14 Dec 2024

Roland's Metallic Ink ups the Application Ante

 

The introduction by Roland of its metallic ink into dedicated print-and-cut systems has been welcomed by companies wanting to extend their product offerings within the sign, display and specialist digital sectors. Both the original SolJet Pro III XC-540MT and the more recent VersaCAMM VS-640 have been designed and manufactured specifically to incorporate this important new addition, as well as white, making them integral and reliable elements within these wide-format systems.

Roland recognised that in order to remain competitive, its customers from all sectors needed to offer fresh and innovative ideas to their end users. The addition of wide-format print-and-cut solutions designed to handle metallic and white ink formulations has resulted in a new breed of applications which benefits from the broad palette of more than 500 vivid, glittering colours as well as a highly opaque white.

The first company to invest in the Roland VersaCAMM VS-640 was Reddhart Graphics, who signed the order immediately after this machine was launched in the spring. Purchased from Roland specialist reseller PrintMAX, this solution's metallic option was instantly acknowledged as being vital to the Essex-based print service provider's growth plans.

Reddhart Graphics supplies a broad range of print-related services, including offset litho, including a vast array of wide-format output ranging from point-of-sale materials, through displays and posters, to more unusual jobs such as guitar wraps. Managing Partner, Steve Hart, believes firmly that the compact and versatile print-and-cut VersaCAMM VS-640 was the right machine to drive his company forward into more innovative applications, with the addition of metallic and white inks adding to the high quality of its CMYKLcLm eco-solvent inks.

"The quality is pretty amazing," explains Hart. "And it's all the more so when you consider that it's coming from a 1.6 m wide-format printer. Some of our clients are especially sensitive to colour accuracy but the VS-640 satisfies them. We produce posters and point-of-sale graphics for make-up brands where skin tones and colour have to be spot on."

Unattended production has proved to be another bonus for Reddhart Graphics. The company can leave a job running with the knowledge that, when it is complete, Roland's integrated OnSupport system will send out an e-mail notification to a remote computer or mobile phone. This feature also reports status updates, such as ink-low warnings, as Hart confirms. "This is a remarkable development in my opinion," he says. "Overnight production is routine now; it really works wonders for us when we have delivery deadlines looming."

Another enterprising business to have gained instant rewards from the addition of metallic and white ink is Leeds-based Awesome Merchandise. Formed five years ago in a student bedroom, this company concentrates on the creation and production of badges, stickers, promotional items and displays and has grown to become one of Europe's largest producers of bespoke products.

Specialising in print runs from one-offs to hundreds of thousands, Awesome Merchandise uses a variety of creative techniques according to the type of job being produced. Whilst higher volumes are catered for using offset litho or screen-printing, the demand for smaller and personalised applications has driven the growing requirement for digital options. However, the installation of a Roland SolJet Pro III XC-540MT has also helped Awesome Merchandise by expanding the opportunities which can be turned into print.

"This new print-and-cut solution has helped us almost double our product range," claims managing director, Luke Hodson. "Its versatility and quality means we have been able to add many new products to our catalogue, including wide-format posters and billboards, custom-cut stickers and garment transfers."

Hodson opted for the 1.37 m Roland SolJet III XC-540MT not only for its metallic and white ink capabilities but, also, because it is an integrated print-and-cut machine. "This was our first wide-format purchase and, although there were cheaper options on the market, the Roland system was the only which really stood out," he says. "This investment means that we can be ever more creative in our offerings to customers and, in the future, we plan to open up new revenue streams, including vehicle wraps and graphics as well as point-of-sale applications."

Roland DG's technical director, Brett Newman, emphasises: "The use of metallics is here to stay and, with Roland technology, users are assured of absolute compatibility between printer and special ink formulations. These print-and-cut solutions are engineered specifically to accommodate both metallic and white inks to ensure that absolute consistency and quality are assured from the very first print onwards."

 

InkTec’s Backlit Film approved by HP for their Latex Printers

 

Leading ink & media manufacturer InkTec have had their best-selling Backlit Film approved by HP for use on their range of Latex Printers.

As a result, InkTec Europe will now be stocking the Back-Lit on a 3” Core to ensure compatibility over the full range of Latex Printers which includes the HP Scitex LX600 and LX800. The Backlit film is available in all widths up to 1524mm.

UK Sales Manager, Ben Woodruff commented, “It’s exciting that HP have officially recognised the quality of our Back-Lit Film and approved it for use on their entire Latex range. We have seen the printed results and they are simply stunning”

ICC Colour profiles for the Backlit Media (ITP-BG) are available to download from HP on their media finder website.

 

 

 

 

Avery Dennison sponsored racing driver makes impressive start in Dutch GT4 Championship

Danny van Dongen, one of Europe’s top-rated GT4 sports car racing drivers – who is being sponsored by Avery Dennison – has made an excellent start to the second season in the Dutch GT4 Championship.

Seven races form the 2010 season,  with six events on the circuits in Assen and Zandvoort, and the last in the autumn on the famous Nürburgring Grand Prix track in Germany.

In the first race during the second weekend event of the season in May, on the Zandvoort circuit, Danny van Dongen’s GT4 Corvette – wrapped in Avery Graphics® 900 and 800 series films and carrying the Avery Dennison logo – swept in second just 0.054 seconds behind the winning car driven by Jan Joris Verheul.

‘Before the race, I would have been thrilled with this outcome’, commented the Netherlands-based driver Danny van Dongen immediately after the race. ‘But I was ahead of the field during the last lap and should have won,’ he said.

Danny van Dongen is now focusing his sights on the next races in the Championship.   He says: ‘I will be going full out for victory. And that's a realistic ambition, as I have proved.’

Avery Dennison’s sponsorship theme, appropriately, is “driven to excel” – and that’s what sports car racing is all about.  Nobody competes to be second best – especially, it seems, not Avery Dennison or Danny van Dongen.

Aluminium frame fabric signage and display systems the way you want them – Ultima provides the complete trade service

 

As part of its already popular Linear aluminium frame display system, Ultima has recently launched Linear Vector, a lightweight modular frame system suitable for fabric and rigid substrate graphics. Ultima has also just launched a Vector wall-mounted range of graphic frames. The Vector system allows you to create seamless graphic displays that are ideal for retail environments; for branding, freestanding promotional displays and wayfinding.

Vector frame graphics are front-loading, so that even if the display or wall frame is in-situ, graphics can be changed very easily; making them perfect for environments where the message changes regularly.

Their experience shows that, customers find the kits are great for a lot of off-the-shelf applications, but often they are required to fit them to a particular environment and demand custom sizes. Ultima’s UK-based design and manufacturing facility means they can deliver made-to-order sizes at the same cost as a standard modular solution using their dedicated in-house CAD design team, which is offered as a free service to Ultima distributors. Ultima has recently invested in the latest Pro-E design software to improve the speed and quality of their design service.

Ultima also has in-house printing and finishing, so once hardware solution is specified, they can also print and fit high quality graphics from your artwork, on latest d-gen specialist dye-sub fabric printer.

With all these trade services under one roof, Ultima’s aim is to offer a value for money ‘one-stop-shop’ – which can save time and money.

 

INX Digital has ECO solutions for SGIA

 

The Specialty Graphic Imaging Association's (SGIA) Expo always attracts a crowd and this year should be no exception.  INX Digital International Co. has recognized this and supported both the event and industry, introducing new products that are relevant and timely to specialty imagers.  INX Digital (booth #3249) will fortify its Gold sponsorship with the debut of two Green and environmentally conscious products when the SGIA Expo is held October 13-15 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

SGIA will mark the North American launch of Triangle ECO inks and the Eco Bulk ink delivery system.  EDX is a new line of eco solvent inks and represents the first time INX Digital's Triangle brand has developed a colour and chemically compatible product for the alternative market.  The dual compatibility allows users to perform cartridge-by-cartridge changeover without wasting ink, and new colour profiles are not required in order to obtain the same colour as OEM inks when printing.  Designed for Roland printers with Epson DX4 print head technology, EDX is an extremely fast drying ink with low odour.  Both HAPS- and TAPS-free, it offers a significant cost savings compared to OEM eco inks.

Eco Bulk is a new type of ink delivery system and a prime example of INX Digital's long-term commitment to developing sustainable products.  As an integral part of INX Digital's Green recycling programme, it is easy to use and features a unique cardboard box design that consists of 100 percent recycled material.

Eco Bulk is comprised of one box instead of five, 440 ml cartridges, with the ink housed within a foil bag.  Once emptied, the bag is disposed of and replaced, a more sustainable approach compared to plastic.  The foil bag can contain up to two litres of ink, double the current industry standard of one litre packaging and resulting in less waste, but 440 ml cartridges will remain available for customers using less ink.  A test programme showed that more volume allows for greater consistency of the product being delivered through the network.

 

New metallic iridescent inkjet photo papers from Mitsubishi HiTec Paper

 

At Photokina 2010, Mitsubishi HiTec Paper has introduced two impressive new media for photo printing: jetscript IG 2577 and IL 2576.

Both grades are top-class microporous, resin coated inkjet photo papers with a substance of 260 g/sqm and a unique metallic iridescent surface effect. While jetscript IG 2577 offers a high gloss surface, jetscript IL 2576 imposes with a special lustre pearlescent finish. The metallic look of the iridescent finish guarantees eye-catching prints in advertising, photo or graphic-art.

Thanks to the special ink absorption layer, even high ink amounts dry rapidly and the printouts are water- and smear-resistant after drying. Both products have been developed for applications in the desktop and large-format printing area and are universally printable with all common dye-, pigmented- and UltraChrome (K3) inks. Mitsubishi HiTec Paper offers both grades as sheets (A4; A3; A3+), plotter rolls (17; 24; 36; 42; 44”) and jumbo roll (2,200m).