Is new digital sheet printing machine offers users the widest range of media available (paper, plastic and envelopes), the largest sheet size (up to 102cm / 40 ″ in production), laser-friendly prints, pay-per-click free production costs and a very economical total operating cost, with a quality comparable to that of the offset process.
The range of digital presses MGI Meteor is becoming one of the preferred graphics solutions for graphics professionals in different industrial segments, such as commercial printing, plastic card manufacturing, book printing, photography, government and envelope printing, among others.
One of its most notable improvements is the ability to handle different paper supports, high grammages and sheet formats much higher than those usually allowed by digital printing equipment. The ability of MGI products to support standard materials (rather than requiring special sheets for digital printing) is another added benefit, as users can turn to common paper types.
Another important novelty developed by MGI is a “pilot” system for the printing unit. The pilot manages a management system that includes a media library that the user can expand at will. In this way, the system adjusts the printing process to each type of media, and thanks to this the Meteor printer can change media quickly.

A good example of MGI's focus on production functions is the MGI Meteor range and its robust feed and print capabilities. This digital press can print on a wide range of papers (70 to 350 g / m2) and envelopes, and also handle 100 to 400 micron plastic sheets. All of this is possible thanks to a pneumatic feeding system and a double detection function. The Vibration Reduction System (VRS) is a feature specifically developed by MGI to improve the print quality of the Meteor range across its range of media.

Another critical feature is MGI's Infrared Lamp System (IRLS), which preheats media to prepare the print surface and provide good print quality. Features such as VRS and IRLS illustrate MGI's approach to creating versatile units capable of tackling a variety of applications, whether on paper or plastic, with media of different thicknesses and with different finishes.

But really,  What makes MGI Meteor digital presses different? If you look at the DP8700 XL, its most outstanding features are its larger standard format and its higher print speed and resolution. In many ways, the DP8700 XL extends the essential capabilities of its predecessor, the DP60 Pro.

These include VRS, IRLS, HVAC, 4,500-sheet maximum paper capacity, high-capacity stacker, and a monthly cycle of 600,000 A4 / letter-size prints. Both devices use the EFI Fiery Pro 80 front end based on EFI Fiery Command Workstation.
With a speed of 4,260 A4 / letter-size sheets per hour (equivalent to 71 A4 / letter-size pages per minute), the Meteor DP8700 XL stands as MGI's flagship. The number "8" in the product name is also significant, it represents the 8-bit capability and underlines the high resolution and halftone screen ruling.

Analyzing this new MGI digital press we can highlight;

Market competition
Due to their ability to handle plastic, envelopes and paper, MGI Meteor digital presses have no direct competition as most other products focus almost exclusively on paper. This is one of the reasons why it can be difficult to make a direct comparison between the MGI Meteor range and other products that print at 30 to 80 pages per minute.

There are many color printers in that speed range. However, they generally do not have the duty cycle, format adaptability, or media compatibility of the MGI Meteor series. If we look at higher potential digital printing systems, such as the Canon imagePRESS, Konica Minolta bizhub PRESS, Ricoh Pro C720 and C901, Xerox DocuColor 7002 and 8002, and the Xerox 800 system, the monthly cycle and prices become more comparable.

At the next level of digital sheet printing equipment, we find products such as HP Indigo, Kodak NexPress or Xerox iGen, which offer higher volumes but at a higher price. And even in this category, the Meteor DP60 Pro and DP8700 XL systems differ in their ability to print on plastic, paper and envelopes, as well as their compatibility with larger media. For those users interested exclusively in the production capacity, the speed of the DP60 Pro is slightly lower than that of other similar equipment.

For this reason, the higher speed of the DP8700 XL model substantially improves MGI's competitive positioning. MGI is committed to the fact that its digital printing products are a good complement to offset for several reasons, such as the flexibility of supports, the variety of formats and its solid monthly production cycle. And don't forget that they also offer inexpensive short runs, short lead times, and support for customization features.

Versatility
In view of the constant reduction of the printer's margins due to the fierce competition on sales prices, MGI saw the opportunity to offer the professional the ability to compete in six higher margin market segments, in addition to the possibility of expand your product offering to increase your profits: paper, plastics / synthetics, envelopes, XL format printing, laser-capable letterhead / envelopes and offset overprinting and customization.
Whether you are interested in creating tri-fold brochures (650 mm / 26 inches), quad-fold documents (1020 mm / 40 inches), custom four-color envelopes, letterheads, PVC cards, or simply adding variable data to jobs printed on offset, MGI Meteor DP8700 will allow you to expand the range of applications that you can offer to your customers to deliver high quality jobs, with a resolution of 3600 DPI.

Impeccable print quality
The amazing 3600 dpi / 270 lpi print resolution of the MGI Meteor DP8700 XL pushes the limits of digital technology and enables you to produce brilliant prints of the highest quality.

With 25 conventional and stochastic screen options, you'll have enough flexibility to choose the ideal option for any job, whether it's photos, text, or other content. In addition, you can choose 2 different lineatures for each job (1 for text and 1 for photos, etc.), ensuring that the entire document is printed at an ideal quality.
The widest range of media
The concept is very simple; The more media you can print, the more applications you can offer. The more applications you offer, the more profit you can generate. This rule of thumb is especially true in the higher margin markets that MGI Meteor DP8700 XL will help you penetrate, such as custom plastic card production, POS material, advertising / direct mail, static adhesion, production of vinyl stickers, identification bracelets, photobooks, envelopes, labels and much more ...

Super large format printing
While previously this format was reserved for offset technology, the MGI Meteor range of digital presses can print on sheets up to 1020 mm (40 ″) in length. It is the only digital printing machine in this capacity. So if your customer wants a short run of 8 4/4 door fold brochures to A4 / Letter size on a single sheet, they no longer have to print a minimum quantity or pay machine set-up costs. 72 x 105 offset.
Print custom banners, calendars, panoramic photos, brochures, labels and much more, always on demand and from a single copy.

Envelope printing
Envelope production can turn your business around. Whether you are printing high-quality four-color logos (as a supplement to an offset run) or variable data for direct mail applications, the MGI Meteor range will provide you with great flexibility and performance. Toggle between typical DL envelope and C3 size, with or without windows, and all on demand.

Most importantly, since MGI does not follow any pay-per-click model, its production cost will be directly proportional to the toner coverage, so the production cost of the envelopes will be very low.
Registration accuracy
MGI has addressed registration issues by integrating an automated offset marker that offers the most accurate registration on the market (up to +/- 0.2mm page to page). We've even integrated a light table into the MGI Meteor series for crop mark registration verification, a factor that used to be considered the Achilles heel of digital printing to make it one of its differentiating factors.
Standard offset materials
The high cost of special papers for digital printing is one of the main constraints that many printers use. Thanks to the infrared preconditioning system and the efficient management of the fuser, we will be able to print using a digital process on the same media that you normally use with your offset machine, so you will not need a separate “digital” stock and will obtain significant savings in the cost of the paper.
Laser-safe prints
MGI toners are oil- and silicone-free, making them laser-safe. It is the only digital printing machine with this capability. Laser-safe forms do not cause smudging or ghosting when thrown into any desktop laser printer, so your customers can enjoy full-color letterheads and envelopes, even with the shortest runs.
No pay per click
Why pay for what you have not printed? The work philosophy of all our MGI digital presses is based on a concept or model similar to that of any offset machine, which allows great savings in production without the obligation of monthly minimums. You pay for what you print, it's that easy.
Easy to use
Its printers, coming from an offset environment such as the field of prepress, will quickly assimilate its operation, inside and out, since it is easy to use and easy to learn, being able to manipulate colors, supports, formats ... in a period of time short.
Technical assistance
Webcam-assisted remote diagnostic tools (standard on all MGI Meteor models) allow MGI certified technicians to provide remote assistance and guide your operators through routine maintenance procedures.

MGI will be present, and very actively, in the next Drupa 2012. It will be located in the HALL 4, Booth B24 exposing its main novelties in digital printing and finishing machinery where, obviously, its MGI Meteor DP8700 XL digital press will be one of its star equipment.

Also, this 2012 is a year of celebration for MGI. It turns 30 years old. A true reflection of the perseverance and experience in the development and manufacture of digital printing and finishing equipment in its different technologies. Congratulations MGI!

Source: Own elaboration + InfoTrends (“Extending MGI's Market Impact: Introducing the Meteor DP8700 XL”)