Xeikon Launches New High-Speed Printer, Front End, and Toner

Xeikon, a subsidiary of Punch Graphix, has unveiled not just a new Xeikon 6000 high-speed printer”?the successor to the company”?s Xeikon 5000 printer–but also a new integrated X-800DFE print engine and FA toner technology.

Designed for volume markets including direct-mail, marketing communications, auto fulfillment, transactional, and trans/promo, the Xeikon 6000 can also produce backlit signage, wall covering, transfer printing, personalized postage stamps, and P-O-S display graphics. The Xeikon 6000 offers one-pass duplex web printing with a 60% boost in speed up to 160 ppm (versus the 130-ppm Xeikon 5000), 600-dpi resolutions, and variable-dot density. It”?s compatible with media sizes from 12.6 to 20 in.

The printer is able to print on media such as coated or uncoated paper, paperboard, synthetic materials, and label stock, from 40 gsm to 350 gsm or 27-lb text to 122-lb cover stock. Printing speed will vary with the selected media; typical speeds for the Xeikon per media weight range from 160 ppm on letter-size full-color pages for substrates 40 to 170 gsm to 130 ppm for substrates 200 to 250 gsm to 70 ppm for heavyweight 300- to 350-gsm media.

The integrated X-800 DFE (Digital Front End) print engine is modular and scalable, and features open and flexible architecture. The software runs on any PC and focuses on industry standards such as PostScript, PDF, PPML, ICC, and SQL. It is also designed to support future JDF-based digital job tickets. The engine helps minimize downtime by offering “chase”? RIP”?ing (RIP while printing the same job), load balancing, parallel RIP”?ing and compression, and object-based streamer (making optimal use of re-usable objects and allowing full post-RIP imposition). In addition, it offers automatic color calibration; automatic color and front/back registration, post-RIP color adjustment, on-the-fly addition of production data to RIP”?d documents, remote monitoring, Management Information System (MIS) integration, and support for the next generation PC platforms. Uses can also take advantage of multiple CPUs on the same machine by using the X-800″?s multithreaded software.

The print engine offers object-based, high-end variable data support, along with fast and scalable RIP”?ing and global object management. It processes up to 1 million variable-data records and PPML and PPML/VDX files, allowing uses to tackle complex VDP jobs at high speeds. The optional IPDS Controller transforms the Xeikon 6000 into a transactional printing solution that produces fully personalized color documents.

Also new for the 6000 is FA (Form Adapted) dry electrophotography toner, developed over 5 yr by Punch Graphix research in Europe. Xeikon reports that the FA toner features a new dispersion technology, new additives, and new carrier system. The result is a larger color space, more vivid colors, smoother tones, and sharper details. The toner is Pantone-licensed, and offers red, blue, green, orange, white and clear spot colors. Beyond these off-the-shelf spot colors, users can also request a specific Pantone color, custom color, or utilize its specialty toners such as gloss, security, special effects, and extreme lightfastness. Toner can be added on-the-fly and users can choose between 4/4 or 5/5 configurations. Also of note: The toner has been FDA approved for indirect food contact in packaging applications.

The 6000 also offers improved fusing and gloss. Operators can adjust gloss levels to match the paper gloss.

Options include: an OmniVac exhaust system to exhaust heat; a Jumbo Reel Unwinder capable of holding 50-in. rolls weighing up to 1320 lb; a rewinder; an inline book-binding system; a document converter; and a Print Protector.

US list price: $775,000. The full Xeikon 6000 system comprises the printer as well as a standard unwinder capable of holding a 23-in. roll; paper conditioner; fuser and glosser; cutter; and stacker (for roll-to-sheet mode). Xeikon 5000 owners can upgrade their system to a Xeikon 6000 (as well as upgrade to the FA toner) but this requires a factory-upgrade.

XEIKON
www.xeikon.com