Yesterday we had a good meeting with EskoArtwork that I highlighted Monday. This morning, we went to Agfa’s headquarters and this afternoon to Punch Graphix. For the full announcements, make sure to visit WhatTheyThink.com’s main news page. (Belgium is a beautiful country. Here are pictures from around the hotel I am staying at in Ghent if you are interested.)

Below are items that I found most interesting from their announcements.

Agfa

New products will include:

:Azura TS, Agfa's new ThermoFuse-based chem-free thermal digital plate;

:Azura V, the chemistry-free digital plate for violet platesetters;

:Avalon N, a new thermal imaging CtP series available in 8-up and VLF formats;

:Apogee Suite, Agfa's new workflow solution;

:Anapurna XLS, a new addition to Agfa's wide-format UV printers;

SYNAPS, a new high end synthetic paper;

I was most interested in the :Dotrix Modular, for flexible packaging, folding carton applications and label printing, and the :Dotrix Transcolor, for transpromo printing. Agfa says the :Dotrix Modular is the first digital press that can handle the media mix with sufficient adhesion and a cost-of-ownership that allows run lengths of up to and over 15,000 running meters.

The :Dotrix runs with UV inks at 24 m/min. It will be increased to 30 m/min and even more in coming years.

“Our industrial inkjet presses help printers in the packaging market increase their versatility and accomplish the work they need to do to satisfy their clients faster than ever before. drupa gives us the opportunity to promote our expertise in this technology with professionals from dozens of countries around the world. The:Dotrix will show attendees how our industry-leading research and development continually takes digital printing to new levels of quality, efficiency throughput and reliability.” Willy Van Dromme, Sales & Marketing Manager, Inkjet, Agfa Graphics


Punch Graphix

basysPrint UV-Setter 400 and 800 series

Punch Graphix showed a new generation of modular platesetters for UV plate exposure: the basysPrint UV-Setter 400 and 800 series. Printers can choose between semi- and fully automatic versions, with single or multiple cassettes, automatic slip sheet removal and press-ready punching. A manual solution is possible. Various automation modules can also be retrofitted as upgrades to a system already installed on the customer's premises at any later date. Unbaked negative plates achieve run lengths of 400,000 and more. With a positive plate, the company says this figure can be boosted to over 1.5 million impressions.


“The new UV-Setters of the 400 and 800 series set new benchmarks for CtP. They are based on the proven basysPrint CTcP technology and implement the manifold strengths of automation for newspaper production. The new models are also ideal digital CtP systems for both small print businesses and larger companies. Cost savings are already to be expected from an annual plate consumption of 4,000 square meters upwards. With the automation solutions, we are reacting to demands expressed above all in larger print enterprises.” Wim Deblauwe, CEO of Punch Graphix

The Xeikon 8000

Punch Graphix showed the Xeikon 8000 printing at a speed of 230 A4 pages per minute and true 1200 dpi imaging quality. The Xeikon 8000 uses optimized dry toner electrophotography and two in-line densitometers and process algorithms ensure color consistency over time and in-between presses. It handles more substrates with widths from 320 to 512 mm and a 504 mm imaging width. The Xeikon 8000 allows 2-up A4 and 3-up A5 printing.

“With the Xeikon 8000 we target the well-established commercial print market as well as the direct marketing and fast-growing transactional printing markets. The commercial power of transactional documents is vastly increasing since personalized full-color documents lead to faster and greater response. As the market standard in variable full-color digital printing, the machine adapts easily to the degree of personalization desired by its customers. Combined with the X-800 digital front-end and Xeikon's trademark One-Pass-Duplex functionality, the Xeikon 8000 ensures data integrity and delivers rich, accurate colors, making for an ideal solution to provide fast, precise output at top image quality.” Frank Deschuytere, Chief Technology Officer Punch Graphix.