HP Indigo V12 achieves analog speeds

The V12 is the first in the HP Indigo Series 6, which is a new platform that delivers large print volumes due to high speeds and productivity.

In a major step toward extending analog-to-digital conversion, HP announced the HP Indigo V12 Digital Press, the first HP Indigo built on next-generation HP Indigo LEPx architecture.

Poised to disrupt the label market ecosystem, this is the first of Indigo’s Series 6 platform and is a narrow-web label press. The press has all of the Indigo’s quality and versatility, but at significantly higher speeds. As a result, the HP Indigo V12 can print as fast as analog with greater production agility, redefining digital label printing.

According to Alon Bar-Shany, general manager for HP Indigo, feedback from some beta customers has been that they see a real possibility to stop investing in flexo: “The V12 is designed to take jobs from flexo. Think three V12s running non-stop; it has the ability to run the massive campaigns.”

The HP Indigo V12 is designed with next-generation HP Indigo LEPx architecture. In LEPx architecture, six imaging engines operate inline simultaneously, instead of LEP’s single engine, multiplying speed to match analog with the added benefits of digital printing. As a result, LEPx offers the speed and efficiency for PSPs to profitably produce large print volumes than previously possible.

The press is equipped with a new, automated colour-matching technology, Spot Master, which provides the industry’s fastest time-to-colour. This will enable converters to reach brand colours within minutes, making it the industry’s fastest time-to-colour solution.

Spot Master enables converters to deliver high colour consistency and uniformity across the entire print frame using a new patented algorithm for fast and accurate colour matching, ensuring every package looks the same no matter when or where it was printed.

Other key benefits to be offered by the HP Indigo V12 Digital Press include:

• Print up to six colours at 120 linear meters per minute (400 f/pm), using six inline imaging engines running simultaneously. Produce up to 130,000 linear meters per day with one operator.

• New high definition (HD) imaging: HD Imaging System on press offers native to 1600 dpi resolution.

• Up to 12-colours on press. Change inks on the fly and create any combination of colours.

• Print on digital label printing industry’s largest range of substrates, from 12 micron film to 450 micron (18pt) board. Support pressure-sensitive, sleeves, flexible packaging, tubes, IMLs and more.

• One-pass, nonstop high-speed finishing capabilities to be provided by AB Graphic International.

The HP Indigo V12 is scheduled for commercial availability in 2022.