Offset Printing
Presstek 52DI-UV Press Delivers Results for LSD G.Neumann, Germany
Wednesday 27. May 2009 - Presstek, Inc., a leading manufacturer and marketer of digital offset printing solutions, has installed its first Presstek 52DI-UV digital offset press at LSD G.Neumann GmbH in Hamburg, Germany. LSD, which counts Procter & Gamble and Imperial Tobacco among its customers, specializes in high-end screen printing packaging designs for the food, beauty and tobacco industries.
“Our clients typically require printing on more than just paper,” explains Günther Neumann, Managing Director of LSD. “They often need plastic films and foils. Now that we have installed the Presstek 52DI-UV press we are able to more efficiently service this demand. The 52DI-UV press uses UV waterless offset inks, which allows us to produce high-quality colour work on a much wider variety of materials. For us, the Presstek DI-UV press combines the best of offset, digital and screen printing. Plus, we can now efficiently produce small volumes without an expensive prepress workflow, as is the case with screen printing.”
The launch of the new Presstek DI-UV digital offset presses at drupa 2008 significantly expands the range of applications that can be produced making it easier for service providers to differentiate their businesses, whether it is general commercial work, small format packaging, tags and labels, or point-of-purchase materials. UV waterless inks dry instantly speeding the delivery of the printed productincreasing throughput volumes and giving the DI press owner the ability to respond quickly to customer requests. In addition, superior quality is achieved on uncoated stock and non-porous substrates such as plastics, foils and magnetic media, which are a challenge for other offset printing methods.
Guy Sasson, Presstek President Europe, Africa and Middle East Region, comments: “The Presstek 52DI-UV press installed at LSD was achieved by the very smooth cooperation between LSD management, Presstek distributor Beta Service and Presstek engineers. UV printing capabilities on the highly automated DI press is a potent combination that elevates both quality and ease of operation to new levels. It allows print service providers to make use of all of the benefits of DI digital offset printingspeed, quality and ease-of-usewhile broadening their market reach.”
Savvy businesses, like LSD, are adding waterless DI-UV printing to their offerings because of its well-documented benefits:
Cost-effectiveness – the Presstek DI press targets the fastest-growing segment of the print market: runs of 500 to 20,000 sheets – the strategic gap between production toner-based digital presses and conventional offset. Typically, job profitability is 13 percent higher on a DI press compared to a conventional press. Against a production volume color toner-based digital device, the DI press is even more impressive – on average, it saves 50 percent on average per letter size page, according to research firm InfoTrends.
Faster throughput – no ink drying time on the DI-UV press allows for immediate work-and-turn and delivery to post-press operations, such as folding and stitching. The result: faster turnaround time, especially when printing on plastic and other non-porous substrates.
Superior print quality – 100 percent of the UV ink is applied to the surface of the substrate and stays there after curing. Coupled with waterless printing, this means higher ink densities than conventional offset inks. Dot gain is minimal, resulting in superior printing on a full range of plastics and specialty substrates, including lenticular.
Durability – lightfast inks provide increased durability when printing on foils, vinyls, films and plastics, offering superior scratch and rub resistance with excellent chemical resistance.
Reduced labor and waste – set-up times are reduced and less waste is generated. UV-cured inks dont change consistency or color strength because of evaporation or pH; the ink maintains consistency for the length of a press run. Plus, UV inks dont dry in the ink fountain.