Consumables

SEPIAX has launched a new formulation for its Aquares ink.  Aquares V3 is backwards compatible and can be mixed with the V2 ink without any problems and customers now can print at even lower temperatures than they did before with the SEPIAX Aquares version 2. The average drying temperature for plastic films is now below 50°C.

During the last 2 years SEPIAX has gained a lot of experience in the field of semi-industrial print applications. “This market segment actually shows the biggest response to our ink technology”, says Karl Ebner, marketing and sales director. “In fact, this is not really surprising to us since industrial manufacturers nowadays still struggle to find appropriate inkjet-printing solutions for their print jobs. In many cases SEPIAX inks are the only ones which adhere. They can survive tough production conditions e.g. high temperatures up to 280 °C or high pressure during production.”

“A lot of feedback for this latest ink improvement came from the industrial segment” adds Franz Aigner, CEO at SEPIAX with responsibility for the company’s product development. “SEPIAX can be seen as the inventor of water-based resin inks for piezo printheads. We now have more than 5 years of experience with this new ink technology. Of course, our leading position helps to develop this technology to the next level while others are now starting to launch their 1st product generations.”

One main requirement - especially from industrial customers - for the new SEPIAX Aquares V3 was to improve reliability on long print runs while prolonging cleaning intervals at the same time. In the past, improper handling and excessively high heater temperatures caused issues.

“The users of our ink have now realised that they don’t need to switch heaters up to the highest level possible. It is simply in the nature of this ink technology that, over time, the resins in the ink will form a dry ink layer on the nozzle plate if you work with temperatures over 60 °C and more in the area of the sensitive print-heads. Our ink specialists have succeeded in developing a new “self-cleaning mechanism” which is integrated in the ink. This development represents a milestone in terms of printing reliability and is already protected with patent rights,” explains Franz Aigner.

”The results of this 'self-cleaning mechanism' technology are really impressive,“ Ebner adds. “During the intensive one-year beta-testing phase we haven’t had a single problem in terms of print-head clogging. This new Aquares V3 is even capable of cleaning itself after too “hot” printing conditions via a standard cleaning procedure. The new improved formula also shows further improved abrasion, water and alcohol resistance as well as less sensitivity to well known and ink-challenging printer “specialties” like Y-tubing connectors or sub-tanks."

SEPIAX will showcase Aquares V3 at EcoPrint.  Ebner says, "The EcoPrint show is a perfect platform for our company since we have been one of the first in this business to define 'ecology & green chemistry' as our company's principles. The latest market developments prove that moving away from harmful solvents and reducing power consumption are major steps for the graphics industry.  SEPIAX Aquares inks contain no SVHC (substance of high concern) or HAPs (hazardous air pollutants) as defined by the new GHS (globally harmonised system of classification and labelling of chemicals) which is now implemented by the United Nations.”

All other components in the SEPIAX Aquares V3 ink are harmless to humans and the environment.  SEPIAX is able to provide a virtually 'empty' MSDS without any hazard classification. SEPIAX inks are non-flammable, have no odour and are free of ozone-depleting chemicals and aromatic hydrocarbon solvents.

Switzerland-based label manufacturer, Orimia, has chosen a highly chemically resistant polyester film from Lintec Graphics Films for a specialist project at an independent, market-leading Swiss research laboratory.

Producing a wide range of customised labels to companies operating in the food, pharma and construction industries, Orimia has used Lintec Graphic Films products for a number of applications in the past, and has been impressed with the company’s portfolio of effective and highly creative labelling products.

Hans Keller, managing director at Orimia explains, “Due to the nature of the work carried out by the research laboratory, the required labelstock for identifying medical bottles had to offer superior chemical resistance as the labels would be exposed to a variety of harsh chemicals including Acetone. Following discussions with Lintec’s Swiss supplier, Alpha Papier, they suggested to trial Lintec Graphic Films’ Durafol® label product which has been specifically designed for this type of application.”

The laboratory organised a trial period to test the performance of label stocks from different manufacturers to ensure the final product would meet the required adhesion strength. “Lintec’s Durafol® product won the laboratory’s vote of confidence as it excelled under extreme conditions due to its superb high performance coating with outstanding resistance to chemicals, humidity, elevated temperatures and UV,” continues Mr Keller. “We’ve now been asked to supply 100,000 labels to the laboratory which will be printed with their thermal transfer printer in-house.”

Andy Voss, Managing Director at Lintec Graphic Films notes, “Durafol® is a thermal transfer printable polyester which enables the production of on-demand high performance variably printed labels. The extremely tough product is ideal for use in scientific research and medical facilities as it can resist repeated harsh chemical exposure without compromising adhesion, topcoating or print.”

Durafol® polyester is available in matt white, matt silver and matt clear.

Sihl Direct UK has announced that its PolySOL media is now shipping in the UK.  The satin finished, waterfast polyester film for solvent and latex inks is thick and stiff enough for pop-up-systems and displays and its resistance to high temperatures mean it provides an ideal solution for HP Latex printers.

“Thanks to PolySOL’s grey back, the media has nearly 100% opacity making it ideal for free-standing applications,” says Ian Turnbull, operations director for Sihl Direct UK. “The excellent flatness allows this media to be used for a wide range of signage, advertising and POS applications. The innovative coating and its bright whiteness lead to a quick drying time and a wide colour gamut with Eco-, Mild- and True-Solvent inks as well as Latex inks for HP Latex printers. The product is also suitable for hot and cold lamination.”

Peter Miles, Sales Manager of CMYUK, a Sihl Direct UK reseller, has already seen significant interest from customers, “A lot of people are looking for a good media for pop-up displays on a Latex printer. However, having tried many that claim to be Latex compatible, PolySOL has so far been the first media that delivers the quality and durability required for this application. Just because a media company says their substrates are compatible with Latex does not mean they are. PolySOL has tested very well and our customers have so far been very happy.”

Sihl’s PolySOL range offers high opacity and a high degree of stiffness, making it ideal for pop-up displays. It is also quick drying, tear resistant and offers waterfast prints with high colour brilliance.

PolySOL is available from Sihl Direct UK and authorised resellers, such as cmyuk (www.cmyuk.com).

Based in Milton Keynes, The Colour Crew is a relatively small screen and digital print business specialising in Point of Sale (POS) and outdoor advertising, as well as the production of banners, pop ups and floor graphics for exhibitions.

Working on a number of high profile accounts, The Colour Crew’s mix of production facilities allows it to offer its clients optimum solutions in terms of quality and cost within this competitive and demanding industry.

The search for an ink partner

Since 2006, The Colour Crew has been successfully making the transition from screen to digital print, and as a result, the company is gaining momentum within the market. Over the past few years, the industry has become more and more competitive, in part due to the reduction of ink costs within the digital sector. To retain its competitive position, The Colour Crew invested time and resource to find the best ink system to meet the needs and volume of the digital print business.

In his search for an alternative to Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) inks to enable his business to compete in the industry, Nick Goodall, The Colour Crew's general manager said, “I couldn’t find a suitable system that provided The Colour Crew with the quality needed, at a reasonable cost.”

He continued, “I haven’t used OEM inks for two and a half years because of the costs involved. We also had an issue with blocked print heads with our previous system which increased the amount of down time. Cleaning and replacing them was a significant cost to the business.”

The Colour Crew was introduced to the new Streamline ink system and subsequent beta testing by AD Colour, Sun Chemical’s key Streamline distributor and development partner in the South East of England.

Meeting Expectations

When Sun Chemical offered The Colour Crew the opportunity to take part in the beta testing scheme for the Streamline Ultima HPQ, Nick was very keen to trial the new ink system.

Nick concludes, “We’ve had a very positive experience with Ultima HPQ - no problems at all! The ink does what it says; it dries quickly, works well as a replacement to the OEM inks and is competitively priced.  We are very happy with Sun Chemical’s Streamline product - the quality and performance of the ink system is exceptional. We look forward to a fruitful and efficient relationship with AD Colour and Sun Chemical.”

 

Fisher Textiles has added GF 2201 Voile (FR) to its line of superwide format fabrics for dye sublimation and UV printing and ET 600 Poly Duck (FR) to its Envrio-Tex line, a green fabric alternative made with recycled yarns for dye sublimation and UV printing.

GF 2201 Voile (FR) is a soft, thin, sheer fabric with a high sheen that is excellent for transparent flag and banner applications for retail, sports marketing and eventing markets. It is 1.8 oz/yd2, 122 inches wide and 100% Polyester. It is also flame retardant and passes NFPA 701.

ET 600 Poly Duck (FR) is a 7.4 oz. woven fabric that is 68% Repreve recycled Polyester, 32% Polyester and 126 inches wide. Repreve® meets FTC guidelines for recycled products. ET 600 Poly Duck has been certified by Unifi, Inc. under the U Trust Verification program, Repreve Certification number: RPV-2368.  Applications include trade show exhibits and roll up banner stands. The fabric is FR and passes NFPA 701.

Free sample rolls are available for testing from www.fishertextiles.com

[images show Fisher Textiles' ET 600 Poly Duck fabric (above) and GF 2201 Voile fabric (below)]

Sun Chemical has added the Streamline ESL HPQ and the Streamline Ultima HPQ products to its Streamline range of inks, designed to meet the stringent demands of the latest wide format printing equipment.

The Streamline range is designed specifically for use in wide and super-wide format printers which are using high-quality solvent based inks. With the ever increasing pressure and developments of the print market, Sun Chemical is continuously making improvements to product performance ensuring that they are of the highest quality and meet the needs of this expanding market.

The Streamline ESL HPQ and Ultima HPQ ranges have been developed following extensive feedback of customer needs. The new products provide high print reliability and print quality.

Nick Goodall, The Colour Crew general manager, participated in the beta testing scheme for Sun Chemical’s Streamline Ultima HPQ and comments, “We’ve had a very positive experience with Ultima HPQ - no problems at all! We had an issue with blocked ink heads with our previous ink system which increased the amount of down time. Cleaning and replacing them was a significant cost to the business. Essentially, with Sun Chemical’s Streamline ink system, we’re getting the highest quality ink product and performance at half the price of OEM.”

Steve Moralee, director, AM Printshop Ltd, who participated in the beta testing scheme for Streamline ESL HPQ says “We are very impressed with ESL HPQ. We are now also much more in control of our ink outlay. In the past, the amount of ink we used on a job was so varied that it was difficult for us to estimate the total production cost. Sun Chemical’s new Streamline ink system has provided us with outstanding print quality while reducing our material costs by over 50%. This means that we are now in a position to compete commercially on a national level, creating a whole host of new business opportunities.”

The new additions to the Streamline range have been carefully matched to the original products for both colour shade and strength as well as physical properties, enabling customers to continue to use all the existing settings when converting from the original inks.

Both ranges have very high print quality that exceed OEM product performance in many cases and also feature excellent adhesion to a wide range of media commonly used in the sign and graphics markets such as photo labs, digital print shops, exhibition printers, graphic art bureaus, sign shops, screen printers, repro houses and commercial printers.

For more information, please visit www.sunchemical.com/streamline