When was the product launched and who is it targeted at? The T400 was launched in March at an open house in Los Angeles, six months after HP launched its 30in T350 web press. With a duty cycle of 130m A4 images per month, it’s targeted at the high-volume market, particularly the book printing, transactional and direct mail markets.

What is its USP? The T400’s 1,076mm (42in) web width and 183m/min speed are its key selling points, according to HP. The firm adds that while the T400 is of interest to producers of large-format work such as broadsheet newspaper pages, the machine’s variable data features and high productivity also enable mass customisation for direct mail and short-run customised books.

Its size has also attracted book printers who work in a range of formats, according to HP. The machine enables printers to fit standard folding book signatures on the web so that the books can be finished using existing processes such as sewn binding. Alternatively, if the press is combined with a Magnum Flexbook, the width of the press can be used to fit a number of books across the web, which are then slit and stacked into blocks for perfect binding. Up to five A4 pages fit across the web. Direct mail printers would typically slit the web in half to present two 500mm rolls to fit standard inserter lines.

How does it differ from HP’s other models? The T400 uses the same 183m/min printheads as the T350, while HP’s mail and publishing category manager Guy Thompson says the T300 is better suited to lower print volumes as its printheads allow it to run at 120m/min. The T300 can, however, be upgraded to a T350 as volumes grow. The 500mm T200 runs at 120m/min for black and 60m/min for colour and is most suited to printers wanting a compact machine that replaces a traditional 500mm mono device as they move towards a white paper solution.

What is the quality like? According to HP, its digital inkjet portfolio is differentiated from other digital presses by the use of a bonding agent. "This gives a much brighter image and is particularly important to use on more porous papers," says Thompson. "The bonding agent is unique to us and we believe that it gives a superior print quality on uncoated papers." The agent is applied to the parts of the paper to be printed on before the separate layers of ink. It works by trapping pigment on the surface while letting the water in the ink soak into the paper and dissipate as the web goes through the dryer.

Is its speed ever compromised? The T400 will operate consistently at 183m/min, says HP, but can be run at a lower speed in certain situations, such as to prevent web break, when feeding very sensitive paper. Another instance where the speed would have to be reduced is for heavy coverage of a heavily coated paper. "For a customer who says for 99% of the time it’s not worth investing in a big drier, they have the choice of running the machine at half speed for the other 1% of the time to get the prints out of the door," says Thompson.

How easy is it to use? "Usually people using the press have used various types of offset presses and they say you do need to go on a course, but that it’s pretty straight forward to run," says Thompson. HP has training facilities in Barcelona, Spain and at Corvallis, Oregon, in the US, which have been newly equipped for this specific kind of training,

What is its sales target? Currently a handful of T400s are being installed worldwide, with two in northern Europe. HP expects that take-up will be similar to that for their T300, which has been installed in around 25 sites worldwide. "It’s a big machine so the market for it is limited to people who have the volume," says Thompson. "We’re not going to be selling hundreds of these in a year."

USER'S VERDICT
"The T400 press truly is converging on offset speeds while providing the benefits of a digital printing environment" (5/5)
James Lucanish President, O’Neil Data Systems

SPECIFICATIONS
Speed 183m/min
Paper width 405-1,076mm
Resolution 1,200dpi
Stock weight 40-350gsm
RIP Global Graphics Harlequin 8.2
Price £4.5m-£5.5m
Contact HP 01344 363368 hp.com/go/graphicarts

ALTERNATIVES
Océ JetStream 3300
Although it has a lower maximum paper width, the JetStream 3300 boasts, according to Océ, lower running costs and better green credentials than the T400. If die-based inks are used, rather than pigment, the amount of water vapour released into the atmosphere is considerably less, says Océ. At less than 9m, it’s also more compact than the 21m-long T400.
Speed 150m/min
Paper width 216–762mm
Resolution 600dpi with multilevel (equates to 1,200 dpi in both directions)
Stock weight 64-157gsm
RIP Océ SRA-MP/BIP (single cabinet)
Price £3m-£5m
Contact Océ 0870 600 5544 www.oce.com

Screen Truepress Jet520ZZ
The Truepress Jet520ZZ was also developed to meet the growing demand for a variety of quality colour, personalised printed products. It has the capacity to print 50m-plus A4 pages a month and so is targeted at high-volume transactional, direct mail, newspaper and book printing operations.
Speed 220m/min
Paper width up to 572mm
Image resolution  720x360dpi
Stock weight  64-157gsm
RIP Equios workflow and RIP
Price circa £2.2m
Contact Screen UK 01908 848500 www.screeneurope.com