The manufacturer said the B3 machine, which is available to order immediately with EMEA deliveries slated to begin from June, brings the capabilities of the existing Océ VarioPrint i300 to customers with lower volume requirements.
The press is designed to bridge the volume gap between Canon’s imagePress C10000VP 100ppm toner press and the 300ppm i300 inkjet. It is suitable for a range of applications including book printing, transactional, premium direct mail and marketing collateral.
The i200 features the same patented ink, printhead and paper handling technology as the i300, enabling users to print at high speeds on a wide range of media, including coated, uncoated and inkjet treated paper.
Both i-Series models also now feature new paper feeding options to enable users to run tabs and pre-punched stocks.
Additionally, Canon is introducing the option of magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) inks to both models of the VarioPrint i-Series to open up financial security applications.
Documents printed with this ink require special readers to decode the magnetic signals, helping to prevent and detect fraud in financial documents.
Furthermore, the launch of the Océ Prismasync Version 5 controller for both i-Series models is said to offer productivity enhancements as well as improving the interoperability with other Prismasync systems such as the imagePress and VarioPrint 6000 ranges. This makes it easier for customers operating multiple Canon devices to build connected workflows.
Canon UK commercial printing director Craig Nethercott said: “In the UK we are looking to leverage the success of the VarioPrint i300, with five systems already ordered in 2017.
“The launch of the VarioPrint i200 is another example of how we strategically expand the breadth of applications and customers that can benefit from our systems.
“I know that there will be many UK customers who will be eager to learn more about the benefits of the VarioPrint i200 and we’ll be holding active discussions in the coming weeks.”
VarioPrint i-Series presses are powered by Océ iQuarius technologies, which facilitate high-speed inkjet printing on sheet stock. These include precision sheet control, air-assisted paper transport, precise sheet positioning and features that allow controlled drying for flat output and real-time detection and correction of nozzle failures during printing.
A basic VarioPrint i200 configuration without the ColorGrip option - Canon’s spot pre-coat option that enables the device to run a broad media range including uncoated and offset papers - costs approximately 15% lower than a basic VarioPrint i300, which is in the region of £750,000 depending on the final configuration and options.
VarioPrint i200 users are able to upgrade to the VarioPrint i300 for the additional speed if their print volumes increase. ColorGrip, finishing options and extra control options can also be added after the initial installation.
Existing i300 users can also upgrade their machines to add the new paper feeding options and/or the new version of Prismasync.
