An interesting new machine has been released in the Fuji Xerox territories. It is a new engine design, and is clearly very similar to the DCP 700 engine, but is is a single-drum 4-pass machine like the DocuColor 12. It uses the same EA-Eco toner as the DCP700 and 800/1000.
Incidently, the DocuColor 12 engine is still very popular in Fuji Xerox territories. Although it never got any faster, there were a few revisions to the machine beyond the level of the DocuColor 12. For example, there was a version adapted to the EA toner and oil-less fusing.
The DocuColor 12 engine based machines have a strong foothold in the low-volume graphic arts market. That is where the new "DocuColor 1450" is positioned as well.
It is 14ppm color 50ppm black and uses the same accessories as the DC250/DCP700 lines. (Though only the "office" finishers and not the bigger light-production finisher, apparently.)
This may remain a Fuji Xerox only model. I have a hard time seeing Xerox buying into the idea. Though based on its design and some of the features they detail, I suspect it could very well excel at proofing and very-high-quality work like photo books. Single drum designs do have a few advantages when it comes to color balance and color consistency, and they seem to stress its consistency from first to last print even much more than they do for other faster machines.
But the most interesting thing I saw -- and there is no mention of it other than a diagram and could only be my wishful thinking -- is that carousel, which holds the toner cartridges and developer assemblies, seems to have more than four positions... The 1450 is only a CMYK machine, but the carousel very clearly has two additional positions. Perhaps they've designed this engine with the future possibility of a 5th and 6th color, like the clear toner on the 800/1000.
I've attached the diagram of the rotary carousel and the accessory configuration chart from the brochure.
Just mentioning it for curiosity's sake, and since Fuji-only models often go unnoticed.
Incidently, the DocuColor 12 engine is still very popular in Fuji Xerox territories. Although it never got any faster, there were a few revisions to the machine beyond the level of the DocuColor 12. For example, there was a version adapted to the EA toner and oil-less fusing.
The DocuColor 12 engine based machines have a strong foothold in the low-volume graphic arts market. That is where the new "DocuColor 1450" is positioned as well.
It is 14ppm color 50ppm black and uses the same accessories as the DC250/DCP700 lines. (Though only the "office" finishers and not the bigger light-production finisher, apparently.)
This may remain a Fuji Xerox only model. I have a hard time seeing Xerox buying into the idea. Though based on its design and some of the features they detail, I suspect it could very well excel at proofing and very-high-quality work like photo books. Single drum designs do have a few advantages when it comes to color balance and color consistency, and they seem to stress its consistency from first to last print even much more than they do for other faster machines.
But the most interesting thing I saw -- and there is no mention of it other than a diagram and could only be my wishful thinking -- is that carousel, which holds the toner cartridges and developer assemblies, seems to have more than four positions... The 1450 is only a CMYK machine, but the carousel very clearly has two additional positions. Perhaps they've designed this engine with the future possibility of a 5th and 6th color, like the clear toner on the 800/1000.
I've attached the diagram of the rotary carousel and the accessory configuration chart from the brochure.
Just mentioning it for curiosity's sake, and since Fuji-only models often go unnoticed.