Article prepared by C. Clint Bolte, C. Clint Bolte & Associates, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. For additional information please call 717-263-5768, fax 717-263-8945, or e-mail to clint@clintbolte.com.

DRUPA 2004 - Part I:

Technology Barometer for Print & Media

Pre-DRUPA trade press articles hyped the theme for this world trade show as the JDF or Networked DRUPA, the symbiotic melding of IT and steel via the CIP4 bridge. The expected 370,000 worldwide visitors scouring the 1,862 exhibitors from 52 countries occupying the 1.7 million square feet in 17 halls at the Düsseldorf, Germany Messe (Convention Center) may agree with that theme. But regardless of the computer integration maturity of the visiting printers, there were amble product and process innovations to excite every industry participant. Heidelberg listed 50 innovations introduced at this DRUPA while MAN Roland cited 70 innovations for their sheetfed and web lines. Despite the lackluster global economy of the recent few years, virtually every major manufacturer showed the results of their continued 7-10% average of annual revenues reinvested in research and development for future product enhancements and new technologies.

While many exhibitors were demonstrating this networking throughout their booth, the magnitude of the networking permutations and combinations quickly became overwhelming. Those visitors concentrating on a few selected ranges of subjects could take the actual tours of thirteen different topics, which easily ranged over several halls. Examples of these topical tours included JDF, digital proofing, digital printing, large format printing, packaging production, and UV technology. This seemed to be much more effective than the classroom seminar tutorial methodology used in the US at Graph Expo.

A noticeable difference between this and recent DRUPAs was the unusually solid optimism expressed by both European and far eastern suppliers. Only days before the opening of this 14-day show was the celebration in nearby Brussels, the European Union capital, of the expansion of the EU from 15 to 25 countries. While these newest ten member countries represent only about 35% of the total GDP of the EU, the longer term economic prospects for manufacturers and suppliers is certainly upbeat.

On the other hand European printers, and particularly those in Germany, are very concerned as the labor costs of these new EU colleagues is a fraction of the old western European countries. For example, the Federation of European Employers reports that German industrial labor costs are 21.31 euro/hour, same costs across the original 15 EU at 17.77, and comparable costs in the new EU countries of 3.31. This is 15% of the German labor costs and less than 20% of the established EU labor costs.

While the US is concerned about job loss to China, Bangladesh, et al, the higher probable job loss within the expanded EU is comparable to New Jersey printers losing work to West Virginia or Iowa printers due to labor cost differential. Relative cost equilibrium is expected by some economists to be achieved within the EU in a generation or less. In the meantime it's a new ballgame as the fences have been taken down. What does this mean to North American printers? I surmise very little to Canadian printers as NAFTA has seen exporting print volume approaching 40% of total volume. This is proof that the Canadians have learned how to service clients quite effectively from hundreds and even thousands of miles away. Larger US printers with multiple plants across several regions have similar customer service and logistical infrastructure expertise in place. The medium-sized US regional general commercial printers are rarely comfortable in dealing with clients beyond a couple hundred mile radius of their shipping dock. For this significant niche of service providers the ability to work with clients at great distances away is a distinct problem or opportunity. Help may be on the way.

The growing demand for global print partners is being recognized particularly by the packaging industry according to Mr. Geert de Vries, Principal of the Dutch consulting firm Adviesgroep Grafimedia. A formative group of independent consultants gathered at DRUPA to begin the process of developing a worldwide network of Consultants for Printers. When a new product roll out has been successful in a regional market, the packaging or fulfillment printer can now contact this network of consultants throughout the world to find out the names of local printers in a market half way around the globe that will be compatible with the digital workflows to continue the product or kitting roll out. Some of the early consultancy members and their URLs are grafimedia.nl in the Netherlands and Dutch speaking Belgium, ird-online.de and t-online.de in Germany and German speaking areas, mertel-consult @ hetnet in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, aeberle @ bleuwinich in Switzerland, and clintbolte.com in North America.

The CIP4 international consortium, comprising 220 member companies, released the 1.2 version of Job Definition Format. This contains over 650 additions and clarifications to the global JDF specifications. They also introduced the Interoperability Conformance Specifications (ICS) concept. The ICS provides the minimum standard for individual classes of devices, i.e., image setter, press, binder, and how they are expected to handle JDF and JMF. Mr. James Harvey, Executive Director of the CIP4 Organization, commented, "ICS will later be used for certification testing of JDF-enabled products." The complete updating of pre-flighting is one of the more extensive additions to JDF. On-going updates can be taken from cip4.org.

Part of the printer's possible confusion of this goal of interoperability and connectivity may be born of the different alliances that have been set up for primarily marketing, not technological reasons. For example, PrintCity was formed at DRUPA 2000 as a non-Heidelberg link-up of JDF-enabled systems and machines. They wanted to counter Heidelberg's claim that the best interconnectability was only available from a single source responsibility. Similarly the Networked Graphic Production (NGP) group was organized by Creo as a non-Agfa/EFI/Heidelberg CIP4 compatible consortium.

Print MBA Program

A new distance learning print-media MBA program for the working manager was announced as a Print City initiative with the co-operation of the internationally renowned Manchester Business School and Europe's leading print-media university, HdM Stuttgart. The program is expected to be a four-year curriculum with one year totally internet-based and then three years with a series of 4-6 day residential sessions several times a year. The first semester will start July 2004 with 122 candidates in the first class. Additional information may be obtained from the websites of printcity.de, hdm-stuttgart.de, or mbs.ac.uk.

Pre-production and Prepress Announcements

Digital proofing systems are almost exclusively inkjet based with more vendors offering soft-proofing options. For example, DALiM DiALOGUE™ announced their Version 3 as both Mac OS X and JDF enabled. Users view high resolution files such as PDF, PDF/X, PostScript, TIFF, etc. via the Internet without the need for client software. Clients can zoom in, take densitometer readings, chat in real time, or leave virtual notes.

The DALiM LiTHO64 is the industry's first 64-bit desktop application. This is intended for high content applications where individual file sizes regularly exceed 4GB. It is often experienced in the security and cartographic print sectors.

One of the recognized market leaders in the packaging field, Esko-Graphics, participated in the JDF Parc with eighteen other vendors with the introduction of its Scope™ workflow software. Scope's databases and processing resources can be easily configured through web interfaces, standardized JDF or XML links with ERP, plant management or other business systems. Scope adds capabilities for project coordination, digital asset management, distributed proofing, approval, and collaboration among the entire supply chain of stakeholders.

Esko-Graphics also introduced its 4-up computer-to-UV-plate (CtUP) system capable of imaging conventional pre-sensitized plates with UV light. This will be available first quarter of '05 at an expected investment of 99,000 Euros ($120,000).

Spotless™ printing was launched by Creo to all printers to reduce dramatically the use of special inks in the pressroom. Accurate predictable color on press is achieved by utilizing Creo's Squarespot™ technology coupled with color management theory. For example, utilizing standard CMYK + RGB (seven press units) assures that all spot colors can be achieved, which is so important for packaging applications. The use of CMYK + orange + blue can achieve the same certainty for general commercial printers utilizing six unit presses.

Creo's new ThermoFlex™ wide computer-to-plate device with its new sleeve imaging option addresses many of the challenges of irregular seam printing forms by enabling flexographic printers to image seamless photopolymer sleeves as well as digital plate-on-sleeve applications. This system minimizes sleeve manufacturing costs and cycle times while increasing flexibility needed in addressing substrates of differing size and thicknesses.

Some of the most advanced, scalable, high speed register control devices on the market have been developed by QuadTech and tested first hand at QuadGraphics on their offset and gravure web presses. Their "MiniCam" scanning head technology is used on low-contrast marks running at high speeds. These new MiniCam heads use the low-cost, long-life LED light source. Their compact size allows heads to be positioned where registration is most critical. They are sensitive to (1) transparent or reflective substrates, (2) "invisible" coatings such as glues & varnishes, (3) marks for inline applications, such as embossing. They can be retrofitted to many existing Autotron systems and have a new mounting system to facilitate fast changeover.

Considering all of the problems that the USPS is having with the basic registration functionality of the MERLIN units, it is a shame that QuadTech did not get involved, or was invited to become involved, with the original RFP design of the MERLIN unit. It is this writer's opinion that this was a huge missed product opportunity for QuadTech and the mailing industry.

Sheetfed Lithographic Presses

The major manufacturers showed three distinct trends to benefit the full spectrum of customers by size of press and product specific enhanced efficiencies. First, small format presses were shown with automated plate loading with specialty packaging options to include UV drying, foil printing, and even in line die cutting. Second, the medium format presses are following the earlier lead of their big brothers in coming out with long perfectors - 10, 12, and even 15 print units. And finally, the normally staid large format presses are seeing a boom in fully automated, XXL sizes. On these behemoths an inline slitter cuts the printed sheet in half lengthwise in the press. This slitter saves the needed recapitalization of finishing to match the larger format and offers some unusual efficiencies in the fields of book publishing, blank paper conversion, packaging printing, corrugated board, and display printing. Increased efficiencies in-line finishing, and value-enhanced production covered all three format categories.

The entry level Roland 200 was shown with an automated plate changing option called Ergonomic Plate Loading. Ergonomic is for the improved paper waste to be experienced. New low maintenance, carton guides are provided to improve the printing of full solids on thicker substrates up to 0.8 mm.

Cold UV interdeck drying on the Roland 500 avoids the extreme heat stress normally associated with UV drying. There is no ozone formed plus the Seccomatic Blue lamps have a life 2.5 times as long as the customary UV lamps.

Inline die-cutting, embossing, and cold foil laminating are a wide range of inline enhancements on the Roland 700. This option requires two printing units. One of units contains the Roland InlineFoiler Prindor carrying glue on a plate, which adheres, to foil in a cold application that is laminated in the second unit.

The "flying plate change" concept proven on web presses is now being engineered for sheetfeds. The Roland DirectDrive™, applied solely to all plate cylinders, allows for parallel plate changing and simultaneous blanket wash up. An example is a black plate for language version "X" running on unit 5 being swapped out for the plate running language version "Y" on unit 6 with no downtime. Unit 6 is disengaged, made ready, and then geared in on the fly.

To thwart the issue of high initial investment, MAN Roland is offering the financial management service they call "life cycle management." If a prospective buyer would consider the total labor, waste paper cost, spare parts, plant expense, and all consumables over a ten year life of a new press, this expense would approach five times the original investment. The latest generation of presses would conservatively expect to save 20% off that decade long expense. Interestingly enough, if that same concept were applied to digital presses, which are often experiencing only a 2-3 year life expectancy due to being obsoleted by their manufacturer with the next generation of technology they want to sell, the total life cycle costs might be sobering.

RWE, the German energy conglomerate and owner of Heidelberg, announced their desire to put the rest of their ownership in this manufacturer on the market. Competitors were wagging with speculation since Heidelberg has already gotten out of the digital printing business and is expected to spin off their web division later this summer in response to down sales and profits during the recent worldwide recession. Considering Heidelberg's dominant market share of 45% of all sheetfed presses sold in the world, it is this writer's opinion that clients, competitors, and the overall printing industry are liable to simply witness more focused attention by this key supplier to their long held, primary expertise and market niche.

Among the 50 innovations promised for DRUPA, Heidelberg showcased their Speedmaster XL 105. Humming at 18,000 sheets an hour and aimed at the longer run label and packaging market, this large print format of 74 X 105 cm (29.1" by 41.5") claims increased productivity of up to 30% due to its contact-free sheet transport and unusual coating application.

Double-sided dispersion coating was shown on long perfectors in the SM 102 range. The 8 and 10 unit long perfectors are ideal for printers experiencing at least 70% product share of perfecting work as 4/4 or 5/5.

Shown in the Cito booth was a Heidelberg SM 52-4 on which CD covers, presentation folder, and self adhesive stickers were produced via an inline Cito die cutter installed on the fifth unit.

KBA, long on engineering expertise with a passionately loyal client base, generated plenty of its own excitement at DRUPA with eye-popping product enhancements. Directed primarily to the packaging market and secondarily the specialty general commercial applications KBA specialties have always been in metal decorating, securities printing, oxidative inks with UV offset on plastic and data media, industrial ID systems, and flexo corrugated printing.

Laying claim to the world's largest sheetfed press, the Rapida 205 (80.75"), KBA offered afternoon day trips to its close by poster and display printer client, teNeues, in Kempen. Six or more units are available with an inline slitter running at up to 11,000 sheets an hour.

Linticular printing is a specialty on the KBA Genius 52 with a minimal start up waste of less than 10 sheets. This is so important when this substrate costs as much as a Euro a sheet. A UV version of this press is also available. The world's first sheetfed gravure press was shown as the KBA Rapida 74G™. Their patented Gravuflow™ keyless inking units are again ideally suited to full solid printing on board, plastic, and G-flute substrate to 1.00 mm (as an option).

In the "new technology zone" of their DRUPA booth Misubishi showed the concept application of a reusable plate system (RPS-X1) on their Diamond 16MAX-V web offset press with variable cutoff capability. Neither of these innovations is new except in combination with each other. The used aluminum plate sleeves are removed from the press and installed in the stand-alone RPS unit for washing image off, reapplying a special polymer coating, and then direct digital imaging. This process takes about 15 minutes offline but up to five plate sleeves can be processed concurrently. This means that a completed image ready plate sleeve can be available every 3 minutes. The plate sleeve is expected to have a run length of 100,000 impressions and can be reused twenty times. Variable cutoff sizes are designed to range from 546 up to 625 mm (21.5" - 24.6"). Different diameter plate and blanket sleeves fit over cylinders in a quick change over operation taking less than 2 minutes. Folder changeover from one cutoff to another is fully automated.

Another surprising new technology was on display in the Misubishi booth. In the main theater at the far vortex of the V created by two long presses was a six foot tall fish tank with a humongous fish circling the tank. In walking up to the tank it became obvious that it was not real but a robot. Fashioned after the ancient coelacanth fossil fish this is the first of the "Misubishi Animatronics." The mechanical body is covered with a soft skin of silicone resin. The movements are controlled by radio signal and built-in batteries provide propulsion of 0.3 knots a minute.

I mention this technology for its obvious application to many in the commercial printing industry. With the advent of highly accurate and affective soft proofing, the old practice of clients coming in for press proofs is quickly going the way of this extinct fossil. If these printers would put in one of these fish tanks with their own coelacanth fossil fish, it would give the creatives among their clients an excuse to come by and visit.

Because the robot does not poop up the tank, there would be no labor costs in cleaning the tank out. Plus it would reinforce the printer's image of being environmentally sensitive. This is such a good idea that I think George Ryan, GATF's head fisherman at getting suppliers to donate the latest equipment to the Foundation, should contact Misubishi Animatronics for a loaner fish to be put on display in the Foundation lobby.

I'm on deadline and this is barely half of what I picked up at DRUPA 2004. I'll cover the exciting RFID applications, postpress, digital printing, and web offset innovations in my Part II, which I'll get out shortly.

Article prepared by C. Clint Bolte, C. Clint Bolte & Associates, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. For additional information please call 717-263-5768, fax 717-263-8945, or e-mail to clint@clintbolte.com.