Since it was founded, Presstek's strategy has been built on making it easier to operate a printing press. Reduced run lengths and makeready times have driven the company's innovations and, as a result, Mark Sullivan, group product director for digital printing, says its products are akin to a "giant laser printer".

With its direct imaging (DI) technology, Presstek has been firmly in the B3 market for some time but, this year, the company has signalled its intention to take a step up. Its latest product, the 75DI, is aimed squarely at the B2 market and Sullivan reckons that this press gives the market what it's been crying out for - a DI press that's a little bigger.

"The market has been driving us in this direction," he says. "They have asked for more flexibility and the kind of efficiencies you get from a larger press."

Prior to the last Ipex, Presstek signalled its commitment to the DI market with the 52DI. It was considered by some in the industry to be a risky launch - Heidelberg had recently announced plans to scrap its DI programme altogether and the digital market was beginning to eat into litho's run lengths more cost effectively. But, as another Ipex looms, Presstek appears to have proved the doubters wrong by not only developing the DI technology, but also pushing into a market that has plenty of established litho players. Some might say it's a bold move - the manufacturer is now playing with the big boys.

Sullivan argues that the offering is strong enough to compete. "We're selling on makeready as you have more and more jobs that are looking for 24-hour turnaround. Alongside that, there is greater demand for quality colour and shorter run lengths," he adds.

Best fit
As for run lengths, Sullivan says the machine fits a particular requirement. "When you move beyond 2,000 to 5,000, you have a litho curve where the cost per copy goes down," he explains. "We fit between the curve of around 1,000 and just under although after that you're pretty much splitting hairs."

The big message from Presstek is that the 75DI can slash production times. Sullivan claims that it can take around 10 minutes from a "job to hit your hard drive to having sheets coming out of the press". In addition, he says a job-to-job changeover time, including imaging, takes as little as six and a half minutes.

"What's happening in the market is that jobs are expected to go out on the same day," he adds. "DI has an edge as it's imaging on the press - you don't have to keep going back to pre-press. This gives us a significant advantage."

Running at a speed of 16,000 sheets per hour (sph), the 75DI is based on the traditional tower design, which opens up the option of a fifth or sixth colour plus coater. The traditional litho design is also a contrast to its sister DI products, which have a smaller footprint.

Shared elements
But the 75DI does share some features with the DI family. Its waterless technology means that, according to Sullivan, more time is freed up and there's less makeready waste, which enhances its environmental credentials. "It's about ease of use," he adds. "You don't need to find the ink and water balance on the press. It also takes 20 to 50 sheets to get up to colour- that's a significant cost saving."

Presstek says its first generation DI technology also boosts the quality of the colour. The 75D prints at 300 lines per inch (lpi) and Sullivan says this gives it the edge over litho rivals in the B2 market, which are traditionally 75-200lpi. It also means that the press can print a wide variety of applications.

The applications it can handle are stretched further by its substrate flexibility. "It goes from onion skin to board stock," says Sullivan. "It can be coated or uncoated. This is different from on-demand digital presses, which are more limited in what they can print on."

The maximum sheet size is 788x600mm and the machine's price depends on configuration - for a base configuration of four colours it will cost around $800,000 (£519,000). The plan is to make the press commercially available in the fourth quarter of 2010.

"The response so far has been really positive and we have high hopes," says Sullivan. "We've also been surprised at some of the names that have shown interest."

However, some rivals in the market claim that the press may not get the foothold in the B2 market that it needs.
"I think DI technology is a bit on its own," says one industry insider. "Many in the B2 market have invested in CTP and I can't see them taking all that equipment out to install a DI press. It is probably a machine that's better suited to a print shop that has digital presses, but has previously had to farm out work to litho printers."

The 75DI is mixing it in a highly established market and alternative models are from manufacturers that have more than just a toe in B2 waters. In addition to the Heidelberg, KBA and Ryobi machines are the recently launched Komori Enthrone 29, the Mitsubishi Diamond 1000, the Shinohara 75 Series and the Sakurai Oliver 75. Then there's the fact that
digital is also making inroads into the B2 market. For example, Fuji's Jet Press 720 is aiming to push the boundaries of digital technology even further.

Visitors won't have long to find out for themselves whether the DI technology can compete with some of the more established B2 players. A five-colour Presstek 75DI will make its debut at next month's Ipex and it will feature again at Graph Expo in October.

Critical response
In response to criticism, Presstek argues that without pre-press the savings for a printer are substantial. It says that cutting makeready time and waste mean that it's a lean and green press - two qualities that are essential in the running of a successful print business.

It will be interesting to see how the market responds to this sell. Some rival litho manufacturers have already questioned exactly how much more cost effective DI technology really is.

It's clear Presstek has a battle on its hands if it's going to take on the might of some of the more established products in the market and, with digital press manufacturers likely to show their strategies for pushing into B2 soon, there a chance that the market could become a bit crowded. But Presstek argues that in the 75DI it has a product that nestles nicely in between the two technologies. Time will tell whether B2 is a healthy market for DI or a step too far

Specifications
Max number of units 10
Max sheet size  788x600mm
Min sheet size  279x200mm
Max stock thickness  0.6mm (optional thickness
 of 0.8mm)
Max running speed  16,000 sheets per hour
Price  $800,000 (£519,000) for  a base configuration of  four-colours
Contact Presstek Europe
 020 8745 8000
 www.presstek.com