By Andrew Tribute on June 11th, 2008
At drupa Xerox made a number of new product announcements but there were two of particular significance. These were the Xerox iGen4 press and the Xerox 700 Digital Color Press. I am writing about the new Xerox iGen4 as I feel that in announcing this product Xerox failed to really show just how good the new press was. For the new iGen4 Xerox announced a set of features but really failed to explain the real benefit of these new features. I was asked by many people in the press room that know I follow Xerox closely what the real benefits of the iGen4 were, and how could Xerox claim that this product that runs at the same 110 pages/min speed as the Xerox iGen3 had a 25 - 35% increase in productivity over the iGen3. In case there are other people who failed to understand what the new press does I would like to explain how I see this new press.
While the iGen4 may look very similar to the iGen3, has the same running speed, and shares most of the paper handling systems, it has major changes to many of the internal components. The key ones are detailed below.
Auto Density Control - This is one of the most important developments on the press and one that is probably unique in the digital printing market. This is a full width image sensor array that looks at the image prior to it being applied to the substrate and detects and eliminates density variations and streaks while the press is running. This means an operator does not have to stop the press in order to correct this problem if they can do so.
Carrier Dispensing System - In a digital press printing with toners it is necessary to have what is termed developer to transmit the toner to the imaging drum or belt. The developer is the carrier and it comprises special shaped components that carry the toner. As the press runs the carrier wears out causing it to lose some of its properties to carry toner. This is show in poor imaging. This requires the operator to stop the machine to change the developer. With this new carrier dispenser system the developer is continuously replenished maintaining high image quality and not requiring the press to be stopped to change the developer.
High Definition Linearization - This is a new process that eliminates gray-scale calibration, and results in better production of neutral grays and highlight shadows. Gray scale calibration is not something just for digital presses and if one studies the latest offset press standards such as GRACoL 7 (using ISO 12647-2) a major requirement of setting an offset press to this standard is gray scale calibration. In the iGen4 this also improves photo smoothness especially in faces while maintaining sharp background details. This High Definition Linearization should ensure greater color stability from job to job and machine to machine. Skin tones have often been a problem for the Xerox iGen3 so this development is a major move forward.
Advanced Color Profiling - The Xerox iGen3 has ICC color profiling but the new innovation on the iGen4 enables greater color consistency and realism in objects such as faces and skies. This tool automatically adjusts colors to closely match offset printing standards such as GRACoL and takes advantage of the ICC DeviceLink Profiling. This should ensure faster color processing and improved color rendering.
Inline Spectrophotometer - The iGen4 has an inline spectrophotometer from X-Rite (the iGen3 has an option of a Xerox developed spectrophotometer). This device is used with the new Xerox quality assurance software to allow the press to automatically be calibrated to a standard or to specific spot colors. It can actually check a spot color is exactly the same spectral value as is specified in a Pantone swatch or that is selected by a spectrophotometer in the design process. This color checking can be done at any time by running color target sheets to ensure optimum quality.
What I believe all this means is that the Xerox iGen4 is perhaps the first color digital press that can almost run itself without constant need for operator checking and intervention. The fact it is checking and automatically adjusting itself for common errors that are found on all digital presses and keeping itself running at optimum quality means that it can maintain peak performance for most of the time. Most digital presses from all the suppliers operate best when there is a skilled operator constantly monitoring the press and this means they seldom run at their defined level of performance if the highest quality is required. The new features of the Xerox iGen4 mean that this is getting close to the “lights out press” that needs almost no intervention while running. This is how Xerox calculate that there will be a 25 - 35% improvement in productivity of the Xerox iGen3.
Many people may think I have written this at the request of Xerox. I can assure you I have not. I just felt that Xerox did not make a good job of presenting this press when they announced it, and knowing just how much good work had gone into its development I felt I should say something about it. It appears however that customers have already identified how good it is and I hear that certain companies that would not buy the Xerox iGen 3 or only purchased presses from Xerox’s major competitor, have either already ordered the new iGen4 or have put Xerox on their list of potential suppliers for future press purchases.
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