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The introduction of HP Indigo digital printing machines has probably had the greatest immediate impact on our business capabilities than any other machines here at the Entwistle Group. 2014 saw the acquisition of the HP Indigo 7600 and more recently, 2017 has seen us extend both our capabilities, as well as our capacity, with the arrival of the HP Indigo 7900, a machine we are exceptionally proud to own.

Digital printing verses Litho

Up until the arrival of HP Indigo machines, there was a relatively clear demarcation between digital printing and offset printing. Digital printing would provide the capability of working with small print runs and constantly changing copy at affordable prices but with a potentially disappointing drop in quality of image reproduction and a severe restriction on the types of finish. Offset printing was the provider of the highest quality of printing, but only became a financially viable option when talking about print runs in the thousands of copies. Offset printing also afforded the option of using a wider variety of printed media, particularly where embossed or metallic finishes were concerned.

Astonishing quality

The quality of print produced by the HP Indigo 7900 has to be exceptional if, as a printing business, we are going to invest approaching £800,000 in one printer. Not only that, but it has to be fast and able to work with many of today’s popular print media and deal with embossed, raised and metallic-finished prints. Together with the two HP Indigo 5500’s and HP Indigo 7600, the HP Indigo 7900 now forms the backbone of our business. You could say we are HP Indigo printing specialists.

Exceptional print quality and versatility comes from HP Indigo’s Liquid Electrography (LEP) which has enabled us to deliver crisp linework and smooth vignettes while providing a uniform gloss finish between ink and substrate thanks to the application of an extremely fine layer of ink. Other benefits of the HP Indigo machines include:  include optimised calibrations for perfect colour uniformity; tailored print quality modes, and a microsphere-based blanket.

Speciality substrates

A range of substrates can be printed on including:

• Canvas
• Synthetic
• Lenticular
• Dark and metalized media.

Unique strengths of Indigo printing

Our latest Indigo printer has the following capabilities which both match and exceed litho machines and represents the industry standard for digital printing. 

• Spot colour
• Embossing
• White ink
• Variable data printing

Spot colour printing

One of the key offerings of the HP Indigo 7900 is true spot colour printing. Colours can now be mixed off press, or alternatively ordered from HP’s IndiChrome Ink Mixing Service, the result of which means that 97% of the PANTONE® colour range can be covered. Other options to emulate the PANTONE® colour range on press include using CMYK or HP IndiChrome’s 6- or 7-colour process. The ability to use automated colour management tools and an inline spectrophotometer enables us to easily meet colour standards and achieve colour accuracy and consistency across Indigo presses, sites, and time, as well as between Indigo and offset.

One Shot technology has also extended media capabilities to non-standard substrates such as canvas, synthetic, lenticular, dark and metalized media, enabling us to meet a greater range of highly specific demands. All colour separations are transferred to the chosen substrate in one single pass with perfect registration, so now it is possible to provide the highest quality finish on products such as plastic cards, photo specialty canvas prints and lenticular applications. Digital ink priming allows for printing on offset stock and specialty papers.

High Impact Inks

Where we have seen huge improvements has been with high-impact prints as seen in invitations, greeting cards and photo albums, as examples. The high-impact ink is enhanced with the use of HP Indigo’s ElectroInk White on transparencies, dark and metallic substrates. This can even extend to using such colours as shocking pink, or even for the creation of glow-in-the-dark effects.

Beyond this, embossing has now become more affordable on smaller print runs now there is the capability of creating raised print through layering transparent ink, while digital watermarks can be introduced using transparent inks where security or corporate needs are concerned.

The HP Indigo range of printers we use at the Entwistle Group has not only meant a quicker production rates, the capability of 24-hour turnarounds or quicker in emergencies, but we are continuously striving to find ways to reduce costs for our individual as well as corporate clients.

If you would like some samples or proofs printed on our Indigo presses or would like to discuss the extensive range of print services we offer please contact us now on 0161 839 0661. We offer a nationwide service.