Canon has joined the multi-substrate digital print fray with its first inkjet web capable of printing on coated stocks.

The wide (762 mm) web Océ ImageStream 3500 will print on standard coated offset papers without the use of bonding agents or primers.

Australian professional print sales director Tim Saleeba says the new press – launched at an open day in Poing, Germany – will strengthen Canon’s position in publishing and commercial printing.

Whether it is fast enough for newspapers at up to 160 metres/minute at the “performance mode” 1200 x 600 dpi will depend on application and whether users can leverage the extra width; it also has “quality mode” 1200 x 1200 dpi at of 80 metres/minute.

Saleeba says it will usher in a new era, enabling customers to take technology from transactional printing into applications such as brochures, catalogues and short-run magazines,

The press uses a newly-developed Kyocera 1200 dpi printhead and aqueous pigment ink which allows very small droplet sizes. The combination enables printing on a wider range of standard gloss offset stocks, as well as lightweight papers, delivering higher edge sharpness, increased optical density and vibrant colours. “The perceived colour gamut on low cost standard offset papers is higher on pigment inks than with dye inks,” he says.

It boasts what is being claimed as the “most compact” footprint in its class and is offered with a scalable Océ SRA MP controller with embedded Adobe APPE engine. Saleeba says the ImageStream 3500 will be on display at its Océ printing summit in Germany in September and available thereafter.

Pictured: Analysts pause for a selfie with the new press