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PRINT 17 Preview

Running from September 10 to 14 in Chicago, Illinois, PRINT 17 is to feature new technologies and services from more than 450 exhibitors. Below are some of the highlights that will be on display at the trade show, which takes place every fifth year as a larger version of Graph Expo.

Earlier, show organizers also announced 44 Must See Em products that will be at the trade show.

Fujifilm
This September, Fujifilm highlights the North American debut of two presses: the Acuity LED 3200R and the Inca Onset B1 format press. The Acuity LED 3200R is a superwide format roll press in a CMYK configuration with lower LED energy usage. Fujifilm explains users can double efficiency by leveraging its twin roll printing function with two 60-inch (1.52 metre) media rolls. The Acuity LED 3200R saves time, media and ink on backlit applications using a high-density mode and an LED lightbox for proofing while printing.

The Inca Onset B1 format press, built on the same platform as the Onset X Series and the SpyderX, has been developed to offer high-quality, short-run B1 print for those operating in the offset, screen and industrial printing markets.

HP
HP highlights the Indigo 12000 B2 press and the HP Latex 3600 series. In May 2017, HP introduced the new HP Latex 3600 and 3200 printers based on technology first launched in 2009.The 3.2 metre HP Latex 3600 and HP Latex 3200 printers support higher volume printing and an improved monthly duty cycles. The HP Latex 3200 is geared toward PSPs that want to produce a range of applications like retail/outdoor advertising, events/exhibitions, vehicle graphics and interior décor.

The HP Latex 3600 is designed for larger PSPs needing long-run, uninterrupted printing. It can handle production peaks of up to 35,000 square metres per month and is well suited for dedicated application production, such as banners, backlits, wallcoverings, and retail or event signage. The new HP Latex 3600 and HP Latex 3200 printers offer a tiling mode. The company explains users can save up to one linear metre per roll using the HP Latex Media Saver, while a single operator can manage up to four printers simultaneously. HP will also highlight its PageWide 8000 with the PageWide XL Advanced Suite of software.

Messagepoint Inc.
Messagepoint Inc. will be highlighting its cloud-based content management platform, Messagepoint at PRINT 17. The software makes it possible for service providers to cost-effectively respond to the customer communications management needs of their enterprise customers and meet the evolving requirements for omnichannel print and digital customer communications.
 
By providing an intuitive and secure environment for business users to directly own and control touchpoint messaging content and business rules, Messagepoint makes a high level of collaboration possible. Using Messagepoint, enterprise customers can create, modify and approve customer messaging content and targeting rules in customer touchpoints across all channels through a cloud-based application prior to production. Visitors to the booth can also learn more about Messagepoint Inc.’s Production Partner program that allows service providers to resell Messagepoint directly to their customers or use it as a managed service offering on behalf of their customers.

EFI
EFI highlights its new Productivity Workbench, which provides an actionable Web-based intelligence dashboard with one-click real-time access to task-based, customized, business-critical data for all six of EFI’s Productivity Suite workflow products.

The company also highlights its new version 5 of the EFI Fiery Color Profiler Suite. It includes a Printer Match module that now offers gray-balanced G7 calibration to set presses to a near-neutral state before profiling them so that the appearance of printed output matches across multiple presses. The new version of EFI Fiery Impose software features Dynamic Gangup Imposition automation, which gives users the ability to calculate row and column values to maximize usage of a sheet surface for a given digital print job. It allows users to reduce the number of templates and hot folders they need to create by establishing automation and re-using workflows for impositioning based on media size.

Baumer hhs
Baumer hhs highlights its Xtend³ as its new controller, launched at drupa 2016. Featuring a 21.5-inch touchscreen, the system centralizes all information for the extrusion gluing, hot melt and the array of quality control devices available. Embedded in the system are help menus that also feature videos to make it easy for the operator to either troubleshoot or seek technical information. The system can be configured to collect the production data required by the customer and can be connected to the network to allow remote access for troubleshooting. All of the current Baumer hhs sensors are supported by Xtend³.

Launched in conjunction with the Xtend³ system is a new piston pump, which the company describes as greatly simplified by eliminating the regulator features pressure on demand for reliable high pressure extrusion gluing. The design is also maintenance free with no oil required. Baumer hhs is also highlighting the aerto gun that is pneumatically controlled, works with a range of adhesives and features strong cut off to minimize tailing.

Konica Minolta
Konica Mintola highlights the Accurio Press C6100 as its new flagship toner press. The 100-page-per-minute press features the new IQ-501 Intelligent Quality Optimizer, a fully automated inline, closed loop quality management system. It provides automatic colour and density control and front-to-rear registration. A built-in spectrophotometer allows for colour-matching to industry standards such as G7 and Gracol. As well, MGI Digital Finishing Solutions will highlight the JETvarnish 3D and iFOIL for digital embossing and hot foil stamping. It eliminates the need for films and dies, producing jobs from one to thousands of sheets.

Komori
Komori highlights the Impremia IS29 press, which features a UV inkjet architecture to print on a range of stocks. Komori explains this allows the system to be used for commercial printing and packaging applications. As a 4-colour system, the Impremia IS29 provides single- and double-sided printing, rated by the company to run at speeds of 3,000 and 1,500 sheets per hour, respectively. The press handles a maximum sheet size of 585 x 750 mm, with printing areas of 575 x 735 mm (single-sided) and 575 x 730 mm (double-sided).

Standard Horizon
Standard Horizon highlights its BQ-480 as the newest product in Horizon’s line of perfect binders. The BQ-480 features set-up and changeover for variable book production, where it reaches a maximum speed of 800 books per hour for book-of-one production, supporting book thicknesses from 0.04 (1 mm) to 2.56 (65 mm) inches. Designed to meet the requirements of PUR book binding, the BQ-480 includes a gentle elevator delivery system with a 5-mm drop to deliver books without damage or marking.

The company is also highlighting Hunkeler’s POPP8 machine generation, released in 2017, for high-speed inline finishing of inkjet printing systems. Building off of the POPP6 line, POPP8 modules on hand at PRINT 17 include: the WM8 Web Merger, CS8 Rotary Cutter, SE8 Offset Module, LS8 Stacker and WI8 CIS-based Web Inspection. POPP8 systems can be configured near-line or inline with print engines.

Making its North American debut at PRINT 17, the new StitchLiner Mark III features expanded booklet size and increased productivity of up to 6,000 booklets per hour. The system can produce a range of applications, including landscape-size booklets, 12 x 12-inch calendars and pocket booklets down to 4.5 x 3 inches. The StitchLiner Mark III provides automated setup, including stitching head settings, with no manual adjustments required for book thickness at the trimmer.

GTI Graphic Technology
GTI highlights its iQ Soft Proofing Systems designed to make precise visual comparisons between a computer monitor and the proof or print. An iQ enabled viewing system provides repeatable accuracy based on a specially designed light sensor, the iQ. The handheld iQ light sensor wirelessly communicates with an iQ compatible viewing station and captures the brightness level of the monitor. This data is automatically communicated to the iQ viewing station where it is used to calibrate the light level of the viewing station to achieve an optimal match to the luminosity of the monitor. iQ proofing is included in the desktop SOFV-1xiQ and it is available on EVS and VPI viewing stations, and on overhead luminaires.

GTI is also highlighting Executive Viewing Stations like the EVS D50 colour viewing stations which include electronic ballasts with Graphiclite T8 fluorescent lamps to produce strong light evenness, rear-wall illumination, and enhanced energy efficiency. A print bar and LiteGuard II, which displays lamp warm up, lamp hours, and remaining lamp life, is included. EVS viewing stations are available with a variety of storage options. Flat file sets consisting of eight drawers or two-door storage cabinets can be used alone or combined with one deep or two shallow file drawers.

Ricoh
Ricoh highlights its new Pro C5200s and Pro C5210s that produce colour and black-and-white documents at up to 65 and 80 ppm, respectively, reaching VCSEL resolutions of up to 1,200 x 4,800-dpi. Along with optional oversized media support, the Pro C5200s works with medias of up to 360 gsm simplex and 300 gsm duplex at 13 x 19.2-inch standard format. The optional oversized media support provides a 13 x-27.5 inch format.         

Ricoh is also highlighting the Pro C7100 X Series as a 5-station toner-based press with the ability to print Clear, White, and now Neon Yellow Toner. Also on display, the Pro 8200 Series includes black-and-white multi-function production systems for high volumes. The Pro 8200 Series can print up to 96 pages per minute.

Zünd
Zünd highlights its Zünd Design Center (ZDC) as an Adobe Illustrator plug-in to create packaging and three-dimensional displays from folding carton, corrugated cardboard, honeycomb/corrugated display board, ACM, PP and PVC.  Now on version 3.0, ZDC provides a library of templated designs. The software includes a 3D preview tool to consider measurements, logos, patterns and other graphic elements.

Zünd is also showcasing the versatility of its M-2500 cutting systems, which provide modular tool and material-handling options for a range of cutting needs. The G3 flatbed cutter is qualified for industrial use and multi-shift, 24/7 operation.

Avanti
Avanti is highlighting Slingshot’s Mail and Postage Accounting module to manage and streamline mailing processes. Designed to reduce the effort required to consolidate postage receipts, payments and reporting, the module allows users to analyze mailing activities by account, department, project or postal class, as well as generate postage reports based on a specific date range for a customer.

Avanti is also highlighting Slingshot’s Scheduling Reservation System, which allows employees to reserve press time before the receipt of a confirmed sales order to communicate the earliest possible date of completion to the customer before their commitment.

The company is also highlighting Slingshot’s Wireless Warehouse Management tool designed to be implemented in a warehouse location with the addition of wireless scanners that report back to the Avanti Slingshot Inventory modules. Avanti is also highlighting Slingshot integration with Avalara AvaTax, which allows print shops to calculate sales tax automatically for estimates, sales orders, and invoices without the need to maintain tax tables within the Avanti Slingshot database.

Amazing Print
eCardBuilder Version 5.2 is to be released at PRINT 17 and will have a multilingual interface with more products. Amazing Print explains the new version of the Web-to-print design engine eCardBuilder 5.2 will feature 100 new products and thousands of additional templates as a free upgrade to current users. Some of the new upgrades include new template creation functionality, new language support for multilingual Websites, new image editing capability and image cropping and resizing improvements.

The tool’s improved mobile optimized interface will allow ordering and designing on any smartphone or tablet device, while desktop users will benefit from increased speed and better aesthetics. A new version of APIs will allow deeper connectivity in popular shopping carts and Websites. eCardBuilder users can additionally upgrade to a PosterDesignerPlus+ Web-to-print poster designer and ordering interface based on eCardBuilder framework directly from Canon Canada.

Aleyant
Aleyant highlights its cloud-based software including PrintJobManager, an estimating, pricing and production management tool to create selling prices from material, equipment and labour costs. It enables pricing controlled in one location to provide instant pricing for orders whether through an online store or via a mobile device on a sales call. Pricing information is then pushed automatically to Pressero, a private B2B and public B2C online storefront, which instantly updates pricing for items in your storefronts.

When there is a price change for raw material, labour or equipment in PrintJobManager, this change will automatically update within Pressero storefronts. Also when an order is placed in Pressero, it is automatically pushed into PrintJobManager, helping users manage job production, including time-tracking capabilities. Within Pressero, users call sell standard or off-the-shelf items, custom items via either the built-in eDocBuilder online design templates or customer supplied artwork. Fulfilling orders from finished goods, including tracking inventory levels, is also supported.

Accura MIS
Accura highlights version 5.01 of its MIS and Accura Online 5.03, which are both now available. These upgrades are free to all existing customers. Features of these two updates include contact to office linking, social media features for your company and users, revamped quote template library, new proofing synchronization settings, purchase order copying, Accura UI theming, new client and supplier payment terms, invoice output, and enhanced CRM integration. Major new features in Accura Online 5 include fully responsive UI, Website themes with interchangeable widgets, customizable main menu system, administrator dashboard, client branding, and multiple product images.

manroland web systems
manroland web, while having no live equipment, is focusing on its expansion beyond the standard web offset market. The includes highlighting the VARIOMAN packaging press, with the VARIOMAN f:line packaging press officially launching for the public in North America at PRINT 2017. This offset-gravure press produces printed films, working with the combination of variable sleeve offset printing units, a corona treatment, EB or UV drying, and gravure printing units with dryers. This allows films to be printed with high quality and variability.

manroland web is also highlighting its PECOM-X software with Inline Controls and the plugins WorkflowBridge, MasterQ and Imposer. WorkflowBridge is a JDF-based fully automated pre-setting and processing program, while MasterQ is for job management and Imposer for automatic imposing. PECOM-X automation and press controls software provides tools for startup and cutoff waste, registration, colour, density, dampening and tension control. These tools can be retrofitted on non-manroland presses.

The company is also highlighting its FoldLine and FormerLine digital finishing systems, which have more than 20 installations worldwide. FoldLine is a flexible-format folding and finishing line, while FormerLine is a book-block finishing line for inkjet work. These systems can finish a variety of products at inline speeds up to 1,000 feet per hour, and also efficiently produce micro-jobs or book-of-one jobs.

Colter & Peterson
Colter & Peterson is highlighting the E-Cut series, a new economy line of paper cutters, as well as a 45-inch SABER paper cutting system with automated knife adjustment and a 31-inch PRISM paper cutter. Both the SABER and PRISM will be demonstrated with the 15-inch Microcut PLUS Cutter Control System, which provides a programmable touchscreen and new software with enhanced graphics for converted JDF files. The added graphics program is colour coordinated, allowing the operator to see what they are cutting so they can determine what to keep and what to throw away. Other benefits include microcip and microfacts features, where programs are uploaded from the network connection with a USB device using CIP3 and CIP4 files. No additional hardware or software is necessary.

CHILI publish
CHILI publish highlights new features of CHILI Publisher, an online document editing tool. This includes a new server rendering module that operates five times faster. All major features (text wrap, drop shadow, blend modes, variables, text layout) are fully HTML optimized. The updated rendering ties in with an improvement in the HTML editor loading speed. The Input Method Editor (IME) goes HTML, which allows any data to be received as input. Browser-based users of Latin keyboards can now also input data from languages that use more graphemes, like Chinese or Arabic. On handheld devices, users can deploy the numeric keypad or the screen display to show the data. It also enables speech to text on iPad.

RMGT
Graphic Systems North America (GSNA) is highlighting its RMGT 9 Series long perfector press at PRINT 17. The RMGT 928 perfector at the show will be equipped with the chamber coater, fully automatic plate changer, 55-inch press control display center and LED UV curing, demonstrating 16-page signature production.

Epson
Epson highlights the SureColor P5000 Commercial Edition with SpectroProofer, which is making its debut at the printing tradeshow. The 17-inch desktop production printer incorporates new imaging technologies to provide enhanced performance for the commercial and graphic design, flexographic and proofing markets. Leveraging the 10-colour Epson UltraChrome HDX pigment ink set, the SureColor P5000 Commercial Edition uses violet ink for an expanded colour gamut, to deliver what the company describes as an industry-best 99 percent PANTONE PLUS FORMULA GUIDE solid-coated colour matching.

The SpectroProofer high performance inline spectrophotometer, developed jointly with X-Rite, automates profile creation, optimization and verification tasks for simplified contract proofing. Featuring a refined design, the printer includes a 10-channel PrecisionCore TFP print head that employs a new ink-repellant surface coating, along with improved dust and static control for reduced nozzle clogging and maintenance, and supports printless nozzle checks for time, production and resource efficiency.

Crawford Technologies
Crawford is highlighting its PRO Conductor solution with an interactive dashboard that provides organizations with insights and real-time updates on everything happening within their production workflows, including the status of integrated production hardware and software solutions. The dashboard can be configured for a number of different users, providing self-service and transparency to both internal and external customers.

The company is also highlighting its new PRO Preference Manager as a standalone solution for automating customer preference management for multi-channel communications, including print, digital, mobile Web and ADA accessible formats. Using open APIs, it can be integrated with other business processes and customized for any internal and customer requirements. Crawford is also debuting its QA Suite, which includes both on-premise and cloud-based solutions, as well as modular components for specific document testing requirements, including file comparison, proofing and approval and automated testing.

Duplo
Duplo highlights its DDC-810 Digital Spot UV Coater. The DDC-810 utilizes inkjet technology and gives images depth and raised textures with a gloss varnish. It features a CCD camera recognition system ensuring image-to-image registration and PC Controller software. The DDC-810 is designed for short-run applications. It can process up to 21 sheets per minute (A3) and paper weights from 157 to 450 gsm (coated paper).

GMC Software
GMC Software highlights GMC Inspire Designer for creating, managing and delivering customer communications across multiple channels. GMC Inspire Designer, as part of GMC Inspire, integrates with a print service provider’s core systems, enabling repurposing of existing print-based content to create digital communications.

The software features an omnichannel preview that can simultaneously display on one screen the print, Web, tablet and mobile versions of the communication for quicker testing and compliance.

Memjet
Memjet is debuting DuraLink, which is built around a pigment-based long-life print head. With five times the nozzle-level redundancy, DuraLink print heads do not need to be replaced as often as previous Memjet heads, while also requiring less maintenance and enabling longer print runs. DuraLink print heads provide a 1,600 x 1,585 dpi resolution, while its pigment-based platform can be used for various applications in commercial printing, packaging and industrial printing.

OEM partners can build customized presses that offer print widths from 8.5 inches up to 100 inches, speeds of up to 200 metres per minute (656 fpm), and one to eight colours simplex or duplex.