EFI’s Automated Workflow Experience

EFI’s Automated Workflow Experience explained in a 3D animation — very nice, great video, lovable job ticket character… A difficult subject explained well.

The system itself is also very nice, BTW. EFI’s automated inkjet workflow solutions help with integrating job submission and production management processes with their VUTEk GS Series printer and Fiery XF RIP. The integrated workflow optimizes and streamlines print production processes and should achieve sustainable cost and process improvements on every job.

It is a complete, end-to-end workflow, from online job submission to print shop management and production. Pace, EFI’s browser-based print MIS solution is known to have specifically engineered to better serve the needs of large format printers.

“When I joined Category 5 (a Canadian full service large format printer),” General Manager Greg Priede says, “it was all guesswork as to whether we were making money with these printers. Everything was done on Excel spreadsheets and accounting software. Customer service would input job data into Excel; the system required that the data be entered twice. Data was again entered by scheduling and shipping, requiring that much of the same data be entered four times, and allowing plenty of room for human error, as well as the inherent inefficiency of such a system. When changes were made to the job, it was almost like a scavenger hunt tracking down the job history as recorded in different locations by different employees.”

The video (a series, actually).

New Xerox EX Print Server has HD text

The new Xerox EX Print Server, which is powered by Fiery, for the new Xerox iGen 150 Press, is said to be a break-through combination in commercial print. Using Fiery System 10, the Fiery Driven Xerox iGen 150 provides users with advanced capabilities to produce high-margin print jobs including personalized communications and packaging.

The Fiery EX Print Server adds new levels of image quality with the introduction of Dynamic High Definition Text and Graphics.

Dynamic HD Text and Graphics is a new capability that is available only in the EX Print Server. It gives operators the ability to print with superior edge and text quality for all colour and saturation levels. The ability to produce text and graphics in high definition helps differentiate printing operations in a highly competitive marketplace.

The Image Enhance Visual Editor (IEVE) is a new version of a fully integrated plug-in application, which offers quick, on-the-fly correction for individual images including the ability to enhance the tone, colour and sharpness of any photo in a document.

Read more here: http://printing.it-enquirer.com/2012/05/18/new-xerox-ex-print-server-powered-by-efis-fiery-for-the-new-xerox-igen-150-press/

Offset printing slowly overtaken by superwide format inkjet

EFI VUTEk recently announced a new superwide roll-based HS100 Pro is a 3.2 metres wide hybrid digital UV printer. It handles up to 100 beds or boards per hour (50 boards in P-O-P mode). It’s when you see the output specifications, that you realize these are quite exceptional for such a printer.

This new printer comes with true greyscale technology and up to 8 colours. Combined with what EFI VUTEk has dubbed “Pin & Cure” technology, the HS100 Pro can lay down ink at very precise locations for a high image quality with a wide colour gamut, better gloss control and fewer artifacts.

Read more here: http://printing.it-enquirer.com/2012/05/09/efi-vutek-launch-offset-approaching-digital-inkjet-press/

and here: http://w3.efi.com/Vutek/Products/HS100-Pro

EFI thinks print isn’t dead yet — new announcements at Las Vegas Connect

Strange as it may seem, but EFI — the developers of the Fiery Postscript RIP (remember Postscript? Used for accurate colour rendition of digital images on paper) — doesn’t seem to believe print is dead. The company just announced a number of quite exciting new features and products.

These innovations span the breadth of the company’s offerings from the new cloud-based Fiery Dashboard to the VUTEk HS100. The latter is a new category in speed and quality digital press that promises to transform the analog superwide screen printing process. Also, customers attending Connect will hear for the first time about EFI’s new inkjet printer operating system, named “Orion,” which is promising to unlock more capabilities of current and future EFI inkjet presses.

Read more on IT Enquirer.

Drupa: HP unveils first 75cm-format HP Indigo

HP introduced 10 digital printing systems that are said to offer print service providers (PSPs) greater versatility, productivity and quality. The announcement includes the first 75cm (29-inch) HP Indigo press and higher-speed HP Inkjet Web Presses.

The product page can be found here: http://h10088.www1.hp.com/cda/gap/display/main/index.jsp?zn=gap&cp=20000_4041_19__

Some quick figures:

  • Monthly duty cycle: up to 2.2 million sheets
  • Printing speeds: 3,450 sheets per hour 4/0; 4,600 sheets per hour 3/0 in Enhanced Productivity Mode; 1,725 sheets per hour 4/4; 6,900 sheets per hour 1/0
  • Max paper size: 29.5 x 20.9 inches (75 x 53 cm)

Super wide format inkjet: UV LED Curing

Some wide format and super wide format inkjet printer manufacturers are moving to UV curing using photopolymer chemistry. They move away from solvents containing VOCs (volatile organic compounds) requiring large, power hungry curing devices — furnaces.

The distinct advantages of UV LED curing over UV curing using traditional mercury lamps are manifold. The environmental factors alone are considerable as the inherent dangers in the building, handling, and disposing of a hazardous substance are well known. An interview we conducted at a small signage service provider in the Netherlands led us to believe that having a “green” printer by itself is good for the business.

Studies have also shown that in certain applications, replacing mercury lamps with UV LED lamps can lead to considerable CO2 reductions. In addition, the true Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) when taking into account cooling, venting, and maintaining mercury based systems versus UV LED based systems shows that 50-75% can be saved over the system’s useful life. 75% savings is also what the interviewee in Holland told us about.

More on UV LED curing in the printing section on IT Enquirer.

The interview will be uploaded shortly to YouTube and Vimeo. The signage firm uses an EFI VUTEk GS3250LX.