DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY, Jan. 17 - A new series of S-Class branded KODAK NEXPRESS Digital Production Color Presses leads the list of innovations, productivity and feature enhancements, and workflow applications Kodak is bringing to the digital printing market.

The KODAK NEXPRESS S-Class Presses, including the KODAK NEXPRESS S3000, S2500 and S2100 Digital Production Color Presses, offer up to 5 color digital printing capability at speeds ranging from 2,100 to 3,000 sheets per hour, or 70 to 100 A4/letter pages per minute. Bringing a new level of modularity to the digital production color market, the new S-Class NEXPRESS Presses offer flexible front end options, input and output accessories, unique security application capabilities and onsite upgradeability. These offerings enable print providers to deliver unique applications, drive more print volume and grow their businesses.Modular features of the new presses include input feeder options with up to 11,000 sheet capacity, collation capability of up to five different media, and both cut sheet and roll fed paper on the same press. Output options support multiple high capacity deliveries, as well as an inline or near-line booklet maker. A near line KODAK NEXGLOSSER Glossing Unit can add a high gloss finish for surface protection and an attention grabbing professional look.

Using the unique imaging technology of the NEXPRESS Platform, new security focused applications are being introduced. These offerings include Magnetic Ink Character Recognition, or MICR printing, which enables print providers to develop secure TransPromo documents, including a check, from blank sheets instead of using pre-printed shells. Kodak's proprietary variable data microprinting enables the addition of secure information to documents such as checks or coupons. In addition, static and variable data watermarking using the KODAK NEXPRESS Fifth Imaging Unit Solution enable another form of security to be applied to documents. These applications provide new capabilities for print providers to offer differentiated services to current users or expand into new market spaces to boost their print volumes.

As part of Kodak's philosophy of enabling print providers to leverage their press investment, NEXPRESS S-Class Presses can be upgraded onsite to add color imaging units and input/output options, as well as to increase output speed. The enhancements embodied in the award winning S3000 are now available to the other presses in the S-Class lineup as well.

"The S-Class NEXPRESS Digital Production Color Presses allow print providers to make the full transition to digital printing from a traditional offset operation, or to complement their existing offset printing lines with the unique capabilities of the NEXPRESS Presses," said Steve Fletcher, General Manager, Kodak Electrophotographic Printing Solutions, and Vice President, Kodak's Graphic Communications Group. "The new S-Class NEXPRESS Presses offer the most productive and reliable print engines in the NEXPRESS family of products so commercial, transactional, photo or in-plant print providers can produce high value, short run and/or variable data jobs with the consistently high image quality and productivity they need to grow their daily print volume-and their profitability."

Three new front ends increase productivity, compatibility

Concurrent with the introduction of the S-Class NEXPRESS Presses, Kodak brings an extensive line of front end systems to NEXPRESS press users that fit seamlessly with the widest range of workflow applications. The KODAK NEXPRESS V, Vcs and Vp Front End options allow print service providers to integrate and optimize their workflow based on their specific applications and the patterns of their clients' business.

Built on a scaleable open architecture, the KODAK NEXPRESS Front Ends allow users to manage workflow, press and service functions from a centralized workstation using superior color management tools for color reproduction on press.

The KODAK NEXPRESS V Front End offers one to three node scaleability for maximum processing speed. With its native Adobe PDF print engine, the NEXPRESS V Front End is compatible with PPML/VDX and Postscript, as well as PDF. The RIP technology and supported industry standards make it easy to accurately produce complex applications.

KODAK NEXPRESS Vcs Front End adds new capability and compatibility with Creo front end digital workflows currently in place in many data intensive printing environments. The system supports VPS, PDF, Postscript, CT/LW PPML/GA, and other formats. Designed for data centric providers like direct mail houses and transpromo printers, NEXPRESS Vcs Front End offers print drivers for both MACINTOSH and PC systems for maximum compatibility with printers' current systems. The availability of these print drivers makes it possible for print providers to maintain their current workflow even in a mixed digital printing environment.

Geared to the photo services market, the KODAK NEXPRESS Vp Front End offers a two node system for high productivity and file integrity when working with image intensive documents. NEXPRESS Vp Front End offers a faster disk drive with RAID capability, photo unique ICC color profiles, and the ability to scale up to three nodes for complex file processing and even greater productivity. 

All three NEXPRESS Front Ends include the KODAK NEXPERT Operator Support System, which supplies both press management and diagnostic capabilities.

New inline input and output accessories for KODAK NEXPRESS M700 Digital Color Press
Small to midsized print providers will enjoy the additional input and output capabilities they can offer their customers when they add one or more new accessories to their KODAK NEXPRESS M700 Digital Color Presses.

Producing short run digital color work efficiently while incorporating variable data and inline finishing can be challenging for smaller print houses, noted Fletcher. "With a broad range of accessories that offer high capacity delivery, stitching, saddle stitching, booklet trimming, punching, and enhanced color management, printers can reduce steps in their workflow while offering many more options to their customers," he said. "The result is higher productivity, more automated functions, faster turnaround, and the ability to meet tight deadlines with high quality finished work-which lead directly to greater profits for printers."

The new accessories include:

KODAK NEXPRESS M700 Feeder Module: Increasing the press's capacity by 4,000 sheets, the module includes three paper trays-two that hold 1,000 sheets and one that holds 2,000 sheets. All three feeders can handle sheets of 7.16 inch (182 mm) x 7.16 inch (182 mm) to 13 inch (330 mm) x 19.2 inch (488 mm) paper at 64 to 300 gsm. This increases the total paper capacity of the press up to 10,000 sheets. Press operators can maintain continuous operation by loading paper while the press is running.

KODAK NEXPRESS M700 Finisher: With the ability to stitch documents up to 100 sheets thick, the finisher provides two output trays for a total capacity of 5,000 sheets. The device can stitch through paper with weights of 64 to 300 gsm, and can either double stitch or stitch the upper and lower corners.

KODAK NEXPRESS M700 Booklet Maker: Large and small saddle stitched booklets can be created with two to 20 sheets (up to 80 pages). Like the NEXPRESS M700 Finisher, the booklet maker can handle 64 to 300 gsm paper stocks.

KODAK NEXPRESS M700 Booklet Trimmer: Available as an attachment to the saddle stitching accessory, the booklet trimmer face trims the document. It can trim through up to 40 sheets, and its accompanying output tray can hold up to 30 booklets.

KODAK NEXPRESS M700 Puncher Unit: This device can punch two hole and three hole positions through paper weighing 64 to 200 gsm.

KODAK NEXPRESS M700 Cover Inserter: Ideal for inserting preprinted cover sheets into saddle stitched jobs, the unit comes with two inserter trays that hold 200 sheets per tray.
KODAK NEXPRESS M700 High Capacity Delivery: An additional high capacity delivery can be added to the standard M700 configuration with one delivery unit. This increases the capacity by 6,000 sheets for a total of 12,000 sheets.

"With this broad range of accessories, more print providers can choose the NEXPRESS M700 Press and make the move to digital color with confidence, knowing that they will be able to grow their business by meeting client demands and exceeding their expectations," Fletcher said.