HP Unveils 10 Digital Printing Systems
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Press release from the issuing company
HP today introduced 10 digital printing systems that offer print service providers (PSPs) greater versatility, productivity and quality, including the first 29-inch-format HP Indigo press and higher-speed HP Inkjet Web Presses.
The improved performance of the new portfolio helps PSPs extend the advantages of digital even further into traditional analog print markets and produce more high-value personalized or custom materials for their clients. The 10 new systems include:
Three next-generation 29-inch-format HP Indigo presses capable of producing almost any commercial print job and a much broader range of packaging applications.
Three updated models of the current HP Indigo portfolio with higher speeds in Enhanced Productivity Mode (EPM).
Three higher-speed HP Inkjet Web Press models featuring advanced ink and printhead technology.
A new HP high-speed imprinting solution for adding monochrome or full-color content to preprinted offset materials.
New offerings also include:
A white ink kit, automatic loader and HP SmartStream Production Analyzer monitoring solution for HP Scitex industrial presses.
A range of new HP SmartStream workflow and finishing solutions, HP Hiflex management information systems (MIS) and web-to-print solutions, and an expanded services organization.
New media for the HP Inkjet Web Press systems, including the first coated glossy paper with ColorPRO technology available from Appleton Coated.
New HP Indigo preferred media partner agreements with Sappi, Avery Dennison, Mitsubishi and ArjoWiggins Graphics.
HP will display the new solutions May 3-16 at drupa 2012 in Düsseldorf, Germany, where HP will be the largest digital printing exhibitor and will have the second-largest booth at the show.
At drupa 2008, HP introduced a revolutionary color inkjet web press, a new series of HP Indigo presses and the industry’s first latex inks for wide-format printers. Widespread market acceptance of those solutions has driven the graphics transformation and strong growth of high-value digital pages.
Worldwide, HP now has installed more than 60 HP Inkjet Web Presses, more than 6,000 HP Indigo presses and more than 10,000 HP Latex systems. HP also has invested more than $1 billion in research and development of new graphics solutions.
“With the extraordinary scope and scale of today’s announcements, we are fueling an unstoppable industry transformation from analog to digital printing,” said Christopher Morgan, senior vice president, Graphics Solutions Business, HP. “Our new digital solutions strike at the core of the printing market and are able to meet the toughest requirements of world-class brands, publishers and print service providers.“
New, larger format for HP Indigo presses
Three new larger-format HP Indigo models allow PSPs to expand into applications not previously addressable by digital printing, as well as to print more productively and economically for increased profitability.
The HP Indigo 10000 Digital Press is a 29-inch/75-cm sheet-fed press that prints at speeds of 3,450 sheets per hour in full color, and up to 4,600 sheets per hour in EPM. It combines HP Indigo offset-matching print quality with up to seven-color printing and duplex and substrate flexibility.
The HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press is a continuous-feed press designed for flexible packaging, capable of gravure-quality printing on films as thin as 10 microns with a printing frame of 29 x 43 inches/73.6 x110 cm and in-line priming unit for industry-leading substrate flexibility.
The HP Indigo 30000 Digital Press is a sheet-fed press designed for folding cartons, supporting substrates up to 24 points/600 microns and an in-line priming unit.
Industry’s fastest digital sheet-fed press
The new model of the flagship HP Indigo 7600 Digital Press has a top speed of 160 pages per minute (ppm) in EPM – a 33 percent increase over the previous top speed, making it the fastest two-page digital sheet-fed press available on the market.
Other key innovations include automated detection of print defects in real time, special on-press effects for high-value applications such as raised print and textured effects that simulate embossing, and light black ink for improved monochrome photo images.
Other new HP Indigo commercial presses include:
The HP Indigo 5600, an enhanced version of the HP Indigo 5500 with a higher top speed of 90 ppm in EPM, a one-shot mode for printing on synthetic substrates, and greater application range to generate higher revenues with lower total cost.
The HP Indigo W7250, with 33 percent higher speeds – up to 320 ppm in EPM and 960 ppm in monochrome.
The HP Indigo 7600 press, in beta testing at six sites worldwide, will be commercially available at drupa. The HP Indigo 5600 is available immediately, and the HP Indigo W7250 will be available at drupa. Most new features will be upgradable from existing HP Indigo models to protect customers’ investments.
MIS, workflow and finishing solutions
New solutions for in-line and near-line finishing automation include dedicated finishing equipment for the HP Indigo 10000 from solution partners Horizon and MBO.
New workflow solutions include HP SmartStream Production Center for managing large job volumes through comprehensive production processes, as well as updated versions of HP SmartStream Production Pro DFE and HP SmartStream Director.
Increasing its offering of more than 3,000 certified media types for HP Indigo presses, HP has added four HP Indigo preferred media partner agreements with Sappi, Avery Dennison, Mitsubishi and ArjoWiggins Graphics, extending customer choice and the ability to create differentiated applications.
HP also now offers HP Hiflex cloud-based software solutions, including MIS and web-to-print solutions, as a result of its recent acquisition of Hiflex. HP Hiflex solutions address most application areas, including commercial printing, sign and display, publishing, and direct mail.
New HP Inkjet Web Press models
The new high-speed HP T410 and T360 Inkjet Web Press systems offer increased print speeds of up to 800 feet per minute in monochrome – up to 25 percent faster than previous models – while continuing to offer color print speeds of up to 600 fpm. To achieve this improved performance, the presses feature new advanced inkjet printhead technology and nanotechnology pigment inks that can support higher speeds with no compromise in image quality.
The HP T230 Inkjet Web Press incorporates the new printheads and inks to increase print speed up to 400 feet per minute for both color and monochrome, with full color density for maximum quality.
These improvements will help PSPs reach new markets and increase profitability for high-volume applications such as book publishing, direct marketing and transpromotional mail, where the HP Inkjet Web Press portfolio already has led a shift to digital printing. HP Inkjet Web Presses have produced a cumulative total of more than 10 billion pages since the first system was installed in 2009.
The HP T360 and HP T410 are expected to be available this fall as new systems or as upgrades from the HP T350 and HP T400, respectively. The HP T230, expected to be available by the end of 2012, also will be offered as an upgrade from the HP T200 press.
Solution partners also introduced new media for the HP Inkjet Web Press models, such as Utopia Inkjet gloss media from Appleton Coated for direct mail and publishing applications. ColorPRO papers will now include inkjet coated papers from Sappi and Appleton Coated, designed to deliver superior print quality with the HP Inkjet Web Press.
Expanding the portfolio of HP finishing solutions, Muller Martini – a global leader in print finishing systems based in Switzerland – will demonstrate a new 42-inch SigmaLine inline digital book production system at drupa, featuring increased operating speed to match the higher speed of the new HP Inkjet Web Press models.
Solution partners also introduced new in-line finishing solutions such as the first aqueous and UV coater for the HP T300 series from Epic Products International, the DocuVision® 8600 Web Inspection System from Videk Inc. and the Chameleon DP 42 dynamic perforation system from EMT International. Other new 42-inch in-line solutions include a zero-speed splicer and turret rewinder from MEGTEC Systems, Inc. and the RFDi Web Moisturizer from WEKO.
HP Print Module Solutions
HP Print Module Solutions provide an economical, module-based system for adding color images, graphics and variable data to preprinted documents for more effective communication.
Available in color and monochrome, HP Print Module Solutions print up to 800 fpm and include complete workflow solutions for easy integration with existing equipment. By imprinting custom or variable content on direct mail or transactional statements such as credit card bills, customers can increase response rates for marketing campaigns. A new stitching feature extends the printing area for additional flexibility and scalability.
HP Print Module Solutions are expected to be available to order starting May 1.
New options for HP Scitex wide-format presses
New options to improve versatility and productivity of HP Scitex wide-format presses include a white ink kit and an automatic loader for the HP Scitex FB7500 and FB7600 Industrial Presses, and a new version of HP SmartStream Production Analyzer for automatic monitoring of HP Scitex industrial wide-format presses.
The HP Scitex FB7500/FB7600 White Ink Kit(1) and Hostert Automatic Loader expand HP’s solutions for its highest-volume flatbed printers with the option to add high-opacity white inks or stack-to-stack operation. HP SmartStream Production Analyzer is the only complete data analysis and operations monitoring software available for large-format PSPs.
Expanded PSP Services organization
HP also has expanded its global PSP Services organization, providing a wide portfolio of service and support programs to address mission-critical needs and help PSPs operate more efficiently.
Through HP PSP Services, HP offers customer support onsite and via advanced remote support tools as well as numerous web-based and face-to-face training courses, and a series of value-added services to reduce operation costs, address application opportunities, maximize system up-time, and improve workflow and color management.
More information is available at www.hp.com/go/HPPredrupa12, www.hp.com/go/drupa and through the HP Graphic Arts Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/hpgraphicarts and YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/hpgraphicarts. Join or follow the conversation using the #HPdrupa hashtag.
HP also is discussing its news on March 14 at 11 a.m. ET in a webinar taking place at www.hp.com/go/historynow.
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