Heidelberg's XL 75 Anicolor 'digital offset' press has emerged as the cost leader for 29" short-run work, beating out all four-up e-ink competitors in the field. The surprising results were drawn from the Printing Industries of America cost calculator tool, PrintAS, which determines the precise cost crossover point for different job configurations.
Users input relevant job information into the PrintAS calculator, including paper, ink and click charges, fixed maintenance costs, financing, makeready and plates, for the system to spit out an optimal solution. Results have named Heidelberg's Anicolor inking technology as the cost leader for short and very short runs in the 29" format for commercial, label and package printing. According to Joerg Daehnhardt, director of product management, Heidelberg, the results are a sound endorsement of the Anicolor digital offset technology, cementing Heidelberg as the cost leader from as low as 250 sheets.
- Anicolor in the crosshairs
"Confirming the crossover point to Anicolor offset at just 250 sheets is huge news for the industry - and a far cry from other vendor-supplied calculations that claim a crossover at several thousand sheets. That's why we call it 'Digital Offset 2.0'. Get ready ready to be surprised as you do your own calculations," said Daehnhardt.
Initially launched at Ipex in 2006 in the 35 cm x 50 cm format, the XL 75 Anicolor branched out to 50 cm x 70 cm in its world premiere at drupa 2012. For a full breakdown of the test's input data, check out Heidelberg's figures here.
This data can be plugged into the PrintAS calculator to demonstrate just how the XL 75 takes the lead in the digital/offset stakes.