Product of the month: Durst P5 350

What was the thought process when the machine was conceived?
The P5 is Durst’s technology and innovation platform for large-format specialists, providing customers with an automated production hybrid unit from “pixel to output”. It’s called the P5 because the machine fulfils five key features — productivity, reliability, workflow, versatility and print quality. The Durst P5 350 incorporates an integrated Durst Workflow and Analytics software, and optional expansion with pre-press and web-shop solutions. The software is offered through Durst Professional Services and seamlessly integrated within IT environments.

What is the target market(s)?
The P5 350 is targeted towards high-volume industrial production in large-format markets and further afield, as well as one-offs in offset quality.

What kind of substrates it can handle?
The P5 350 is the all-in-one hybrid solution for flexible roll and board printing of all kind of substrates. Besides standard materials such as paper or PVC, others include metal, banners, folding carton, soft foam board, corrugated boards, polycarbonate, polypropylene, styrene, fabrics, acrylic and plastic hard foam board up to 3.5-m wide using LED technology. A multi-track feature means that up to six parallel boards for separate jobs can be fed into the printer at any one time. Sensors automatically pick up the media width and thickness. For flatbed printing, it has foldable roll tables.
Durst offers dedicated ink systems for the P5 family. Durst’s development approach, including in-house application and weathering tests, ensures maximum system stability and a wider range of substrates can be used.

How fast is it?
The maximum print speed is up to 358-m2/h in continuous printing.

What is the USP of the machine?
Its versatility, flexibility and productivity to perfect the hybrid variety of application for roll media and boards. A complete and streamlined solution from pixel to output, the Durst software can be modularly extended with pre-press functionality to expand sales channels with a powerful online system online for this fully integrated technology platform. It also represents Durst’s transformation into a full integrated service provider. 

How easy is it to use?
The full P5 350 has state-of-the-art touch operation-based user interfaces and remote service capabilities, providing full automation and flexibility even with expanded services. The workflow and analytics software is continuously being developed, Durst also sees the increased need for information and training among customers to maximise the opportunities this machine brings to the market. While some customers are satisfied with the pure RIP function and the print quality, Durst implements complex web-to-print infrastructures with others. The focus is always on the printing system, which can be integrated into the production processes and with the respective Durst software, it can be modularly scaled.

What training and support are on offer?
Durst provides an on-site training at customer locations and also has its own dedicated training run from its headquarters in Brixen, northern Italy. It offers customers the opportunity to participate in one of its target group-oriented training courses. These cover customised training for customer teams and specific courses are run for operators, maintenance engineers, shift supervisors and print workflow press staff. 

How much does it cost?
In India, the cost is yet to be determined. 

Installation numbers worldwide? How many do you expect to install in 2020-2021?
Since its launch at Fespa 2019, more than 50 installations have been implemented worldwide.