Digital Data Major Issue At Drupa Says Heidelberg

Heidelberg is predicting that digital data transfer and GIP 4 will be areas of paramount interest at Drupa 2004.

Heidelberg is predicting that digital data transfer and GIP 4 will be areas of paramount interest at Drupa 2004.

"Terminology that was once contained within the prepress department is breaking out and the full scale of the riot will be seen at Drupa.

There will be a colour management hullabaloo in Dusseldorf and digital data transfer and GIP 4 networking will be the remembered rally cries from this show.

Prepress data will in future drive printing, finishing and business solutions," said Lance O'Connell, prinect and prepress marketing manager for Heidelberg UK.

Although the concept of linking pre-press to press is relatively established (there are nearly 400 Heidelberg Prepress Interfaces operating in the UK, said the company) there is a migration down in formats from 81 to 82 and 83, similar to the way CTP took hold.

"The trend will continue and colour changes will be made in prepress in future rather than on press with inking and dot gain remotely changed to suit the stocks in use.

We are moving to a more scientific approach even in the smallest formats," said O'Connell.

Similarly, printers who have realised the benefits of transferring data in this way (better quality faster, with less waste on press and speedier make-ready) are prepared to extend those links to finishing and business solutions.

In Heidelberg's opinion, offset litho has learned a more holistic approach to production from digital printing.

Integration has made colour management a more focused issue, a subject that Heidelberg will highlight at the show to give customers ideas on calibrating and working to sustainable standards to maximise efficiency in future.

Proofing will remain but high end, high cost systems are now niche products and more affordable solutions are needed and accepted in the market.

Heidelberg is extending its inkjet options to sell the Epson piezo-based products alongside the established thermal head Hewlett Packard options in its range.

The Metadimension networking software can drive both types of equipment.

"Paper proofs will continue alongside remote proofing in future just as offset litho, direct imaging and digital printing will operate in parallel," said O'Connell.

Heidelberg said it has had huge success with CTP and, with over a decade of experience and a comprehensive range of products and significant market share, it expects to go further.

Heidelberg has already announced that it is to sell the Polysetter, a polyester direct to plate solution, alongside its visible light and thermal' options.

The B3 market is split 50-50 between polyester and visible light metal plates.

An improvement in polyester plates and shorter run print on demand has fostered growth on that side.

The fully automated Polysetter 52 is a visible light internal drum platesetter.

The polyester platesetter has a dual roll plate loading system allowing it to image two different plate sizes (for the GTO 52, OM 46 and SM 52 presses) in either landscape or portrait format.

It has in line register punching and handles plates up to 460 x 550mm (maximum image size is 405mm x 546mm) in four resolutions ranging from 1,200dpi to 2,540dpi.

Plate output is 17 press ready plates per hour at 2,540dpi.

It is driven by the Meta Dimension RIP and has an on-line processor that has a two-bath design with active replenishment that reduces the amount of chemicals and ensures sufficient fresh supplies throughout the day.

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