In a special ceremony at Drupa, the European Digital Press Association (EDP) - of which Image Reports is the UK member publication - presented its annual awards. Here’s the low-down on the winners and runners-up.
Best wide-format roll-to-roll printer up to 170cm
The winner: Roland DG SolJet EJ-640
Comment: This is a well-constructed machine that promises significantly lower ink costs. It holds eight litres of ink on board for long unattended print runs.
Runner up: Epson SureColor SC-S80600
Best wide-format roll-to-roll printer up to 320cm
The winner: Mimaki UJV55-320
Comment: An innovative system for a good price. The six-colour printer can handle applications up to 3.2m wide, has a print resolution up to 1200dpi and top speed of 110m2/hr.
Runner up: HP Latex 3500 Printer
Best wide-format flatbed/hybrid printer up to 250m2/h
The winner: Agfa Graphics Jeti Mira
Comment: The total cost of ownership is impressive with this printer, which offers six-colours plus white and printing speeds up to 227m2. A dockable roll-to-roll option increases its flexibility.
Best wide-format flatbed/hybrid printer over 250m2/h
The winner: Inca Onset X-Series
Product nominated for an award by the EDP Technical Committee
Comment: A super product. It is upgradeable and flexible - it can be used with many automation tools. Plus, there’s the fifth colour - orange - which helps with the colour gamut.
Runner up: Agfa Graphics Jeti Tauro
Best textile printer roll-to-roll up to 100m2/h
The winner: Mimaki Tx300P-1800
Comment: This direct to textile printer - which uses new printheads and offers a choice of five inks - really comes into its own in two-pass mode where it delivers a good quality sellable product.
Runner up: Mtex Blue
Best textile printer roll-to-roll over 100m2/h
The winner: Durst Alpha series
Comment: A breakthrough machine for multi-pass printing. It makes it possible to print both soft signage, fashion and interior textiles on the same printer, and it is suitable for high volume production.
Runners up: Mimaki TS500P-3200 and Durst Rhotex 500
Best wide-format print-and-cut solution
The winner: Roland TrueVIS VG-640/540
Comment: This series brings print-and-cut more into the production area, which should attract more users.
Best wide-format finishing solution
The winner: Zünd D3 Digital Cutter
Comment: Depending on the job, throughput can be doubled by using two beams that work independently of each other. An intelligent cutter controller allocates the work optimally between the beams.
Runners up: Mimaki CFL-605RT and Trotec SP 3000
Best wide-format MFP for CAD
The winner: HP DesignJet T830
Comment: This compact DesignJet model worth particular note because of its low print cost. Mobile and affordable.
Best photoprinter
The winner: Epson SureColor SC-P20000
Comment: A new generation ten-colour, 64in wide photoprinter with exciting quality using the newest generation printhead and high-precision media feed technology, including a newly developed camera-based paper feed stabiliser.
Other winners:
Best corrugated printer/solution: Bobst Digital Printing Press for Corrugated Board
Best special object printer: Mimaki UJF-7151 plus
Best label printer: Domino N6101 seven-colour press
Best label printer finishing solution: MGI Jetvarnish 3DW and iFoil W
Best print support/design software: SAi DisplayGenie
Best workflow and management solution: HP PrintOS
Best special application software: HP SmartStream Mosaic
Best textile ink solution: Durst Alpha Ink P
Best environmental friendly substrate: 3A Composites DISPA
Best special application coating: EFI Armor specialist coatings
Best roll to cutsheet A4+ printer: Xerox Rialto 900
Best cut sheet colour light production: Konica Minolta bizhub Press C71hc
Best cut sheet colour A3+ printer over 200,000 A4/month:
Canon C8000VP/C10000VP
Best cut sheet colour B2 + printer: Konica Minolta AccurioJet KM1
Best Industrial production solution: Krones NMP Systems
Best industrial textile production: SPG Prints Pike
Technical Committee’s Choice: Heidelberg Omnifire 250/1000