INDUSTRY REVIEW · INKJET BOOK PRODUCTION
From File to Finished Book: SCREEN Europe’s Inkjet Book Production Forum 2026
SCREEN Europe’s October forum put the complete book-production route under the spotlight. Its demonstrations connect a practical publishing question—how to serve changing demand—with the ink, workflow and finishing systems needed to deliver a finished book.
A book-production demonstration built around changing demand
On 14–15 October 2026, SCREEN Europe brought together book printers, publishers and industry specialists from the EMEA region in Amsterdam and at its Inkjet Innovation Center in Aalsmeer. The forum examined how digital inkjet and integrated automation can make book manufacturing more responsive. [1]
According to SCREEN's event report, live demonstrations centred on the Truepress JET 560HDX and followed a route from print files to finished, shipping-ready books. Changes between titles and specifications illustrated the potential for short runs and personalised single-copy production. [1] A printer evaluating that capability still needs to establish which formats, papers, covers and binding specifications can share its own production route.
Automation has to extend beyond the press
Müller Martini, Horizon, MBO Komori Group, Tecnau and Matti Technology AG contributed presentations or equipment demonstrations. SCREEN highlighted bidirectional communication through its EQUIOS workflow software as a way to automate tasks and reduce manual errors across the process. [1]
The operational question is what happens when a job changes. Page files, production instructions and the physical book have to remain aligned as they move between processes. Rejected copies, changed quantities and revised editions also need a defined route. Automation is valuable when the complete line can handle those events reliably.
What the published press specifications tell us
SCREEN publishes the following figures for the Truepress JET 560HDX. These are equipment specifications, rather than measurements reported from the forum. [2]
| Parameter | Published figure |
|---|---|
| Maximum resolution | 1,200 × 1,200 dpi |
| Maximum printing speed | 150 metres per minute at 1,200 × 600 dpi, as described by SCREEN GP Australia. [4] |
| Media width | 304–560 mm |
| Printing width | Approximately 558 mm |
Maximum resolution and maximum speed are separate ratings; the table does not imply that both are achieved simultaneously. The distinction between paper width and printable width also matters when planning imposition. Page count, layout, finishing and job mix remain part of any calculation of saleable books per hour.
Ink, paper and drying form one production system
SCREEN describes its proprietary SC2 inks as a high-pigment-load set offering an expanded colour gamut and direct printing onto offset-coated papers without a primer. The press also uses ink recirculation through the printheads and a carbon drying system. EQUIOS supports automated layout generation, colour management and file preparation. [2]
For ink developers, this is a useful example of system integration. Colour strength, reliable jetting, interaction with the paper coating and water removal have to support the same production conditions. An ink's pigment concentration alone cannot establish that performance.
SCREEN's SC2 claims apply to its specified ink-and-press system. They do not establish that a different pigment dispersion or finished ink will print without a primer on the same paper.
Book-edge printing adds a separate finishing opportunity
In its forum announcement, Matti Technology AG said it would present ChromoEdge at its stand. The system is designed to print all three book edges inline between a three-edge trimmer and a palletiser. Matti lists a gross capacity of up to 4,000 books per hour, 720 dpi resolution and automated format adjustment. [3]
Those are Matti's equipment claims; they are not a measured throughput for the complete forum production line. The application nevertheless broadens the discussion: digital printing can contribute to a book's visual finish as well as its internal pages.
Evaluate the route to a finished, saleable book
A production assessment should follow an actual order through the plant. Can the files be prepared automatically? Which changes require an operator? Can covers, book blocks and binding keep pace? How are exceptions identified and recovered?
Samples and quotations should use the intended paper, page count, coverage and finish. Compare the total cost of the required finished copies, including setup, waste, labour and delivery, against the appropriate offset or digital alternative. A demonstration of flexible production provides a starting point for that evaluation; it does not establish a universal crossover quantity.
For more on the publishing implications, see our guide to web-fed inkjet and short-run POD orders. Our book-printing ink guide examines ink, paper and drying requirements in greater detail.
Sources and scope
Sources checked on 31 October 2026. This article reviews public manufacturer information; it is not a first-hand report from the forum or an independent equipment test.
- SCREEN Europe: Inkjet Book Production Forum event report — published 26 October 2026; event dates, demonstrations, partners and workflow integration.
- SCREEN Europe: Truepress JET 560HDX — published specifications, SC2 inks, recirculation, drying and EQUIOS capabilities.
- Matti Technology AG: ChromoEdge at the SCREEN forum — announcement dated 14 October 2026; intended placement and manufacturer-rated capabilities.
- SCREEN GP Australia: drupa 2024 technology review — identifies the 1,200 × 600 dpi condition for the 150 metres-per-minute printing mode.