Canon has revealed the latest evolution of its ImagePress cut-sheet toner press line, the 100ppm V1000, which it says improves quality, consistency, media flexibility and productivity for an extended range of commercial work.
Appearing to be more evolution than revolution, the ImagePress V1000 clearly addresses a number of issues that customers have experienced with the mature toner technology. For sustained high productivity, a new transfer technology is said to ensure even colour distribution with no risk of sticking when switching between media weights on-the-fly. The ability to do so, in order to produce premium applications such as banners, brochures or booklets, is facilitated by a Multi-drawer Paper Deck in conjunction with the POD XL and bypass trays.
A new fixing technology controls the temperature of the fixing belt, allowing a consistent 100ppm print speed across a wide range of media types and weights, from 52 to 400gsm and including synthetic and magnetic media. A two-step registration correction enables duplex printing of banner sheets of up to 1300mm in length. Remote alerts for low consumables levels and the ability to change media, toner and toner waste while the press is running should make unscheduled stops unnecessary.
A spectrophotometric sensor is built in to automate press calibration and adjustment without requiring offline quality checking to maintain colour quality. An optional Sensing Unit can detect prints that do not meet registration or colour settings and can automatically adjust and maintain these parameters throughout the print run. Print quality is further supported via a system that cools the paper immediately after fixing, reducing the possibility of waste via warping, sticking or bricking if jobs are left standing. The positions of the secondary transfer roller and back-up sheet are both variable and change according to media weight, creating an optimum path for each type.
Canon claims that the V1000 has the most compact footprint of any mid-volume digital production print engine, at under 3sqm, suiting environments where space is at a premium. The press is also designed to have a minimal environmental footprint, with Energy Star and EPEAT Gold certifications, the latter a global rating system for ‘greener’ electronics. Other waste-reducing features include the ability to detect media mis-matches before printing, as well as the on-the-fly registration adjustment. A choice of Canon PrismaSync or EFI Fiery DFEs allows for detailed job inspection before printing.
Joe Courts, head of product marketing at Canon UK & Ireland commented, ‘The ImagePress V1000 raises the bar on productivity and can handle a very broad variety of media for unlocking extra potential. By responding to the needs of our customer base, we have brought a fresh perspective to digital toner press design, exploring innovative ways to tackle everyday production headaches and helping print businesses to work better, faster, with more scope to offer their customers creative print products.
‘Packed with features that overcome common challenges for print businesses, such as productivity, media handling, versatility and quality, the ImagePress V1000 can take on a wider variety of print jobs and meet more demanding timescales. By ensuring consistently high productivity and building in more automation for great print quality with minimal intervention, we’re freeing up operator time for our customers, enabling their expertise to be channelled into creating value for clients and developing the business in new directions.’
Availability and pricing for the new model was not stated by Canon.
