The rise of digital printing at drupa 2008 versus production inkjet at drupa 2016

Drupa 2008 saw the breakthrough of digital printing: systems with a larger format than A3, faster production speeds and, certainly as important if not more so, lower cost per print. Star of the show undoubtedly was the HP Inkjet Web Press which wsas announced as a thermal inkjet device with a width of 6,2 cm and a speed of 112m/minute. Impika from France, now a Xerox company, introduced its iPress 150 for black and a spot colour and the iPress 600 for full colour. These inkjet presses had a width of 47,4cm and speeds of up to 150 m/minute. Impika used Panasonic Drop On Demand piezo electric printheads. Printheads would become more important on the way to drupa 2016. The possibility to place the heads next to each other, to use more paper types and the increased printhead lifetime became the manufacturers´ sales advantages.

Printheads at a good price
The secret of digital presses are the printheads. Not only manufactured by independent companies such as Xaar, but also by Kodak, Fuji, Panasonic and Konica Minolta. The difference between the printheads, apart from the technology to release the ink drops, is in characteristics such as drop size, drop placement and the possibilities of detecting and replacing faulty nozzles. These costs can kill you, and they are not always clear before buying a system.
A lot has changed in printhead technology since drupa 2008. At drupa 2016 the manufacturers will definitely emphasize characteristics such as durability, print quality and media choice of their printheads. Media choice and print quality can be easily judged. The other factors depend on the trust in the manufacturer and getting a really good, watertight contract.

Everything can be printed at drupa 2016
With the latest inks and UV curing really everything imaginable can be printed. More than 200 suppliers of digital presses will prove this at drupa. This has made inkjet the disrupting technology predicted by the experts. Inkjet was quick to enter markets such as labels, packaging, book production and direct mail. With the availability of a B1 format digital sheet press print shops are next. How receptive print shops will be depends largely on their investment plans, but also on the automated offset presses which are trying their best to catch up. With shorter make-ready times, less make-ready sheets and a higher peak production many print shop will stay with the traditional print technology which may suit their business culture better.

Digital printing as venture investment
Investing in digital print is not without risk. Even if the supplier´s warranty and guarantee is good, or if the supplier is willing to help with the financing it is still quite daring to invest.
Important is the role of the banks. How do they view these new print technologies. Are they willing to work with the shorter depreciation and the lower rest value of the digital presses compared to offset presses. Manufacturers such as Heidelberg who now do their own distribution, installation and service seem to do well. They have a good brand and will go far to keep and increase their market share. They also have the advantage that they will show both at drupa and are able to offer a range of both technologies. New kid on the block is Landa who will show three types of presses for three market segments. And Landa wouldn´t be Landa if they didn´t have a solution for nanotechnology which can rightly be called a venture investment.