Ray Prince

CHICAGO—The eighth annual GATF/NAPL Sheetfed Conference brought 420 attendees and 53 sponsors together recently to hear predictions of the future and case studies of innovative success stories. Consultants Frank Romano and Ray Prince offered some technology projections for the next couple of decades. Prince reminded the audience that printing press development has historically followed five-year time frames, adding that enhancements have invariably been driven by demands for higher productivity, not quality. He expects several new digital presses and many new robotic and automation advancements to be introduced at DRUPA 2000. Presses of the future will be simpler (to operate, not maintain!) with reusable plates/cylinders,