Konica Minolta Unveils the KM-1, a 29.5-inch Cut-sheet UV Inkjet Press to Be Launched in Spring 2016, at IGAS 2015

Tokyo (September 3, 2015) - Konica Minolta, Inc. (Konica Minolta) and Konica Minolta Business Solutions Japan Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta BJ), Konica Minolta’s domestic sales company for its Business Technologies Business, will showcase the KM-1, a 29.5-inch cut-sheet UV inkjet press to be launched in the spring of 2016, at IGAS 2015, Japan’s largest international show of printing machinery and materials held at Tokyo Big Sight from September 11 to 16, 2015.

Background to and purpose of development
Today, a shift from analog to digital printing is rapidly underway in the commercial print market due to a growing demand for high-mix low-volume production, shorter production time, one-to-one marketing*1 and variable printing*2.
Konica Minolta has two key plateless printing technologies; namely, inkjet, and electronic photography technologies. Since 1999, Konica Minolta has been developing digital printing systems for users in the commercial print field, leveraging its prowess in electronic photography technologies. Konica Minolta’s KM-1, a B2 cut-sheet inkjet press presented as a technology showcase at drupa 2012 – one of the biggest international printing shows in the world – garnered high praise, especially for its image reproduction quality and its ability to print on a wide variety of paper media. In IGAS 2015, Konica Minolta will show to the public the market-ready version of the KM-1, which is to be launched in the spring of 2016.

Major features of the KM-1
The KM-1 is a UV inkjet press co-developed by Konica Minolta and KOMORI Corporation*3.

Outstanding image quality comparable to that of a sheet-fed offset press
The KM-1 can cover the entire process of creation of a wide range of printed products with its outstanding reproducibility of sharp-edged, high density images and characters.

Consistency in color reproduction quality
Even after continuous long-time use, the KM-1 can produce prints of consistent density and color tone, thus ensuring high print quality at all times.

Ability to print on a wide variety of paper media
The KM-1 can handle paper of different thicknesses, ranging from thin tissue paper to packaging paper. The KM-1 can also print, without the necessity of pre-coating, on rough paper, Japanese paper, and other types of paper that are difficult to print using a conventional press.

Ability to accommodate paper up to 23 x 29.5 inches in size, larger than B2
With the ability to print on a sheet of paper slightly larger in size than B2, the KM-1 offers greater efficiency and versatility in the imposition process. For example, users can lay six pages out on a sheet of paper and print them to make double gatefold brochures or letterhead sheets.

Main specifications

• Max. paper size  585 x 750 mm (23 x 29.5 inches)
• Print resolution  1,200 x 1,200 dpi
• Print speed  3,000 sph (single side), 1,500 sph (both sides)
• Printable paper  Printing paper (coated paper, non-coated paper, special paper)
• Pre-coating is not necessary.
• Paper thickness  0.06‒0.6 mm (single side), 0.06‒0.45 mm (both sides)
• Printhead  Shear mode piezo printhead of Konica Minolta’s proprietary development
• Ink  Four-color (YMCK) UV ink of Konica Minolta’s proprietary development for exclusive use

Living up to the brand proposition, “Giving Shape to Ideas,” Konica Minolta remains committed to helping customers enhance their corporate value by offering higher-quality products and services from customers’ perspectives, in response to the ever-diversifying printing needs in the commercial print market.
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