Canon will unveil its varioPRINT iX1700 sheetfed inkjet press, reportedly able to print 170 A4 or 73 B3 images every minute, at Canon Expo in Yokohama and drupa 2024 in Düsseldorf.
With its targeted print volume falling between Canon’s imagePRESS V1350 toner-based flagship and the inkjet varioPRINT iX2100/3200, the varioPRINT iX1700 is designed for heavy production environments. Its 2400 x 1200 dpi printhead and new set of inks are thought to facilitate high-quality print applications.
The water-based polymer inks produce a wide colour gamut due to their highly saturated pigments. After conditioning liquid has been applied to anchor the pigments to the substrate in a thin layer, ink is jetted onto the media with high-colour reproduction.
Apparently, the natural texture of the substrate remains beneath the ink, which allows for the reproduction or migration of applications usually printed offset. The new inks have been developed specifically for the new printhead, and in combination with an air feeding system for reliable paper feeding, it is said that the press is compatible with a range of media.
Skewed paper and horizontal misalignment are rectified by the newly developed registration correction mechanism, which is designed to achieve high image alignment accuracy at high speeds. Printhead maintenance and quality control have both been automated in a bid to maximize productivity, with the printheads containing a mechanism to keep the ink circulating to the tips of every nozzle along a precise flow path – thus allowing for stable print operation.
Operators and service engineers can access the press from the front. It features a window to clearly display the engine’s status, while its PRISMAsync digital front end enables its integration into the Canon PRISMA suite of production workflow software, among others. It also comes with a highly visual user interface and automation features intended to unlock efficient operation.
The varioPRINT iX1700 B3 platform combines Canon’s knowledge of inkjet and sheetfed printing from its R&D centres in Japan, Germany, and the Netherlands. The company aspires to help its customers meet demand for shorter print runs, automate its process for tighter deadlines, and adhere to other trends in the printing industry.
Jennifer Kolloczek, European Planning, Marketing & Innovation senior director, Production Print at Canon Europe, says: “As a global leader in sheetfed inkjet production presses, with more than 600 installations worldwide, and a trusted partner to our customers, Canon is continuously looking to provide innovative, advanced inkjet technology.
“We’re very much looking forward to adding this press to our production offering as our expanded portfolio will allow more print service providers to further streamline their production processes, improve the quality of their printed materials, and respond with greater speed and flexibility to the diverse needs of their customers. For both commercial and in-house print service providers, the varioPRINT iX1700 will deliver these benefits and help printers to expand their services, generate more business and remain competitive.”
The new varioPRINT iX1700 press will be available in the EMEA region from 2025, with additional product details still to be released.
At the same events, Canon will reveal its LabelStream LS2000 water-based inkjet label press for industrial-scale label printing.
ANYTRON presented its compact, all-in-one label and packaging press for continuous label printing and laminating functions, ANY-PRESS, at Labelexpo Europe 2023.
Also, Eli Mahal, head of L&P Marketing at HP Indigo, recently spoke to Packaging Europe about the new HP Indigo 200K Digital Press, which claims to increase speed by 30% and productivity by 45%.
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Also, if you’re interested in packaging sustainability, you will want to attend our Sustainable Packaging Summit in Amsterdam on 14-15 November. The Summit brings together leaders and pioneers from across the industry to align strategically, learn, network, and create a critical mass to accelerate change. You can learn more by clicking here, and you can buy a ticket to attend here.
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