drupa is the Olympic Games of the printing industry. Every four years, hundreds of thousands of suppliers, manufacturers and consultants come to Düsseldorf, Germany, for the world's largest printing event. Organized by Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, drupa is an opportunity to see the latest trends in prepress technologies, media production and processing, printing, package production, and paper converting. drupa 2004 will be held May 6-19.
Nearly 2,000 exhibiting firms from 49 countries will tout numerous innovations and "world premieres" at drupa 2004, but the defining topic will be the job definition format (JDF). Based on extensible markup language (XML), JDF takes job aspects into consideration using end-to-end job ticket specifications, a message description standard and message interchange protocol. That means JDF defines job specifications and carries
instructions using a common messaging language so all other systems can understand the instructions. Numerous exhibitors, including the PrintCity alliance of 39 graphic arts technology providers, will showcase JDF workflow and software solutions. These companies believe the future of printing should be open (vendor operability), collaborative (online communications between partners and clients) and expanded (end-to-end tracking from creation to delivery).
To make JDF a truly vendor-neutral data exchange standard, interoperability testing is necessary. To that end, CIP4 will be a talking point at drupa 2004. The primary goal of CIP4 is to develop vendor-independent international standards covering all graphic arts processes. The standards are helping to create what some printing pros call "smart factories" capable of computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM). CIP4 is the abbreviation for International Cooperation for the Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress, founded in 1995 by suppliers Agfa-Gevaert, Mortsel, Belgium; Adobe Systems Inc., San Jose, Calif.; and MAN Roland, Westmont, Ill. CIP4 is committed to the JDF standard to extend connectivity beyond production to include business processes, client collaboration and job delivery.
To learn more about technology, drupa visitors will listen to presentations in the "dynamic document parc," which will focus on dynamic document generation, including XML publishing and database publishing; the "software innovation parc," which will focus on offerings from small, creative companies, service providers and IT developers; and the "picture innovation parc," which will focus on imaging applications and color management.
All companies exhibiting at drupa 2004 are listed at www.drupa.com with their hall and stand locations. (Click on the "Exhibitors & Products" link.) Many exhibitors created virtual showrooms in the site's Trade Fair portal to include product descriptions, company news and photos. Here are some companies that plan to announce new products at the event:
* Prime UV Systems, Carol Stream, Ill, will feature its Smart 2100 Control Platform that allows engineers and technicians to operate, control and troubleshoot Prime UV operating systems worldwide. The control platform enables active monitoring of system integrity, auto reporting of system maintenance schedules, auto alerting of scheduled preventative maintenance and UV bulb replacement, constant power usage reporting, an on-screen troubleshooting guide, a job log and more.
* Creo Inc., Burnaby, British Columbia, will release its Prinergy® Evo workflow system for commercial printers. The system offers easy PDF processing, color management, trapping and screening technologies, greater output predictability, streamlined processing, and reduced waste and production costs, according to the firm.
* Meinke, Neuss, Germany, will showcase the world's longest press for coating printed products. Measuring 24.32 meters in length, the Effectpress has a total of 14 printing, varnishing and drying units. It can print on two sides in five colors in one pass and simultaneously coat on two sides with UV gloss and matte varnish.
* Domino Printing Sciences, based in Gurnee, Ill., will showcase its latest variable data ink jet printing capabilities. These include solutions that print addresses, bar codes and numbers onto products, primarily for the binding and finishing, tickets/labels, plastic card and newspaper industries. The company also will showcase Domino ON Demand, a variable data printing solution.
* Kodak Versamark Inc. (formerly Scitex Digital Printing), Dayton, Ohio, will introduce a range of printing systems, including its KODAK VERSAMARK V-series system. With fully integrated color management tools and support for multiple data streams, the system has a print resolution of 300 x 1,200 dpi and speeds of up to 325 feet per minute.
--Darin Painter
NEWS
Appleton, Appleton, Wis., introduced MoistureBloc for Ream
Wrap. The repulpable and recyclable ream wrap contains a moisture-resistant
barrier coating that's crack-resistant and can be applied to base papers,
according to the company. The wrap offers a flexographic print surface, sheet
toughness, easy convertibility and a long shelf life. Call (920) 734-9841. Visit
www.appletonideas.com.
