Inkjet & Digital Printing
HP Enables Increased Productivity with Enhancement Packages for HP Indigo Presses
Tuesday 13. August 2013 - New features for the HP Indigo 5600 and 7600 Digital Presses help customers print more jobs per day using less resources
HP today announced enhancement packages for HP Indigo 5X00 and 7X00 series Digital Presses that will allow print service providers (PSPs) to produce more pages with less effort each month.
The enhancement packages increase the value and improve the return on investment of an HP Indigo press for existing and prospective customers. In addition, HP is also introducing new versions of workflow products and new partner solutions to offer higher productivity at a lower total cost.
“PSPs are constantly looking to improve efficiencies and add new capabilities to remain competitive in the marketplace,” said Alon Bar-Shany, vice president and general manager, Indigo division, HP. “HP continues to invest in its current product capabilities, enhancing the HP Indigo 7600 and 5600 platforms with new features that touch all aspects of the print shop to improve productivity.”
Helping customers increase uptime on the HP Indigo 7X00 Series
The HP Indigo 7600 Enhancement Package helps PSPs improve overall site efficiency, press productivity and application versatility.
New features to improve overall press performance and increase uptime by up to 10 per cent(1) include:
HP Indigo Print Care 2.0, a comprehensive toolset that offers on-press diagnostic and remote support tools. The new version saves users time with a subsystem view that consolidates all tests, diagnostics, troubleshooting and external tools. A scan-and-send capability enables easy sharing of images with remote support. The new Automatic Alert Agent helps press operators quickly resolve print quality issues, minimising costs associated with reprints and labour.
A new set of consumables, including a new charge roller that offers five times the lifespan of the current version(1), new photo imaging plate (PIP) and PIP underlayer for improved ease and time of installation.
Updates to workflow solutions help PSPs process up to 30 per cent more jobs(1) with fewer resources. A new version of the HP SmartStream Production Pro Print Server features a faster raster image processor (RIP) engine and unique scalable architecture to shorten job processing. A new browser-based user interface simplifies the operation of the multi-user system, job streaming and batching capabilities improve productivity, and integrated FOGRA and GRACoL profiles enable fast and accurate colour matching.
A key benefit of the new server is Direct2Finish, a platform for automated and simplified near-line finishing operation. Available as an option for customers using HP SmartStream Production Pro Print Server, Direct2Finish enables automatic submission of accurate job definition format (JDF) instructions to leading finishing devices, reducing make-ready and turnaround time as well as reducing the chances of waste and human error.
“We have been working with HP Indigo presses for three years, and the enhancement packages we have been beta testing for the past two months provides the biggest single end-to-end performance breakthrough we have seen in that time,” said Stephen Frost, production manager, Pureprint Group. “We are achieving consistently high uptime and simple self-diagnostics. We now almost never need to bring in any press service support.”
Additionally, new inline finishing options are available from HP SmartStream partners, including:
Duplo Ultra 300Ai UV Coater, which adds value to HP Indigo prints by applying high-quality gloss, satin or matte coating on a wide variety of applications.
C.P. Bourg Booklet Maker ExPressTM for producing ready to ship booklets. It is comprised of the award-winning Bourg BM-e Booklet Maker and Bourg BCM-e Bleed Crease Module.
The enhancement package also expands application versatility with a new red-fluorescing invisible ink, HP Indigo ElectroInk UV Red, which is valuable for tracking and anti-counterfeiting applications.
In addition, the HP Indigo 7600 is now integrated with a new version of HP SmartStream Production Center, a production management system that addresses the challenges of high-volume, short run digital printing by providing visibility and control of the entire production floor. The new version enhances production visibility and management information system (MIS) monitoring accuracy as well as production flexibility.
The enhancement package is expected to ship in October 2013. All of the new features are backwards compatible with existing HP Indigo 7000, 7500 and 7600 model presses, helping customers protect their existing HP Indigo investments.
Capturing new applications with the HP Indigo 5X00 Series
The HP Indigo 5X00 Digital Press series is a versatile platform ideal for medium volume PSPs with a diverse mix of print jobs. With the HP Indigo 5600 Enhancement Package, PSPs have more flexibility to create high-margin applications.
A new Ultra Thick Substrate Kit enables PSPs to print up to 600-micron (24mil) on opaque PVC materials for production of high-margin synthetic applications such as mono-core plastic cards and additional applications.
The HP Indigo 5X00 series includes a one-shot printing mode, enabling printing of high-value specialty applications on synthetic substrates. For example, lenticular printing can be achieved using the press’ perfect registration in conjunction with Humaneyes Software on a lenticular substrate for effects such as 3D images, animations, movement, morphing and holograms.
These new capabilities are expected to be available worldwide in October 2013, and are backward compatible with existing HP Indigo 5500 and 5600 model presses.
Reducing the carbon footprint of HP Indigo
As a leader in environmental responsibility in the printing industry, HP has established a programme to offset carbon emissions associated with the manufacturing and integration of new generation HP Indigo Digital Presses. Working with the Good Energy Initiative, HP Indigo supports projects in the community that offset the net contribution of carbon emissions from the manufacturing process. As a result, all HP Indigo series three and four presses are manufactured carbon neutral.(2)