Features Printing Production Inkjet
Canon Unveils Océ ImageStream 3500

Canon introduced the new Océ ImageStream 3500 as its first full-colour press from its Océ inkjet product range that can print on offset coated paper stocks. The new press will be available from the beginning of 2015. In conjunction with the arrival of the 3500, Canon also recently unveiled a range of monochrome and colour presses.

The company explains the imaging system of the Océ ImageStream 3500, using pigment inks, allows for the elimination of treated paper or special add-ons such as bonding agents or primers to produce high-quality inkjet printing. The new pigment inks are engineered to create finer edge sharpness, less fray and dot gain and increased optical density for a stronger contrast. Canon continues to explain that the perceived colour gamut on low cost standard papers is higher on pigment inks than on dye inks.

The Océ ImageStream 3500 reaches speeds of up to 160 metres per minute  (525 feet per minute) at 1200 x 600 dpi, using flexible droplet modulation for higher apparent image resolution. The press also carries a compact footprint for its class, which Canon describes as a design that is 10 to 50 percent smaller than other similar production systems.

The Océ ImageStream 3500 is driven by Océ PRISMA workflow software with the scalable Océ SRA MP controller and the embedded Adobe APPEengine for the support of a native PDF formats.

“With the development of the Océ ImageStream 3500, there has never been a more enticing and attractive proposition for commercial printers using offset technology to enter the digital printing market,” stated Craig Nethercott, Commercial Print Group Director, Canon UK. “The Océ ImageStream rivals the speed and image quality of offset technologies, such as conventional B2 presses, while harnessing the capabilities of digital printing technology for shorter runs, print-on-demand and variable data for personalization.”

Canon also introduced other colour and monochrome printers last week, including the Océ VarioStream 4000 monochrome simplex/duplex continuous-feed press, with a speed range between 180 to 1,200 pages per minute (ppm). The new Océ VarioStream 7110 continuous-feed toner printer runs at 108 ppm simplex, for entry-level transactional printing. The light production imagePRESS C800 Series cutsheet press, which prints 80 ppm on paper up to 220 gsm, uses the company’s new CV (Consistently Vivid) toner.

Late last year, Canon also unveiled plans for a cut-sheet colour inkjet printer, called Project Niagara, which is still under development.