TOKYO -- Miyakoshi Printing Machinery Co., Ltd. and Ryobi Ltd. have jointly developed a 6-up, 29-inch liquid toner-based digital printing press. It is the world’s first digital sheetfed press in its class capable of B2-size printing at up to 8,000 sheets per hour.

The new press will be exhibited as a pre-market model at the Miyakoshi booth (Hall 9, Stand A04) at drupa 2012, the world’s largest international print industry trade fair, to be held May 3-16 in Dusseldorf, Germany. Ferrostaal markets and sells RYOBI® printing equipment in the U.S. and Canada.

“This ‘next generation’ printing press is a significant milestone in Ryobi’s 68-year commitment to innovation and the success of printers worldwide,” said John Torrey, president of Ferrostaal Equipment Solutions North America.

Digital printing technology has been attracting wide interest for its ability to handle short-run variable data printing with short lead times, and a variety of digital presses are already on the market. But traditional offset printing technology still offers many advantages over digital printing, including higher printing quality, lower running costs, faster printing speeds and the ability to handle long-run jobs.

This has led to strong demand for a new type of press that combines the strengths of both technologies. Responding to that need, Miyakoshi and Ryobi jointly developed a new type of digital press that enables high-speed printing on media as large as B2 size with quality comparable to that of an offset press.

The new press combines the 1,200 dpi high resolution and ultrafine particle liquid toner electrophotographic technology Miyakoshi demonstrated on a Web press at drupa 2008 with the high-speed sheet feed technology Ryobi has perfected for its sheetfed offset presses.

Through offset transfer of ultrafine particle liquid toner from a photosensitive drum to the media, this new digital press is able to offer high printing quality comparable to offset printing. Although recent advances have been made in commercial inkjet printing quality, this high level of quality is not yet achieved with an inkjet system.

In addition to short-run printing applications such as catalogs, posters and packages, the new B2-size liquid toner-based digital printing press is also ideal for high-quality, large-size variable printing.

Based on the response it receives at drupa 2012, preparations will move toward its market release.

Specifications of the pre-market model to be exhibited at drupa are as follows:

Printing method -  Electrophotographic

Resolution -  1,200 x 1,200 dpi

Toner formulation Ultrafine particle liquid toner

Toner supply device - Independent toner supply device (with automatic toner density adjustment function)

Fixing method - Infrared dryer + fuser roll system 

Max. printing speed -  8,000 sheets per hour

Max. paper size - 788 x 600 mm (31.02 x 23.62”)

Min. paper size -  410 x 290 mm (16.14 x 11.42”)

Max. printing area - 765 x 580 mm (30.11 x 22.83”)

Paper weight - 64 - 360g/m2 [max. paper thickness = 0.4 mm (0.016”)]

Feeder pile capacity -  800 mm (31.50“)

Delivery pile capacity - 900 mm (35.43”)