Federico Leal

Abstract

The printing industry is beginning to get acquainted with the environmental impact of digital printing technologies. This study addressed issues related to the electrophotographic dry toner printing technology used in the Kodak NexPress 2500 Digital Production Color Press. The importance of these topics will grow as high-speed variable data printing becomes pervasive, because these printed products will become widespread, and a greater number of operators will be exposed to these technologies. Indoor air quality and noise levels generated by the NexPress under normal operating conditions were studied: ventilation, dust, volatile organic compounds, ozone, and noise. The results of this study were then compared to a previous study that examined the environmental impacts of HP Indigo 3000 versus the Heidelberg Speedmaster 74. All the test results were below the permissible exposure limits of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The NexPress proved environmentally friendlier than the HP Indigo 3000 and the Heidelberg Speedmaster 74 in all aspects under scrutiny except for average noise exposure. The results also show that the NexPress emitted similar gas, aerosol, and noise levels regardless of print run length. This study highlights the need to develop regulations for ultrafine particulates, demonstrates how to compare environmental aspects between asymmetric printing platforms, and delivers a methodology to conduct indoor air quality and noise tests in a prominent branch of the digital printing industry.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Digital printing presses--Environmental aspects; Digital printing presses--Noise; Digital printing presses--Environmental testing

Publication Date

5-1-2007

Document Type

Thesis

Department, Program, or Center

School of Print Media (CIAS)

Advisor

Rothenberg, Sandra

Comments

Note: imported from RIT’s Digital Media Library running on DSpace to RIT Scholar Works. Physical copy available through RIT's The Wallace Library at: Z249.3 .L435 2007

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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