Differences between digital copier, digital printer and DI

[MIDAS]

Can anyone explain the difference between a high-end fiery driven copier and a digital press? Furthermore, what is DI?

thanks in advance for your response.

[michaelejahn]

@ MIDAS

Most copiers can be 'driven' sending a file to them or 'printing' to them.

Of course, if the copier is not hooked to the network, or if it is a bazzillion yeras old, I guess it is just something you need to walk up to with a document to scan and then print.

EFI makes controllers - that is, the Firey can be connected to many vendors printing systems (Canon, Xerox, etc..) and made into a printer or 'micro press' - they even offer several features (like booklet making, collating, imposition and such)

http://www.efi.com/products/producti...ry/production/

So, from that perspective, most digital copiers can be 'converted' into a digital printer.

EFI, as many others, have created systems that convert a copier into a scanning and email 'sending' station;

http://www.efi.com/support/corporate/efi-sendme/

Of course, you can contact Xerox and Rhico, Danka and others, and they will sell you a system that may (or may not) use the EFI Firey controller.

http://www.xerox.com/digital-printin...6060/enus.html

http://www.infoprintsolutionscompany...sheetselect_us

DI - if it is the DI i think you are speaking of - was an invention by Heidelberg that looks like a normal press but had plates that you be imaged on while the places were actually mounted on the press.

http://www.us.heidelberg.com/www/htm...i_pro,overview

hope this helps !

Michael Jahn
Jahn & Associates

[avongraphics]

A copier is normally means a device that uses toner ie. canon, xerox, oki, I would class a digital printer as a more advanced "copier" that might use a form of ink or toner ie. indigo and oce and a DI is a device that uses a more conventional printing method with a plates, blankets etc but with Direct Imaging technology to produce the image on the plate. The high end fiery you mention is purely down to the configuration of the RIP box that sits aside the device it is to run. They come in many flavours these days and most manufactures have different configurations available depending on speed size and functionality of the device. Options available are Hotfolders, imposition, variable data etc etc

[kansasquaker]

I think the descriptions so far have been good. I'll just add a couple thoughts about the differences. DI prepress are waterless offset set printing - it's absolutely beautiful, the same won't be true of toner based systems. Although, the quality there is improving all the time.

The disadvantage to the DI is that it still uses plates (although they are imaged directly on the press). There is still setup time and materials costs - like traditional offset, but less. Toner based machines can change the image without any down time (provided you've set up your file correctly). So they're great for variable data/images and short run work.