Tags: Screen Truepress

* At Ipex (10/C290) Screen launches the Truepress Jet SX to meet the demand for a full-colour digital B2 sheet-fed press for cost-efficient, fast turnaround, duplex printing with full variable capability for short-run jobs.

The B3 market is almost entirely served by digital presses and toner printers and the market is eager for a B2 sheet-fed press which delivers all the benefits of digital. The Truepress Jet SX sheet-fed inkjet B2 press provides the solution.

This press is the latest addition to Screen’s line up of print on demand (POD) solutions which includes the world’s most popular colour inkjet web press (Truepress Jet520), two wide format UV printers (Truepress Jet 2500UV and 1600UV), a digital offset press (Truepress 344) and workflow management for end-to-end automation (Trueflow SE and Equiosnet).

Extensive market research

The Truepress Jet SX B2 sheetfed inkjet press was unveiled as a prototype at Drupa 2008 printing full-colour variable jobs in simplex format, the only B2 sheetfed press at Drupa to do so. The press generated overwhelming interest from companies wanting the flexibility the press offers for value-added, short run B2 applications.

The need for duplex printing quickly became apparent after extensive market testing showed that this facility was of paramount importance to end users handling short-runs and particularly variable data. As a result, Screen developed a duplex system and at Ipex 2010 will launch the world’s first full-colour, duplex B2 sheetfed inkjet press.

The Truepress Jet SX has been developed for:

Conventional litho printers comfortable with B2 but wishing to offer a more cost-effective solution for short-run jobs, the ability to offer value-added personalisation and streamlined web-to-print services for a wide range of personal print products (e.g. targeted brochures, photobooks, yearbooks, calendars, posters, greetings cards etc). The press fits seamlessly into a conventional B2 litho press room, using the same paper and finishing processes.

Digital printers who want to build on their B3 digital capabilities and enter the lucrative short-run B2 market with a cost-effective press. There is no need to use specially treated paper so printers can use a range of readily available substrates. This press is also ideal for those companies looking to replace ‘end of life’ B3 digital presses with a more functional press that will expand their market into B2 and retain their ability to print B3.

Inplant print centres with a requirement for B3/B2-based products who want to handle production in-house, securely and cost-effectively, with an easy to use press that can deliver short-run quality products on-demand.

The Truepress Jet SX – in depth

The Truepress Jet SX is specifically designed and manufactured as a duplex machine. Its compatibility with conventional workflow, standard B2 and B3 stock and finishing equipment means it fits straight into any production environment with ease.

Easy to use with zero make ready, the Truepress Jet SX combines consistent quality and productivity. As a result, it is ideal for colour, short run print jobs on a variety of standard media stocks and sizes (A4-B2) with the ability for personalisation. This gives the flexibility to produce many standard and personalised products, such as folders, brochures, posters, book covers, calendars, photobooks, greetings cards etc.

The press prints 1,620 simplex B2 sheets/hr or 810 duplex B2 sheets/hr. This is equivalent to 108 A4 pages a minute (standard or variable) or 13 eight-page sections a minute, making it ideal for short-run jobs.

The press is driven by Screen’s new EQUIOS digital front end which features variable data capability, imposition and new screening algorithms developed specially for inkjet. It integrates seamlessly with Screen’s popular Trueflow SE workflow operated by 6000 users worldwide or other leading third-party workflows for automation.

EQUIOS uses Adobe PDF Print Engine 2 and allows the processing of native PDF files without the need to convert them to PostScript. It also uses JDF files to keep process-related information separate from the design data, eliminating the need for transformation and compensation.

Ease of operation is an important feature on all of Screen’s digital printing devices. The touch panel operation of the Truepress Jet SX means it is no exception. Job set up is automatically handled by EQUIOS while the operator simply enters the paper type on the press panel and all of the appropriate settings are automatically applied with a profile.

High-precision inkjet printheads jet a specially developed water-based pigment ink at 1,440 x 1,440 dpi to produce text and images of a quality to rival offset. Because of the ink’s unique properties, it dries almost instantly, with help of hot air driers built into the machine. The 3-stage drying system ensures that printed sheet dimensions remain stable and are delivered dry and ready to handle and finish immediately.

The special characteristics of the fast-drying ink means that the Truepress Jet SX can print on to most offset stocks including gloss papers and boards from 80-400 gsm in weight (and 0.08mm – 0.4mmm thickness). Screen has succeeded in printing ink on conventional paper without pre-coating the paper. Another world first. The image areas only are protected by a coating after printing which retains the true character of the original substrate.

The Truepress Jet SX incorporates a precision vacuum flat-bed paper transport system with registration accuracy equivalent to offset. Paper is kept flat throughout printing and this means that jetting is always from the optimum vertical position.

Benefits of Truepress Jet SX sheet-fed digital B2 duplex printing

• Easy operation
• No make-ready or CTP saves on time and plate costs. Just load the paper and print.
• Perfecting as standard gives the freedom to print simplex or duplex sheets as required in one pass
• Ideal for commercial B2 format applications.
• Fast reprint capability
• Ability to fully personalise each page
• Digital collation feature maximizes print and finishing efficiency
• Produces consistent 1440x 1440 dpi four-colour quality using water-based pigment ink
• Quick dry for instant handling and finishing
• Fits seamlessly into a conventional B2 print environment. Compatible with conventional offset paper stocks and existing B2 finishing processes
• Handles paper weight from 80-400 gsm and thickness from 0.08 – 0.4mm
• Handles range of sheet sizes down to A4 and up to B2
• Compared to digital web press alternatives, the Truepress Jet SX gives users the flexibility to switch quickly between a variety of sheet stocks with ease and minimal paper waste

Truepress Jet SX Specifications at a glance

Configuration Duplex inkjet

• Media size max 530 x 740mm / min 210 x 279mm Output size max 520 x 730 mm
• Media weight/ thickness 80-400 gsm  / 0.08 – 0.4mm
• Media type:  suitable for printing papers including coated, gloss, art, matt and woodfree
• Coating Post print coating of the ink, not the paper, which maintains original stock texture and impact
• Stack height 350mm at feeder and delivery
• Paper handling Offset level paper handling with high front to back registration accuracy
• Resolution 1,440 x 1440 dpi and 1,440 x 720 dpi
• Printheads high-precision greyscale variable drop
• Screening Multiple screening adjusted for text and image
• Digital front end EQUIOS with Adobe PDF Print Engine 2 integrates into Trueflow SE and any leading workflow to provide end to end automation with full variable data handling as standard Inks CMYK water-based, pigment ink suitable for offset papers.
• Quick dry for instant handling and finishing
• Productivity 1,620 simplex B2 sheets/hr equivalent 810 duplex B2 sheets/hr108 A4 pages/min – 108 A4 pages/min at 1,440 x 720 dpi
• Dimensions / weight 2.15m W x 7.79m D x 2.14m H. Weight: 9700 kg

Ipex demonstration

‘Your Wish is our Print on Demand’ is Screen’s promise for Ipex (Stand C290 in Hall 10) where we will show the broadest range of precision digital presses for the broadest range of applications: commercial print, direct mail, transpromo, books, newspapers, large format display graphics and industrial printing. These include:

• Truepress Jet SX B2 digital colour duplex printing system
• Truepress Jet 520 digital colour web printing system
• Truepress 344 digital offset press
• Truepress Jet 2500UV wide format flatbed UV inkjet printing system
• All united by Screen’s Equiosnet workflow environment

About Screen

As a precision manufacturer with a long history of building innovative imaging technologies, Screen develops and manufactures expert digital printing technologies for high-end professional print on demand applications. The company provides a 360 degree service delivering total solutions spanning workflow automation, digital printing devices, finishing partnerships, ink and substrate expertise and support. www.screeneurope.com