The VarioPrint 140 series, which comprises the VarioPrint 115, 130 and 140, will begin shipping in July, with pricing starting from around £35,000 for an entry level machine.
Wayne Barlow, Canon head of graphics & communications business group, industrial print solutions, said the 140 series represents the ongoing development of its monochrome technology, initiated in 2012.
“I think we are the only manufacturer that is reinvesting in monochrome technology. This is a statement of the development and investment we are putting into the technology,” he said.
The new VarioPrint 140 runs at 143ipm (A4) in both simplex and duplex modes, which Canon said makes it the fastest printer in its light and mid-volume production segments and doubles the productivity over the 135, which will now be phased out. The 115 and 130 run at 117ipm and 133ipm respectively. All three machines in the series are rated for print volumes of up to 800,000 images per month, more than double the capabilities 135 series could reach.
The machines have a maximum resolution of 600x2,400dpi resolution and take plain, coated, textured and carbonless substrates of between 50gsm and 300gsm at a maximum size of 320x490mm.
Barlow said: “I would say that there are significant speed differences and throughput differences, from 350,000 copies to 800,000 copies per month, so from a productivity point of view that is significant.”
They also incorporate Canon’s Océ Prismasync 5 controller, which uses remote printer driver technology to enable production planning and job scheduling up to eight hours in advance. Prismasync uses an embedded JDF/JMF interface and has a configurable user interface that allows for audit logging and has back-up capabilities. Barlow highlighted its new remote manager that can be accessed via smartphone, allowing for the monitoring of jobs outside of the print room.
The printers can also be configured with a number of in-line finishing options, including stapling, saddle-stitching, folding, die-punching, inserting, ring-binding and high-capacity stacking, along with an SDD BLM300C bookletmaker, designed for use with Canon’s mono cutsheet printers.
Canon also emphasised the machine’s “no ozone” capabilities, which it said underlines its sustainable positioning in the market.
Barlow said: “We found that the environmental aspects of the device have been really important to us in both corporate and government facilities because of the sustainability.
“If you look at it from a footprint point of view, there is no ozone so users are in a pleasant, cleaner, odourless environment with less heat and most parts can be recycled.”
Last April, Canon extended its Océ VarioPrint i-Series portfolio with the launch of the Océ VarioPrint i200, a 200ppm sheetfed inkjet press. It hailed last months’ Fespa wide-format expo as its most important ever.
