will
continue to be justified, with a straight edge
to the text block. The emulated fonts will also
be slanted at the right angle, allowing oblique
and italic fonts to be correctly rendered. In
addition, italic faces will be slightly more ornate
than emulations of the roman faces from the
same family. The emulation won’t cause any
reflow changes, such as tweaks to line ends
and page breaks. Extended and condensed
fonts are constructed at the correct weight
(from extra thin to extra black), so the overall
appearance of the page remains unchanged.
When Font Emulation has been enabled
and a required font can’t be emulated, the RIP
can be set to select a default font, or can cancel
the job automatically so expensive media isn’t
wasted. For printers catering to particularly
demanding buyers, Font Emulation can be
disabled as a production feature, then turned
back on when proofing for proper color.
Global Graphics’ OEM partners include
ECRM Imaging systems, Fusion Systems
International, Highwater Designs Limited,
Polkadots Software Inc, RTI Inc. and
Xitron Inc.
GRAPHIC ARTS MONTHLY | October 2007
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Heidelberg Speedmaster
SM 52 Anicolor
Heidelberg USA, Inc. ❖ Kennesaw, GA ❖ (888) 472-9655 www.us.heidelberg.com
H
eidelberg’s Anicolor is a short offset inking unit with a
dampening system that delivers a uniform amount of ink
onto the ink form roller, irrespective of the coverage or the
setup from previously printed jobs. The technology, which
is an option on Heidelberg’s Speedmaster SM 52 presses, was first
shown at IPEX 2006.
Printing with Anicolor minimizes waste and accelerates press
makeready. A Speedmaster SM 52 with Anicolor inking unit technology
typically requires just 10 to 20 startup sheets, depending on the print motif—reducing waste by up to 90 percent. With an extremely short inking
path, along with the fact that no ink zone settings are required, inking is
extremely efficient. Heidelberg says Anicolor can cut makeready times by
up to 45 percent, a saving that can increase press capacity by up to 25
percent over a conventional press—and potentially even more with the
right kind of run structures.
Anicolor combines the advantages of flexography with those of wet
offset printing—all with the ease of use of a conventional offset press. It
achieves constant ink densities with just one screen roller and one ink
form roller, without over-inking, emulgating or causing any other deficiency
in print quality.
The Anicolor inking unit supplies an adjustable but constant and
uniform amount of ink from the screen roller onto the ink form roller and
subsequently onto the imaged area of a plate—independent of coverage
or jobs printed before. There are no ink keys; rather, the amount of ink
transferred onto the form roller is controlled by changing the temperature
of each individual screen roller. Operators can adjust ink densities for different paper types and deliver very high color consistency within very narrow tolerances—across individual sheets, from sheet to sheet, and from
job to job—making repeat jobs very easy to print.
Due to the full format size of the screen roller and full-diameter inking
form roller in the ink train, the press produces smooth solids and ghosting
is eliminated. A specially developed ink chamber inks up the screen roller
by movement at the back of the chamber and provides for easy removal
for cleaning, and for secure, fast blade change.
Expanding offset printing into digital territory
The Anicolor inking unit is a core technology that expands the competitiveness of offset printing into applications and run lengths that were
heretofore only feasible using digital printing technologies. This technol-
ogy enables printers to
profitably produce fourcolor jobs with as few
as 200 sheets, thus
enabling them to satisfy the market’s growing
demand for short runs
and quick turnaround.
Shorter makereadies
provided by Anicolor
translate into the ability
to produce more jobs
per day at reduced
costs.
Heidelberg says
that the Anicolor inking
unit is cost competitive
across the entire run
length spectrum and
that it offers the lowest average cost per job compared to a conventional
offset or digital color press.
A major benefit of a Speedmaster SM 52 configured with Anicolor is
that it fits in seamlessly with existing workflows. Not only does this press
work with the proven Alcolor continuous dampening system, it uses conventional printing plates and offset inks. The more standardized the printing process—with Prinect Color Management, for example—the more
fully a printer can take advantage of the strengths of Anicolor. Anicolor
also integrates with the Prinect CP2000 center to facilitate JDF workflows
and to enable information exchange to MIS systems.
Anicolor also helps make the pressroom more environmentally
friendly. A recent study by Darmstadt Technical University looked at various categories, such as global warming and the effects on acidification
of water, comparing Anicolor with a conventional inking unit. The study
found that Anicolor can cut the proportion of waste paper and thus the
associated damaging environmental effects in all the categories assessed
by around 75 percent.
The Anicolor inking unit can be combined with all the options that are
available for the Speedmaster SM 52 platform, such as Vario dampening,
extended stock range (up to 24pt.) and others.
October 2007 | GRAPHIC ARTS MONTHLY
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Nothing says success like an InterTech Award.
When we introduced the ROLAND 700, we knew we had a success on our hands. Not only did printers applaud the networked
automation that the press provided, but the ROLAND 700 received the prestigious InterTech Award in 1994. Now more than a
decade later, the latest generation of the press — the ROLAND 700 DirectDrive — has earned a 2007 InterTech from PIA/GATF.
Visit us at Graph Expo — Booth 646.
Success spoken here.
800.700.2344 • www.manroland.com
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© Copyright 2007 MAN Roland Inc.
Now the ROLAND 700 has earned two of them.
DirectDrive tightens our already quick makereadies by an additional 60%. That makes short runs more profitable and long perfectors
more productive. Discover additional ROLAND 700 benefits by visiting us at Graph Expo and learn how MAN Roland’s technology
can help increase your success.
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8/29/2007 9:08:35 AM
2007
PIA/GATF InterTech Technology Awards
Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 105
Sheetfed Offset Press
Heidelberg USA, Inc. ❖ Kennesaw, GA ❖ (888) 472-9655 www.us.heidelberg.com
T
he Speedmaster XL 105 has been designed by Heidelberg
to set new standards for productivity, quality and cost-effectiveness in large-scale sheetfed offset printing operations.
Initially shown at Drupa 2004, the Speedmaster XL 105 runs
at real production speeds of 18,000 sheets per hour. With many units currently
installed, this press has demonstrated great versatility in label, packaging and
commercial printers that handle short, medium and long runs.
Constant high performance
Performance features of the press include a new Preset Plus feeder, the
high-speed Air Transfer sheet transport system, the Hycolor inking and
dampening system, the new coating unit with MultiLoader for rapid screen
roller changes and the new Preset Plus delivery.
The Preset Plus feeder features a new high-speed suction head
and automatic sheet arrival control to maintain top speeds on multiple
substrates. The double- and multiple-sheet detection system needs no
calibration. The central suction tape slows sheets down by 65 percent
for smooth sheet transport and quick work-and-turn production. Also
included are an automatic non-stop option, and a foil package for reliable
feeding and transfer of synthetic substrates.
The Air Transfer system incorporates aerodynamic properties for
mark-free sheet travel and reliable and stable production at high speeds.
System highlights include a shorter distance to the venturi sheet guide,
contact-free sheet travel, a spoiler at the edge of the gripper bar, wing
grippers to avoid dog ears at top speeds, and a new impression cylinder
blast device. All relevant air settings on AirTransfer—along with the entire
press—can be remotely controlled from the
Prinect CP2000 Center
14
console to reduce job set-up times, including dedicated presetting for
various stocks.
The Hycolor integrated inking and dampening system offers quality
and flexibility thanks to its inking unit geometry and automated switching
positions. Every job can be printed in the best possible quality, be it
solids, thick ink coatings or jobs with low ink consumption. Operators
can select either a standard or short inking unit, which makes the ink
supply extremely stable during the printing process and causes the inking
unit to react to ink zone changes promptly. The inking unit itself is kept
at a consistent temperature that enables precise and stable ink metering
throughout the print run.
The coating unit’s automated MultiLoader system minimizes
makeready time for screen roller changes and requires only a single
operator. All coating unit register settings are remote-controlled from the
Prinect CP2000 Center press control, including parallel- and single-sided
printing pressure settings, lateral circumferential and diagonal register.
The Preset Plus delivery includes the DryStar 3000 Generation dryer
with reduced distance to the sheet surface and up to 50 percent higher
drying power, full CAN-integration with remote control for all settings and
repeat jobs and easy, tool-free access to dryers.
Increased productivity
The Speedmaster XL 105 is also designed specifically to meet customers’
future requirements. The press supports between four and ten color units
and an optional coating unit. Since the end of 2006, an ultraviolet (UV)
version with dual coating units and pressurized chambered doctor blade
design for more even coating results has also been available. Whether
used as a dedicated UV press or a hybrid press, a wide range of surface
finishing options are supported.
The high level of automation
accelerates and stabilizes the printing
process on the XL 105, while the numerous
preset functions minimize both workload
and makeready times. Taken together,
the XL 105’s faster average speed per
job delivered, savings in makeready and
innovations in the field of coating application
increased productivity 30 percent and more,
according to customer surveys.
GRAPHIC ARTS MONTHLY | October 2007
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KBA Rapida 105
Sensoric Infeed System
KBA North America ❖ Williston, VT ❖ (802) 764-6100 www.kba-usa.com
F
or many years the graphic arts industry has struggled to
simplify the process of feeding and aligning the sheet in a
sheetfed offset press, a process complicated by the high
running speeds of today’s presses. With the development
of KBA’s Sensoric Infeed System, which is available on KBA’s Rapida
105 sheetfed press, this problem has been solved.
The Sensoric Infeed System (SIS) was developed by KBA engineers
to remove the traditional side guide on a press and integrate sheet alignment/register into the first infeed cylinder to improve, make more consistent and simplify the process of feeding and aligning the sheet. This is the
first sheetfed offset press to incorporate a no-sidelay infeed system. One
of the chief aims was to make the process stable and reliable without the
need for manual intervention—even with frequent changes between different printing papers or even substrates.
First shown at drupa 2004, SIS significantly improves overall sheet
register, running speeds, and ease of operation. As a result, the Rapida
105 SIS enables printers to satisfy customers’ demands for fast turnaround times and consistently high quality.
Quicker register, faster makeready
The SIS enables press operators to achieve and maintain register more
quickly, thus reducing overall makeready times; according to KBA, sidelay-free technology reduces makeready times by 25 percent. Further,
this approach reduces the lag time between jobs because the operator
doesn’t have to manually adjust the system for different substrates.
Although paper suppliers strive for uniformity, it is not uncommon
for the pile to contain a few irregular sheets, which vary from the rest in
terms of their parallel dimensions. The new Rapida 105 SIS addresses
the costly problem of such “biased sheets” by eliminating side pull and
registering the sheet via the grippers, so that printers can achieve perfect
registration.
Not only are presses becoming faster, the substrate range that must
be printed on a single press is also getting wider. SIS allows the set up of
the infeed to be much easier and to achieve results more quickly.
In presses using traditional mechanical or pneumatic sidelays, the
incoming sheet is first stopped and braked, stabilized in the front lays,
and then aligned at the sidelay tabs. This happens in a pulling process
involving subsidiary steps before the sheet goes through the swing infeed,
which is counter-productive to the natural forward flow of the paper.
The SIS feature follows the
paper’s natural flow
with a sensor that
continually scans
the edge of the
sheet. This eliminates the risk of the
scanning result being negatively influenced by the paper
fibers. The gripper
bar is pre-aligned
in the single-revolution transfer drum according to information transmitted about the position of
the sheet edge. Thus the bar is already roughly aligned when it receives the
sheet. Precise lateral displacement of the gripper bar enables the sheet to be
exactly positioned before being transferred to the first impression cylinder.
With the KBA solution, the feeding process in the front sidelays is not
interrupted by the sidelay process. As a result, the amount of time available
for sheet alignment increases by 50 percent, which translates into improved
sheet stability and alignment. It also reduces malfunctions, which prevents
buckling on thin sheets while minimizing the chance that thick/rigid sheets
will “jump” out of the front lays at high speeds. Finally, this approach eliminates the possibility of accidental marking or scuffing of substrates that is
inherent in a mechanical feeder, thus reducing waste. Looking ahead, the
additional time margin will enable presses to run at even higher speeds.
Aligning five sheets per second
The incoming sheet can be adjusted precisely along the entire route from
swing gripper to impression cylinder—which makes possible the 50 percent
increase in time available for alignment compared to traditional systems.
With today’s sheetfed presses running at peak speeds of 18,000 sph—
15,000 sph in perfector presses—the additional time is essential, because
up to five sheets per second must be aligned in register. Looking forward,
the additional time will enable even higher speeds.
Almost half of all Rapida 105 presses now include this increasingly
popular option. Printers and press operators see the financial benefit to not
having a side guide to constantly adjust.
October 2007 | GRAPHIC ARTS MONTHLY
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8/28/2007 4:18:35 PM
2007
PIA/GATF InterTech Technology Awards
KODAK TRACELESS System
Eastman Kodak Company ❖ Rochester, NY ❖ (866) 563-2533 www.kodak.com/go/traceless
T
oday, counterfeiting is a big business, accounting for nearly $700 billion in annual worldwide sales, or about 8% of
all global trade, according to the International Chamber of
Commerce. Not only are counterfeiters flooding the market with knock-off handbags, DVDs and watches, imitation products
such as pharmaceuticals, automobile and aircraft parts, and electronic
components pose a great risk to consumer health and safety.
To thwart the duping of everything from currency to product safety
labels, and to ensure the authenticity of products in the distribution chain,
Kodak has developed the KODAK TRACELESS System for Anticounterfeiting. This is a forensically invisible authentication technology combining
proprietary “markers” and handheld readers that enables customers to
easily validate the authenticity of an item. The system creates items with
unique material properties that can be detected only by using Kodak’s
TRACELESS reader.
Unlike other security technologies, the marker materials are added
at ultra-low levels that are undetectable by standard chemical, optical or
forensic analysis. The ultra-low levels mean markers can be added to a
vast range of materials without affecting the characteristics of the end
product or packaging. Marker materials can be mixed with inks, toners,
varnishes and other items for analog and digital printing applications, and
can be added to virtually any printable substrate, including paper, plastics,
powders, pigments, liquids and textiles.
Kodak says it can implement TRACELESS technology in virtually any
type of printing process, enabling graphic arts professionals to integrate
state-of-the-art security features into just about anything they design, including packaging, official documentation and financial instruments. This
allows end users to pick whatever printing technology best suits their
overall needs without having to worry about the ability to implement security easily and inexpensively. The system’s handheld readers provide
non-destructive, immediate validation of an item’s authenticity, and they’re
ideal for covert field operations.
The revolutionary security technology is akin to “adding DNA to ink,”
according to one PIA/GATF InterTech Awards judge.
TRACELESS System is less expensive than other recent security
technologies, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) and complex
track-and-trace solutions, both of which require significant capital investment and system integration before they can be utilized.
“The TRACELESS System meets several critical needs,” says
Steven J. Powell, general manager and director of Security Solutions at
Kodak. “It’s easy to implement, virtually impossible to reverse-engineer
and affordable for mass implementation. We can customize our security
16
solutions to fit a customer’s needs, and we can do it quickly. The time
is now for companies to take a stand and protect their brands and
relationships with their customers.”
A prototype of TRACELESS System was introduced by Creo
Products in 2005, prior to that company’s acquisition by Eastman Kodak
Company. Kodak scientists and engineers made numerous modifications
and improvements to the system in 2006, and Kodak reintroduced the
technology to select markets late last year. A full-scale launch occurred
in June.
Today, Kodak is working with customers in a wide range of
industries, including pharmaceuticals, apparel, cosmetics, identification
documents and premium wineries. Users license the technology under
multiyear agreements, and have secure control of the markers, readers
and associated software.
In addition to directly quantifiable savings in areas such as warranty
fraud, liability claims and product replacement costs can be significant,
Kodak says the technology also protects the brand. Customers using
TRACELESS System can trust that they’re using authentic products, as
counterfeit ones can easily be identified and eliminated.
The KODAK Security Solutions portfolio has applications for an even
wider range of markets and
industries that are being
harmed by counterfeiting,
such as financial documents
and tax stamps, ticketing for
lotteries and special events,
food and beverages, luxury
goods, prescription pads
and vital records.
GRAPHIC ARTS MONTHLY | October 2007
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MAN Roland ROLAND 700
DirectDrive Sheetfed Offset Press
MAN Roland, Inc. ❖ Westmont, IL ❖ (800) 700-2344 www.manroland.com
O
ver the past decade, shaftless technology has revolutionized web pressrooms,
equipping them with a long
list of advantages made possible by isolating each printing unit’s motive connection
through the use of separate direct drive
motors.
In developing the new ROLAND 700
DirectDrive press, MAN Roland applied its
web press technology, to create the world’s
first sheetfed press with direct drive technology. The device combines digital technology
with mechanical advancements, enabling
sheetfed pressrooms to cut their makeready
times by as much as 60%.
The ROLAND 700 DirectDrive equips
the plate cylinder of each printing unit with
its own high-torque electric motor in combination with a MAN Roland patented clutch
system to isolate the plate cylinder from the
rest of the press’ main drive system. Isolating
the plate cylinder allows a number of timeconsuming makeready chores to be completed simultaneously. For example, all of the plates can be changed on the ROLAND 700 DirectDrive
at the same time, while wash-up takes place simultaneously – plate
changing is a “zero” makeready experience.
This capability makes the ROLAND 700 DirectDrive ideal for printers that print ten or more jobs per shift, and whose average run lengths
are less than 5,000 sheets per job. Facilities that run long perfectors with
8, 10 and 12 printing units, which produce a high volume of perfecting
work, comprise a second major application sector for the ROLAND 700
DirectDrive.
Essential to ROLAND 700 DirectDrive presses is the MAN Roland
patented clutching system between the two gear trains. The simultaneous washing of blanket cylinder, impression cylinder and ink rollers combines what are traditionally two separate wash cycles. In the clutched
position the main drive washes the blanket and impression cylinders
running at low speed while the inking unit is
driven by DirectDrive at higher speeds.
Important features on the ROLAND
700 DirectDrive include: simultaneous automatic plate changing of all printing units; simultaneous washing of the blanket cylinder,
impression cylinder, and ink rollers; simultaneous automatic plate changing and inkingup; simultaneous automatic plate changing
and washing. Additionally, the technology
allows for the “declutching” of inking units to
save ink rollers and the rotation of the plate
cylinder through 360° for circumferential
register and to specify the zero point of the
plate as desired.
The isolation of the plate cylinder endows a sheetfed press with 360° circumferential register. That enables a ROLAND 700
DirectDrive to accept printing plates created
for presses built by different manufacturers.
The advantage is unprecedented job flexibility for facilities running a variety of models.
A prototype DirectDrive unit was first
demonstrated at drupa 2004. Since then, The ROLAND 700 DirectDrive
has been in operation in production facilities throughout Europe starting
in the first quarter of 2006. It is commercially available in Europe, North
America, and Japan – with world-wide distribution to begin at drupa
2008.
To further enhance efficiency on ROLAND 700 DirectDrive models, a select bundle of QuickChange modules including QuickChange
Job, QuickChange Wash, QuickChange Infeed, QuickChange Air,
QuickChange Color, QuickChange Surface, QuickChange Clamp and
QuickChange Coating are standard equipment. Automatic Plate Loading
(APL) and 13,000 sph perfecting are also standard.
The ROLAND 700 DirectDrive zero make-ready represents a genuine productivity advantage over traditional plate mounting technologies.
It combines digital technology with mechanical advancements to raise
the productive potential of sheetfed printers to a new level.
October 2007 | GRAPHIC ARTS MONTHLY
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8/28/2007 5:13:41 PM
2007
PIA/GATF InterTech Technology Awards
Océ VarioPrint
6250 Digital Duplex Printer
Océ North America, Inc. ❖ Trumbull, CT ❖ (800) 523-5444 www.oceusa.com
T
he Océ VarioPrint 6250 is reportedly the world’s most
productive digital duplex cut-sheet printing system. This
black & white imaging system simultaneously prints onto
both sides of the page to produce 250 letter-size duplex
prints per minute—making it up to 70% more productive than any
other cut sheet digital printer in its class. For A3/ledger work, the
system prints 132 pages per minute.
The core technology behind the VarioPrint 6250 is Océ Gemini
Instant Duplex technology. This approach uses a pair of mirrored image
transfer belts to simultaneously apply toner onto both sides of the sheet.
By doing so the system is able to deliver a number of benefits. First, it
requires only a single fusing step that heats the sheet to a temperature of
221°F, which reduces the stress placed on the paper and minimizes curl
to reduce the risk of paper jams in the post-fusing and finishing stages.
In addition, by enabling a straight paper path, Gemini Instant Duplex
technology produces near perfect front-to-back registration and offsetlike quality, while avoiding some of the interruptions that are inherent in
two-pass systems that must flip/turn the page to image the second side.
To make sure the sheet and both images are correctly positioned for frontto-back registration, the VarioPrint 6250 uses a sensor-controlled system
called Advanced Active Registration.
The printing engine uses light-emitting diodes (LED) to image at an
optical resolution of 1,200×600 dpi, while delivering a screen frequency
of 180 lines per inch. The system uses a mono-component toner that
does not require developer, which results in more consistent print quality.
18
Further, it uses no fuser oil, which generates a cleaner final sheet than do
systems using fuser oil.
The resultant output features crisp text and linework, along with
smooth tonal gradations in halftones, making it ideal for producing shortrun books, booklets, manuals, technical documentation and jobs requiring
color inserts and tabs.
The VarioPrint 6250 is designed to satisfy high-volume operations with
diverse production requirements. It accommodates up to 13,800 sheets in
12 drawers that supports four hours of unattended operation. Operators
can reload paper while the VarioPrint 6250 is running, giving it a throughput
of 15,840 letter-size prints per hour. For even higher page volumes, the
system can be configured with a web/roll to sheet paper feeder.
In addition to supporting standard paper sizes (letter/legal/ledger) it accommodates sheets ranging in size from 8×8 inches up to 12.6×19.2 inches;
for stocks, it accepts papers weighing from 13-lb. bond to 162-lb. index.
Equally important, operators can run preprinted covers, inserts and tabs from
any of the trays to eliminate the need for a dedicated inserter or interposer.
The VarioPrint 6250 is rated for average monthly print volumes ranging
from 400,000 prints up to 6 million prints, and can handle peak volumes of
7.5 million prints per month.
The system is designed to support both inline and off-line finishing
systems. For inline finishing, it can be configured with a 4,500-sheet Set
Finisher that stacks, folds and staples documents up to 100 pages long.
Alternatively, the High Capacity Stacker holds 6,000 sheets—including
tabs—of any size. It also supports third-party finishing systems including
Watkiss PowerSquare booklet maker, the BLM500 bookmaker and the
BGB1208 perfect binder.
For operators, Océ has taken care to make sure the VarioPrint 6250 is
easy to run by configuring it with a color-coded touchscreen using a stoplight metaphor. Queue Manager and Job Scheduler tabs provide complete
information about all pending, current and completed jobs.
Complementing the mainframe is the Océ Smart Image Controller,
which supports the PostScript, PDF and PCL 5 and 6 page description
languages. In addition, Océ can support IPDS as well as Xerox DigiPath and
FreeFlow systems to maximize versatility.
Although digital color presses garner the most attention, there’s still
significant demand for black & white documents. With its ability to print 250
monochrome pages/minute, while seamlessly integrating color pages from
other devices, the VarioPrint 6250 is a versatile workhorse.
GRAPHIC ARTS MONTHLY | October 2007
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8/28/2007 4:19:47 PM
Award Nominees
Acrobat 8.0 Professional
Adobe Systems Inc., San Jose, CA
(408) 536-6000 ❖ www.adobe.com
Peak UV Flexible Curing System
Air Motion Systems, Arvada, CO
(303) 277-1162 ❖ www.airmotionsystems.com
Printers and their customers want jobs to print correctly the first time, every time.
Prepress problems can mean the loss of critical time for clients—which often
means losing business for printers. Adobe’s Acrobat 8.0 Professional enables
both sides to dependably share files for commenting, proofing and fixing print
output errors before they reach the press.
The latest version, launched in September 2006, is a workflow solution based
on the Adobe’s proven PDF technology. The software supports industry standards
such as JDF, XMP metadata, XML and all versions of PDF/X and PDF/A. It
incorporates improved preflighting features designed to automatically fix problems
in PDF files.
Printers and their customers will appreciate enhanced collaboration
capabilities through the web conferencing utility, Acrobat Connect. Now they can
set up, organize and manage real-time document reviews rather than depending
on a shared network drive, giving printers a way to attain feedback — and
approvals — quickly from customers. With Acrobat 8.0 Professional, graphic
designers and print professionals can use JDF to automate steps such as PDF
creation, preflighting, and packaging and delivery of final files, resulting in faster
throughput and lower production costs. The software also reduces prepress cycle
time by providing operators with tools for cropping and positioning of content.
The Peak UV Flexible Curing System from Air Motion Systems is the first
ultraviolet (UV) curing system to provide 100% interchangeability throughout every
position on the press. It’s a modular UV system that simplifies the adoption of
this technology, allowing printers to focus on the printed product rather than the
system itself.
Through Peak UV’s modular plug-and-play design, an operator can relocate
the system without the use of tools, from an end-of-press position to an interstation position in minutes. This can increase press flexibility by up to 50% and
help printers avoid unnecessary maintenance calls, according to Air Motion
Systems.
Peak UV’s double-parabolic shutter design cures at speeds up to twice as fast
as conventional systems, and at 30% lower power settings because of reduced
heat on substrates. The module’s durable construction provides a level of safety
and resilience that contribute to fault-free operation and sustained uptime.
The system, which is now available on all major sheetfed and web offset
presses ranging from half-size to super-large, allows printers to handle more
types of jobs faster, and to save thousands of hours annually through operating
timesavers, printing throughput and reliability enhancements.
ThermoFuse
Agfa Graphics N.V., Mortsel, Belgium
(011) 32 3 444 2111 ❖ www.agfa.com/en/gs
Just as computer-to-plate eliminated variables associated with film imaging,
processing and contact plate exposure, ThermoFuse technology makes it possible
to do away with variables resulting from conventional computer-to-plate imaging
and processing. No chemicals are used in the process, as the laser—and only the
laser—forms the printing image. Nothing affects it after exposure. After imaging,
the plate requires only a clean-out step to remove non-image areas.
The digital plate imaging technology used in most current computer-to-plate
systems forms a latent image on the plate using the heat or the light generated
by the laser. This image is “latent,” meaning it’s not yet ready for printing; it
may or may not be clearly visible on the plate. Following exposure, chemical
development transforms the latent image into the durable printing image required
for offset printing.
With Agfa’s :Amigo plate, non-image areas are removed with a clean-out
solution, increasing the plate’s productivity and durability. For long-run jobs,
the plate can also be baked. :Amigo clean-out can be performed in almost
every processor in the market, so it requires no additional investment. Chemical
consumption is extremely low, with replenishment rates of 0.0009 –0.0016
ounces per square foot of plate material.
Avanti CRM
Avanti Systems, Toronto, ON
(800) 482-2908 ❖ www.avantisystems.com
Most printing businesses have two systems for managing business: one for the
sales team to use for contact management and another for the production staff to
deal with live jobs. More often than not, these systems are stand-alone, each with
its own underlying database that doesn’t share data with the other.
Contact Management systems are “note-centric”—sales reps keep track
of conversations and orders with customers via a series of notes. Bringing
together the note-centric world of sales and the job-centric world of production is
challenging for printers.
Avanti CRM (Customer Relationship Management) aims to solve this issue
by integrating customer information such as contacts, notes and purchase
histories with the back-end Avanti Print MIS system. Both leverage the same SQL
database, so users can understand their customers’ purchasing habits, buying
cycles, past problems and customer loyalty.
Avanti’s CRM module provides customer service professionals with realtime access to all customer data, including current estimates and quotes, job
information, historical and current invoices, customer sales, profit history, and
more. It also organizes and analyzes information to maximize profit, producing
automatic forecast reports.
October 2007 | GRAPHIC ARTS MONTHLY
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8/28/2007 4:20:18 PM
2007
PIA/GATF InterTech Technology Awards
Award Nominees continued
Simple Imposition
Global Graphics Software Inc., Centreville, VA
(703) 266-9588 ❖ www.globalgraphics.com
HP Indigo 5500
Hewlett-Packard, Palo Alto, CA
(650) 857-1501 ❖ www.hp.com
Simple Imposition is an option for the Harlequin RIP Genesis Release designed for
small and medium-size printing environments that only impose jobs for two-up
and four-up printing. It’s targeted mainly, but not exclusively, at computer-to-plate
applications for the offset litho and digital printing markets.
Simple Imposition adds to the Harlequin RIP’s feature set, which includes
prepress processes that normally run on separate applications such as in-RIP
color management, OPI and DCS support, trapping, and color separation. The
system acts as a true production server, accepting jobs straight from a prepress
operator’s desk, and creating proofs and plates to order.
Replacing the need for slow and error-prone manual imposition techniques
in small print shops can have a major impact on productivity. For medium-sized
printing companies, avoiding the need for a technician to manually place pages
in an imposition program and then print them out again can save significant time
and money. Also, for print service providers printing similar jobs consistently, a
single imposition set-up used as a part of one or more page setups can be used
to increase total throughput.
The HP Indigo 5500 is a versatile digital printing press designed for printers
producing marketing collateral, direct mail, photo specialty products, books and
manuals, the HP Indigo 5500 combines the look and feel of a traditional offset
press with genuine photo quality.
For high-quality products such as photo books, calendars and cards, the
press can be configured to print up to seven colors, using new light cyan and light
magenta photo inks as well as matte and brand colors to maximize the printable
gamut. Printers can implement exacting color management with HP Professional
PANTONE emulation and International Color Consortium profiles.
The Indigo 5500 imaging system features laser-head intensity modulation,
which delivers single pixel control and dot gain compensation to print at an optical
resolution of 1,200 dpi, with support for screen rulings of up to 230 lpi.
The press prints 68 ppm in four-color mode, 136 ppm in two-color mode
or 272 ppm in single-color mode, and can print more than 1.5 million color or
5 million monochrome pages per month. The 5500 incorporates HP’s newly
developed on-press fast ink replacement (OFIR) system, which enables press
operators to change or replenish ink while the press is running.
Heidelberg Prinect Inpress Control
Heidelberg USA, Inc., Kennesaw, GA
(888) 472-9655 ❖ www.heidelberg.com
Heidelberg Prinect Inpress Control performs continuous and accurate
measurement of color and print quality using spectrophotometry while the press
is in full production. The system is reportedly the first inline device to incorporate
spectral color monitoring and automatic registration control in a single fully
integrated unit.
Inpress Control also enables measurement and control during makeready.
Measurement results are delivered directly to the Prinect CP2000 Center, which
delivers automatic ink-zone adjustments to all printing units simultaneously,
creating a closed-loop feedback system. Any color deviation from desired
production standards is determined automatically, and appropriate adjustments
are delivered simultaneously to all units. This results in higher press utilization
and more consistent quality throughout production.
The system, which measures up to eight colors and is available for the
Speedmaster CD 74 and XL 105 series presses, enables press operators to
override automatic follow-ups at any time. Plus, all electronic components are
housed in a sealed unit that’s accessed for routine cleaning simply by lifting the
catwalk and exposing the Inpress Control measuring system.
20
KBA Rapida 105 Sheetfed Press
KBA North America, Inc., Williston, VT
(802) 878-6100 ❖ www.kbavt.com
KBA’s Rapida 105 is a 41-inch sheetfed offset perfector press. With a top
perfecting speed of 15,000 sph, this press enables printers in the commercial,
packaging, label and niche markets to boost output and expand product portfolios.
The Rapida 105 features a modular design and can be configured with up to 12
units with convertible perfecting capabilitites, along with a variety of coating and
drying options.
The Rapida 105’s solid cast-iron substructure yields consistent print quality
with no vibration. The KBA ink train features 35 ink keys per unit to transfer ink
quickly to the front ink form roller for fast reaction and stable ink/water balance.
The press incorporates a shaftless feeder that works in conjunction with a
single suction-belt feed table, enabling smooth sheet transport, and can reverse
sheets from the feed table back into the pile. In contrast to other presses, the
Rapida 105 doesn’t have a conventional side guide; instead, it uses a side-lay,
free-side guide system that register the sheet at the infeed drum for maximum
sheet stability to accelerate make-readies and facilitate higher running speeds.
The Rapida 105 can link directly to a printer’s management software and
company servers via JDF or CIP4.
GRAPHIC ARTS MONTHLY | October 2007
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8/28/2007 4:20:39 PM
Award Nominees continued
Kodak Digimaster EX138
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY
(800) 22-KODAK ❖ www.graphics.kodak.com
Kodak Web Composition Solution
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY
(866) 563-2533 ❖ http://graphics.kodak.com
The Kodak Digimaster EX138 is a high-speed monochrome digital printing system
that enables printers to produce marketing and transactional documents with
variable data, preprinted color covers and fully integrated finishing options. It
is intended for high-volume operations, with the ability to print 138 ppm, while
drawing from a maximum paper supply of 12,000 letter sheets.
A key benefit of the EX138 is image quality. It uses light-emitting diode (LED)
imaging technology and small particle developer to print at an optical resolution of
600 x 600 dpi, and its Gray Resolution Enhancement Technology (GRET) produces
64 gray levels for smooth halftone reproduction.
The system features a short, straight paper path. Vacuum-corrugated paper
feed reduces friction to facilitate more reliable paper feeding and enables the
EX138 to print on a wide range of paper weights and types. It accommodates
papers ranging from 16-lb. bond to 110-lb. index, as well as sizes ranging from
8×9.8 inches up to 14×18 inches.
The EX138 can be configured with a variety of finishing options, including a
post-fuser inserter, inline hole punch, up to three 5,000-sheet stackers, a booklet
maker or a perfect binder.
The Kodak Web Composition Solution (WCS) is a robust, fully-automated variabledata printing solution for creating personalized direct mail, targeted catalogs and
other custom-printed documents for one-to-one marketing campaigns.
Users benefit from the opportunity to increase profits by providing new
high-value services, retaining existing customers, attracting new customers, and
delivering greater value that results in repeat sales. WCS also provides production
efficiency, the ability to leverage existing workflow, and output flexibility.
By integrating with standard storefront applications or customized Web-driven
print-on-demand solutions, Kodak’s WCS offers a unique opportunity to quickly
and efficiently generate variable-data printing (VDP) jobs with a system that
functions seamlessly as part of an existing production workflow.
The composition engine provides design-rich, logic-based templates for
efficient, fully-automated VDP printing. This solution facilitates a streamlined,
centrally-controlled workflow where design and data submission are separated. It
also enables users to host templates on the Internet or an intranet so employees
or customers can use them to produce customized documents that maintain their
process and design integrity.
WCS uses the Darwin authoring tool to create advanced VDP templates and
Adobe InDesign for layout, giving users complete creative freedom to design and
author VDP campaigns.
High Definition Halftone Printing
Advanced Prepress Technologies LLC,
St. Petersburg, Russia
(011) 7 (812) 310-4339 ❖ www.adaptivescreening.org
High definition halftone printing (HDHP) technology is derived from the human visual
system, which loses its ability to discern tone and color as the size of the image
decreases. HDHP selectively redistributes imaging system resources between the
larger, more uniform areas of an image and those containing the fine details. This
approach, which is known as local adaptation, is similar to techniques being successfully applied in color TV and image data compression algorithms.
HDHP evaluates the nature of an image in the nearest vicinity of a processed
pixel, which facilitates dynamic adjustment of the screening algorithm. The result
is that tonal and spatial resolutions adaptively replace one another. The technology applies the halftone dots or dither matrixes just for the continuous-tone image
areas. Halftones printed with HDHP screening will reproduce with higher contrast
and increased saturation to maximize image quality. It also enables line art to be
rendered as solids rather than as a halftone.
Metrix 2 Technology
LithoTechnics, Medford, MA
(781) 771-2229 ❖ www.lithotechnics.com
Metrix 2 Technology from LithoTechnics streamlines production by eliminating the
need for different departments in a printing operation to “reinvent” layout data
multiple times during the production of each job.
Most printers believe they have done all they can do to solve this problem by
storing templates. But more often than not, even the templates are reinvented
along the way as well.
Metrix 2 handles all work dynamically and automatically, at the click of a
button, quickly and easily calculating all types of layouts – from complex gang run
layouts to multi-signature book work – considering all production requirements
such as bleed, grain direction, and press and bindery capabilities.
Job specifications can originate from the MIS, via JDF or XML, or can simply
be keyed one-time into the Metrix user-interface. From there Metrix automatically
calculates layouts to suit the individual printing operation’s equipment
specifications and production standards.
Metrix 2 produces comprehensive printed reports, including user-definable
dimensions, ensuring clear, concise and consistent communication throughout
all stages of the workflow. Metrix 2 will also complete the productivity loop by
exporting imposed PDF or JDF imposition information to prepress, as well as CIP3
PPF and JDF data to automatically set up cutters, folders, and binding machines.
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2007
PIA/GATF InterTech Technology Awards
Award Nominees continued
Highlight Coating Blanket
MacDermid Printing Solutions, Atlanta, GA
(800) 348-7201 ❖ www.macdermid.com/printing
Press-sense Omnium
Press-sense Ltd., Or Akiva, Israel
(011) 972 46 26 0318 ❖ www.press-sense.com
Today aqueous coatings are used not only for traditional applications, but for workand-turn coatings to speed job turnaround. MacDermid’s Highlight Coating Blanket
(HCB) is a coating blanket specifically designed for these rapidly proliferating
applications of aqueous coatings.
HCB uses a photopolymer surface design, in contrast to other coating blankets that
use nitrile rubbers. MacDermid has been able to fuse a pre-cured photopolymer surface
onto a proven compressible blanket carcass. The result is an ultra-smooth surface
similar to a photopolymer plate – at a cost comparable to a traditional coating blanket.
A coating takes on the form of the blanket that is transferring it and requires a
thicker layer to level out on the sheet – and achieve the required level of gloss as
measured by a glossmeter – using the traditional rubber surface compared with the
smoother surface of the HCB blanket. The HCB blanket thus enables a printer to lay
down a significantly smaller amount of coating with reduced pressures. These factors add up to less backtrapping, slinging, and coating buildup on the blanket and
sheet, elimination of “orange peel” effect, and reduced possibility of blocking a job.
HCB is a strippable blanket that can be cut and stripped for areas not requiring
coating. A dual foam layer facilitates super sharp cutting and stripping. The top foam
layer is engineered to stay intact when it is cut and the bottom foam layer separates
which provides a deep, consistent relief within each blanket and from blanket to
blanket.
Key HCB features include: a smooth surface that yields better transfer and
higher gloss; a surface that cuts cleanly so the edges are sharp and crisp; more
relief for less buildup and fewer wash-ups; and availability with fabric backing.
Press-sense Omnium allows printers to fully integrate organizational know-how
into existing business policies and production models without the need for costly
customization. Extending beyond typical management information systems (MIS),
Omnium automates a printer’s entire business process and production operation,
from quotes, through scheduling and production, all the way to delivery. Omnium
also handles all of the process management requirements related to sales, operations, management and finance.
Omnium generates a wide range of detailed business intelligence reports and
enables users to define their own reports. The system makes it easy to identify
which jobs, customers and processes deliver the highest margins so that users
can target their marketing and sales efforts for maximize return. Omnium provides
a clear picture of the production and financial performance in relationship to
targets, and alerts users to impending deviations from allocated budgets.
Press-sense Omnium turns manual, guess-driven quoting and planning into
an automated, accurate and efficient process. With Omnium’s instant-quote
generation capabilities, sales staffs can create accurate quotes more rapidly and
easily than using manual systems.
The system automatically translates JDF intent into a complete resource plan
that encompasses scheduling, inventory and pricing. Fully automated Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP) facilitates job ordering, resource planning and
production, while the system handles everything from quotes through billing.
Asir 3 Sensor Technology
Muller Martini, Hauppauge, NY
(888) 2-MULLER ❖ www.mullermartiniusa.com
Muller Martini Asir 3 sensor technology is a quality assurance tool for saddle
stitched and perfect bound products. It ensures error-free production by combining
both barcode recognition and image comparison in a single system.
Asir 3 is installed in the feeder of a saddle stitcher or the gathering machine of a
perfect binder. The system electronically communicates with the s binder’s control system,
switching automatically between barcode reading and image comparison modes, to make
certain that only complete and correctly assembled products are produced. Production
flexibility is maximized because some feeders can be operated in the Asir 3 barcode recognition mode and others in image comparison mode – allowing the processing of a varied
mix of signatures. The non-contact camera technology also eliminates any risk of marking.
Muller Martini Asir 3 ensures that no incorrectly assembled or loaded signatures
get into the production flow by utilizing barcode recognition to identify signatures
with 100 percent reliability, irrespective of signature size. In image comparison
mode, Asir 3 uses a high-resolution scanner and signature edge recognition to
capture several images per sheet, comparing the scanned images with a previouslycalibrated reference signature to detect incorrect signatures instantly.
With Asir 3, printers can maximize profitability by minimizing waste while enhancing efficiency through the reduction of dependence on manual, labor-intensive
quality control procedures.
22
Presstek 52DI Press
Presstek, Inc., Hudson, NH
(800) 524-0003 ❖ www.presstek.com
The Presstek 52DI is a four-color digital offset printing press that combines the
efficiency of an all-digital workflow with the versatility and the quality of conventional four-color offset. The 52DI press is engineered to deliver the lowest cost per
page for print runs of 250 to 10,000 sheets, while maintaining its cost advantage
in much longer runs.
With a top speed of 10,000 sph, the 52DI is designed to reduce makeready
times, increase job throughput and improve productivity to remain successful in
an increasingly competitive and demanding marketplace. It also addresses the
challenge commercial printers have in hiring skilled personnel by offering a printing press that can be effectively operated by less skilled workers.
The 52DI press features totally integrated platemaking. Digital files are sent
via a high-speed network directly to the press, where plates are automatically
advanced and mounted on the press cylinders and imaged simultaneously — in
perfect register—at screen rulings of up to 300 lpi. Its automation and built-in
color management ensures consistency from sheet to sheet and job to job,
without the need for excessive intervention by the press operator.
And with no film, chemistry, off-press imaging equipment or intermediate processing steps, printers save time, labor, shop space and money with no
compromise in quality.
GRAPHIC ARTS MONTHLY | October 2007
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Award Nominees continued
VARIABLE DATA +
Responsive Solutions, Inc., Saint Petersburg, FL
(727) 456-1250 ❖ www.responsivesolutions.net
VARIABLE DATA + is a web-based software application designed to streamline the
creation, production and distribution of personalized marketing materials. With this
application, marketing teams, channel partners and graphic service providers can
use a collaborative workflow to conduct integrated marketing campaigns.
This patent-pending application includes a desktop publishing tool for designing
sophisticated print and electronic media, including direct mail and email, sales collateral, newsletters, and catalogs, with full support for variable text and images.
VARIABLE DATA + is designed for a template-driven workflow with rules/permissions governing what elements can be modified based on user profiles, so that
brand owners can protect their assets while channel partners can tailor and brand
pieces for their needs.
A critical component of this application is a utility that enables nontechnical
users to design personalized web pages (PURLs) to track and measure the response
of each mailing/distribution.
A mailing capability enables VARIABLE DATA + users to upload, map and
view mailing lists in real time. Once a list is uploaded, the application automatically cleanses mailing lists by running them against the USPS undeliverable mail
database. For printers, the mailing capability also serves as a scheduling and mailing optimization tool. They can combine jobs with the same output parameters to
eliminate redundant makereadies and maximize throughput. Further, by sorting the
combined jobs prior to printing, they can maximize postal discounts.
The Whole Proof
TWP International, Montreal, PQ, Canada
(877) 919-0320 ❖ www.twproof.com
The Whole Proof enables graphic arts professionals to make an affordable contractquality proof directly on the job stock using off-the-shelf inkjet equipment and
software. With proper color management practices, they can accurately match what
can be expected from the printing press.
TWP International has developed patent-pending methods and coatings to convert printing papers and paperboards into inkjet-compatible proofing and prototyping
media without significantly altering the appearance of the base stock (less than 1
DeltaE and no visible change in gloss).
The Whole Proof allows designers and print buyers to avoid surprises and work
with a digital proof that sets realistic expectations. The design can be done on the
same paper that will be used on the press to determine the effect of using different
substrates.
For prepress professionals, The Whole Proof offers a more realistic design proof
that saves time and money by eliminating analog and more expensive digital proofing
systems. The color proof can be used as “dummy,” or imposition proof that can also be
a contract proof, while the pressman receives a proof that he can match on press.
Available in rolls and sheets, TWP’s product offering will initially consist of
popular grades of branded paper and paperboard from leading paper mills including
SAPPI Fine Papers, International Paper, Smurfit-Stone, M-Real, Stora Enso, and
MeadWestvaco. Custom converting of house stocks or other branded and generic
printing grades is available under certain conditions.
Nuvera 288 Digital Perfecting System
Xerox, Stamford, CT
(800) ASK-XEROX ❖ www.xerox.com
Today, print providers require printing technology that offers speed, productivity,
reliability and versatility to gain a competitive advantage. Xerox’s Nuvera 288 Digital
Perfecting Systme delivers on all counts.
The system utilizes a fully integrated, tandem-engine architecture that delivers
either speed or reliability, with image quality equivalent to offset printing standards.
Two print engines physically connected together in one system can produce books,
catalogs, bills, statements and other graphic-intensive documents at 288 duplex
impressions (144 two-sided pages) per minute – the industry’s fastest cut-sheet
duplex system.
Xerox’s “Pass Through Programming” technology keeps the Xerox Nuvera 288
DPS running even if one of the engines is stopped to maximize productivity and
uptime. The system prints at a resolution of 4,800 × 600 dots per inch, the highest
of any black-and-white digital production system on the market, with screen rulings
of up to 156 lines per inch.
The Xerox Nuvera 288 also incorporates Xerox’s proprietary Emulsion Aggregation Toner, providing a smooth offset-like look and feel. With the ability to run
coated substrates, the system is ideal for transactional printing and book publishing,
especially scientific, technical and medical manuals which include detailed drawings
and images.
i1 iSis Chart Reader
X-Rite, Incorporated, Grandville, MI
(800) 248-9748 ❖ www.xrite.com
The X-Rite i1 iSis is an automated high-speed color chart reader that is based on
the award-winning Eye-One spectral technology. Intended for color professionals
who need to measure many charts or build ICC profiles in quantity, this system
enables production professionals to quickly provide color support for any media, any
printer, anywhere.
The i1 iSis provides fast, precise measurement of reflective test charts capturing full spectral data, and is available in two sizes: A4+ (letter) and A3 (ledger). The
standard A4+ version measures up to 1,500 patches in just eight minutes for either
no-filter or UV-cut filter measurements. Switchable UV illumination enables the
system to capture no-filter and UV-cut filter data in a single measurement cycle and
accurately characterizes UV brighteners in papers as it delivers UV characterization.
The iSis XL for A3+ or tabloid size charts can measure a single chart with as many
as 2,500 patches eliminating the need for cutting charts and multiple feeds.
In addition to feeding charts, the integrated vision system automatically corrects
misaligned sheets, enabling chart measurement with minimal effort and training.
The i1 iSis automatically recognizes the size and shape of chart, reads bar codes for
chart identification and works with all major profiling software, such as ProfileMaker
5 and Monaco Profiler.
October 2007 | GRAPHIC ARTS MONTHLY
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