There has been a lot of talk about ink jet technologies at On Demand. Some of the technology is on display on the show floor: both InfoPrint Solutions (Ricoh-IBM's joint venture) and Screen have their Drop on Demand ink jet systems here. Xeikon has their toner-based Xeikon 6000 digital color press on display.

At an information session on high-volume print engines, Kodak, Oce, and Xeikon, Xerox briefed a packed room of printers and analysts on current strategies and technologies, and future initiatives.

Pat McGrew, Kodak's Transaction Segment Evangelist provided a sneak peak at output from Kodak's continuous inkjet-based STREAM Concept Press which Andy Tribute wrote about on WTT in January. The print looked great for a product that is only about 80% complete. According to McGrew, the STREAM Concept Press will be at Drupa, but will not be on the market until sometime in 2010.

Océ's Duncan Newton highlighted the companies JetStream system that uses their newly developed Océ DigiDot Piezoelectric Drop-on-Demand inkjet technology. The samples Newton had on display looked good for being only 1-bit. And while not graphic arts quality yet, Newton pointed out Océ's imaging quality roadmap.

Not to be out done by their ink jet counterparts, both Xeikon and Xerox were touting the ability of toner-based digital presses. Xeikon's Michael Ring pointed to niche application and markets that are can be served by toner-based high-volume digital presses.

Mike Barkau, Special Projects Manager for Xerox's Color Line of Business provided a tour-de-technology of Xerox's "scalable solutions for every print environment." Barkau covered everything from Xerox's flagship Xerox iGen3 to there new continuous feed system: the monochrome 495 and 1300 print engines, and their color systems the 490 and 980 print engines. All of Xerox's new continuous feed use flash fusing which is a departure from the traditional method of fusing toner to the substrate using heat and pressure. Barkau also presented the companies patented Print Line Bus and Multiplex system controls that allows for added flexibility when configuring and managing print engines.