paper/substrate questions about Indigos?

[lfelton]

Can I get some feedback from people who own an Indigo on what paper you can use with it?

We'd probably only consider a 3500, a (refurbished) 5000 or a new 5500, if that makes a difference.

I keep on hearing that it's pretty fussy on the paper you can use and for best results you need a special coating. Is that true?

Are any of you using them for book production, or are the running costs just too expensive for that application? If you are... are you getting dead flat sheets on uncoated stock?

Thanks (in advance) for any info you can share!

 

[meddington]

Many substrates need to be Saphire coated for use with the Indigo. This is basicaly a bonding agent that helps the electro-ink adhere. Ink adhesion can be a problem for some stocks that aren't, but its possible to find usable stocks that are not "Saphire" coated.

Here's a link for HP certified substrates. RIT Printing Applications Laboratory

 

[BackLight Production]

Saphire coating for sure in the Indigo. If you are doing books I would go witha BW High Speed Production Copier like the Kodak 7110. Go with a company that has a good service reputation, usually not a smaller reseller, if you look at a used machine make sure it is completely refurbished with a guarente and is xeroed out etc.

Good Luck

 

[lfelton]

Saphire coating for sure in the Indigo. If you are doing books I would go witha BW High Speed Production Copier like the Kodak 7110. Go with a company that has a good service reputation, usually not a smaller reseller, if you look at a used machine make sure it is completely refurbished with a guarente and is xeroed out etc.

Good Luck

Thanks for the tips (both you and meddington). I should have said - a high percentage of the books we print have some colour pages, sometimes it's only a couple, sometimes a real mixture. I concur that if the book is completely B&W text, then it goes onto a B&W machine.

 

[typeface]

We use chrous art digital for our indigo and have no problems with it. Titan also works well.

 

[StrikTenn913]

I work in the industry and have heard a lot about this question. It's my understanding that when this device first came out, coating was a must. The toner could be wiped off with a pencil eraser. In my experience as a student working on 2 large book publications using the Indigo, we ended up using a special paper that was developed by Mohawk Fine Papers. It has a special additive (they market it as i-tone) that they developed with HP that helps with toner adhesion.

That list posted for RIT's testing is part of their offcial 'paper certification program'. That would be your best bet on finding quality papers. (I also went to RIT).

 

[RGPW17100]

New Page makes an HP Indigo Sterling. Available is dull and gloss through Xpedx and Unisource. GPA is also a good souce not only for Indigo stocks but they also have a treatment center that will Sapphire coat most stocks. We have had good luck with Carolina and are currently using Matrix as a folio sheet. Sterling has produced the best for us. For uncoated Finch Fine ID works real well and now Cougar has a super smooth that has been tested and approved for the 5500.

 

[Internal_R&D_Analyst]

Saphire and Topaz really haven't' been used by most people for several years. The treatment did not last that long and would cause the paper to yellow faster in time. The new standard is DigiPrime from Utopia.

Utopia Digital Technologies - Digital Printer Solutions - New Berlin, Wisconsin

GPA has coated stocks made specifically for indigo presses, we have also increased our volume over the last few years because some stocks are cheaper then stocks ran on litho presses.

It is estimated that 75-80% of the photobooks are printed on indigo presses. This would include companies such as Snapfish, Shutterfly, Apple iPhoto, and Lifetouch photography.

 

[caretaker]

Hi All, have just joined. I am an offset printer been in the industry for 30 years. We have just this month commissioned a HP Indigo 5500. Which I have been running. I think the Guy's at Heidelberg/Komori/Rolland ect, will be looking very closely at this technology. Have used many types of stock (substrate) coated uncoated recycled. The only one that has showen to be an issue is (Xerox's own Colotech Plus or Silk mainly the thicker weights above 250gsm 0.27microns. But we also have a majority of covers/cards laminated. Hope all this helps.

 

[Mark Flanders]

Greetings,

The 3500 on up use improved inks and have fewer adhesion issues. We use, on our old S2000, Titan Gloss with great results. Mohawk I-Tone is a good uncoated sheet. It's less of an issue than it used to be.

all the best,

mf.