Business - Events

Sign up and show off your installation skills in the 3M Bumper Wrap Contest at SGIA. Contestants will apply a 2x2-foot graphic to an HHR bumper, and will be judged on time and quality of the installation. The graphics will be printed on 3M Controltac Wrap Film with Comply v3 Adhesive IJ380Cv3 with 3M Scotchcal Gloss Overlaminate 8580 from 3M.

Every installer who participates will receive a prize.

• All contestants receive a minimum $50 discount off training or testing/application.
• Those who successfully complete the bumper wrap will receive a cool contest T-shirt and a $100 discount off training or testing/application. Training and testing/application discounts are redeemable towards the 3M Preferred Graphics Installer Test, the 3M Certified Graphics Installation Company Application (only through UASG) or training at 3M Center, Lowen Corporation or Wrap Experts. Discounts must be redeemed by April 15, 2011.
• One Grand Prize winner will receive a cool contest T-shirt and an $800 discount off training, testing or 3M installation tools.

 

 

Mutoh Belgium nv has announced it will be exhibiting at Viscom Italy 2010, Fiera Milano, October 21st - 23rd in Hall 3, Booth E01/F10.

At the show, Mutoh - in conjunction with its authorised Italian distributors, MM Electronic and Reis Elettronica - will launch its latest innovations in the field of large format digital printing for commercial print & sign making applications.  These innovations include the Zephyr TS roll-to-roll digital UV inkjet printer which has been developed for high quality production of road traffic, safety and information signs.

Mutoh will also demonstrate its expanded sublimation and digital textile printing product portfolio including the new Viper TX 100 2.6 m wide direct-to-fabric printer and the VIPER TX Soft Sign, a dedicated solution for flag printing with an integrated fixation system.

In addition, Mutoh will launch two brand-new inks at Viscom Italy : Mutoh MS Ultra inks for user convenience, quality and print speed, and Mutoh Bio-Lactite ink for environmentally conscious print providers.

Zephyr TS

The Zephyr TS compact 65” (1651 mm) wide roll-to-roll digital UV inkjet printer for high quality production of road traffic signs, safety and information signs is based on Mutoh’s Zephyr UV platform.  The unit will print directly onto retroreflective sheeting, using specially formulated UV inks. The combination of printer, UV inks, retroreflective sheeting and UV protection overlay film fulfills the European standard for fixed vertical road traffic signs (EN 12899-1:2007).  Delivered as a total solution (including workstation and RIP software), Mutoh’s Zephyr TS will create traffic signs with brilliant colours, meeting the colour box and retroreflectivity requirements for road traffic signage.  The printer delivers typical high quality production speeds up to 28 m²/h, using specially developed high gloss print modes, a feature not available on competitive UV traffic sign printers.

Viper TX 100

The Viper TX 100 (2604 mm – 102.52”) incorporates a switchable and rotatable print platform, enabling both direct-to-fabric and dye sublimation (transfer paper) printing in one machine. The printer is fully compatible with Mutoh direct disperse inks (for direct-to-fabric printing) and Mutoh high speed disperse dye inks (for transfer paper printing). Delivering production speeds up to 36 m²/h and top speeds up to 77 m²/h, Viper TX 100 will open a host of business opportunities for users requiring a versatile floor-to-ceiling production oriented printer to complement their existing digital imaging / screen printing equipment.

Viper TX Soft Sign Printer Series

 

Mutoh’s Viper TX Soft Sign series (1610 mm - 63.38” & 2210 mm – 87”) printers come as a total solution for direct printing of polyester fabrics with open or closed structure.  The engines have been tuned to Mutoh’s VOC free water based direct disperse inks to deliver top print quality.  Prints are immediately dried and heat fixed by the integrated fabric drying and fixation system, making them immediately useable. Producing durable images with exceptional image quality and brilliant colours at typical production speeds up to 37 m²/h, Mutoh Viper TX Soft Sign printers are suited for a wide variety of applications.

 

MS Ultra Ink

Mutoh’s third generation mild solvent inks, called Mild Solvent Ultra (MS Ultra) will enhance printer productivity through more efficient printing & a higher level of user convenience, namely an even wider media compatibility and better performance on media which were already compatible with Mutoh’s second-generation MS Plus inks.   A higher level of user convenience is made possible as the inks do not require daily printer maintenance. Mutoh’s MS Ultra ink has been designed and optimised specifically for the Spitfire Extreme series and Blizzard models, offering the highest level of image quality and printer reliability.

Bio-Lactite Ink

Mutoh’s new Bio-Lactite ink will enable print providers to effectively reduce the entire environmental footprint of their daily production. Rather than being petro-chemical based, Mutoh’s Bio-Lactite inks are 50 % from a renewable organic resource – corn.  The inks do not release any harmful VOCs in the working environment. The Bio-Lactite inks are particularly suited for print providers  demanding “green output” on recyclable media and wanting to achieve high quality print results on “exotic” media not typically intended for inkjet printing. The Bio-Lactite inks will deliver high quality print results on a wide range of uncoated environmentally friendly low-cost roll-to-roll substrates.   Unlike competitive “green” inks, the new inks are fixed and dried using a minimum of energy (600 W). The ink formulation provides a wide colour gamut and a unique level of gloss preservation.  Outputs can be used for indoor and outdoor applications with an outdoor durability of up to 2 years, without lamination. The inks are ideally suited for 3D applications including car wrapping and thermo-deformation.  A unique feature of the inks is that they are capable of printing on both roll and rigid substrates.

 

 

 

 

At GraphExpo, CGS Publishing Technologies International and Roland Corporation will demonstrate a powerful new proofing solution for the packaging industry. Superior in quality to more expensive, proprietary proofing systems, the latest version of ORIS Color Tuner // Web will be shown on the Roland VS-420 on CGS' booth (#432) at McCormick Place, October 3-6, 2010.

The new Roland VersaCAMM VS line, comprising 30-inch, 42-inch and 64-inch variants, adds white and metallic silver ink to traditional process colours. This provides the opportunity to proof and prototype a greater variety of consumer packaging, including elaborate finishing on substrates such as PE and PET plastics, composite materials, transparent and aluminum foils.

When used with ORIS' precise colour matching abilities and ScreenDot technology, the Roland devices are a high-quality, low-cost alternative to traditional proofing in the packaging industry. The metallic silver ink can be mixed with CMYK to produce a wide range of metallic effects.

A Revolution in Packaging Proofing

Company CEO Trevor Haworth commented, "Following on from our successes with the Roland VersaUV line, we are excited that our close cooperation with Roland DG now extends to two product lines and various sizes of printers giving users the choice and providing significant value to package designers and production companies, finally making the legacy technology that has dominated packaging proofing for so long obsolete."

Version 1.2 of ORIS Color Tuner // Web fully supports the entire range of the Roland VersaCAMM VS series inkjet printer/cutters featuring Metallic Silver and White ECO-SOL MAX inks. ORIS gives users the choice of continuous or halftone output with the same colour accuracy. The ORIS ScreenDot Plus option processes final 1-Bit files or lets the user chose from a number of built-in screen sets and line rulings.

 

 

 

At GRAPH EXPO 2010, EFI, a world leader in customer-focused digital printing innovation, will showcase its complete portfolio of solutions that continue to lead the industry's progression from analog to digital technology. EFI's suite of offerings will be on display in booth 2000 (Oct. 3-6th, Chicago's McCormick Place) and in partner booths, including Canon U.S.A., Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Ricoh Americas Corporation, Xerox Corporation and others.

The newest versions of EFI products will be highlighted, including print MIS, Web-to-Print and proofing solutions; the next-generation Fiery digital print server; EFI VUTEk superwide digital inkjet printers; EFI Rastek UV wide format printers; and EFI Jetrion industrial inkjet printing systems.

"GRAPH EXPO is a great opportunity for print providers of all sizes and specialties to learn about the latest technologies available to help them grow and diversify," said Guy Gecht, EFI CEO. "EFI continues to focus on the areas of print where the opportunities for profitable growth are real and significant. We look forward to demonstrating first-hand how our innovative, integrated solutions can make customers successful in these growth areas."

Throughout the show floor, EFI will run 33 Fiery products, demonstrating once again that Fiery is the industry's most popular digital print workflow. In its own booth, the company will highlight its diverse portfolio and strong integration between solutions by displaying its products around vertical markets that match customers' business needs, divided into eight segments: On Demand/Print for Pay, Small Commercial/CRD, Commercial/Specialty Printers, Large Commercial/Publishing, Digital Sign and Screen, Packaging and Labels, Creative Agencies/Colour Professionals and Office Solutions. While many EFI products address customer requirements in multiple verticals, here's what visitors can expect to see in each area of the booth:

On Demand/Print for Pay

Here GRAPH EXPO attendees will see the recently launched next-generation Fiery platform that drives digital print production engines, as well as the Fiery Central production workflow tool. EFI will also demonstrate the latest Fiery JDF integrations, in particular between EFI's Web-to-Print platform, EFI print MIS systems and Fiery servers.

Small Commercial/CRD

The centre area of the EFI booth will be focused on job submission with EFI Digital StoreFront and on print MIS with the popular EFI PrintSmith. Since many small commercial printers and CRDs run Fiery-driven devices, the powerful Fiery Command WorkStation job and device management console will be demonstrated along with the production workflow solution EFI MicroPress.Commercial/Specialty Printers

EFI Pace takes centre stage in this section of the booth. EFI Pace is a browser-based, scalable and customisable print MIS. In addition to Pace itself, the product will be shown integrated to the EFI Digital StoreFront Web-to-Print platform and Fiery servers via Fiery JDF integration technology. EFI will show how this combination can eliminate thousands of profit-consuming touch-points, reducing errors and speeding production.

Large Commercial/Publishing

EFI Monarch, the print production and management solution for large, single and multi-plant operations, will be the spotlight in this area. EFI will display the latest Monarch user interface, advancements in visual planning capabilities, state of the art JDF imposition automation integrated with pre-press workflow systems, and a new Monarch iPhone APP. Two powerful add-on solutions (already key components of Monarch) will be demonstrated separately – EFI PrintFlow scheduling and the EFI Auto-Count shop floor data collection solution.

Digital Sign and Screen

The powerful VUTEk GS3200 and VUTEk GS5000r superwide format printers anchor two corners of the large EFI booth. In between, two new EFI Rastek wide-format printers will be on display at GRAPH EXPO for the first time.

EFI Pace will also be shown as a complete Print MIS designed for the display graphics market and integrated with the Fiery XF digital front end driving VUTEk and Rastek printers.

Since the commercialisation of the GS series in late 2009, more than 100 printers have been sold, and the total print output from the GS printer series has exceeded 75 million square feet.

Packaging and Labels

For the packaging and label markets, EFI offers the award-winning Jetrion 4830, providing flexible options across a web width of 9 inches with a print width of 8.3 inches. The Jetrion 4830 integrates with the EFI Fiery XF RIP, which will also be on display. The newest member of the EFI Print MIS family, EFI Radius, will be demonstrated in this area. Radius is designed to enable an end-to-end, intelligent and optimised management and production workflow for label, flexible packaging, converting, and folding carton businesses.

Creative Agencies/Colour Professionals

Fiery Production Solutions ensure precise, predictable colour every time with expert colour management tools like Fiery Colour Profiler Suite and Fiery Graphic Arts Package. EFI's Inkjet Printing Applications offer powerful production tools to create and distribute high-quality proofs, including Colorproof XF, EFI eXpress, and the unique Web Control Center. Epson and Mutoh devices are part of this area.

Office Solutions

Fiery Office Solutions help businesses run more productively and profitably. This portion of the booth will highlight tools and applications that enable office workers to quickly and easily publish and digitally manage and distribute documents. Fiery VUE, EFI SendMe, Fiery Send Server, and EFI PrintMe will be on display.

Theatre Presentations, Panel Speaker and User Group Meeting

Covering topics from across all vertical segments, the theatre area of the booth will feature presentations from EFI experts throughout the day, including subjects such as "Making Complex Work More Profitable" and "Inkjet Economics."

Sean Skelly, director of marketing and service for EFI Jetrion, will also be speaking on the "Digital Package Printing" panel held on Sun., Oct. 3rd from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. in room S504.

EFI will host a Pace user group meeting on Tues., Oct. 5th from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. in room S106A. The company will review the Pace roadmap and seek user input.

 

 

FESPA is hosting its first European Congress on 19th November 2010 in Brussels, with the support of six of FESPA’s national member associations in north-western Europe.

The Congress is targeted specifically towards business owners, directors and general managers of print service businesses in Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, France and the UK. The one-day event will feature a series of high-level conference sessions addressing business critical issues common to printers in these mature European markets. Lunch and a post-event drinks reception will give delegates an invaluable opportunity to network informally with peers from their own and neighbouring countries.

The central theme of the Congress is ‘Continuing to Innovate’. This acknowledges that north-western Europe has been a driver of technical, applications and business innovation in wide format print, while emphasising the need to remain innovative to stay competitive and profitable. The Congress will feature technical content as well as covering issues such as marketing and the environmental agenda from a northern European perspective.

Confirmed speakers include technical guru Nicholas Hellmuth (FLAAR); marketing and communications expert from specialist agency Marcom Projects, Jan Van der Veken; FESPA board member and successful print and marketing services entrepreneur Christian Duyckaerts; and ‘print coach’ Nick Devine. FESPA managing director Frazer Chesterman and sales and marketing director Marcus Timson will also deliver their popular 60 Minutes to Innovate session. The event is sponsored by European Congress Platinum Partner Fujifilm.

FESPA’s partner associations in this Congress are Febelgra (Belgium), ZSO (Netherlands), BVDM (Germany), VWP (Switzerland), GPSF (France) and Prism (UK). Representatives of all six organisations will be present, facilitating regional interaction for delegates. The event offers the ideal opportunity for printers to find out more about the benefits of membership of their national association, which gives discounted access to FESPA events of this kind around the globe.

FESPA Managing Director Nigel Steffens, explains: “It’s often said that we operate in a global market, and FESPA’s pan-regional conferences and summits offer top-class coverage of generic issues affecting wide-format printers the world over. But we can’t overlook the fact that our community is maturing at different rates depending on geography and local market conditions, and the effects of the recent economic downturn have differed significantly from region to region.

He adds, “At FESPA, we’re committed to understanding and supporting the needs of our member associations. One effective way of doing this is to work with clusters of national associations in key regions to deliver events that can hone in on the specific commercial issues that affect print business owners and managers in their countries. We expect this Congress in Brussels to be the first of several regional events organised in collaboration with our member associations, which now number more than 30 worldwide.”

Full details of the FESPA European Congress are available from the FESPA web site at www.fespa.com/european-congress. Printers registering to attend the FESPA European Congress before 5th October 2010 will benefit from an Early Bird delegate rate of Euros 250.00, increasing to Euros 350.00 after that date. Members of FESPA national associations receive a substantial discount, paying just Euros 100.00 before 5th October, rising to Euros 150.00 after that date.

The first 50 delegates to register for the FESPA European Congress will receive a copy of FESPA’s acclaimed FESPA Sensations book, a premium quality portfolio of screen printing effects designed to showcase the sensational creative capabilities of the process.

NEOLT S.p.A. will show new printers and print finishing machines at the Viscom Italy trade show in Milan (October 21st - 23rd).

At Neolt's booth G01/H10 in Hall 3, the company from Lombardy will demonstrate:

X-Jet 3200 UV printer featuring Xaar 1001 print heads: Neolt's top-of-the-line printer was developed to maximize the output volume without compromising on quality. The highly robust structure of the machine with a Neolt-proprietary ink circulation system and the implementation of the Xaar 1001 print heads, with their ink drop sizes ranging from 6 to 42 PL, make this possible. This is the first time that Neolt shows the 3200 mm model. Earlier on, the X-Jet 2050 was launched.

AsterJet 2200 hybrid UV printer, Xaar Proton print heads: This machine, shown in a CMYK + White color configuration, has a print width of 2200 mm and features two innovative media transport systems: a patented rotating vacuum cylinder for flexible media and a vacuum moving bar for rigid substrates with a thickness of up to 50 mm. Allowing borderless printing on all four sides, the AsterJet 2200 is now shown for the first time printing with white ink.

AsterJet 1650 hybrid UV printer, Xaar Proton print heads: Designed for smaller print shops with limited investment resources, this printer, which at the show will print in a CMYK+Lc+Lm configuration, handles flexible and rigid media up to 10 mm thickness. Low as its purchasing price may be, the printer delivers excellent output quality at high speed. It features Neolt's patented rotating vacuum cylinder, which transports both flexible and rigid media securely and safely through the printer. White ink is available for this printer as well. Neolt will show the printer as part of a complete workflow solution, together with an automatic unwinder for jumbo rolls and the XY Matic Trim for simultaneous horizontal and vertical cutting.

Neolam PE: This is an entirely new family of entry-level cold laminators which Neolt launches at Viscom. This laminator is available in sizes 1100, 1400 and 1650 mm and has a pneumatic system to regulate the nip opening (max. 20 mm) and upper roll pressure.

NeoWeld 1300 is Neolt's best-selling welding solution for banner and other PVC material. Extremely easy to install and to operate, this strong impulse-electric device is suitable both for welding hem pockets and for joining pieces of substrate.

Textile Super Trim: the world's first and only stand-alone trimmer for natural and synthetic fabrics. With iTs heated, motorized rotary blade the machine cuts and seals at the same time to avoid fraying. With the heating switched off, this trimmer cuts any other flexible substrate up to 8 mm thick.

Universal Trim: This is a three-in-one machine featuring a disc saw to cut rigid materials, a pneumatic blade which cuts semi-rigids and a dedicated tool for cutting glass.