HP releases new Indigo presses

HP has announced the release of its latest digital presses: HP Indigo 7800 Digital Press and the roll-fed HP Indigo WS6800 Digital Press.

Alon Bar-Shany, vice president and general manager for the Indigo Digital press division at HP, says the innovations in the new presses come from

listening to its clients. He says, “Our customers are always seeking ways to improve productivity and diversify applications so that they can deliver more value to brands and end customers. The latest releases of our industry-leading portfolio demonstrate our commitment to providing customers with state-of-the-art digital printing technology to meet these needs, while also offering an upgrade path that helps protect their capital investments.”

He adds that the new presses build on the company’s flagship HP Indigo 7000 and WS6000 Digital Press series, which have more than 2,000 installations worldwide. The sheet-fed HP Indigo 7800 Digital Press offers printing directly on synthetic substrates and plastic cards; and new colour management with an inline spectrophotometer. The roll-fed HP Indigo WS6800 Digital Press (pictured above) offers faster turnaround times through automated colour management, a wider frame and new ink capabilities for expanded applications.

HP says its One Shot colour technology means the HP Indigo 7800 can print direct on to synthetic substrates, adding that it prints high-value applications, such as plastic cards, overlays, lenticular applications, point-of-sale and premium postcards. The press supports HP Indigo ElectroInk Digital Matte for spot coating effects on glossy substrates in addition to other special inks, including HP Indigo ElectroInk Invisible Red and Light Black. It also features special effects such as raised print, textured effects and digital water marks.

Arnon Cohen, product marketing manager for HP Indigo, says, “The HP Indigo 7800 provides automated on-press colour management aided by an inline spectrophotometer. This eliminates the need for manual colour manipulations.”

HP says the inline spectrophotometer and colour management tools help to ensure the best possible match to hard-copy proofs, colour uniformity within a page, and colour consistency between presses and sites to meet strict brand guidelines. It adds that the spectrophotometer also streamlines the process for colour standards certifications, such as Gracol and Fogra.

Cohen says, “At the front end, the HP Indigo 7800 has HP SmartStream Production Pro Print Server Version 5, the fastest digital front end available on the market that enhances performance with 30 per cent faster Rip. It also features an intelligent automation feature that helps prioritise print jobs with optimised on-press job sequencing according to job length, media, image types and job priority.

“Also, thanks to backward compatibility, as always, existing HP users will have the option to install these innovations on their respective HP Indigo digital presses.”

HP says its third generation Indigo WS6800 Digital Press delivers the industry’s highest crossover point in narrow-web production versus analogue for the vast majority of pressure-sensitive label jobs. Cohen says, “The HP Indigo WS6800 reduces time spent preparing colour profiles and Pantone colour matching by up to 75 per cent with the new inline spectrophotometer. Using closed-loop control, the spectrophotometer eliminates the need for manual colour calibrations and adjustments.”

The expanded frame width, increased from 317 mm to 320 mm, allows for higher press output and reduced costs. HP says label converters can produce up to 131linear feet per minute in colour using Enhanced Productivity Mode (EPM) and adds that the machine offfers improved efficiency in the converting of shrink sleeves and the high-slip HP Indigo ElectroInk White reduces production steps with single pass sleeve production. HP Indigo ElectroInk Silver gives labels a metallic look similar to UV flexo silver inks and can be used as a spot or base colour on a range of label applications, including paint, automotive, household chemicals, nutraceuticals and soft drinks.

The HP Indigo WS6800 supports the HP SmartStream Labels and Packaging Workflow Suite 4.1, powered by Esko, which provides repeat job control and advanced decision-making tools to help select suitable jobs for EPM. A new, high-definition 223lpi screen provides increased colour gamut space.

HP Indigo has established a programme in collaboration with the Good Energy Initiative to offset carbon emissions associated with the manufacturing of its HP Indigo 7000 series and WS6000 series Digital Presses. It says all the HP Indigo series 3 presses have achieved carbon neutral manufacturing status.

The new machines start shipping this month and will feature at Expoprint Latin America, Labelexpo Americas, Graph Expo and Photokina 2014.

HP expects the Indigo 7800 and WS6800 features will become as optional field upgrades in early 2015.

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