HP PRODUCING 750 BOOKS IN HOUR AT HID

The Hunkeler InnovationDays digital printing expo in Switzerland saw HP is producing 750 finished, bound books an hour, printed from blank sheets and rolls. 

The demonstration brings together HP Indigo sheetfed press and HP PageWide roll-fed printer, with HP’s Intelligent Automation ecosystem. The production line showcases publishing, direct mail and a wide variety of commercial applications including print on demand, greeting cards and photobooks.

Leveraging HP Site Flow, nearline intelligent automation with HP PageWide Smart Workcell Controller and partner technology from Hunkeler, Harris & Bruno, Muller Martini, Ideal, Movigo and Spencer Metrics, the solution produces 750 books live each hour, but says HP, has the ability to produce up to 2,000 books per hour.

HP says it is using the Innovationdays to showcase how its advanced technologies are setting a new standard for digital print production, with what it says is the industry’s ‘fastest end-to-end book production solution ever shown’ at a trade show.

HP Indigo is introducing the next generation of consumable supplies designed to enhance print sustainability and boost productivity. HP says the package of consumable supplies enables HP Indigo customers to reduce waste and CO2 emissions while simultaneously decreasing operator workload, saving time, space, and without compromising the print quality of HP Indigo’s LEP technology.

 The key innovations launched at the digital print show include the CMYK+ with new advancements such as a higher ink solid concentration, the Printing Imaging Plate (PIP+) with a new formulation in two key layers, and the Regenerated Imaging Oil (RIO), in-press recycling system for the ink carrier.

HP says this package increases press availability by reducing the need for replacements with the new CMYK+ and PIP+, saving up to a total of 6 hours per month – freeing up more time to print profitable pages. The use of the new supplies package reduces up to 16 per cent of the carbon emissions from supply consumption for an average job printed on a typical HP Indigo digital press.

Haim Levit, senior vice president and division president, HP Industrial said, “HP is redefining the future of commercial printing through automation, efficiency and seamless integration – empowering businesses with smarter, faster, and more adaptive solutions. Our commitment lies in equipping customers with cutting-edge technology, providing that every print job is executed with precision, reliability, and scalability. By standardising intelligent automation across our portfolio of presses, we are enhancing operational efficiency, and also setting new benchmarks for quality and innovation in the industry.” 

HP PageWide is introducing a smaller, cost-effective new configuration for its HP PageWide Advantage 2200 web inkjet press. The new configuration features a single-zone drying system and a passive web cooling module, allowing print businesses to print mono and full-colour jobs efficiently across a wide range of uncoated and coated applications.

 Designed for print service providers whose primary print offering includes uncoated media, the new configuration offers the opportunity to expand into high-value commercial print applications on offset coated media. While optimising total cost of print, the press has the capability of printing colour jobs at speeds up to 244 metres a minute with PageWide’s new Performance Economy Color print mode.  Built on a modular platform, the new configuration can be upgraded with additional drying and web cooling, to enable print businesses to scale capabilities as their business grows.

“Our customers value the flexibility of the modular HP PageWide Advantage 2200. The digital press enables PSPs to offer print solutions that meet customer needs and growth aspirations for their business,” said Barbara McManus, vice president and general manager of PageWide Industrial at HP. “With the new single-zone dryer configuration with passive web cooling, more businesses than ever can access a unified platform that supports diverse printing applications and differentiate themselves from competitors with high value jobs, all in one easy to upgrade press.”