In a press conference on 6 October 2021, Jim Continenza, Kodak’s executive chairman and chief executive officer talked about some new products the most interesting of which is a 5-color dry toner digital press that will be launched in the US and Europe in second quarter of 2022. The Ascend digital press is aimed at commercial printers who may be in signage and POP since it can handle long lengths up to 122 cm of heavy substrates up to 762 microns or 30 point board. Kodak said the press can also be used for high end packaging. The new digital press is claimed to render sharper images at a lower cost than UV inkjet flatbed printers that are often used for signage and POP.
Kodak says that the Ascend electrographic press prints CMYK and a single embellishment ink for flat foil effects in a single pass it uses at production speeds up to 572 square meters an hour (5,280 square feet an hour). It uses environmentally-friendly Kodachrome Dry inks that are indirect food contact approved and prints and offers 13 embellishment dry ink options.
Kodak Prinergy on demand Access – affordable for all
With Prinergy on demand Access, Kodak is introducing what it claims is a cost-effective expansion of its cloud-based Prinergy on demand platform. The new option is said to be industry’s most affordable for more printers of any size, with or without digital presses. The new SaaS solution provides full connectivity to digital presses, Microsoft Azure-backed security and scalability. PODA includes preflight, color management, file management, backup and routing as well as a built-in Kodak Insite prepress portal functionality for file submission, remote customer collaboration and online approvals. It is to be available in Q1 2022.
The turnkey browser-based solution can gets printer’s workflow and output devices including presses up and running quickly. The new option saves time and money by efficiently scaling up or down as business needs change. It brings the opportunity to increase end-to-end process efficiency through automation.
New Kodak Prosper digital varnish for paper-based packaging
The new Kodak Prosper digital varnish is a water-based varnish that can be jetted as an area or spot coat on package printing using the Prosper S-series or Plus inkjet systems. The eco-friendly varnish can be jetted in perfect register with design elements and creates a matte protective layer providing rub and water resistance to paper-based packaging applications.
As the digital varnish is applied only where needed and doesn’t require plate making for spot coating, it helps printers eliminate the costs, effort, waste and environmental impact associated with traditional post-printing coating methods. The new varnish provides an environmentally friendly, water-based alternative to solvents and UV coatings. It will be available worldwide by the end of 2021.
Enhanced Kodak mobile CtP remote control app
The Kodak mobile CtP control app is an app that allows remote control and monitoring of up to ten Kodak CtPs, reducing a dependency on onsite labor for managing jobs in queue, status updates, and more. The enhanced version of this one-of-a-kind app provides access to real-time and historical data with customizable reporting to save time on data analysis, help prioritize actions, and improve plate-making efficiency. The new version of the app is currently available for both Android and iOS.
Kodak’s Mobile remote Control App for CtP devices Photo KodakContinenza said, “The innovations announced today reflect Kodak’s continued commitment to developing breakthrough solutions that enable our customers to improve their productivity and profitability and successfully expand their customer base. With innovations like the Kodak Ascend Digital Press, we are opening up new profitable application opportunities for printers. We continue to deliver on our promise to provide a complete range of solutions that offer Print that Pays.”
