Komori’s B2 sheetfed inkjet press the Impremia IS29 was launched in Europe recently.

The LED-UV based digital press runs at a speed of 3,000sph simplex and 1,500sph duplex and prints at a resolution of 1,200x1, 200dpi on a maximum sheet size of 585x750mm, the company said. The maximum printing area is 575x735mm single-sided and 575x730mm when perfecting.

Komori said the press produces litho quality print and differs from rival sheetfed inkjet digital offerings because it can handle any type of substrate in thicknesses of 0.06–0.6mm single-sided and 0.06–0.45mm double-sided.

It also features instant drying, double-sided one-pass printing and the ability to immediately start post-press processes, the company added. It sees the IS29 as a complementary machine to the H-UV equipped Komori offset presses, both sheetfed and web.

The Impremia IS29 came out of collaboration with Konica Minolta, which sells an almost identical machine under the KM-1 badge. Both machines use Konica Minolta printhead modules, controllers and RIPs and a Komori transport system, based on its existing litho sheetfed technology. Komori also assembles both machines.

The Impremia IS29, which has a list price of $1.63m however has the extra benefit of a station that colour matches between its offset and digital machines. Komori said print quality is comparable to H-UV offset print produced on its Lithrone presses.

Komori International Europe business development manager Denis Radet said: “The IS29 has a similar print quality to offset. We’ve used our offset history and experience and it is a very strong, very accurate machine and the print quality is amazing.  What we have which is new with the IS29 is UV low energy ink. It works with any kind of paper and this is totally new regarding the competition. We can print on any kind of uncoated paper and even on plastic and this is totally new in this market.