HP Indigo LEP Digital Printing Technology | Digital Printing Solutions

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LEPx: The Force Multiplier

Place ink particles on a digital plate at 120 Lm/m for full graphics. LEPx is the future of print production.

The foundations of HP Indigo LEP Technology

Thermal offset transfer

HP Indigo uses a blanket to transfer ink to media. The blanket is heated, melting and blending the ElectroInk particles into a smooth film. This produces an image that is completely defined on the blanket, transferred to the substrate by direct contact. The result is a high-quality image with a true offset look and feel.

Direct contact transfer

As with analog technologies, the ink never travels through air during transfer, but is transferred mechanically, with physical contact at every step of the process. With this constant contact process, there is no trade-off between speed and print quality, even at very high speeds.

HP Indigo ElectroInk

HP Indigo presses’ unique liquid ink contains very small electrically chargeable ink particles to create a thin ink layer on any type of media, achieving the highest coverage and deepest color possible. HP Indigo ElectroInk is virtually pigment-agnostic, and can leverage a wide variety of pigments for the widest array of inks.

Endless possibilities for growth

Unmatched color and ink capabilities

Up to 97% of PANTONE® colors are reachable, with OVG and the unique Ink Mixing System (IMS) for PANTONE®-matching spot.

Widest media and application versatility

HP Indigo can print on the broadest gamut of substrates in the digital print industry, including coated, uncoated, synthetic, metallized, and colored media.

High coverage printing

Our customers print high coverage routinely, going up to coverage levels of 500% and more with no impact on print quality and at a feasible cost.

Highest speed for high print quality

Deliver hundreds or thousands of orders per day easily and cost-effectively with an end-to-end production management solution.

The HP Indigo Liquid Electrophotographic process

The HP Indigo printing engine performs the following sequence:

The HP Indigo Liquid Electrophotographic process

The HP Indigo printing engine performs the following sequence:

Photo Imaging Plate

Charging unit generates uniform charge on the electrophotographic Photo Imaging Plate.

Laser array

Exposure of the plate by a scanned array of laser diodes remove charges from the image area.

Binary Ink Developer (BID)

One of the colored Binary Ink Developer (BID) units engages with the plate, developing an image on it.

Ink transfer

Ink transfers from the plate to a heated blanket using electric field.

Heated Blanket

The heated blanket melts the resin particles within the ElectroInk, merging them into a smooth tacky film.

Image transfer to media

Image (in film form) transfers from the blanket to media.
Multi shot process: For each color separation this process is repeated—this is the Multi Shot process.
The one-shot process: HP Indigo one-shot process (for web presses and heat sensitive materials)—all color separations accumulate on the blanket.

Photo Imaging Plate

Charging unit generates uniform charge on the electrophotographic Photo Imaging Plate.

Laser array

Exposure of the plate by a scanned array of laser diodes remove charges from the image area.

Binary Ink Developer (BID)

One of the colored Binary Ink Developer (BID) units engages with the plate, developing an image on it.

Ink transfer

Ink transfers from the plate to a heated blanket using electric field.

Heated Blanket

The heated blanket melts the resin particles within the ElectroInk, merging them into a smooth tacky film.

Image transfer to media

"We're able to do that through the HP Indigo technology and the fact that there are no plates which you have to pay for, it’s all done digitally."

Dustin Steerman,

VP Sales and Managing Partner, ePAC Boulder

"We looked at all the digital machines out there and by far HP Indigo had the best platform and support for it."

Rob Daniels,

Vice President, QTL

"We firmly believe in this technology, we've seen the growth from this technology, we fully expect to grow our business with HP Indigo 30000 Digital Press."

John Ramsier,

Director of Business Development, Caraustar Industries, Inc.

"The Indigo here was this promise that all of a sudden, you can print bright vibrant colors on any color sheet you want, this was pretty exciting news to us."

Chris Buoni,

Vice President of Business Communications, Perfect Communications

A single technology for the broadest set of applications

The unique combination of unmatched color and ink capabilities with perfect print quality on the broadest media gamut, delivers a wide range of high-value applications enabling profitable business growth.