Of interest to the digital print sectors wasn't only the breadth of wide-format machines which appeared at drupa 2012 but the software that drives it and the equipment that's used for finishing. At this year's show, if you knew where to look, there was also the opportunity to see how manufacturers are stepping out of the graphic arts zone into other areas, with two notable exhibitors being Heidelberg and Ricoh.

But, first, what was new in software? We heard about EFI's new Orion operating system which brings greyscale productivity to its wide-format printer users but, in general, colour management and integration ruled in terms of new and revised programs for our sector. Predictably there was an upsurge in cloud related options and web-to-print, plus MIS/ERP systems and greater emphasis on working towards JDF compliance.

I had time to home in on a few exhibitors, starting with GMG who was promoting its ProductionSuite which was launched earlier this year for the wide-format market. This gives users consistent colour rendering across different engines, materials and modes with effective calibration and proofing, pre-flighting and an EcoSave function which claims to reduce ink usage by up to 20 percent. The packaging industry should benefit from the introduction of OpenColor that extends colour control and repeatability, and GMG's CoZone fills the need for management and soft-proofing in the cloud.

For Caldera, drupa was an opportunity to boast about its power when it was seen driving the Fuji Xerox printer with Memjet print-heads. This software company is well up there with the use of APPE 2.5, with significant benefits manifesting themselves in memory handling, font support and Xobjects, enhancing the capabilities of PDF files.

Enfocus PitStop Pro and PitStop Server are now on version 11 for complete PDF quality control, pre-flighting and correction, with dynamic profiles to make it easier to match job specifications and smarter use of functions. Both these programs now have tidier, more logical interfaces with JDF compliance and variables to make it simpler when working with the right values for job tickets.

X-Rite Pantone's stand concentrated on colour with the new iPro 2 spectrophotometer being put through its paces to generate higher levels of accuracy. This features 'touch-and-swipe' navigation so that colour measurements are quick to achieve, with the ability to meet ISO standards and guarantee repeatable colour.

This year's drupa was awash with software options, with many exhibitors not surprisingly using their products in machines dotted around the halls, such as ColorGate whose ProductionServer was driving Epson and HP printers. But colour standardisation is becoming more crucial across the wide-format discipline, so it comes as no surprise to see greater emphasis on this important area.

While I was on the Esko stand I had a look at the new Kongsberg XN cutting table which handles materials up to 25mm thick and comes in a choice of configurations. These range from entry level through to a more complex set-up with a camera and extra tools, making it a good choice for the display market. This machine might look like its counterparts, but it's designed for versatility across different substrates and better productivity all-round.

As a departure from my main ports of call at drupa, I found two interesting technological developments worthy of mention. The first of these came from Ricoh in the form of its Objet, an intriguing additive rapid prototyping machine which works with layers of liquid photopolymeric acrylic-based fluids to simulate a vast array of characteristics, including varying amounts of rigidity and flexibility. Not surprisingly, this 3D machine uses Ricoh print-heads and its capabilities are far-reaching, including medical and dental sectors as well as industrial areas.

The second area of interest was in Heidelberg's Innovation Gallery which showed quite clearly how offset litho continues to innovate beyond the graphic arts segment. The examples shown were eye-opening, such as smart packaging and printed cards that interact with your iPad. Also impressive was Cristala coating technology used to generate design patterns that feel as though they're embossed but are created, at the pre-press stage, using a special coating.

Moving out of the wide-format print zone is always an interesting adjunct to seeing the key machines taking to the stage at drupa. Today's sign and display market might be more geared to continuing investments in engines and upgrades in software but, in future, diversification could well be on the cards. It's always valuable to see how the rest of the printing industry fares, and Düsseldorf provided the perfect opportunity.