This month we get down to brass tacks with the first of two guides to the actual exhibits. Part two will be published on the eve of the show and will include the latest news that our super-streamlined schedules allow.

We’ve made the division roughly alphabetical, which is fortunate because Xeikon and Xerox haven’t said much at the time of writing this first part. However, A-for-Agfa will make its announcements a week after this preview goes to press, so that and any other late stuff will go into part two.

So far it’s hard to discern any major product trends that weren’t evident at the German Drupa show two years ago. The JDF production data standard is continuing to advance into real-world installations, mainly for commercial litho and variable-data digital. Litho CtP now dominates the industry, and chemistry-plates are just becoming practical.

At the ‘content’ level, XML metadata is being accessed by the latest digital asset management and production workflow systems, which can detect it and then use the results for rule-based automatic processing. MIS is emerging as the hub of JDF-production workflows. It’s also increasingly gaining add-on Customer Relationship Management modules, which allow sales staff to liaise with customers online, track current jobs, deliver soft proofs and accept approvals and re-orders.

The digital press makers are still stressing the need to educate the creative marketplace about the benefits of variable data. But it’s now 16 years since Xerox introduced the mono DocuTechs and 13 since the colour Xeikon and Indigo presses appeared. So maybe it’s time to stop blaming ignorant designers for slow take-up, and start thinking about how to make variable data set-ups truly usable and cost effective.

Large format, flatbed and super-wide digital printers will have a significant presence at the show, but it’s not a major theme. Big groups such as EFI, Fuji-Sericol, HP, Kodak and Océ will show these printers alongside their other wares, but the smaller companies are more likely to go to dedicated signage shows such as FESPA and Sign UK.

ACC HSH
JDF Pavilion 3 Stand 20
Developed in Poland, PuzzleFlow is a workflow system for automated PDF processing, with almost 40 modules to handle file checking, data conversion, colour management, certification and generation of standardised PDF files with JDF compatibility. It’s been available since 2001 with about 500 copies sold worldwide to accompany CtP systems. The latest version 2.4 was introduced last year, which incorporated a Founder Eagle PostScript 3 Rip. The company also develops the pdfTools suite of PDF utilities.

ACC HSH is opening a London office in April, to serve Western Europe.

A new version of Odystar is also being introduced for packaging and label users, with emphasis on trapping, special colours and automation.

The new Concentric Screening for Nexus and Odystar workflows is a ‘revolutionary’ halftone dot that splits dots into thin concentric rings that limit over-inking on the press and improve colour saturation.

PA: CT (Packaging: Certified Technology) is a packaging-oriented version of Enfocus’ Certified PDF Technology introduced six months ago. This provides ArtPro, Nexus and Odystar users with a full edit and history trail of their PDF documents.

Neo is a new editing tool that allows operators to open and fix problems in PDF files. PDF Certificates are preserved.

An improved WebWay 4.0 on-line collaboration tool will be introduced with new project organization, new page layout, improved previewing functions, and the ability to download a printable colour managed proof.

The compact Crease Matic CM 150 has been designed for the short to medium run digital print market to fill the gap between desktop card creasers and fully automatic suction feed models. It’s about half the cost of fully auto models. About 2,000 sheets per hour can be stream-fed by hand.

On show will be the small footprint TP 36 for stock up to 36 x 52 cm and up to 4,5000 SRA3 sheet per hour. The new Mini TP 76 has a Stahl feeder and handles sheets from A4 to 76 x 102 cm.

The new large format Sheetmaster 105 CTP can handle stocks up to A1 size and up to 650 gsm weight, at up to 80 m per minute.

Sheetmaster 76E is a new encapsulator with a Heidelberg Speedmaster feeder and servo-driven sheet correction that allows a single cut to separate sheets, saving material. It can produce 14,000 A4 sheets per hour.

Canon’s ImagePRESSY digital colour press

Canon Hall 6 C50 Canon’s big news for Ipex will be the public unveiling of its imagePRESS X and Y digital colour presses, which may have official names by then. It’s still not saying much at this stage, but both models will use brand new electrophotographic toner and imaging technology which Canon claims will really raise the bar for quality and productivity. It says that these presses will match litho quality. Canon is pitching the Y press somewhere above the top end of the CLC 5000 series as a copier-printer that can also be used for graphic arts proofing as well as short run print-for-pay and corporate use.

The X press will be for full-time variable data printing and seems to be Canon’s answer to the top end of the Xerox DocuColor series such as the 6060 and 8000.

There will also be an early outing for Canon’s new light to mid production monochrome printers, the iR7086 (8s ppm), iR7095 (95 ppm) and iR7105 (105 ppm) models, which will ship during March. These will be offered with an in-line perfect binder for books, a class first according to Canon. There will also be stapling, folding, saddle stitching, insertion and trimming options.

A new high quality 17 inch ink jet will also be launched, called imagePROGRAF iPF5000. This 12 colour model is aimed straight at the Epson Stylus Pro 4800, with similar aspirations in the fine art, photography and proofing markets.

W: www.canon.co.uk

Caslon ZIP 21SRA3 card cutter

CGS Hall 6 C20 CGS is taking a 150m2 stand to show its complete ORIS modular range of pre-press workflow, hard and soft proofing, PDF editing and ink saving systems. UK distributor Colourbyte will be present on the stand. Two new ORIS products will be introduced. ORIS Package Pro is for packaging companies that need to create digital proofs of multiple spot colours on standard CMYK inkjets. It’s a combination of ORIS Color Tuner 5.2 with GretagMacbeth’s new ProfileMaker 5 Packaging software.

ORIS Color Server, for web-based collaboration across multiple sites, offers automated workflow features combined with database-controlled job management and tracking.

New versions of the ORIS Color Tuner proofing software, ORIS Soft Proof and ORIS Certified Proof will also be unveiled.

At IPEX it will demonstrate DFEs on the HP Indigo, KonicaMinolta and Xerox stands.

HP Indigo will launch its ‘Production Stream Server powered by Creo’, first announced in October, linking a Kodak (ex-Creo) Prinergy or Brisque pre-press workflow to an Indigo digital press. Initially this will be for the 5000 and 3050 models.

The DiALOGUE soft proofer for OS X can also be JDFdriven. MiSTRAL Pack is a new version of the web-based production management and tracking system that now includes JDF cutting form data. The PRiNTEMPO print production system is gaining enhanced print deadline management tools, greater interconnectivity with Digital Asset Management (DAM) and MIS systems and advanced flatplan management features.

Duplo’s brand new DC-645 production colour finisher will be demonstrated as part of a personalised greetings card production line run in conjunction with Moonpig.

Visitors can log into a special website in advance (www.duplo.moonpig.com) and set up cards which will be produced live for them when they reach the stand. The DC-645 will be demonstrated on the HP stand (Hall 4 B25) as a near-line system with an Indigo 5000 press, and on the Xerox stand (Hall 3 C70) near-line to a high volume digital press.

The JDF compatible DC-645 is driven by Symbio software, a low-cost production tool which enables small-to-medium sized printers to implement a JDF workflow environment. The UP3i compatible DBM–500 booklet making system will be run on Océ’s stand (Hall 1 G35), as part of an inline digital system with Océ’s VP5000 digital printer.

Learn more about the IPEX preview issues.

Back Issues:

• Image Reports IPEX '06 April preview
• One Stop IPEX '06 April preview
• OneStop IPEX '06 March preview
• Image Reports IPEX '06 February preview