Print. Software. Innovation.
Press Releases
2023
Xitron Ships 5,000th Navigator Digital Front End
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Customizable, brandable DFE delivers automation, engine control, spot color matching and available API
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Ann Arbor, MI, August 22, 2023 – 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 their 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. 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 & 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,” said 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 added, “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 full-stack, 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 on stand 8B45 along with Meteor Inkjet and the other Hybrid Software Group companies; Global Graphics Software, IC3D, ColorLogic, and Hybrid Software. Specific appointment times can be requested by emailing oeminfo@xitron.com, but walk-ups are also welcome.
Xitron Restarts Stimulus Program for Printers
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Successful Program Introduced During Pandemic Returns
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Ann Arbor, MI, July 5, 2023 – Xitron, a subsidiary of Hybrid Software Group and the developer of Harlequin-based Navigator RIP and workflow products for commercial, flexo, screen, digital, and high-speed inkjet printing, has announced the return of their interest-free payment plans for RIPs, Workflows, and CTP interface kits. Originally introduced to assist printing companies affected by Covid shutdowns, the program is being restarted in the face of inflationary pressures and rising interest rates.
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Most Xitron products are eligible for participation, with Xitron offering scalable payment plans based on the cost of the system. Printers can choose plans from 90 days to 18 months - with no interest or fees. Unlike leases or subscriptions, the user owns the software license and hardware at the end of the scheduled payments.
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“We’re talking to a lot of printers who need to update their prepress systems, but are concerned about cost, cash flow, and the state of the economy,” said Karen Crews, president of Xitron. “They’re under pressure to become more efficient and maintain margins while material and labor costs continue to rise, which is difficult to do with aging prepress systems. By spreading the costs over several months, they’re able to get the solutions they need with little impact to their bottom line.” Eligible products include Xitron’s Navigator RIP and workflow, Sierra workflow, Raster Blaster TIFF Catcher, all Navigator Flexo Suites, all computer-to-plate interface kits, and the on-press ink key setting solution, KeySetter Connect.
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“Small business and capital equipment loan rates currently range from six to twenty percent, and credit card rates average even higher,” said Crews. “Our programs eliminate those costs and allow printers to get the prepress upgrades they need, streamline and automate their work, and directly impact their margins.” For more information, interested printers can contact Xitron through their local dealer, or by writing to sales@xitron.com.
Xitron and Memjet Share Successful Launch of DuraBbolt 325C and DuraBolt 650 PrintBbar
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Fully integrated Xitron Navigator DFE provides intuitive Human Machine Interface
Ann Arbor, MI, San Diego, CA – June 27, 2023 – Xitron, a subsidiary of Hybrid Software Group and the developer of Harlequin-based Navigator RIP and workflow products for commercial, flexo, screen, digital, and high-speed inkjet printing, and Memjet, the global leader in digital inkjet technology have successfully collaborated and launched the next generation of high-speed digital inkjet printing solutions:; the DuraBbolt 325C PrintEngine and DuraBolt 650 PrintBar with integrated Navigator DFE.
Supporting full color, high-quality output at speeds of 450 feet per minute, the DuraBbolt 325C PrintEngine leverages Memjet’s proprietary printhead technology in a “Ready-to-Deploy” package and was designed specifically for high volume/high-speed print runs. The DuraBolt 650 PrintBar operates in monochrome mode, reaching linear speeds of over 950 feet per minute. “With these print speeds, the data processing requirement is massive,” said Eric Nelsen, Xitron’s VP of Product Development. “Our DFE’s scalable architecture provides this level of throughput and more, even with variable data jobs.”
Xitron’s Navigator DFE delivers more than just RIPed rasterized data to the DuraBolt PrintEngine and DuraBolt PrintBar, however. Because of the level of integration designed from inception, the DFE controls feeders, vacuums, dryers, dehumidifiers, and web tensions. “It’s capable of controlling all press functionality,” says Nelsen. “The DFE controls the entire system through a configurable ModBus dashboard.”
Memjet’s Chief Technology Officer, Jason Thelander, explained that DuraBolt’s advanced, ready-to-deploy structure and ability to integrate with third-party technologies creates a unique value proposition for its OEMs looking to build new digital presses. “DuraBbolt helps our partners get to market quickly with reduced development costs,” he said. “It’s a turnkey solution offering exceptional print speeds and quality, which gives them a genuine competitive advantage across a wide range of printing applications.”
“This partnership between Memjet and Xitron has helped eliminate the development hurdles our OEM partners previously faced while trying to get their presses to market,” said Karen Crews, President of Xitron. “This means we’re seeing new product introductions in months instead of years.”
Xitron Inks Partnership Agreement with Ultimate TechnoGraphics
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Will add Ultimate Impostrip as Navigator Workflow option
Ann Arbor, MI, USA February 27, 2023 – Xitron, a subsidiary of Hybrid Software Group and the developer of Harlequin-based Navigator RIP and workflow products for commercial, flexo, screen, digital, and high-speed inkjet printing, is collaborating with Ultimate TechnoGraphics of Montreal, Canada. Ultimate® Impostrip software will now be the imposition option incorporated into Xitron’s popular Navigator Workflow.
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According to Paul Napolitano, Xitron’s Navigator Workflow Product Manager, Impostrip offers broad functionality with various levels of automation, making it the optimum imposition choice for pairing with the well-established Navigator name. “After careful evaluation, Impostrip became the obvious choice for inclusion,” he said. “Navigator Workflow is used by thousands of printing companies around the globe in commercial offset and digital applications. Being able to scale the automation up or down depending on the user’s needs is an important feature that positively affects the user’s productivity.”
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Ultimate Technographics is a recognized leader in imposition and finishing solutions, having pioneered digital imposition as a desktop application in 1989. Their latest release, Impostrip 2023 is being debuted at Hunkeler Inovationdays in Lucerne, Switzerland through March 2nd and includes significant performance enhancements. Ultimate CEO Julie Watson, attending Hunkeler remarked, “We are very happy to work with Xitron. They are an industry leader and provide accessible and powerful solutions to the print market, from offset, to digital and high-speed inkjet. We look forward to a successful partnership that will benefit end users in terms of automation, capability, and flexibility.”
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Navigator workflow shipments including the optional Impostrip module have begun, with several installations already completed this month. Further workflow improvements are planned throughout this summer. “Our engineering team has been presented with an excellent roadmap for seamless integration within the workflow interface,” said Karen Crews, president of Xitron. “Based on what we’ve seen so far, we’re expecting an extremely satisfying and productive user experience.”