Screen (USA) has held open houses for customers before, but a daylong gathering on June 25 marked the company’s first technology event specifically for the trade press. Approximately 40 visitors turned out for Media Day 2012 at Screen’s corporate headquarters in Rolling Meadows, Ill. Attendees included representatives of international print publications, online news sites and graphics industry professional associations.

Coinciding with the founding of Screen (USA) in June 1967, Media Day provided the perfect venue to showcase equipment advances that are securing the company’s future in digital printing systems while also celebrating its roots. President Mike Fox summarized Screen’s impressive string of technological milestones in digital prepress and printing systems as a lead-in to established and brand-new digital imaging devices. Fox’s comments gave a preview of the live print demonstrations to come later in the program.

A highlight of the event was a series of brief testimonials presented by users of Screen technology. Screen invited the leadership of several printing companies from different markets and geographic regions to share success stories about Screen Truepress inkjet printing systems and PlateRite computer-to-plate (CTP) units.

Wes Sanders, president of Sebis Direct Inc. in Bedford Park, Ill.; Arlindo Santos, director of Fast Solutions in São Paulo, Brazil; and Alexandre Batista, vice president of marketing and operations at Print Laser in São Paulo, Brazil, described the excellent growth their companies have experienced in transactional and transpromotional printing as the result of installing Truepress Jet520 Series color inkjet web presses.

Russ Brock, president of Specialized Output Printing in Waukesha, Wis., and Emily Williamson, president of Franklin Imaging in Columbus, Ohio, discussed the quality and versatility of the Truepress Jet2500UV grand-format inkjet printer.

Michael Simon, executive vice president of Publishers Press in Shepherdsville, Ky., related the publication printer’s long history with PlateRite thermal platesetters. Most recently, Publishers Press installed the PlateRite FX870II flexo imaging system and the PlateRite HD 8900ZX, Screen’s fastest automated offset CTP recorder.

Kern Cox, a lecturer and researcher at Clemson University’s Sonoco Institute of Packaging Design and Graphics, recounted the findings of a study of Screen’s Flexo Dot Hi-Res Hybrid Screening. Flexo Dot is a system of halftone dots designed for flexographic, letterpress and packaging printing applications. The intent of the study was to benchmark Flexo Dot’s 4,800 dpi screening technology against Screen’s conventional 2,400 dpi resolution.

“Our analysis focused on tone reproduction and visual evaluation of highlights,” Cox said. “Flexo Dot allows the user to make a plate with very little adjustment to the curves.”

Printing demonstrations conducted in the 12,000-square-foot Demonstration Center emphasized the high performance and superior quality of Screen’s Truepress line. Attendees saw live jobs printed on the Truepress Jet520 and Truepress Jet2500UV, as well as on the two newest models, the Truepress Jet W1632UV flatbed inkjet printer and Truepress JetSX sheetfed inkjet press. The Truepress Jet W1632UV achieves print speeds up to 1,011.8 square feet per hour. It prints detailed images with a maximum apparent resolution of 1,200 dpi for signage that is intended to be viewed close up. The Truepress JetSX features complete variable data and duplex printing on coated and uncoated cut sheets up to 20.8 x 29.1 inches. It handles thicker paper package material, coated board and cardboard up to 23.6 mil. thick.