There has been a lot of industry discussion around the concept of Direct Imaging (DI), and it seems that printers either love or hate the idea. The fact is that some printers, predominantly small players who were often previously involved in the repro side of the industry, have had a lot of success with the technology. A number of experiments to weigh up just how the two processes, conventional and DI, compete against each other. It must be admitted that there was not much in it, and if anything DI is worth looking at as opposed to installing a digital press.
Heidelberg’s exit from the technology in early 2000 probably did a lot to dent the industry wide conception of DI, but speak to the converted, and they would not look back. Screen’s Truepass, KBA’s, Karat, and Presstek’s and Ryobi’s offering to the market, are still making good headway, and overall, for a small printer with a good mixture of work, the benefits are there. If anything it is still a good stepping stone between conventional offset and digital, with benefits in automation that are defiantly worth pursuing, especially in the area of manually putting on plates, something the small offset industry needs to address if it is going to seriously be a contender against digital installations.
The environment
Another area of colossal improvements over the last 20 years is with the issue of the environment, which has become a good selling tool for those who have picked up the baton and run with it. Huge advances have been made across the board in the whole litho process, from pre-press with its Fuji and Agfa process less and processor-less plate making, through to the virtual elimination of alcohol, and energy reduction. It is not limited to within the print factory either, but also its partner in supply, the paper industry, and now Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) and 100% recycled papers are all the rage, as well as vegetable based inks to go with them.
Manufacturers have again been at the cutting edge of the litho process, reducing energy, and indentifying areas where printers can cut emissions and cost. Some printers have gone the whole hog and converted completely too waterless printing, some with very good success, especially when marketing the product.
To be continued…
Peter Harrison is Joint Managing Director of The Printing House Ltd of Crewe, Cheshire, UK.
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