Canon Announces Expansion of its Production Inkjet Portfolio with New B2 Sheetfed Press, the varioPRESS iV7

London, UK, 27^th May 2024 – Canon, a global leader in digital production print, today announces an expansion of its production portfolio and its entry into the B2 sheetfed inkjet market with the varioPRESS iV7, a new inkjet press capable of producing 8,700 B2 4/0 sheets per hour (4,350 B2 4/4 sheets per hour). Printing up to 4.5 million B2 images per month in 24/6 operation, the varioPRESS iV7 aims to set a new standard in the digital B2 segment, delivering an outstanding combination of eye-catching quality, unparalleled productivity and versatile media support. Based on a mix of innovative and proven Canon technologies, and developed as a new platform specifically for the requirements of the B2 market, the varioPRESS iV7 will empower commercial printers to migrate jobs from digital presses and shorter runs from offset. Visitors to the Canon stand in Hall 8a at drupa can discover details of the varioPRESS iV7 in an interactive animation and samples display. The first installations of the press in the EMEA region will be in the second half of 2025.

Building on the continuing success and the proven technology of the varioPRINT iX3200/2100 B3 digital sheetfed inkjet presses, the new Canon varioPRESS iV7 has been engineered to address the increasing pressures of commercial print service providers (PSPs), online and publishing printers and book producers. Its exceptional print quality, productivity and extensive media support will enable these print businesses to meet tighter deadlines and produce shorter runs and more jobs, including more premium applications. The varioPRESS iV7 will join the new varioPRINT iX1700 and the market-leading varioPRINT iX3200/2100 to create a Canon portfolio of sheetfed inkjet presses that serves a greater number of PSPs and delivers a broader range of print products with monthly volumes from 300,000 A4 images up to 4.5 million B2 images.

Unparalleled Productivity
Printing up to 8700 B2 4/0 sheets per hour, regardless of media weight, the varioPRESS iV7 delivers continuous industrial productivity with minimal operator intervention, as printhead and image quality control are automated and ink can be refilled without stopping the print run. Consequently, the varioPRESS iV7 enables customers to easily meet demanding service level agreements and turnaround times, while increasing production capacity, cutting costs and boosting efficiency. Ideal for short-run, just-in-time production, it also allows PSPs to support their customers to reduce overproduction and print inventory.

Versatile media range
With a sheet size of up to 750 x 614 mm, the varioPRESS iV7 offers a B2+ production capability. This enables the profitable production of a diverse range of applications, from magazines, catalogues, books and marketing collateral to direct mail, postcards and business cards. With its air-supported, straight and flat paper path and its innovative two-step fixation process, the press supports a wide range of coated and uncoated media up to 450gsm, including selected paper boards, and can handle heavy media at full rated speed for the smooth, high-speed production of premium applications. In combination with the press’s media handling innovations, its reliable feeding and stacking technology further improves runnability and continuous production. The varioPRESS iV7 also features Canon proven, two-step drying and fixation process, which reduces deformation and increases print robustness.

Eye-catching quality
The varioPRESS iV7 features innovative 1200 dpi printheads and water-based polymer pigment inks that, combined with Canon’s ColorGrip conditioning liquid, reproduce vibrant colours, fine text and precise line detail. In addition, multilevel drop size modulation allows different droplet sizes, producing high print quality and excellent ink efficiency. Customers can therefore print high-quality applications first-time-right at high speed with consistent colour and less waste, increasing their efficiency and reducing overall production costs.

Jennifer Kolloczek, Senior Director, Marketing & innovation, Production Printing, Canon EMEA, comments, "Canon has led the evolution of production inkjet for over 15 years, helping customers worldwide to manage their business challenges and gaining vast experience in successfully supporting commercial printers to transition to digital. With a large global base of both web-fed and sheetfed inkjet presses installed, we’ve accumulated deep expertise that we have channelled into the development of this B2 sheetfed press, the varioPRESS iV7, to address printers’ production challenges and open up further application opportunities. In particular, we aim to help printers offload the more labour-intensive, short runs – currently printed on offset presses – to the most productive sheetfed inkjet press in the market without the need to change media or bindery set-ups as the B2 format is kept.

By introducing the varioPRESS iV7 to join the varioPRINT iX1700 and iX3200, both of which we’re exhibiting at drupa, we’re making sheetfed inkjet printing an attractive proposition for operations with volumes as low as 300,000 A4 images per month all the way up to 4.5 million B2 images per month. And we’re achieving this while delivering an unsurpassed combination of print quality, productivity, reliability and media versatility, together with the digital benefits of variable data and on-demand printing. Commercial printers searching for the ultimate B2 sheetfed factory should take a very close look at the new Canon varioPRESS iV7.”

To learn more about the varioPRESS iV7, drupa visitors can come to the Commercial Print area at the Canon stand in hall 8a; other interested parties should subscribe for more details via: https://www.canon-europe.com/business/products/production-printers/digital-presses/variopress-iv7/