Apr 23, 2007
Digital Color Highlights On Demand
Higher performance, lower costs and better results are spurring migration to digital color
By George Linkletter
Not too long along the High Volume Transaction Output (HVTO) industry was known as HVCO, with the ‘C’ standing for ‘Copy.’ The industry may soon revert back to the HVCO designation, but this time the ‘C’ will likely represent the word ‘Color.’
Digital color is clearly on the ascent in transaction-oriented customer messaging. The continuing shift was evident last week at the On Demand Show in Boston by the array of impressive digital color devices on display.
Vendors are also reporting an increasing number of compelling customer success stories. These cases show that high-volume mailers are using digital color in both transaction and direct mail applications and are achieving remarkable results that help justify the added cost of investment.
Canon
When it comes to print in the data center, Canon has been something of a quiet giant. Until now. Once content to move slowly -- by focusing more on developing superior performance characteristics for the high-volume segment -- the firm has recently and very quietly established a firm foothold at the higher levels of production.
A case in point? Canon’s new imagePRESS C7000VP digital press. Not only does the device produce super color images at high speeds, but it incorporates a mix of Canon-branded and third-party hardware and software capabilities to help users integrate the new digital press into existing workflows, and automate and streamline production processes. Quite a combination: superior quality, easy migration, streamlined workflows.
IBM
Regardless of what you think of the new joint venture between IBM and Ricoh, which is still percolating, the resulting company, called InfoPrint Solutions, has impressive high-speed color capabilities. Chief among them is the IBM InfoPrint 5000 color printing system. This continuous-form, full-color variable data printing system offers speed, quality, reliability and ease of use, and attracted a good deal of attention at On Demand.
The system uses water-based pigment inks, which are designed to resist fading and smearing, and features a unique piezo-electric drop-on-demand inkjet print head technology that assures efficient and accurate color depth. And, of course, it is powered by IBM server and controller technology. The color samples I saw were impressive.
Kodak
Kodak showcased significant entries across its family of high-speed color devices. It’s new, lower-volume entry, the Nexpress M700 Digital Color Press, which utilizes the Canon ImagePRESS C7000VP print engine, won a best in show award from On Demand.
The Nexpress M700 is linked to the Kodak Nexstation front end to ease operator control. The device also features an easy maintenance capability, which Kodak calls Operator Replaceable Components. This OCR capability allows operators to replace certain components, which results in higher uptime, lower costs, and more consistent image quality.
Other entries include the Kodak Nexpress 2100 Plus, 2500 and S3000 Digital Production Color Presses. The S3000 won’t be available until October 2007. HVTO buyers who don’t want to wait until then can acquire the 2500 now and easily upgrade to the S3000 when it becomes available.
Oce
Oce is emphasizing the concept of “job-appropriate” color via its evolutionary VarioStream 9000 series multi-purpose digital printers. These devices are multi-purpose and remarkable because they offer the capability to print black, spot and full color with a single print engine. As a result, users can easily switch back and forth and print either monochrome or color cost-effectively, regardless of the application.
Oce expects customers who are still uncertain about the benefits of color will rely on the VarioStream 9000 series to test the impact of color and assemble an effective color strategy. The devices are viewed as a migration tool, enabling customers to “ease into color” by utilizing color only as needed.
For many customers, the concept of investment avoidance -- not having to incur a huge upfront expense to acquire a digital color press, which may then lie underutilized as the demand for color applications grows -- will be an important incentive and help the switch to color.
Xerox
If you need a concrete example of the continuing shift to color in the customer messaging industry, you need look no further than Xerox and the iGen3. Xerox proudly referenced the recent sale of 24 of the high-speed digital color presses to a single bank in Japan. The fleet is being used to create high-impact ‘trans-promo’ style monthly account statements for Visa credit card holders. It is hard to image that the other credit card processors in Japan won’t soon follow suit.
Another key development for Xerox is the launch of an innovative ‘desktop-to-post’ capability in conjunction with the Australian Post. In this modified ‘distribute-and-print’ business model, the Australian Post is enabling customers to design, print, and distribute transaction, promotion and direct mail pieces directly from their desktop. This prototype of a distributed network employs Xerox DocuTech highlight color systems and DocuColor full color printers for output.
Other notable advances from Xerox involved the family of DocuTech highlight color devices. The improvements centered on image quality, productivity, and the cost of color.
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Comments? Contact: georgelinkletter@charter.net.