Aiming to capture the utility press role in an inkjet future, Océ launches its fastest B2-size (30-inch) web press at this year’s International Inkjet Days in Poing, Germany.
The first public showing of the JetStream 5500 proved the highlight of the annual innovation show. Billed as suitable for producing books and newspapers at high-speed it is targeted for an emerging hybrid commercial printing market.
With a top speed of 254 metres per minute the full-colour inkjet press can print 30,000 B2 sheets per hour, or 8,000 24-page tabloid newspapers per hour. The company said that six JetStream 5500s have been sold in the first three months since it became commercially available. There are over 400 Océ inkjet systems of all sorts installed in the market.
The focus on inkjet showcased both the JetStream range in its compact, dual and wide (30”) formats as well as the entry-level twin series ColorStream. All are driven by SRA (scalable raster architecture) from HP and use Japanese made Miyakoshi inkjet heads. The JetStream 5500 has a separate fifth colour compartment that can be used to print MICR or other security ink (see article) or premium pigment black rapid immobilising ink for graphic arts production.
The much-anticipated Océ InfiniStream, a high-speed press for the folding carton market, that made its debut last year remained hidden in beta mode during the show. Plans are afoot for a working demonstration model to be on the show floor by the middle of the year. This enormously sized press is a huge leap in productivity with a rated speed of up to 14,400 B2 sheets per hour. Company executives spoke of a first beta installation this year wit commercial shipments to start in 2014.
The JetStream 5500 is touted as the most promising digital solution for the newspaper industry, it being sold as such by manroland as part of a strategic alliance with Océ. The newspaper line sees the 5500 combined with the newly developed manroland digital finishing equipment, the FoldLine VPF 211.It then morphs into a complete production system for book signatures, cylinder-stitched booklets as well as broadsheet newspapers up to 96 pages and up to 12 newspaper sections.
Visitors to the Océ show had to travel to the manroland plant at Augsburg to see the VPF 211 (variable pin folder) in operation along with the company’s other digital finishing solutions, the FormLIne VFF2 a fully automated book block line and the VBC4 collator capable of turning out 4000 book blocks per hour.
This year, the second time the innovation days have been held since Canon fully absorbed the former Siemens company, the Océ brand was frequently and carefully referred to as being part of the Canon Group, although there was little evidence of the Japanese parent in the technology on display. Unusually there was little local industry participation in this year’s Poing event with Simon Wheeler, director Canon’s Professional Print in Australia and New Zealand promising to redouble his efforts to engage the industry’s with what is regarded as the industry’s premier inkjet technology show.