Sometimes we produce special note cards or invitations that our clients want to purchase then personalize the design with text on consumer quality laser printers or ink jet printers. Things that we print off our digital press can't be overprinted on by our clients. Any ideas other than doing long offset print runs? Looking for short run shell production.... Have heard that Konica Minolta bizhub 6500 or possible the new Riso hc5500 might be able to do this...any ideas?
I see you've posted in both the imagepress and the igen forums -- http://www.colorprintingforum.com/c...ing-digitally-run-designs-3253.html#post12227 -- are you currently running a xerox gen or a canon imagepress that you're experiencing issues with your work coming off when "reprinted"?
The problem with color laser printed output is that the black and white lasers or black and white copiers have harder and hotter fusers. So you wouldn't have any problems at all if your client used a desktop color laser (except for maybe a slightly increased gloss level of the toner) but if they run the stationery/cards through an old black and white copier, that will be a hotter harder fuser roller to drag or lift the color toner. The only problem I can se with inkjet printing laser printed stationary is that the inkjet ink won't sit on top of a laser printed solid as well since the laser toner won't absorb the ink or provide a good surface for it to dry if the client wants to print over an area pre-printed in color solid. The Riso HC5500 is an economical to buy unit where you don't have to commit to a click charge contract to use it. Since it's ink based, there wouldn't be any issue with overprinting. But the quality won't come close to an imagepress, not even close (since you posted this in the imagepress forum I'm assuming you're using an imagepress or considering one.). It won't match a desktop laser either. It would be great if you are doing something like a tinted area or a simple color logo, but not ideal if you are running a graphic that needs to be higher resolution or more crisp. The output is very much "business class" inkjet like and not of the level of today's desktop printers. It's probably ideal for things like church bulletins or newsletters and that type of use being user friendly to buy and use and not breaking the bank on consumables. And fast. But not high print quality by today's standards.
I run the Xerox, but I assumed other digital press operators may be having the same issue...Ultimately, the color and resolution is fantastic but if a client attempts to over print on of our designs, the toner often times will not adhere. Yesterday I sent files to a RISO dealer to see how good (or poor) the quality is...are there any other solutions that don't use the heat of digital presses?
