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Domestic and foreign large format printer industry solvent printer status

wide format printer domestic and foreign large format printer industry status quo - with the rise of the advertising industry, large format printer, with its powerful performance, and broad prospects, and other media relative to more low-cost, more convenient, efficient production the advantages of procedures, increasing the advertising industry's favor, is now widely used in posters, light boxes, chin-fields. domestic large format printer the development of the industry from foreign imports in the large format printer, but their high prices to discourage large number of advertising companies. in order to meet the purchasing power of the domestic market, domestic manufacturers started in foreign countries on the basis of mature technology r & d and production independent brands of large format printer, and in 1998 successfully developed the first gas brush solvent printer, 2000 successful development of piezoelectric solvent printer. although the performance and stability and foreign products still exist in the gap, but because of its cheap, colorful, functional and has been welcomed by users. therefore a short period of two to three years, emerged a large number of companies engage in inkjet, the increasingly fierce market competition, the enterprises as the market for large on price. printing prices from the start of more than 1,000 yuan / m2 now dropped to a few dozen yuan / square meter or even more than 10 yuan / m2. the first half of 2002 solvent printer manufacturers through a beautiful spring, the products in short supply.

ONYX Adds Support for MacDermid ColorSpan 1200-dpi Large Format Printers

onyx graphics has added support for the macdermid colorspan family of 1200-dpi, 54-inch uv-curable large format printers. drivers for these large format printers are available for use with onyx productionhouse and onyx postershop version 7 workflow solutions software products. onyx software solutions include key features such as pantone spot color matching, contour cutting workflow and automatic job nesting, which enhance the performance capabilities of the macdermid colorspan solvent printers.
the four models included are the colorspan 5440uv (4-color), colorspan 5445uv (2x4-color), colorspan 5460uv (6-color) and colorspan 5465uv (2x6-color). all four models accommodate media up to 54 inches wide and can print on either roll or rigid media up to 1-inch thick. onyx has developed the macdermid colorspan drivers and profiles to operate the printers at top image quality and speed performance capabilities. the onyx drivers also include support for other features including:
resolutions: 1200x600 dpi, 600x600 dpi and 600x300 dpi.
ink configurations: cmyk on colorspan 5440uv and colorspan 5445uv; both cmyk and cmykcm on colorspan 5660uv and colorspan 5465uv.

Color-compliant Softproof with Large Format Printer

press proof tc (true color) from man roland brings color-compliant simulation of print results into newspaper pressrooms. this new system is integrated in the press control console and provides simulations very quickly. 
softproof technology is already being successfully used outside the pressroom but very high requirements are involved in using it on a press. all quality-relevant parameters must be taken into account in order to achieve exact conformity between the large format printer and what is seen on the softproof monitor. therefore press proof tc has for instance a device with a sensor that measures the intensity of the standardised light used and adapts it to the brightness of the monitor. modular shielding devices also help to minimise ambient light irradiation and thus ensure that the print simulation is color-compliant. 
 integrated system accelerates the processes
press proof tc is fully integrated in the newspaper publisher's workflow. ideally, high-resolution image data for plate exposure are taken over on a proof server, descreened and edited for color-compliant large format printer simulation on the monitor. as opposed to other systems, selection of the color profiles needed is not done manually but instead fully automatically via the presettings at pressmanager. this ensures maximum
security - for content and color. when the job is loaded, the necessary image data is transferred to the control console of the press to be used and by selecting the page the operator can see the image data virtually immediately on the softproof monitor. 
 in newspaper production metrologically evaluable control elements are often lacking. press proof tc offers a precise production quality target and is thus an ideal tool for achieving standard-compliant large format printers. one of the first users of the system is the verlagsgruppe passau (vgp) in germany.

New Theta 76 HS Large Format Printer Achieves Standard Minilab Speeds While Delivering Wide Array of Creative Output

photo labs and photo retailers that want to expand their capabilities as they expand their operations have the perfect answer in the theta 76 hs (high speed) 30-inch multi-format lab system, durst image technology u.s., llc said today. durst introduced its new theta 76 hs at the pma convention & trade show here .
the theta 76 hs is a "large-format printer minilab" that outputs digital images from 2.5x13 feet down to 2-up wallets at speeds approaching 550 8x10-inch prints per hour (300 sf/hr). one of the most versatile and economical digital photo large format printers ever built, durst's next-generation theta imager is as productive as standard minilabs designed for speed, the company said. it is an excellent choice for the photo retailer who wants to offer higher-margin specialty photo products - such as panoramics, metallic prints and restorations - as well as for the professional lab looking for flexible photo output and "back-up" during peak production times, durst said.
"photo retailers will always have a primary need for the standard minilab. but when it's time to add a unit, it makes sense to expand their capabilities as they expand their operations - especially now that they can with the theta 76 hs," said a. ron waters, president and ceo of durst u.s. "while the standard minilab is pumping out 4x6s, the theta 76 hs can print all the specialty images - from trendy metallic prints to 10-foot-long panoramics to restorations. during peak times, it can pump out 4x6s as well. the theta 76 hs is the answer to a lot of questions facing photo professionals right now, and it's priced comparable to or lower than standard minilabs."
the theta 76 hs offers "lambda lab" capabilities in a large format printer that's well within reach of the most cost-conscious photo lab and virtually any photo retailer, as well as large studios and departments of larger labs, durst said. it's a complete digital imaging system designed for continuous printing on roll media from 8-30 inches wide at speeds up to 26 linear inches per minute (300 sf/hr). the large format printer's daylight-loading media cassette, built-in cutter/sorter, and linked ra4 paper processor combine to offer minilab performance with ready-to-ship dry image output, the company said.
in addition to its high speed, durst's new theta large format printer has been enhanced to deliver dramatically greater image sharpness and the ability to print on all popular transparency media. significantly, it also can perform variable backprinting for individual images, as well as per-print within a nested file.

Roland Selects ErgoSoft to Supply Drivers for Large Format Printers

ergosoft now supports the latest roland large format printers. ergosoft recently developed new drivers to support roland's aj-1000 large format printer, the hi-fi express fp-740 sublimation printer and the soljet pro iii xc-540 high volume print/cut printer.
the advanced jet aj-1000 is a 104" eco-solvent large format printer for fast, high-volume production printing that achieves a maximum print speed of 90m2/h (968 sqft/hr). it delivers superior image quality at 45m2/h (484 sqft/hr) and utilizes durable new ecoxtreme ink produces dense, rich colors in cmyk+lc+lm for brilliant outdoor banners and vehicle graphics.
the hi-fi express fp-740 is a high-speed 74"-wide sublimation printer ideal for producing flags, banners and textiles and prints up to 51m2/h (270 x 360 2pass) for high-volume production. it utilizes a high-density 4-color ink set ensures rich, vibrant colors and delivers a high-quality print mode delivers consistent, reliable results.
the soljet pro iii xc-540 high volume print/cut printer is ideal for a wide variety of applications including labels, decals, pop displays, banners, vehicle graphics, signs and more. xc-540 delivers enhanced scratch resistance, quicker drying time, and higher ink density required for outdoor applications.
"ergosoft's v12 rip suite of products allow for a premium quality experience," said robert eversole, president, ergosoft. "the opportunity to work with roland and provide driver support for their latest machines reaffirms ergosoft's position as a leader in today's digital printing market."

Waterless UV Large Format Printer − Discussed at Tenth MAN Roland PraxisDialog

it has established itself in printing on non-absorbent surfaces and is winning ever more new friends in advertising printing: waterless uv large format printer simply lets the press operator "get into color faster". at the praxisdialog, detlef braun, chairman of the "european waterless printing association" (ewpa), gave a vivid and easy-to-understand talk on applications, advantages and challenges of the large format printers. with the growth in number of users, waterless uv large format printers to become more interesting in terms of efficiency, too. marks-3zet, the market-leading manufacturer of plates for waterless offset, certainly reports a strong increase in the consumption of its plates over the past five years. the prices of the formerly expensive plates are dropping, the move into waterless uv large format printer is becoming more attractive for a broader target group.

in the man roland graphic center, the high performance capacity of waterless uv printing was demonstrated on a six-color roland 500 with coating. the very first printing forme was a toughie: a check card on 0.3 mm monofilm with high black content and extremely small reverse type. postpress finishing work on site turned the press sheets into laminated check card as end of the product. the difficult jobs that were demonstrated convinced the eye by their printing quality, which served to underpin the attractiveness of the printing process. in a concluding discussion, detlef braun, marks-3zet, the ink manufacturer zeller + gmelin and stephan engel from the graphic center answered questions on a wide variety of pertinent subjects. the next praxisdialog on september 20 will deal with "halftone technologies".

EPSON STYLUS PRO WIDE FORMAT PRINTER RANGE TO EDUCATION AND PUBLIC SECTORS

colourgen has announced that it is offering a free three year extended warranty on the epson stylus pro wide format printer range to education and public sector customers. the three year extended warranty includes on-site repair as well as one free preventative maintenance visit after 15,000-18,000 prints. this offer represents a potential saving of up to £1649.

melanie enser, product marketing manager for colourgen, comments, "this offer is designed to provide our education and public sector customers with complete convenience and piece of mind for epson solvent printer purchases. it is also a statement of epson's confidence in the reliability and performance of its large format printers, backed up by colourgen's comprehensive and efficient service and support capability."

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Firework of Notes and Large Format Printer

The world celebrates the 250th birthday of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of the most gifted musicians of all times. During the short span of his life - he was only 35 when he died - Mozart created some of the most well known musical works of the last millennium. "Wolferl" already began composing when he was only five years old. What followed were 626 works, among which there are 22 operas, 19 masses, more than 50 symphonies and 27 piano concerts. In 1780 in a letter to his father he included the note: "I will have to close now, because I need to write this instant - everything is already composed - it is only not written yet". Today his original manuscripts bear precious testimony to his genius. They are scattered over the museums of the world, dimly lit behind glass and thus preserved for future generations. 
 When Johann Anton Andre, a young publisher of music in Offenbach am Main/Germany, visited the widowed Constanze Mozart in Vienna in 1799 and was offered her husband's handwritten manuscripts of notes, he did not hesitate for long. 273 autographs of the then already famous musical genius - who nevertheless died in poverty - became his property. By purchasing these autographs Andr�� ensured the continuation of his father's enterprise, which he had inherited only a few months earlier. But his purchase of the notes was not the only instance where the 24-year-old demonstrated his enterprising spirit. It is said that Andr�� had been "totally enraptured by the beauty of the prints" when in that same year prints from the first lithographic stone plates were presented to him by Alois Senefelder. With his large format printer process Senefelder had finally achieved great success after many years of experimentation. His "chemical printing" would later go down in the history of printing as lithography. It would soon rival the traditional processes of relief and intaglio printing. For 2000 Gulden Andr�� purchased the rights for "the secret of being able to print notes and pictures on stone". At the same time he instructed Senefelder to have five lithographic hand presses installed in Offenbach am Main and to teach his employees how to use them. This contract between Andr�� and Senefelder marks the world's first commercial use of lithography.

Best New Desktop Large Format Printer

Hewlett-Packard's newest personal desktop large format printer, the LaserJet 6Lse, looks to be the new leader in its category. This 600-dpi resolution large format printer, with a $399 price tag and rated speed of 6 pages per minute, officially begins shipping today. The unit makes sense for small businesses and others looking for a high-quality laser.

In preliminary PC World tests of a shipping LaserJet 6Lse unit, the HP large format printer outperformed the $350 Brother HL-720, the reigning champ among monochrome personal large format printers in PC World's Top 10 Printers review, in two crucial areas: print quality and ease of use.

To be sure, the Brother HL-720 is still quite good: It runs faster than the HP, costs a little less, and provides a 200-sheet input tray while the HP has only a 100-sheet tray. But Brother's print quality lags behind the HP 6Lse's, especially with gray-scale images. The HP large format printer also proves easier to use.

The LaserJet 6Lse printed text at 5 ppm and graphics at 1.8 ppm in PC World tests--that%squots faster overall than its predecessor, the HP LaserJet 5L Xtra, which had a 4 ppm engine. (The text speed is faster, but the graphics speed is actually slower than the 5L Xtras.) Other than the engine upgrade, the LaserJet 6Lse is basically the same as the LaserJet 5L Xtra.

Epson Large Format Printer Thinks Big

The Stylus Photo 1200 has a wide carriage that feeds cut-sheet paper as large as 13 inches wide by 19 inches long. With an optional paper-roll feeder, you can print images up to 44 inches long. On standard 11-by-17-inch tabloid paper, the Photo 1200 can print right to the edge of the page. Expected to cost about $500, the Stylus Photo 1200 uses Epson's six-color ink system, which supplements the standard black, cyan, magenta, and yellow inks with less-saturated cyan and magenta inks. Epson says the double shades enhance photorealism. Among other Epson four-color and six-color large format printers I've tested, the six-color models don't produce markedly better photos than the best four-color models--but both are remarkable.
The Stylus Photo 1200 can print at 1440-by-720 dots per inch, and Epson claims that at 720-by-720 dpi it can print an 8-by-10 photo in two minutes. PC World has not yet tested the 1200's performance on real-world printing tasks such as plain text and basic graphics.
Epson tuned the new large format printer for shutterbugs in another way: It can download images directly from an Epson PhotoPC 750Z digital camera and print photos without being attached to a PC.
Pricing for the paper-roll feeder and a PostScript option have not been set. A parallel port, a Mac serial port, and a Universal Serial Bus port are built in, and an optional Ethernet adapter is available (price not set). The large format printer's software bundle includes the Vivid Details Photoshop plug-in, Test Strip, for color correction and proofing; and the LE version of Adobe Photoshop 5.0.

HP Offers Bargain Large F Printer

Hewlett-Packard has unveiled its least expensive large format printer. But don't get too excited over the price--at $120, the DeskJet 648 C is still more expensive than low-cost models from other vendors.
The DeskJet 648C prints monochrome at 600 by 600 dots per inch, and prints color at 600 by 300 dpi, according to the company. An optional $33 cartridge offers special inks for printing photos. The 648 is specified to print text documents at normal quality at 3 pages per minute, and to print mixed text and color graphics documents at 1 ppm. PC World has not yet benchmarked the DeskJet 648C, but other inexpensive inkjets that we have tested are turning in speeds close to those figures.
The 648 includes parallel and Universal Serial Bus ports, and comes with free online support from Aveo. Aveo's Attune service notes printing problems and automatically checks the Internet for hints on how to solve them.
With a $120 price tag, the 648 lands squarely between two price clusters. Several vendors have large format printer models for $100 or slightly less, and all the vendors, including HP, have models at $140 or $150. One disconcerting note: HP skimped on the 648's warranty, paring it back to only 90 days.

Canon Introduces Ten Large Format Printers, Devices

Canon is releasing ten new peripheral products in the next few months, including five large format printers that promise long-lasting photos, two multifunction devices, and three scanners.

Four of the new large format printers--which start at under $100--feature Canon's Advanced Microfine Droplet Technology, which can produce 2400-by-1200-dpi color resolution. One of the four, the S300, carries a double-digit price; it's scheduled to ship in September with an estimated street price of $99. The $149 S500 is scheduled to ship in October. Both the S630 (priced at $199) and S630 network large format printer ($349) are set to hit the market in September.

The entry-level large format printer, the S200, is priced at $79 and scheduled to ship in November. All the new models use new ink formulations to create photo prints that Canon says will last for approximately 25 years when printed on special photo paper from Canon.

Predecessors to these products are evaluated in PC World's latest Top 10 large format printer product review.

Dell Details Large Format Printer Plans

Dell Computer will announce its first own-brand large format printers in March, aiming them at home office users and large workgroups, Chief Executive Officer Michael Dell said Tuesday.
"You will see two waves of products coming out over the next several months that will give us coverage all the way from network solvent printers to the home office," he told analysts at the Goldman Sachs Technology Investment Symposium in La Quinta, California.
Dell aims to sell large format printers with its PC systems.
"We see a very large opportunity for Dell. In large organizations in the U.S. we have over 50 percent market share. With consumers in the U.S. we have 30 percent market share. If we can attach large format printers to those system sales, it's a very nice new business for us," he said in a Webcast of the conference repeated after the event.
Making Changes
Dell distributed Hewlett-Packard large format printers until last July, when HP cut off supplies following its merger with Dell's arch-rival, Compaq.
In September, Dell named Lexmark International its preferred large format printer supplier, in time for the busy holiday sales season. It also announced plans to introduce Lexmark large format printers under the Dell brand in the first half of this year.
While Dell expects to sell a lot of large format printers, he doesn't see huge changes ahead in the large format printer market.
"We know how to sell large format printers, we sold 2.5 million of them in the U.S. just last year," he said, adding, "I wouldn't expect a dramatic change in the competitive landscape for printing, because it's a big and complex market with lots of competitors with large installed bases."

Introduction to Lenses for Large Format Pinter

The subject of lenses and lens selection for large format printers can be quite daunting for photographers new to the medium. Although large format printes obviously serve the same purpose as lenses for 35mm, DSLR, and medium format cameras, they are clearly different in both appearance and operation.

This presented quite an obstacle when I began my foray into solvent printer. I had no knowledge of the subject, and it seemed that no matter how hard I looked, the information I found was either too superficial, or assumed that the reader had a grasp of the basics. As a result, it was a long time before I felt even slightly comfortable with the subject.

This article is an attempt to distill what I have learned on the topic into a broad overview that assumes little or no knowledge on the reader's part. The intent is to help photographers new to large format printe make their way through the variety of view camera lenses and lens types, and make their early purchase decisions with a minimum of stress and confusion. Most of the discussion is about lenses for 4x5 cameras. This is because 4x5 is the most popular format, and since it is the format that I work in, it is the one I feel most competent to write about. Nevertheless, most of the concepts covered here are transferable to the other formats.

The discussion starts with an overview of a large format printes, and the basics of its operation. Next, the discussion turns to how to attach the lens to your view camera. This is followed by a brief discussion of lens types, a short review of the major lens manufacturers, and, finally, a discussion of how to select your first lens and assemble your lens toolkit.

A couple of caveats: First, some of the lenses mentioned below have been discontinued. They are still available used from a variety of sources. Second, I am not a lens "expert," and especially not a "lens design expert." Good sources for basic information on lens design are the Large Format Printe Forum, and Jim Stone's A User's Guide to the View Camera, in its third edition, published by Prentice-Hall. There are also other more technical books on the subject. One source to investigate is Rudolf Kingslake's A History of the Photographic Lens.

Sony Unveils Digicams, Large Format Printer

The cameras, showcased as part of Sony's 2004 lineup of digital imaging products, include four additions to Sony's existing Cybershot P series--the DSC-P41, the DSC-P73, the DSC-P93 and the compact DSC-P100. All are scheduled to ship in May. The other new camera, the high-end Cybershot DSC-W1, will ship in June. Sony is also introducing a new photo large format printer and camera cradle. All are being shown at the Photo Marketing Association conference in Las Vegas this week.
In addition to improving the picture-taking experience, the 2004 lineup of digital cameras boasts a 15 percent reduction in size for each camera, better menus, faster operation, extended battery life, and greater storage capacities, according to Sony representatives. Also, all of the cameras can shoot MPEG videos at 30 frames per second in MPEG-1 format.
In 2003, Sony Electronics was the top vendor of digital cameras in the U.S., with a 23 percent market share of revenue, according to research company NPD Techworld.
At the core of the new cameras is Sony's Real Imaging Processor (RIP) technology, which provides higher picture quality, faster image processing, better camera responsiveness, and longer battery life, says Mark Weir, a Sony senior product manager.
Printer, Accessories Debut
Sony has also launched the PictureStation DPP-EX50 dye-sublimation photo large format printer, which can print 3.5-inch-by-5 inch and 4-inch-by-6-inch pictures directly from cameras using PictBridge technology.
Priced at $179, this large format printer can also print images from a PC and TV slide shows on a TV, according to Sony. It connects to a PC via a USB 2.0 port and has Memory Stick and CompactFlash slots. Users can preview images to print using an on-board LCD screen that resides on top of the large format printer.
The solvent printer also has a number of built-in photo enhancement tools, including red-eye removal, automatic color correction, and enhanced creative print options. It will ship this month with a TV/video cable, a cleaning kit and the PictureGear application software for Windows, Sony representatives say.
Sony has also announced Cybershot Station, a camera cradle that allows users to view, print, or transfer images from a camera. A wireless remote control bundled with the cradle will allow users to run a slide show of camera images on a TV. The cradle can also charge digital cameras. Priced at $79.95, it is scheduled to ship in May.
Entry-Level Digicams
The new low-end Cybershot DSC-P41 camera will replace Sony's earlier Cybershot DSC-P32 model. It has a 3x digital zoom, a 4.1-megapixel CCD (charge-coupled device) sensor and a 1.5-inch LCD screen. A 3.2x VGA Smart Zoom uses the full CCD to zoom into a selected portion of the image area by cropping the image size, thus avoiding the image degradation of digital zooms, Sony says.

Your Old Large Format Printer Could Aid Burn Victims

Looking for a place to toss your old large format printer' A team of scientists working to create human tissue may have a good use for them. Inkjets that are ten years old, they say, are perfectly suited to create sheets of human skin and other tissue that one day may help burn victims and even manufacture organs.

Vladimir Mironov, director of the Shared Tissue Engineering Laboratory at the Medical University of South Carolina, is one of the scientists who has rigged Hewlett-Packard and Canon large format printer to shoot out proteins instead of ink, and to capture tissue on specialized gel instead of paper. Older printers work well because their spray nozzles have larger holes and are less likely to damage fragile cells. It would be great to have a use for these old printers instead of searching for a place to recycle them safely.

The "skin printing" research, although in early stages, aims to replace the current skin-graft method, which can lead to postoperative complications, says Anthony Atala, a researcher at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Today, burn victims receive skin grafts from unburned parts of their body or from skin tissue artificially grown in a lab. But trouble can arise, particularly when the body rejects grafts that don't exactly replicate human tissue. Also, grafted skin can tighten over time, causing discomfort and itching. Skin made from large format printer may come closer to replicating human tissue, Atala says, because it is created using skin-tissue cells. While skin printing begins with the same process of cultivating cells used in skin grafting, Atala says that the printers create skin more efficiently. "We're seeing a better-quality skin that will cover more area," he says. "The quality of the tissue is higher."

Thomas Boland, an assistant bioengineering professor at Clemson University and another researcher involved in the project, says he came up with the idea one day when overseeing students who had become frustrated with earlier research trying to "stamp" skin cells. "I went to the lab to look around and saw an unused large format printer sitting there in the lab. I thought, 'Why not use that''"

Atala and Boland say the technology could be used clinically in a few years for burn injuries, accidents, and extra skin coverage. After that, the researchers hope they can create other types of organs and even body parts using large format printer. If they are successful, the possibilities are nearly limitless: Printed organs could be created for use in transplants and for drug testing; and the technique could even allow plastic surgeons to reproduce Nicole Kidman's nose, for example (if she were to donate her cells).

Sound futuristic' Those types of cosmetic and transplant applications probably are, says Atala. "As you get into more complex tissues, you need more ingredients, and we're still working on that."

Xerox Launches 15 New Large Format Printers

Xerox Corp. is making a major bid to win office and print-shop business, on Tuesday launching 15 new and upgraded digital large format printer products and surpassing, in little more than a quarter of 2007, the number of large format printer it introduced in all of last year.

The surge in new products is a result of a US$922 million investment in research and development in 2006 -- or US$1.6 billion including Xerox' work with FujiFilm Holdings Corp. -- said Jim Firestone, president of Xerox North America. The move could help Xerox to solidify its sales to commercial large format printer, service bureaus and large institutions like financial and medical firms, he said.

At the high end, Xerox Tuesday at the AIIM/OnDemand trade show in Boston targeted production print shops with the Nuvera EA Digital Production System and the Nuvera 288 Digital Perfecting System for high-volume, black and white printing. For mid-level print shops, Xerox announced new copy and print machines including the model 4595 digital copier/large format printer running at 95 pages per minute for entry-level light production and the model 4110 running at 110 pages per minute.

Xerox will sell the Nuvera EA DPS beginning May 15 for $90,000, and the Nuvera 288 DPS immediately for $460,000. The list price for the model 4595 with both copy and print functions is $53,200, and the price for the Xerox 4110 is $81,900.

Xerox is not afraid to spend its way toward greater market share in the U.S. business printing market. On April 2, the company announced it would acquire Global Imaging Systems Inc. for $1.5 billion, with plans to reach more small and mid-sized businesses through the office imaging equipment reseller.

Also on Tuesday, Xerox announced a range of smaller machines for corporate use, hoping to claim new ground in offices where it competes with Hewlett-Packard Co., Konica Minolta Holdings Inc. and Ricoh Co. Ltd. Xerox hopes to seize greater market share in that sector by continuing to cut prices on its color printers, bringing them ever closer to black and white printer prices, Firestone said.

Other new products in Xerox's new product line include new multifunction printers for color printing jobs in the corporate setting, including DocuColor models 242, 252 and 260. The 260 machine is the fastest of that group, producing 75 black and white or 60 color pages per minute. Xerox charges $37,195 for the DocuColor 242, $41,995 for the DocuColor 252 and $47,490 for the DocuColor 260.

And for a range of small and large businesses, Xerox launched the WorkCentre 7328, 7335 and 7345 color multifunction printers. The models run at a range of 26 to 35 pages per minute in color or 28 to 45 pages in black and white. Xerox will start selling the new WorkCentre systems on May 16 starting at $11,795.

The company also offered workflow software to guide digital files through the whole process -- FreeFlow Print Server 6.0 and FreeFlow Process Manager MAX. They will complement two new releases of enterprise content management (ECM) software Xerox launched on Monday.

HP Aims to Speed Large Format Printer with Edgeline

Hewlett-Packard's Edgeline print head is now in two new departmental large format printer that are designed to print up to 50,000 pages a month.

Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) has built its Edgeline print head into two new departmental large format printer designed for print volumes up to 50,000 pages a month. The large format printer offer the speed of laser printing with the color quality and reliability of ink.

The CM8050 and CM8060 color multifunction large format printer-copier-scanners, announced Wednesday, print in black at speeds up to 50 or 60 pages per minute, respectively, and in color at 40 or 50 pages per minute. The new print heads deliver pigment-based ink and a bonding agent across the full width of an A4 page in one go, allowing the large format printer to run faster than large format printer that must scan back and forth across the paper. The heads have a life of around 2 million pages, allowing them to run for three years under a typical service contract, the company said.

HP will charge from US$23,530 for the CM8060 and $18,930 for the CM8050 in the U.S., depending on options ordered, and similar pricing in Europe.

HP introduced the Edgeline head last October in a system for photo kiosks that printed using dye-based inks on four-inch-wide paper. The CM8050 and CM8060 contain six such heads arranged in pairs to span the width of an A4 page. The first pair delivers the bonding agent, the second the yellow and black ink, and the last cyan and magenta. The paper is carried, up to three pages at a time, on a drum where it is held by a vacuum as it is whisked under the print heads, which remain stationary.

The printers also sport HP's EasySelect Control Panel, a common user interface it introduced to its multifunction business printer line six months ago. HP's aim is that users will be able to operate future business printers intuitively, wherever they find them in the enterprise, through a common interface.

In another step toward that goal, it will update an older printer, the Color LaserJet 4730, with the EasySelect interface. The updated model, otherwise largely unchanged, is the CM4730, and will go on sale in May, starting at �3,999 (US$5,362) excluding tax.

The new large format printer will be available starting this week, said Rolf Gerstner, HP's manager of business and marketing strategy for commercial imaging and printing solutions in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Alongside the printers, HP also presented a new version of its WebJetadmin networked printer administration software. WJA 10.0, now compatible with Windows Vista, will be available for free download from April 30. The new version includes step-by-step help for common tasks, and tools for restricting access to color printing functions per application or per user.

HP announces wide- and large-format HP DesignJet printers for graphics professionals

HP announces new wide-format printer and large-format printer HP DesignJet printers for graphics professionals. HP DesignJet ColorPro GA and HP DesignJet 488CA Printers Offer Graphic Designers Fast, Affordable Conceptual-proofing Solutions Palo Alto, California -- Hewlett-Packard Company, the worldwide leader in large-format printer sales, today announced the HP DesignJet ColorPro GA wide-format printer and the worldwide availability of its HP DesignJet 488CA Series large-format printers for graphics.

Software processes PDFs for large-format printers/plotters

AcroPlot Repro software improves quality and enhances printing of engineering- plan-size PDF files on large-format printer

CADzation today announced the release of AcroPlot Repro at the American Institute of Architects National Convention and Design Exposition in Los Angeles, CA. The convention will mark the official release of AcroPlot Repro(TM), a powerful new tool for enhanced printing of PDF and DWF files on solvent printer and copiers.

AcroPlot Repro can be used as a direct replacement for the Ghostscript utility used in plotting software such as KIP Powerprint(R), Oce Repro Desk(R), or virtually any other application that uses Ghostscript to process PDF files for plotting and printing. Rodney McManamy, CADzation's president and founder, said, "As more and more architectural and engineering firms are making the move to the PDF file format and abandoning print-only file types like the HPGL-2 (.PLT) plot file, the need for better-quality PDF output and print quality are rapidly increasing. Most large-format printers are not designed to plot PDF files and AcroPlot Repro software is the missing link architects and engineers need to fully standardize on the PDF file for collaborating, viewing, archiving and most importantly printing their project plans."

Most large-format printers and their associated plotting software have not kept up with the advances in PDF and DWF technology. In addition, a large majority of architectural, engineering, and reprographic firms on a global basis are still maximizing their investments with their older plotting equipment. AcroPlot Repro is a simple and cost-effective software solution that enables firms to optimize large-format PDF productivity on existing and new plotting equipment without changing their production workflow.

"We replaced Ghostscript on all our Oce 9800 plotters running Repro Desk with AcroPlot Repro, which now makes it possible to print PDF files at higher quality. We also use it on all our other plotters or just to batch-convert PDF files to TIFF. AcroPlot Repro is easy for our production staff to use, quick to install, and gives us additional options for PDF and DWF plotting that our clients need," said John E. Scalia, President, AA Blueprint Company, Inc.

Thermal Transfer Coders offer large format capabilities

Norwood Marking Systems / Allen Coding Systems introduces the NGT Series of Large Format Printer Thermal Transfer Coding Systems at Pack Expo Booth #S-1502. Capable of producing the largest print area of any intermittent motion thermal transfer coder in the world and featuring a large-format printer engine that can be turned in the frame, the NGT Series Coders maximize production flexibility and increase print cycle speeds while reducing the cost of spare parts and consumables for large format coding applications.

Within the NGT Series, there are four intermittent motion (IM) coders and one model - the NGT 6 CM - that operates in either intermittent motion or continuous motion mode with quick conversion.

The NGT 6 IM can produce a solvent printer area up to 6.3 x 4 inches (160 x 100 mm), the NGT 6 CM can produce a print area up to 6.3 x 40 inches (160 x 1000 mm) and the NGT 6 E can print up to 6.3 x 6 inches (160 x 155 mm) at speeds up to 11.8 inches (300 mm) per second. The NGT 8 can print up to 8.4 x 4 inches (213 x 100 MM) and the NGT 8 E can print up to 8.4 x 6 inches (213 x 155 mm) at speeds up to 9.8 inches (250 mm) per second. By comparison, the largest print area that can be achieved with competitive thermal transfer coders is only five inches (127 mm) wide.

The design of the intermittent motion NGT Series Coders allows for the rotation of the print engine within the print module's frame, which enables the customer to configure the coder to produce the shortest stroke for any given application. Reducing the stroke increases print speeds. Reducing the stroke also allows the NGT Series Coders to minimize foil consumption and increase the life of the thermal print head, which dramatically reduces the cost of consumables and spare parts.

Based on a print area of 6.3 by 0.4 inches (160 x 10 mm), the NGT Series Coders consume 90 percent less foil and require 93 percent less thermal print head travel than traditional thermal transfer coders using a full width ribbon. With a print area of 6.3 by 2.3 inches (160 x 60 mm), the NGT Series Coders consume 44 percent less foil and require 62 percent less thermal print head travel than traditional thermal transfer coders using a full width ribbon.

The NGT Series Coders are ideal for foods packed in industrial bags and boxes for foodservice customers, pharmaceuticals and medical devices packed in blister packs, fertilizers and feed and grain packed in bags, textiles packed in bags or boxes and printing labels for chemicals packed in bulk containers.

With full clock and calendar functions as well as serialization, the NGT Series Coders can print fixed and/or variable data on a variety of flexible packaging materials and label substrates. Text and graphics, including a wide array of two-dimensional or RSS barcodes, can be printed with a resolution of 300 dpi (12 dots per mm) both horizontally and vertically. An unlimited choice of TrueType font styles and a wide range of sizes are available; six fonts come standard and there is space for 44 more.

The NGT Series Coders feature an integrated Ethernet card that allows access to a PC or network, which enables remote operation, monitoring and diagnostics of the print operation. The NGT Series Coders can also be equipped with an optional touch screen user interface on the control box, which enables operators to recall images from memory and handle simple editing functions at print time.

Manufactured in Germany with robust mechanics and superior components, the durable NGT Series Coders improve reliability and uptime to maximize production throughput. A pivoting frame provides operators easy access for maintenance and adjustments.

Software suits entry-level large format printer environment

ONYX Graphics today announced the ONYX GamaPrint line of raster image processing (RIP) software. The ONYX GamaPrint line is designed to make large format printers easy while maximizing printer performance for users needing economical workflow solutions for aqueous and solvent large format printer. The product line includes two versions: ONYX GamaPrint SE and ONYX GamaPrint Pro, both of which are built upon the award-winning ONYX color technology and reliable production-level RIP engine. ONYX GamaPrint is compatible with PostScript® language.

"These products expand the ONYX® line of RIPs from entry-level sign shops to print providers focused on high productivity," said Walter S. Noot, President and CEO of ONYX Graphics, Inc. "Now with the more easy-to-use ONYX GamaPrint line of products, even those businesses just starting out or those who only occasionally print large format will have the advantage of the ONYX workflow and color excellence."

With a WYSIWYG graphical user interface, ONYX GamaPrint software offers a simple process-and-print workflow. Its manual workflow includes easy color management and a wide variety of convenient image layout, edit and print functions. The workflow toolset also includes sizing, cropping, color correction, contour cutting and nesting. Users can quickly and easily take files from favorite design applications and produce spectacular output on aqueous- or solvent-based printers. ONYX GamaPrint software supports TIFF, JPEG and JPEG 2000 file types and is reliable with PostScript and PDF languages.

ONYX GamaPrint software includes a fully-licensed PANTONE® spot color matching library, making spot color matching easy and accurate. Other color features include color management presets, separate matching methods for raster and vector images and embedded ICC (International Color Consortium) profile support. ONYX GamaPrint software also provides color-accurate image previews on-screen, which keeps ink and media usage to a minimum.

ONYX GamaPrint software can drive popular aqueous large format printer from manufacturers such as Epson®, Canon® and HP® as well as entry-level solvent large format printer from companies such as Roland®, Mimaki® and Mutoh®.

ONYX GamaPrint SE is designed for low-volume processing and printing to one printer. It offers a manual workflow with basic nesting tools, easy color correction, and PANTONE spot color matching. It supports simple process-and- print, print-and-cut, and cut-only workflows. ONYX GamaPrint SE can be upgraded to ONYX GamaPrint Pro and ONYX® ProductionHouse(TM) software packages.

ONYX GamaPrint Pro can process and print to two printers simultaneously. In addition to all the features of ONYX GamaPrint SE, ONYX GamaPrint Pro also includes Media Manager for calibrating new media and recalibrating existing media. It includes printer drivers for mid-range solvent large format printer. ONYX GamaPrint Pro can be upgraded to ONYX ProductionHouse software.

For experienced print professionals driving one or more production printers in high-volume print environments, ONYX PosterShop® or ONYX ProductionHouse software is recommended. These fully automated packages support more than 500 popular printer models including small-, large- and grand-format aqueous, solvent and UV inkjet roll-based and flatbed printers and photo laser printers. Version 7 includes features and toolsets that increase productivity and meet the demands of new business opportunities.

HP Offers More Large Format Printers Choices to PSPs and Technical Customers

HP today announced the new HP Designjet Z6100 Printer series for large format printers service providers (PSPs) and technical markets, such as GIS, architectural, engineering and construction markets, expanding its industry-leading portfolio with a new level of productivity, versatility and dependability for printing in the digital marketplace. With the new HP Designjet Z6100 Printer series , users across a number of industries now have a rapid, reliable, color-accurate solution that enables them to print more applications and grow their businesses.

"HP is continuously looking for ways to reinvigorate the printing market and excite customers with new printing possibilities," said Enrique Lores, vice president and general manager, Large Format Printers Division, HP. "The HP Designjet Z6100 Printer series is not only the PSP, GIS and AEC markets' new go-to solution for fast and high quality, large format printers needs, but also another step in delivering on our promise to enable customers to do more with a broad portfolio of intuitive, scalable solutions."

The HP Designjet Z6100 Printer series with HP Vivera pigment inks is perfect for indoor and short-term outdoor large format printing applications like photos and fine art prints, drawings, maps and renders, delivering vivid and high-impact prints at maximum print speeds - all with HP's remarkable level of intuitive color management. The HP Designjet Z6100 features HP DreamColor Technologies, a certified system of color technologies and sciences which make it easy to produce accurate, predictable and consistent color across a series of digital color devices, which HP recently introduced at PMA in March 2007.

Introducing an industry-leading combination of image quality and productivity
The new eight-ink HP Designjet Z6100 Printer series enables digital print shops and sign makers, as well as GIS/CAD professionals, to increase print capacity, reduce turnaround times and offer new, high-quality printing applications to customers and clients while delivering predictable, consistent color.

Offering an attractive combination of speed, image quality and color consistency for PSPs and technical professionals, the new HP Designjet Z6100 Printer series , is the ideal solution for all indoor large format printing applications, from photos and fine art prints to maps and renders. Available in 42- and 60-inch models, the HP Designjet Z6100 shortens response time for the fast-paced PSP environment and handles large volumes effortlessly, producing output over 1000 ft2/hr. In addition, new HP Double Swath Technology creates a wider print swath - up to1.8 inches - and the first-ever Optical Media Advance Sensor improves paper advancement control, so the printer can print at higher speeds and across environmental conditions with exceptional image quality.

The Art Group, a leading art publisher, requires a fleet of fast, color-accurate large format printers for its on-demand printing business.

"Our world-renowned museum clients demand exceptional image quality and color," said Peter Moger, director, The Art Group. "In our business, we must replicate outstanding museum-quality output from any of our printers at any location around the world. The HP Designjet Z6100 Printer series enables us to get consistent results with remarkable speed regardless of location, time and environments."

In addition, the HP Designjet Z6100 features eight HP Vivera pigment inks delivering vivid, water-resistant, exceptionally fade-resistant prints. Prints produced on a range of HP media resist fading for over 1 year unlaminated and over 3 years laminated when displayed in or near a window. In interior display conditions away from direct sunlight, prints resist fading for over 200 years.(1)

Offering ultimate media flexibility, including two new Original HP media and jumbo rolls, HP today also announced the addition of two new media substrates to the broad portfolio of more than 50 Original HP media offered for the HP Designjet Z6100. HP Premium Vivid Color Backlit Film is a new premium micro-porous coated media specifically designed for backlit applications and HP Self-adhesive Gloss Polypropylene is a high-quality film ideal for creating vibrant, photo-realistic images for store displays, banners and posters.

Additionally, the HP Designjet Z6100's longer roll support (up to 575 ft/175 m) and high-capacity 775-ml Original HP ink cartridges provide an economical, time-saving approach to long print runs. HP today introduced new jumbo rolls for HP Universal Inkjet Bond Paper and HP Universal Instant-dry Gloss and Semi-gloss Photo Papers, allowing for overnight unattended printing with the Designjet Z6100 Printer series and HP Vivera pigment inks.

HP Expands Graphic Arts Portfolio to Help Customers Drive Growth

HP today expanded its graphic arts portfolio to offer customers an even wider range of digital solutions that feature industry-leading productivity, print quality and color consistency.

The new solutions, which focus on accelerating HP's growth in key areas of the printing market, enable customers to offer high-quality services, differentiate from competitors and, in turn, increase revenue opportunities. Highlights of the news announced at the 2007 HP Graphic Arts Summit include:

o Two new HP Indigo presses - including the flagship HP Indigo press 5500 , which is also available in a special photo package, and the entry-level HP Indigo press 3500 - that are designed to bring industry-leading productivity and digital offset print quality to commercial large format printers; o The company's first branded finishing accessory, the HP Indigo UV Coater; o The HP mPrinter 1700c , the company's first process-color device for original equipment manufacturer partners; o The HP Designjet T Printer series , offering new levels of print quality and dependability to the technical market; and o The HP Designjet Z6100 Printer series , which offers a market-leading combination of speed, quality and consistency to print service providers and technical work teams.

Featuring more than 50 digital solutions that enable the professional printing of everything from postage stamps to building wraps, HP's graphic arts portfolio is designed for a wide variety of customers, including commercial printers and specialty businesses such as photo merchandise providers, direct mail houses, graphic design firms and technical organizations. By 2010, the value of pages printed in the global graphic arts market is projected to be $98 billion.(1)

The new solutions in particular focus on four key areas of the printing market: marketing collateral, direct mail, photography and technical, which includes architectural, engineering and construction, computer-aided design (CAD) and geographic information systems (GIS).

"The digital solutions announced today are not only easy to use, cost-effective and high quality, but also enable commercial printers to grow their businesses with broader service offerings and increased profit margins," said Stephen Nigro, senior vice president, Graphics and Imaging Business, HP.

Increased performance, options for HP Indigo portfolio

Extending the versatility of the HP Indigo press 5000, the new HP Indigo press 5500 offers tangible, profit-enhancing improvements for commercial printers, including higher monthly duty cycles, fast ink replacement for spot colors and support for a wider range of media, including economical off-the-shelf media.

Printing up to seven colors, the HP Indigo press 5500 is ideal for high-volume production markets such as marketing collateral, direct mail and books and manuals. For added value in the photo merchandise market, the press also supports new light cyan and light magenta inks for six-color (CMYKcm) photo imaging.

Building on the success of the HP Indigo press 3050, the new HP Indigo press 3500 is a digital production device available at an entry-level price. Designed for commercial and in-plant printing firms, the press provides greater quality and versatility for those looking to adopt digital technology for the first time or to upgrade from color copier technologies.

HP also launched several new accessories for its line of digital presses. The HP Indigo UV Coater is the company's first digital press finishing device and is ideal for use on high-quality, color applications. A near-line, user-friendly device able to support multiple HP Indigo presses, the HP Indigo UV Coater protects printed materials against damage from finishing or mailing systems, while also adding high-value appeal to printed materials by applying attractive gloss, matte and satin UV finishes.

To enable efficient processing on new and existing HP Indigo press models, several new digital front end (DFE) solutions are now available, including Version 1.2 of the HP Indigo Production Stream Server, Powered by Creo; Version 1.1 of the HP Indigo Production Manager DFE, and connectivity to Screen Trueflow print workflow systems. All of the new DFEs available for HP Indigo users offer robust, reliable performance.

In addition, HP has combined several of these new solutions to create the new HP Indigo photo package for high-value photo applications such as photo books, albums and greeting cards. A new study conducted by the SpencerLab Digital Color Laboratory found that HP Indigo photo package prints surpassed conventional silver halide processing, earning higher marks overall and ranking as good or better in three out of four critical areas of print quality.(2)

The new package includes the 5500 model press and the HP Indigo Photo Enhancement Server, which is designed to automatically detect and correct images in need of sharpening and smoothing, as well as to improve contrast and shadow detail. The package also includes the new HP Indigo UV Coater and the HP Indigo Production Manager version 1.1 DFE, which is scalable up to 16 RIPs and drives several presses.

For comprehensive business development and support, the HP Indigo Capture program offers a full range of tools to help HP Indigo customers manage and grow their digital printing businesses. In addition to customer training, marketing tools and media locator services available on the "my HP Indigo" online customer portal, the HP Indigo Capture program now includes comprehensive estimating tools that help customers determine cost-effective conventional and digital crossover points for commercial and label printing.

Bringing color to the front of the envelope

The new HP mPrinter 1700c brings color to variable text and graphics, using HP's low-cost, high-quality thermal inkjet technology. Developed by HP Specialty Printing Systems, the HP mPrinter 1700c cost-effectively produces CMY-process color that can be used for personalized mail, transactional print and other operations.

The HP mPrinter 1700c is HP's first offering to use process-color large format printer, which is available for use in original equipment manufacturer partner technologies and provides a price/performance ratio that enables vendors in the mail processing, in-line variable imprinting, and other markets to develop new, color-driven applications for stand-out highlights and graphics.

Reinforcing HP as the trusted choice in large-format printing

HP introduced two versatile, dependable HP Designjet printers for print service providers (PSPs) and architectural, engineering, construction, CAD and GIS professionals.

The new HP Designjet T Printer series and HP Designjet Z6100 Printer series allow PSPs and technical professionals to expand their service offerings - from creating beautiful fine art reproductions and photographic-quality prints to producing high-quality, precise line drawings and renders in-house - all with a high level of color excellence.

The HP Designjet Z6100 Printer series with HP Vivera pigment inks delivers vivid, high-impact prints at maximum print speeds - all with HP's remarkable level of intuitive color management. The series is ideal for indoor and short-term outdoor banners and large-format applications such as photos and fine art prints, drawings, maps and renders. The HP Designjet Z6100 also features HP DreamColor Technologies, a certified system of color technologies and sciences that make it easy to produce accurate, predictable and consistent color across a series

Oce Innovations at IRgA Help Reprographers Grow Their Business

Oc Solutions Showcased at International Reprographics Association (IRgA) Annual Convention Denote Evolution in Large Format and Continued Advancement in Monochrome and Color

Oc (NASDAQ: OCENY), a global leader in digital document management and delivery solutions, is unveiling its newest large format printers solutions and inventive workflow offerings in Booth #201 at the IRgA 2007 Annual Convention and Trade Show May 9-11 in Dallas, TX. All are part of Oc's drive to help its reprographic customers maintain a strong market position in monochrome printing, advance capabilities in color printing and build successful, growing businesses.

A revolutionary advancement in large format printers, Oc will showcase the Oc Arizona® 250 GT - the display graphics printer that combines a true flatbed platform for printing onto a wide variety of rigid substrates with on optional roll-to-roll module for printing onto flexible media. With UV flatbed printers and Oc VariaDot(TM) imaging technology, the Oc Arizona 250 GT printer delivers near-photographic image quality. For technical color CAD and GIS applications, Oc will highlight the Oc TCS500, the most productive large format color inkjet print/copy/scan system on the market. Oc also will spotlight its continued dedication to outstanding monochrome offerings with the innovative Oc TDS700, the world's most flexible large format multifunction printing system, and Oc TDS800 Pro Series, the industry's leading large format technical document production solution. Finally, Oc will launch Oce Repro Desk® Professional, a cutting-edge workflow automation solution, which will enable reprographers to both grow their business and increase shop productivity.

"Our innovation and dedication to the latest printing and workflow solutions technology underscores our commitment to the success of our reprographic customers," said Sal Sheikh, Vice President, Marketing, Oc Wide Format Printing division of Oc North America. "We are focused on delivering print solutions tailored to our customers' evolving business needs. Our products address the areas of expanding color print business for CAD, GIS and display graphics; best-in-class technology for large format monochrome printing for both FM and production, and software that links AEC customers to the reprographic print shop. The launch of Oc's new products at IRgA puts speed, quality and workflow enhancements directly in our customers' hands."

Color Printing Systems Aid Business Growth

Oc color printing systems are designed to deliver top speed, efficiency and convenience, as well as the quality and reliability for which Oc is renowned. These solutions address the increasing demands for color in engineering, CAD and GIS applications, and enable display graphics providers with a multitude of opportunities to grow their display graphics revenues.

Oc Arizona 250 GT

The versatile Oc Arizona 250 GT printer offers breakthrough levels of quality, productivity and flexibility. Based on a new Oc-developed platform, the Oc Arizona 250 GT printer combines a true flatbed design and a separate, dedicated roll-to-roll capability. It uses UV curable inks and Oc VariaDot imaging technology to deliver near-photographic image quality. This next evolution of piezo inkjet technology enables a print head to produce dots of variable size versus print heads using fixed-droplet technology, creating an image sharpness only before seen at resolutions of 1,440 dpi or higher and an ink savings of up to 35 percent over fixed-droplet, six color printers.

Oc TCS500

This integrated print/copy/scan system optimizes print speed and quality and harnesses the power of concurrent processing to make it the fastest, most productive large format, color CAD print/copy/scan system on the market. The Oc TCS500 system is ideal for handling quantities of large format technical documents such as detailed CAD line drawings and complex GIS files as well as other color technical documents. Large Format Monochrome Solutions Increase Productivity, Enhance Capacity The robust selection of Oc large format monochrome systems effectively meets users' needs for high quality engineering and CAD document output and productive enterprise-wide workflow management.

Oc TDS700

This flexible mid-volume multifunction system promotes ultimate productivity with flexibility. Capable of nine D-size prints per minute and uninterrupted running for more than 10,000 square feet, this configurable system meets users' current demands while remaining upgradeable to meet future changes. With monochrome quality or full color scanning options, its highly intuitive nature and integrated interface make the Oc TDS700 an optimal print/copy/scan solution for reprographers.

Oc TDS800 Pro Series

This highly configurable, integrated printing, copying and scanning system is the industry's leading large format technical document production solution. The TDS800 Pro Series is ideally designed to meet dynamic workflow requirements of any mid-to high-volume large format printing environment. This intuitive system offers users a range of software options for optimized workflow, including Oc Repro Desk Professional software for reprographers and AEC users.

Innovative Software Solution Enhances Effective Workflow Automation Oc delivers tools that enable professional users to streamline their digital workflows, such as:

Oc Repro Desk Professional Software

This innovative print automation software is built on the latest Microsoft® .NET-connected technology. The new Oc Repro Desk Professional software consists of a suite of seamlessly integrated applications that takes reprographers to the next level by connecting a CAD designer's desktop to a reprographer's digital print room - creating a true end-to-end digital workflow. It not only makes it easier for end users to send documents to their reprographer, it also gives the reprographer many tools to enhance the productivity of his business.

Eastman Kodak Company

At Graph Expo, Kodak will large format printers in conversations about new applications and strategies for building stronger relationships with their customers. Visitors to Kodak's booth will learn how Kodak's solutions enable new services and efficiencies that can help them advance their business. Graph Expo takes place Sept. 9-12 at McCormick Place in Chicago.

Numerous product introductions and proven solutions in workflow, digital printing, large format printer, thermal computer to plate (CTP), and color proofing technologies will be highlighted in Kodak's booth. Kodak will feature innovative new solutions in commercial print, packaging, direct mail and TransPromo.

"At Graph Expo, we'll illustrate how the various applications and technologies from throughout the booth can work together to provide unique and tangible business results for our customers," said Kevin Joyce, Managing Director, United States and Canada Region, Kodak's Graphic Communications Group. "Print is changing how marketers and other end users communicate. This transformation presents an opportunity for our customers and we look forward to meeting with them in Chicago to discuss how Kodak's technologies, products and solutions can be a part of their business growth."

S3000 Press at Graph Expo

The KODAK NEXPRESS S3000 Digital Production Color Press is the new high end production press in the NEXPRESS platform. Kodak will demonstrate the NEXPRESS S3000 Press at Graph Expo.

The NEXPRESS S3000 digital production color press produces 3,000 A3 sheets per hour, or 100 A4 pages per minute, for the full range of supported substrate types (coated, uncoated, synthetics, standard offset paper, textured stocks and selected packaging board, labels and films) and weights (60-350 gsm). Maximum sheet capacity totals 11,000 with monthly large format printers volumes of up to 2.2 million pages. The S3000 press combines speed, the unique operator replaceable component service model and an extensive online operator support system to provide unsurpassed cut sheet productivity to print providers.

Customers wishing to take advantage of the speed of this new production digital color press can purchase a new KODAK NEXPRESS 2500 Digital Production Press now with an available upgrade option to the speed of the NEXPRESS S3000 press. The upgrade will be available for installation at the same time the S3000 systems are available. The NEXPRESS S3000 digital production color press is scheduled for availability in October 2007.

New Photo Applications Capabilities

Kodak unveils several new solutions and services designed to help NEXPRESS Press users expand their businesses with high value photo services applications.

The KODAK NEXPRESSS Image Enhancement Server extracts images from print ready PDF files using preconfigured settings and automatically enhances and improves scene balance, tone scale, noise, smoothness, JPEG artifacts, and overall color, and it automatically removes red eye from camera flash. The server delivers pleasing photographs, with rich details and vibrant colors without slowing down the press. A version of the Image Enhancement Server with noise reduction features only is also available. The Server delivers outstanding productivity and image quality for the growing volume photo services applications such as photobooks, customized cards, calendars and other photo specialty products.

NEXPRESS Press users can also tap into digital print production software used by professional photo labs with the KODAK DP2 Connectivity Module. The module provides a seamless workflow between KODAK PROFESSIONAL Digital Print Production Software and the NEXPRESS Press. Also promoting a streamlined production process is the KODAK NEXPRESS Job Processor, which automatically connects the NEXPRESS Press with several third party photo authoring software solutions.

Kodak now offers a Color Profiling Service to help NEXPRESS Press users prepare their systems for photo applications. Kodak will profile a NEXPRESS Press to create the desired color characteristics based on another output device or subjective color judgment. Technicians will also create ICC Color Profiles (CMYK) for specific substrates.

New Bulk Plate Loading Option for MAGNUS VLF Platesetter

The new KODAK Automatic Pallet Loader increases the automation and manufacturing efficiency of the KODAK MAGNUS VLF Platesetter by loading up to 3,600 plates without manual handling. Optimized for easy and efficient bulk loading, the Automatic Pallet Loader can handle a large number of plates on pallets for faster plate loading, reduced manual plate handling, and longer unattended operation.

The Automatic Pallet Loader holds up to six pallets, each with as many as 600 plates, for fully automatic, online loading to the MAGNUS VLF Platesetter. The system allows for efficient end-to-end platemaking, including fully automatic unloading to the processing line. It features a large capacity slipsheet storage system that allows for easy disposal or reuse of slipsheet paper.

Available in multiple configurations to meet the specific needs of any operation, the Automatic Pallet Loader features one, two or three segments. Each segment can be customized to contain up to two stacks of plates. For maximum flexibility to meet current and future needs, the segments are field upgradeable.

CIJ Turns 40

Kodak will kick off a series of special events and activities at Graph Expo to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Kodak's continuous inkjet technology. A logo commemorating the milestone will be included in communications about the 40th anniversary of Kodak's continuous inkjet technology.

Kodak's continuous inkjet technology drives two systems. The KODAK VERSAMARK D-Series continuous inkjet solutions for high volume digital printing offer a broad range of printing systems with a comprehensive selection of printing features and functions to print variable information on- or off-line. The KODAK VERSAMARK V-Series Printing Systems for high volume printing are built on a modular platform allowing uncommon flexible system growth and a clear, uncomplicated upgrade path from block to spot to process color.

Enhancing Package Printing

Kodak elevates flexographic print quality with a new computer to plate (CTP) print solution for package printing. The KODAK FLEXCEL NX Digital Flexographic System provides previously unachievable, near offset print quality on a wide variety of substrates, including paper, flexible film, foil, and label stock. The system can reproduce highlight dots considerably smaller than those possible with other digital flexo technologies, allowing printers to reproduce on press subtle gradations in highlights and use all levels of grey.

The integrated FLEXCEL NX Digital Flexographic System includes the KODAK FLEXCEL NX 830 Thermal Imaging Layer, a choice of KODAK TRENDSETTER NX Narrow or Mid Imagers, KODAK FLEXCEL NX Laminator, KODAK FLEXCEL NX Digital Flexographic Plates, and the KODAK PRINERGY Workflow System for Packaging.

To assist customers in producing three dimensional mockups, Kodak now offers Digital Cutting and Creasing Tables designed to offer fast, accurate cutting and creasing of substrates used in the mockup /comping and prepress production stages of packaging design. KODAK Cutting and Creasing Tables can handle a full range of packaging substrates including folding carton, corrugated, and flexible materials. Color-accurate proofs can be generated by the KODAK APPROVAL NX Digital Color Imaging System onto a package's actual substrate and cut and folded into a realistic mockup, replicating the final printed package. KODAK Cutting and Creasing Tables are complemented by EngView CAD sof

Wide Format Printer delivers 600 dpi resolution

Ricoh Americas Corporation, the leading provider of digital office equipment, today launched the Ricoh Aficio® MP W2400 and Ricoh Aficio MP W3600 wide format products. The new Aficio MP W2400/MP W3600 allow users to securely large format printers, copy, scan, distribute and archive documents all from a compact unit.

The Ricoh Aficio MP W2400/MP W3600 products bring high quality production in-house, producing crisp, clear black & white documents at 600 dpi resolution. Print copies are produced and distributed quickly with the quality of an original. By simply selecting the type of original document (text/photo, drawing or special), the Ricoh MP W2400/MP W3600 will automatically adjust to produce sharp, clear reproductions. Users can also increase copy/scan/print productivity by editing documents or stamping them with the dates, page numbers or other data prior to filing or retrieving documents for reprinting. Additionally, handling awkward wide format documents is simple with multiple input and output choices, and changing the paper is a snap thanks to the front-loading paper roll trays and flanges, and optional paper cassette tray. Equipped with an 80 Gb Document Server, the Aficio MP W2400/MP W3600 products also offer temporary storage for copies, large format printers or scans. Users can view, manage, distribute or reprint stored documents directly from their PC or at the system control panel.

To expand printing capabilities, the Ricoh Aficio MP W2400/MP W3600 products have the choice of two controller options to meet the specific needs of businesses. The Embedded Printer Controller option maintains a small, single footprint and easily handles the most common file formats making it a simple solution for smaller architectural or engineering firms and workgroups. Simple, intuitive web printing allows users to combine documents with supported file formats to batch print a single project job document. Extensive security levels, Windows, Postscript and HDI drivers make this a simple, fast, and comprehensive printing solution. The External RW-3600 Printer Controller is another option that operates with maximum speed, advanced capabilities and the flexibility to print directly from CAD, Windows, Mac, Unix, and AS/400 operating systems making it an ideal network solution.

In order to provide excellent productive and efficient scanning options, the Ricoh Aficio MP W2400/MP W3600 also offers two scanner options. The embedded scanner with GW architecture allows the user to preview images up to 12x18 in. prior to transmission. In addition, it features four different scanning tasks. Scan-to-Email eliminates postage and overnight costs by instantly emailing documents anywhere across the world. Scan-to-Folder converts paper copies to electronic files and stores them anywhere on the network saving space and time. Furthermore, Scan-to-FTP sends large files quickly by bypassing the mail server, while Scan-to-URL reduces network congestion by sending a URL or NCP link instead of sending an entire file.

The second option is the RW-3600 Controller with Scan Option, which allows users to instantly view full images for editing and merging, as well as the "drag and drop" feature that enables the addition of documents to job sets anywhere in the directory. The RW-3600 Controller Scan Option can also capture metadata at the time of scanning for easy archiving and retrieval and scans to multi and single-page documents in a number of raster file formats as well as PDF's.

"With the Aficio MP 2400/MP 3600, Ricoh brings wide format document production to the small office environment," said Ron Potesky, vice president, Corporate Product Marketing, Ricoh Americas Corporation. "These wide format multifunction products provide all the functions found in large production houses combined into a single compact unit. Printing, copying and scanning can now all be done securely from one's own office, significantly saving users time and money." About Ricoh Americas Corporation

Ricoh Americas Corporation, headquartered in West Caldwell, N.J., is a subsidiary of Ricoh Company Ltd., the 71-year-old leading supplier of office automation equipment and electronics, with fiscal year 2006 sales in excess of $17 billion, an 8.4 percent increase over the previous year.

Ricoh Americas Corporation is a leading provider of document solutions. Ricoh's fully integrated hardware and software products help businesses share information efficiently and effectively by enabling customers to control the input, management and output of documents. Ricoh's line of document management devices include, color and black & white digital imaging systems, facsimile products, large format printers, scanners, digital duplicators, production printing products and wide format engineering systems. Additionally, Ricoh offers a wide variety of document and printing solutions directly and through strategic alliances enhancing office productivity and document workflow. Ricoh's document management software enhances workgroup collaboration and offers secure storage, retrieval and sharing of critical information.

Ricoh Americas Corporation directly or through its network of authorized independent dealers markets and distributes products in North, Central and South America. For fiscal year 2006, Ricoh Americas Corporation sales exceeded $3.3 billion, an increase of 7.4 percent over the previous year.

Eight Newspaper Printers Purchase 10 KODAK Thermal CTP Devices, Digital Plates, Workflow, Screening and Imposition Software

California, Minnesota, South Dakota and Georgia large format printers move to KODAK solutions

Eight newspaper large format printers around the United States are the latest to add KODAK Thermal Digital Platesetters, KODAK Digital Plates, and workflow solutions to add quality and speed to their prepress operations.

"We have been extremely pleased with the KODAK TRENDSETTER NEWS Thermal Platesetter we installed in 2004, so it made sense for us to stick with Kodak," said Roger Stolley, General Manager of Cannon Valley Printing, a division of Mainstream Publications LLC in Northfield, Minn. "We made a decision to do a package deal on consumables, and our prepress people are looking forward to the advantages of having a KODAK PRINERGY EVO Workflow System."

Cannon Valley Printing is responsible for producing two daily newspapers, the Owatonna People's Press and the Faribault Daily News, plus nine weeklies, biweeklies and shopper publications. The addition of a second KODAK TRENDSETTER NEWS Thermal Platesetter will give the large format printers added capacity and flexibility in meeting deadline schedules. Cannon Valley also added KODAK STACCATO Screening capabilities to its prepress operation.

At Hunter Publishing in Madison, S.D., the PAGE Co-Op member purchased a KODAK TRENDSETTER NEWS 70 Platesetter, KODAK Thermal Digital Plates, PRINERGY EVO workflow system and the Plus version of KODAK PREPS Imposition Software to handle production of the Madison Daily Leader, 20 weeklies, student and monthly community newspapers, as well as commercial printing jobs.

"We attended PAGE Co-Op seminars on CTP and looked at a smorgasbord of options from various companies, but it made sense to us to go with one supplier. Kodak could provide us with the full line of solutions and we feel they are in the business for the long term. We can count on Kodak for tech support down the road," said Jon Hunter, President of Hunter Publishing. "Kodak has a deep bench when it comes to support and they can meet our turnaround times because they understand our deadlines."

Other newspaper printers that have recently added Kodak solutions include:

News Publishing Co. of Rome, Ga., purchased a TRENDSETTER NEWS 70 CTP Device and KODAK THERMALNEWS GOLD Digital Plates. The company prints the Rome News-Tribune and 10 weekly newspapers.

Gold Country Printing in Auburn, Calif., a PAGE Co-Op member, purchased a second TRENDSETTER NEWS Thermal Platesetter, KODAK Thermal Digital Plates, PRINERGY EVO Workflow System and KODAK STACCATO Screening. Gold Country prints the Auburn Journal.

Pomerado Publishing of Poway, Calif., a PAGE Co-Op member, purchased a KODAK TRENDSETTER NEWS 50 Platesetter, KODAK Thermal Digital Plates, STACCATO Screening and PRINERGY EVO Workflow System. The division of Calvert Communications prints a number of weekly newspapers and commercial projects.

Western Communications Inc. of Sonora, Calif., purchased a TRENDSETTER NEWS 50 Platesetter, PRINERGY EVO Workflow System and PREPS Imposition Software. Western prints the Union Democrat.

The Ventura County Star in Camarillo, Calif., purchased two KODAK TRENDSETTER NEWS 100 Platesetters and THERMALNEWS GOLD Digital Plates.

Shivers Trading & Operating Co., which prints The Brainerd Daily Dispatch in Brainerd, Minn., purchased two TRENDSETTER NEWS 50 Platesetters, KODAK Thermal Digital Plates and PREPS Imposition Software.

The TRENDSETTER NEWS Thermal CTP device comes in five models, ranging in speed from 60 to more than 240 plates per hour to suit newspaper printing facilities of all sizes.

The TRENDSETTER NEWS Thermal Platesetter delivers fast, reliable imaging with a standard file format interface for newspaper production systems. It is available with semiautomatic or fully automated plate loading and unloading. The machine to machine accuracy of the KODAK SQUARESPOT Thermal Imaging Heads, combined with the binary nature of thermal imaging, achieves consistent and repeatable halftone dot structures.

THERMALNEWS GOLD Digital Plates meet the rigorous demands of newspaper printing while delivering outstanding resolution for premium newspaper printing and commercial quality printing. THERMALNEWS GOLD Plates offer run lengths of more than 200,000 impressions without postbaking. Rapid imaging and processing, faster makeready and plate reliability gives newspapers extra editorial time, and the clean working, low pH, low consumption developer reduces processing costs.

The KODAK PRINERGY EVO Workflow System helps newspapers deal with last minute changes easily, without causing delays. Based on the latest standards and proven PRINERGY technology, PRINERGY EVO Software delivers exceptional PDF processing capabilities. A flexible PDF workflow featuring proven color management, late stage editing and imposition, and advanced screening options to optimize output on TRENDSETTER NEWS CTP devices, PRINERGY EVO Systems help deliver the end to end automation, speed, control, and flexibility that newspapers need to accommodate tight editorial and ad deadlines and output large numbers of pages more quickly.

KODAK PREPS Imposition Software supports POSTSCRIPT, PDF, EPS, DCS and TIFF source files. It works with all KODAK and many major third party workflow systems. PREPS Imposition Software helps prepress professionals remove even more manual steps from their preferred workflow by providing digital imposition. PREPS Software enhances production efficiency by integrating more thoroughly with various workflows and accepting more than 200 types of file inputs. PREPS Imposition Software also enhances prepress efficiency and enables greater postpress reliability by automatically generating bar codes that can be read by WST and MULLER MARTINI bar code readers.

STACCATO Screening produces high fidelity, artifact free images that exhibit fine detail and more impactful color in newspapers. STACCATO Screening creates images without halftone rosettes, screening moir��, gray level limitations, or abrupt jumps in tone-with no impact on RIPing or rendering time. SQUARESPOT Thermal Imaging Technology enables the fine dot structure of STACCATO Screening to be a reliable and practical solution for newspaper printing and an effective competitive edge for publishers.

KODAK products are backed by KODAK Service and Support. KODAK Service and Support is made up of more than 3,000 professionals reaching more than 120 countries. It is a leading multi-vendor integrated services provider, delivering consulting, installation, maintenance and support services for the commercial printing, graphic communications, document imaging and data storage industries. KODAK Service and Support professionals are uniquely qualified to provide services that control costs, maximize productivity, and minimize business risk.