Digital offset: Direct imaging has continued to be success

Printing-on-demand with direct-imaging printing technology is creating new perspectives and increases flexibility on the market. With direct-imaging technology, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG has successfully gained a foothold on the market. Heidelberg is a pioneer in this field and now has over ten years experience. At IPEX 98, the company presented the Speedmaster 74 DI, in which it managed to transfer the successful design of the Quickmaster DI 46-4 into semiformat. Over 50 Speedmaster 74 Dis have now been installed. DI customers not only comprise classical printers, but advertising agencies, reproduction companies and digital printers. At Laserline Digitales Druckzentrum Berlin, for instance, two DI-46-4s and a 74 DI were combined. This allowed new services to be developed, such as multiple blocks for printing postcards and flyers. This allows even small orders to be profitable. And customers value the flexibility, reliability and speed offered. 1000 new customers were gained within a year. As regards the development strategy for DI, the focus is on optimizing the process chain. Pre-press times are to a large extend optimized via short set-up and production times. The focus of development today is mainly on further processing.