Xitron, a subsidiary of Hybrid Software Group (HYSG) and the developer of Harlequin-based Navigator RIP and workflow products for commercial, flexo, screen, digital, and high-speed inkjet printing, has announced a milestone for its Navigator Digital Front
End (DFE). Installations have surpassed the 5,000-mark following a recent shipment of Navigator DFE licenses to Printware for their iJetColor systems.

With the ability to drive printheads from virtually all vendors, Navigator DFE is quicky becoming one of the most popular choices in the industry. According to Xitron, it is the “go-to” solution for the FI-1000 “Bar in a Box” printhead from HP, as well as the VersaPass, DuraLink and DuraBolt PrintBar systems from Memjet. Among many of the FI-1000 customers are Printware, AstroNova, Martin-Yale, and ADSI, covering the mailing and addressing, labels, and commercial print markets. Similarly, Memjet OEMs such as Printware, Quadient, Kirk-Rudy, Arrow Systems, Paper Converting Machine Company, FP Mailing, Winkler + Dunnebier, and Simply Inkjet are providing comparable solutions to those markets – in addition to corrugated and packaging – all with Navigator DFE’s.

“Reaching this milestone so quickly is a real testament to the functionality and usability of the Navigator DFE,” says Karen Crews, president of Xitron. “But it also tells a ‘get-to-market’ story about our partners. All these companies were able to devote important development time strictly to their presses – knowing a world-class DFE was already there and waiting for them.”

Eric Nelsen, Xitron’s vice president for product development, adds, “5,000 is significant, and we got there supporting a relatively small number of printhead types. With our recent integration to Meteor Inkjet drive electronics (from HYSG sister company Meteor Inkjet), we’ve opened the door of fullstack, ready-to-deploy DFE’s for every printhead Meteor supports. That list currently includes Kyocera, Ricoh, Epson, Dimatix, Konica Minolta, SII, Toshiba, XAAR and Xerox.”

Xitron’s Navigator DFE will be available for personalized demonstration at Labelexpo Europe in Brussels, Belgium, September 11-14. Xitron will be exhibiting at booth 8B45 along with Meteor Inkjet and the other Hybrid Software Group companies – Global Graphics Software, IC3D, ColorLogic, and Hybrid Software.