Xeikon has unveils its new generation dry toner technology for the graphic arts industry, which delivers higher speeds, reduced cost of ownership and further improved quality. This is the first digital press based on Xeikon’s new Sirius technology, and it will be launched and commercially available in June 2020.

By introducing the “Power Of Dry Toner” campaign last year, Xeikon made it clear that it remains convinced of the power that dry toner technology brings to the graphic arts market – pushing its boundaries even further. This next generation Xeikon SX30000 press is an entirely new, single pass duplex machine, powered by the new Sirius technology. It runs at a printing width of 20″ (508mm) on a broad range of substrates at 98 fpm (30 m/m) and 404ppm A4 – boasting an average speed increase of more than 50% throughout the range of 40-350 gsm versus the previous platform.

Xeikon has been allocating major resources since 2017 to set a new standard in dry toner technology and develop a new platform for the graphic arts industry, the company says. “The water cooled LDAs, with 1200×3600 dpi technology and the single pass duplex, full rotary concept, have remained unchanged, as well as the 5/5 print station setup. Almost everything else has been re-engineered,” says Dimitri Van Gaever of Xeikon. “One of the things that really sets the Sirius technology apart is its ability to print on heavy substrates at high speeds.

Van Gaever explains some of the core components that enable Sirius to excel in the market. “We have been working along four major axes: toner development, imaging technology, fusing technology and media conditioning, resulting in more than 400 design changes and developments compared to the previous generation. All these core components have been redesigned and enhanced to deliver superior quality, market leading performance, unequalled sustainability, widest application range and best-in-class TCO.”

Sirius technology benefits from Xeikon’s new EkoFuse technology, a new fuser and a patented new crossflow cooling system.

“For our newly developed Sirius toner, we have changed the production parameters of the toner and have improved the charging kinetics properties by adapting the outer shell of the toner to cope with the higher engine speed,” adds Van Gaever. “Our new developer unit ensures superior image quality for high coverage applications.”

With the SX30000, Xeikon is aiming at high value applications, usually featuring high coverage color content on high-quality papers combined with enhanced quality requirements. “This can be in the book printing segment or high-quality direct mail, but because of the versatility of the technology, it might also be in retail and signage materials, security printing and other general commercial print. Furthermore, we are looking at customers who need higher productivity combined with lower running cost and a compelling overall TCO,” notes Van Gaever.

“We have been the pioneers of dry toner technology, and we continue to see opportunities to further enhance it and improve on it”, he adds. “The technology has been named Sirius– after the brightest star in the night sky and in reference to its role in helping people to navigate and set course in various cultures throughout history. We believe this platform will lead the way towards a profitable business for our existing and future customers.”