Take the high-volume road with Dainippon Screen

Whether fixed or variable data, short or long runs, high-volume web inkjet is the way to go, says the world-leading exponent Dainippon Screen.

Dainippon Screen’s Truepress Jet 520 series of full-colour inkjet presses entered the worldwide market in 2006 with a huge order from IBM for 100 presses under its Infoprint division – now part of Ricoh. It has been constantly upgraded with new models added, the latest being the 220mpm Truepress Jet 520ZZ. Although the 520 indicates a 520mm web-width, the ZZ model is also available ‘stretched’ with a 570mm web to accommodate two-up landscape US letter-sized impositions, broadsheet newspaper production and more variety in book impositions.

“All Truepress Jet 520 machines since 2006 have been upgradeable in terms of speed and productivity,” says Screen Australia’s northern region manager Peter Scott. “Some have been upgraded from 64mpm to 128mpm while others have received RIP upgrades and variable-data handling software boosts. The technology has proved to be highly reliable and versatile in the types of work produced. To date, over 260 Truepress Jet 520 engines have been put into the field, and we have just commissioned the first ‘ZZ’ model at a firm called Leaderform in Italy.”

The original Truepress Jet 520 range goes from 32 to 128mpm in speed (approx 425 to 1,700 A4 impressions per minute in duplex configuration). In-field upgrades are possible on all models. For higher speeds, it is necessary to trade up to the ‘ZZ’ series, starting at 150mpm with an in-field upgrade possible to 220mpm.

“With high-volume digital,” advises Scott, “it is important to measure your monthly print volumes and buy a press that is right-sized for that volume but which allows for growth and higher productivity down the track. There’s no point in owning a Ferrari and driving it at 50kmh. Even our 64mpm duplex press can produce 860 A4 pages a minute and this is a huge step up from toner digital at between 60 and 240 A4 impressions per minute.

“Sheer speed is not the real advantage with this type of digital press. One customer in New Zealand, Astra Printing, says it is the ability to queue various jobs and print in a continuous stream, without stopping for lengthy and expensive plate changes.”

Samples on show
While traditionally associated with transactional, direct mail and other variable data printing, Screen’s Truepresses are now to be found producing books, newspapers, gaming vouchers, catalogues and brochure work.

“With digital inkjet, quality levels depend on the paper and coatings used. Standard ‘bond’ type paper is absorbent and, while fine for statements, tends to reduce contrast and colour saturation. Run the same job on, say, a Mitsubishi gloss coated inkjet stock and the results are almost offset-like. At PrintEx we will be showing examples of printing on various paper types including Marathon and Sumo laser.”

Screen was the first manufacturer to install a full-colour high volume inkjet printer in the region, at Astra Printing, Wellington. Sold and supported by Screen’s New Zealand dealer, Fujifilm, this press is producing mostly short-run books and has proved to be a hit with publishers.

Shortly after commissioning his system, Astra CEO Steve Messenger said: “The best aspect of our investment in the Screen Truepress Jet 520 and ancillary equipment is that it enables us to deliver a compelling economic model to our customers. We can bring books to market with as few as 50 copies, but if it sells well we can still print digitally up to 1,500 copies before we consider printing offset.”

At PrintEx, Screen is showcasing a working Truepress Jet 520CP with Hunkeler finishing although there is only room for a single-engine simplex version. In a demonstration of how accurate this machine is, the reverse side of the reels were pre-printed at Screen’s Macquarie Park technical centre, re-wound and, on Screen’s stand, the top side is being printed live – with perfect front-to-back registration. Such accuracy is made easier on the full duplex configuration.

“We will also be showing the new Equios Universal Workflow which is based around the Adobe PDF Print Engine 2,” says Scott. “Equios can drive digital, CTP, wide format and even prepare jobs for online and e-publishing. We are very excited about the prospects.”