Peter Scott, Screen Australia (pictured) has announced an all-new digital web inkjet press that changes the quality expectations of printers worldwide. Named the Truepress Jet 520HD, it is the ‘HD’ for High Definition, which indicates its unique position in the high volume digital web market.
While a member of the Truepress Jet 520 family, of which over 700 have been manufactured since its launch in 2006, the 520HD’s similarities end there. The printheads are new and can deliver 1200 x 1200dpi with variable droplets. The inks are new high-density formulations to achieve superb wide-gamut colour definition – often a problem running high speed inkjet web presses. The paper transport and drying system are new, enabling papers from 40gsm to 250gsm to be handled.
The Truepress Jet520HD workflow is new, based on Screen’s Equios software. The new version of Equios will be launched concurrently with the printer and has features to optimize the machine’s performance, such as In-RIP Smart Imposition, ICC Profile Editor and Spot Colour Editor. Using the latest Adobe core, Equios will be able to process all levels of variable data at the full engine speed. The company’s unique screening algorithms add to the quality achievable.
Screen Australia Managing Director Peter Scott says: “Naturally we have known internally about the development of the 520HD for some time and have seen samples of the print quality achievable. I can only say that they are several levels higher than current high volume inkjet production; quite superb in fact.
"I am delighted that the focus is on quality over sheer speed, although at up to 120 meters per minute, the 520HD is no slouch. Maximum 1200 x 1200dpi quality is achieved at 50 meters per minute. This is classic, traditional Screen R&D innovation, a game-changer that our team will be proud to demonstrate to any printer in Australia and New Zealand.”
Scott adds: “The substrate flexibility will be more than welcome in the market as this has long been a limiting factor in high volume inkjet. Many offset stocks can be printed including heavier 250gsm board. We are releasing the 520DH as a wide-gamut cmyk machine, but there are modular stations built into the press that can accept additional print heads in the future.
"The list of time and money-saving options goes on, for example, each print head is controlled independently so that, if you are only printing with one colour, all of the other printheads remain capped. However, there is no time delay when switching from a single-colour to multi-colour job.”
Security and mission-critical print such as pharmaceutical instructions have not been overlooked. The Truepress Jet520HD will be launched with an optional inspection unit based on Screen’s highly regarded JetInspection. JetInspection is a system that checks the whole page and compares the printed result to the RIP data to give a unique level of security. JetInspection has been redesigned for use with the new press, including complete integration with the machine’s GUI.
1st Install in November
The first European installation of the Truepress Jet520HD will be in Holland at direct mail printer Nic.Oud (www.nicoud.nl) in November 2014 and the second in Switzerland at direct mail printer Baumer (www.baumer.ch).
Nic.Oud provides direct mail for companies in The Netherlands, such as Makro and Sanoma, and its ‘game-changing’ Truepress Jet520HD press will play a key role in driving future growth. The press will transform the company’s personalised, on-demand print services.
Maurice Gelissen, CFO, Nic.Oud says: “Quality is extremely important to our customers and, until now, inkjet quality has just not been at the level we wanted for the direct mail products we produce for our leading brand customers. We have spent a lot of time evaluating a lot of presses and conducting blind tests and the Screen Truepress Jet 520HD is absolutely the best. A significant feature is its ability to print onto a broad range of paper and board weights.
"So, not only does this press open up a new era in ultra-quality, hyper-personalised, direct mail production, but gives us the power to produce a variety of other materials such as cards, paper wraps, books and magazines. The new press has huge potential and gives us a significant opportunity to offer highly creative print services to our customers to make their communications much more dynamic and effective.”