Making a major capital investment in any industry is one of the most important decisions a business owner will face, especially in a market where technology is changing rapidly. If you're considering a digital production press, then you know this challenge all too well.

Of course, understanding your marketplace and knowing how you will turn your investment into revenue is the critical first step. But then how do you select the solution that best fi ts your business strategy? Here are five key questions that can help you make the right choice:

Is it dependable?
First and foremost, the press must be dependable and able to deliver consistent quality for every job, regardless of the content of the job or the day of the week. The right press should also eliminate the worry of variability due to factors beyond the operator's control. The reality is that environmental changes, substrate variations, and operator skill can all play into the quality of the printed piece, but the press must be ready to run the job when it comes in and must be immune to, or automatically adjust for, such variables to achieve the desired or promised results.

Is it productive?
The device also must offer maximum productivity by being able to process data quickly and get it to the print engine, and then produce the job at rated speed. Often, digital presses will boast speeds or capabilities that are only achievable under certain circumstances and at a peak, not consistently over an extended period of time. The press must deliver the promised speed, regardless of the ink coverage or variations in size, and the device must be ready to start printing immediately, without having to wait for the entire job to process through the front end.

Can it grow with my business?
The digital press must be able to grow easily as the needs of the print service provider grow, offering the ability to upgrade to the next level of performance without losing the initial investment. An easy upgrade path means the user can start with only what he needs and as the demands of customers and the business increase, he can add to the device through software and hardware upgrades that will enable him to remain competitive. Whether the upgrade is in the area of data processing power, print engine speed, additional print stations, or others, the preservation of the significant capital investment is key.

Is it ready for sustainability?
Digital press manufacturers are working hard to find more efficient ways to meet the increasingly strict environmental regulations and concerns facing the graphic arts industry today. One example is helping to manage emissions and vapors that are a part of the printing process. In addition, many customers are asking printers to go beyond compliance and demonstrate a commitment to sustainability. Knowing that a digital press manufacturer is working to ensure the parts and consumables it uses are recyclable makes it easier to ensure your customers that you are doing your part to respect the environment and reduce your global impact. But manufacturers are finding they must do more than just make it possible to recycle, they must provide information and resources that make it easier to do.

Is it open architecture?
Finally, the digital printing solution must offer easy connectivity within any workflow environment, regardless of the supplier of software or hardware that runs the production flow. Open architecture and support for industry standards can ensure that all pieces of the workflow work well together and share information for efficiency.

No technology investment is easy, but knowing the right questions to ask can help you make the best choice to get the ROI you're looking for.

Some of you have probably seen the "Prince Caspian, Chronicles of Narnia" Disney posters being passed out by Kodak at drupa 2008 in Dusseldorf. Or you may have heard that they were printed live, in front of over 100 customers, at an open house during the FTA forum in Dallas, Texas. And I'm sure you've heard that they were printed at an outrageous 300+ lpi.

So you ask, why is this so outrageous? Because they were printed using flexo plates on an offset press! But not just any flexo plates - they were printed using Kodak Flexcel NX Digital Flexographic Plates.

For those attending this event, the big draw was the application of the technology. They wanted to see something never before done in the history of flexographic printing. More specifically, they came to see Kodak Flexcel NX System technology applied to a Heidelberg hybrid offset/flexo sheet perfecting press. While the press technology stands alone in its own right, the addition of Kodak imaging and flexographic plates provided the capability to print this poster-sized image using direct flexography in 4/C process reproduction at an unheard of 307 lpi with solid ink densities all above 2.0.

The combination of all aspects provided for something that had never been technically achieved in flexographic printing industry. Attendee comments ranged from "I have never seen anything like this ever before" to "the detail is amazing!." Simply stated, it had never been done before and we can't wait to do it again, all over the world.