Twenty products across four categories receive plaudits from the European Digital Press Association. The European Digital Press Association, now in its fifth year, has gone from strength to strength with graphic arts magazines from 18 member countries representing over 1 million readers across Europe. Each year the EDP Association (of which Image Reports is the UK member) comes together to debate, discuss and award the best in innovative technology within the digital printing market and this time around it has presented 20 prizes across four categories: print engines, finishing kit, consumables and software.
The product nominations for the EDP Awards are put forward by a technical committee made up of industry and digital print specialists, journalists and technical consultants and their recommendations are then discussed and voted upon at the EDP General Assembly.
The 2011 Awards were chosen by:
- Chris Cooke (Image Reports - UK/Ireland)
- Rudolf Messer (X-Media - Austria/Plakativ - Hungary)
- Herman Hartmann (SignPro - Benelux)
- Martin Jamrich (Svet Tisku - Czech Rep.)
- Jarkko Hakola (AGI Finland)
- Bakhta Jomni (France Graphique)
- Manfred Diehl (Desktop Dialog - Germany)
- Vassilis Dimakis (CMYK - Greece)
- Alessandro Gioè (Italia Publisher)
- Michael Seidl (Print & Publishing - Poland)
- Igor Terentyev (Publish - Russia)
- Agustin Torres (Pro-Digital - Spain/Portugal)
- Martin Spaar (Publisher - Switzerland)
- Ahmet Aslanturk (Dijital Tabela Teknik - Turkey)
And the winners are…
Best wide-format printer up to 3.5m
HP Scitex LX800
The LX800 is the first introduction of latex ink printing at the 3.5m width. Coupled with the functional multi-roll capability this is what makes the HP Scitex LX800 printer stand out. A three-roll option and easy use multi-roll feature makes the users’ lives easier.
Best wide-format print-and-cut device
Roland VersaCamm VS Series
This uses a completely new printhead design which means the machine can print and automatically contour cut images without any steps in between. New features enhance metallic effects and a pattern library allows users to easily add patterns to metallic colours.
Best wide-format textile printer
Mutoh Viper TX Soft Sign
It may not be the first printer with a built-in heat fixating system, but the way Mutoh has handled this in the Viper TX differs from others and combines good print quality and high print speeds at an affordable price. As such it can reduce the price per square meter for volume users.
Best photographic printer
Canon iPF 8300
An all-round printer with a 12-colour inkset and improved colour gamut.
Best UV-curable entry-mid range printer
HP Scitex FB500/700 Series
Considered by the committee to be the most innovative UV printer on the market because it works like a water-based printer in terms of ease-of-use. The series has in the past struggled with inks and systems and all this has been completely changed.
Best UV-curable high-end production printer
Agfa Anapurna 2500 LED
This brings LED UV into the production arena. LED UV uses less energy while printing and produces no VOC's. With the Anapurna 2500 LED there is also no infrared that can reach the substrate, making it possible to print onto heat sensitive media like foam board, foils and PVC.
Best alternative ink technology
Mutoh Zephyr 3D UV ink
This ink is stretchable up to 200% making it ideal for car wrapping and self-adhesive applications. It is immediately dry.
Best environmental substrate
Hexis Naturally HXL300WG2
There were many substrates in this category and a few stood out. The overall winner is Hexis HXL300WG2 as there is no need to coat this film and it works with HP latex and Mutoh Bio inks. It’s also PVC free and contains no plasticisers.
Best variable data and versioning software
DirectSmile Cross Media
An all-in-one solution for PURLS and personalised imagery. Direct Smile has developed these products into a cohesive package that also reduces the amount of developer time needed to get an attractive campaign to the market.
Best workflow management solution
Zünd Cut Centre
This software helps to automate the print-and-cut workflows. The committee found that the Zünd Cut Centre offered the user more options and flexibility than the others in the same category this year.
Best special application
Optimus Dash
This MIS System was brought in for the sign and wide-format industry and gives the signmaker or graphic display professional the flexibility of an excel spreadsheet but in an MIS system with histories, searches and reporting. It can also incorporate costs such as design and consultation. It is a very comprehensive system that simplifies the management of your entire processes.
Best wide-format finishing device
Summa F1612 Flatbed Cutter
This is a brand new concept and fits right in the middle of the cutting market - it is smaller than all the other flatbeds and is useful for textiles and vinyls, etc. It fills the gap between roll-to-roll and heavy-duty flatbed cutters.
Other winners:
Best Industrial Printing Solution
Barberan BIJ
Best colour cut-sheet light production printer
Konica Minolta BizHub Pro C6000
Best colour cut-sheet high-production printer
Xerox 800 and 1000 Digital Colour Press
Best colour web-fed printer
HP T200 Colour Inkjet Web Press
Best proofing printer
Epson Stylus Pro 4900
Best Environmental Ink
Xerox Production Inkjet Technology
Best production printing finishing device
Scodix1200 UV Digital Embossing Press
Best Web-to-print software
ColorGate CG Web to Print