about us

ACN 168 995 935
enjay - Australia's specialist etching press manufacturer since 1968

Development of modern enjay press designs

Around 1987 we introduced modern gearing technology and laminate bedplates to reduce weight and improve reliability. Placing the press on a separate cabinet or base eased installation effort and cost. More recently, the introduction of laser cut steel has reduced waste and the environmental impact. The laminate bedplate material is phenolic resin reinforced sheet. Its mass is about 23% of steel and it has about 80% of the compressive strength. It is widely used in mechanical applications because of its high strength and impact resistance.

We rationalised the press sizes by basing them on commonly used printing formats rather than archaic paper sizes.

Most importantly in the modern safety responsibility environment, we have fully enclosed the working mechanism and eliminated all hidden finger trapping points such as the bedplate to support rollers. Bedplates cannot exit the press unintentionally.

These design objectives have been achieved without compromising performance and longevity, as confirmed by the many professional printmakers using enjay presses.

On-going, appropriate manufacturing technology applied by Neil in other fields, is also applied to enjay press design. What’s next? Neil is working on it.

History

enjay etching presses have a long history in Australian printmaking. The first press was made in 1968 for George Baldessin, who generously trusted Neil Jeffery [ignorant of printmaking and engineering] to make him a 30” press; it was a success. Having made hundreds of presses for professional printmakers and schools since then, we continue to be the leading press maker of Australia. From time to time our range has included direct and offset lithographic presses, inking rollers and graining equipment.

This is George Baldessin in 1968. And that’s the first print from an enjay press.

In 1993, Neil Jeffery and Bill Young re-evaluated etching press design. Our objective was to retain the excellent printing performance for which enjay presses are well known and to provide more value for users. Our focus was on professional printmaking. Apart from impeccable printing performance, professional printmakers appreciate a press that is easy to use when editioning, is safe and durable and requires minimal maintenance. Our analysis showed that most professional printmakers want a press for 80cm x 120cm paper with a reasonable margin each side. The enjay e34/865GC is the outcome. The same rationale has been applied to development of the other enjay presses: safety, durability and paper format.

In more recent years, smaller presses have been designed and made by Neil.

Three more professional printmakers have kindly agreed to act as contacts for enjay presses. Dianne Longley [central Victoria], Simone Tippett [South Australia] and John Robinson [Tasmania] give localised interaction and service to printmakers. Bill Young continues his role in the Australian Eastern states.

More about the evolution of our etching presses over 45 years

More about enjay engineering features.