Nice bulletin board, I've been reading on here and learning for hours, thought I'd join up. I was looking for any user opinions out there about all the different press options emerging for variable data. There are many new and different directions to go with a purchase of a new device. I had been looking at the Xerox Igen3 and a fellow on I saw at a show said he preferred the Xeikon 5000. Today I saw some material about the HP Indigo press w3200 and was wondering if they have many of those installed out there yet? Any feedback or opinions on which would be best? Thanks.
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in2: Variable Data Printing, HP Indigo 5500, NE Patriots Fball, 1 to 1 Marketing, Variable Data Software, Variable Data Workflow, XML, PDF, Digimaster Printing. . . Topless Bars

Hi VDP,

Welcome, nice to have a little variable data discussion today here. Seems like not as much traffic as other parts of the forum but I expect it to get very busy in the future. I can see it here at work, we are doing variable data all day long and was a mere trickle a year ago. Looks like from your signature that you may be an Indigo owner or operator now? That HP Indigo w3200 has hi-fi color, is called HP IndiChrome 6-colour printing, using Black, Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, Orange and Violet. Prints PANTONE Colours mixed using the HP IndiChrome Ink Mixing System or ordered via the HP Indigo Special Ink Mixing Services. I bet the process builds of PMS match look pretty good with that.

I don't know much about Xerox Igen3, but Xeikon has been doing this awhile. I think they are all quite different and would all have certain strengths over other devices. I'm pretty familiar with the HP Indigo front end and rips because we run them with the HP Indigo 3050 series here, but I wonder what is the rip platform like on these others? I think that Xeikon has a Harlequin based rip or used to? See you, have a vgood weekend.
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JoePostscript -- support administrator

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Doesn't Agfa still sell digital color printing solutions under the Chromapress brandname. The print engines are purchased from and manufactured by Xeikon. Agfa has been active in the development and the manufacturing of color toners and developers for use with the Xeikon print engines since Xeikon started I think.

Xeikon N.V. produces and develops commercial digital color presses and related consumables. The Xeikon press has always been a WEB solution whether roll to roll, or roll to sheet. So, there's a better feeding stream, but less options on stock or substrate. Xeikon is specifically designed to meet the quality, speed, reliability, that printers need. Xeikon supplies original equipment manufacturers, as well as a global network of over 30 value-added distributors in more than 40 countries. I'm not sure if Agfa still sells chromapress.

Now, Xeikon has an 80 percent ownership in Nipson International SA (France), Xeikon is also a major manufacturer of digital black and white presses that use a proprietary "magnetography" technology most suited for use in heavy-duty applications. The Nipson is a very high speed black and white monochrome variable data press, is being retrofitted onto existing presses to apply VDP as a hybrid with conventional presses. I think that's pretty new stuff, very neat.

Xeikon may be a better line for web than the HP Indigo Press w3200. But from all I've heard and read, HP has really done a great job of stabilizing and building upon Indigo presse's success. From other users, they are pretty content with service, support, and development that HP has brought toi the table.
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