CHICAGO, Oct. 15 -- Kodak’s most productive and feature rich digital black and white production system debuts today at Graph Expo. The KODAK DIGIMASTER EX digital production system builds upon the proven quality, performance, productivity, and flexibility of Kodak’s award winning DIGIMASTER technology to address the demanding needs of print buyers for faster turnaround time, new and creative print on demand documents with quality that rivals offset, and variable data printing and sophisticated finishing. The next generation DIGIMASTER EX digital production system comes in four speeds: EX110 (110 ppm), EX125 (125 ppm), EX138—a new speed model to address a critical production space—and EX150 (150 ppm). Featuring improved job management, robust and user friendly front end capabilities, higher large format paper capacity and fully integrated finishing, the DIGIMASTER EX digital production system helps users grow their businesses by offering applications such as varying sized, saddle stitched booklets, on demand short run books and color integrated workflows. “In today’s demanding and ever evolving print world, print providers need to continually exceed the expectations of their print buyers for differentiation, turnaround time and excellent image quality,” said Paula Balik, Worldwide Product Marketing Manager, Digital Print Solutions, Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group. “The DIGIMASTER EX digital production system enables users to make choices—not trade offs—to deliver attention grabbing, print on demand documents with personalized variable data and sophisticated finishing. In doing so, they become their clients’ print provider of choice for current and future print jobs.” The EX Series introduces a platform of software improvements designed to advance job flow management, streamline operational functions and offer new capabilities. Powered by a new 1.6 GHz process controller with 1 G memory and a tower style design, software enhancements include the ability to transfer paper catalogs between multiple units for quicker set up and consistent catalog management, modify the job print status in the job queue without re ripping the job, email notification to the client of processing or printing status, programmable sample page functionality to monitor image quality, and a larger job manager queue to view up to 150 jobs for greater visibility to client’s job queue. Kodak added expanded small book printing capability in the DIGIMASTER EX digital production system by enabling long edge folding. This allows users to create narrow booklets in addition to traditional sized books folded on the short side. To improve operational efficiency, the DIGIMASTER EX system also offers an optional extended paper supply, which holds 4,000 sheets of large format sheets in all three paper drawers, roll feed attachment directly to the print engine for transaction and /or high volume printing, and a flat panel monitor with adjustable swing, tilt and swivel capability for optimal user viewing. All DIGIMASTER EX models can be MICR enabled with interchangeable toning stations for secure printing capability. New KODAK SMARTBOARD document mastering software, a powerful PDF based makeready production workflow tool, enables greater productivity by saving job setup time, and reducing errors in job reprints by attaching job tickets with content. It is an ideal solution for jobs that require frequent reprinting and repurposing. The KODAK SMARTBOARD document mastering software can drive both the DIGIMASTER EX digital production system and the KODAK NEXPRESS digital production color systems. The DIGIMASTER EX digital production systems build on the award winning DIGIMASTER platform, which provides excellent image quality with fine line text, smooth halftones and dense solids, substrate flexibility across a wide range of media sizes and weights for extensive application reach, and proven reliability with a robust, durable print engine for demonstrated high volume performance. “Black and white printing continues to be the foundation of essential print volumes in the print industry today. The new DIGIMASTER EX digital production system will help printers change the way they approach black and white printing, and grow their businesses by expanding their services to offer new applications and improving efficiencies,” said Balik. “The new capabilities of the DIGIMASTER EX Series System give users significant ability to reduce turnaround time while increasing the complexity of jobs they can produce confidently.” The new DIGIMASTER EX Series System will begin shipment worldwide in October and will be distributed through existing business partners. The current DIGIMASTER 9110, 9110m, E125 and E150 digital production systems will be discontinued. Kodak will continue to service and support existing installations. KODAK products are backed by KODAK Service and Support, Kodak’s worldwide service organization. Named Best Support Organization at the 2006 International Business Awards, KODAK Service and Support includes more than 3,000 professionals in 120 countries. These professionals are fully qualified to help customers control costs, maximize productivity, and minimize business risk.