Print Solutions
Digital printing remains a lucrative growth market in the printing industry worldwide. It now accounts for some 20% of the global print production volume and is growing at an annual rate of around 3%.
The latest Versafire generation from Heidelberg offers systematically enhanced digital presses for the commercial sector. The company is thus taking the integration of offset and digital printing to the next level and further strengthening its market position in the digital segment.
‘Our integrated solutions are a must for anyone who is looking to combine offset and digital printing and use them efficiently in tandem. That is because Heidelberg has comprehensive process and application knowledge relating to both these printing methods, which makes us unique in the industry,’ said CEO Dr Ludwin Monz.
Virtually all offset print shops focusing on the commercial sector are already using a digital press. Heidelberg has therefore equipped the new Versafire LV and Versafire LP digital printing systems with an enhanced Prinect Digital Frontend (DFE). In conjunction with a new user interface, this software ensures a flexible, standardised, highly productive, and intuitive combination of offset and digital printing technology. The new generation incorporates integration know how and experience based on the installation of several thousand Versafire digital printing systems for customers located worldwide.
‘With the latest Versafire generation, customers are investing in a further improved overall performance and enhanced competitiveness,’ said Frank Schaum, head of the print solutions segment.
Furthermore, the company has made end to end consistent colour management a particular focal point in hybrid print production. By also ensuring far simpler operation at this particular key point in the process, it is additionally addressing the skills shortage in the industry.
Versafire LP: This is the ideal solution for the cost effective production of larger volumes and/or lots of short runs. With up to a million clicks each month, it is one of the market’s most productive toner based digital presses in the A3 format and gives digital print production a far more industrial thrust. Functions such as automatic register along with calibration, in line colour measurement, and content monitoring ensure maximum reliability in production.
Versafire LV: The possibility of a fifth inking unit and thus a choice of seven spot colours makes this the flexible solution for wide ranging applications in short run printing. Thanks to its impressive level of automation and upgrade options, the Versafire LV offers excellent flexibility and investment security.
Prinect Digital Frontend: This software solution was developed in-house by Heidelberg. The second generation that has now been unveiled is the centerpiece of the new Versafire systems and supports the standardisation of print shop production. All steps, from job creation and preflight checking through to colour management and impositioning, can be automated and pre-costed. Based on the ‘two printing processes – one workflow technology’ principle, the DFE provides the basic software for the complete integration of offset and digital printing into a single workflow.
Ecosystem: Heidelberg digital printing customers have access to an extensive ecosystem that includes consumables, digital services, software, cloud based solutions, training, consulting, inventory management, and logistics and thus benefit from significant added value with just a single contact partner.
In recent years, Heidelberg has established itself on the market as a high performance supplier of digital printing solutions by steadily expanding its digital printing portfolio with the Versafire systems for the commercial sector and the Labelfire and Gallus One digital inkjet systems from the company’s Swiss subsidiary Gallus for the labels market.
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