Hardware - Industrial Print

SCREEN will demonstrate the capability and flexibility of the latest high-speed 150sqm/hr Truepress Jet W3200HS UV flatbed printer at FESPA 2015 (Stand U20/Hall 6, 18-22 May in Cologne).  Plus, for the first time worldwide, visitors will see the new 3.2m wide roll-to-roll option which turns the Truepress Jet W3200UV into one of the industry’s most versatile machines capable of handling a variety of flexible and rigid materials.

A joint development between SCREEN and its subsidiary company Inca Digital, the Truepress Jet W3200UV printer is a six colour + white device designed to meet the demands of the POS, signage and decor markets today. It has the ability to print onto a wide range of rigid and flexible media up to 3.2 x 1.6m in size and up to a maximum 50mm thickness. Using vibrant Truepress inks including high-opacity white, light cyan and light magenta, the Truepress Jet W3200UV delivers high-definition, wide-colour gamut print quality with excellent resistance to the bending and cutting of a variety of print substrates.  To ensure maximum quality, reliability and production uptime, the printer features automatic cleaning and nozzle mapping.

During the show SCREEN will print a variety of challenging graphics so visitors can see the printer’s ability to produce smooth tints, vivid colours and sharp 4pt text. The aim is not only to demonstrate the printer’s significant 150 sqm/hr productivity at great quality, but also how easy it is to print high-value products, including 5 and 7-layer multi-layer backlit and day/night graphics and accurate 75lpi lenticulars at over 50sqm/hr.

The Truepress Jet W3200UV is available in both standard (85sqm/hr) and high-speed (150 sqm/hr) versions and users can easily upgrade from standard to high speed as the needs of their business grows. Both models are supplied as standard with the Caldera GrandRIP+, including the EasyMEDIA option for ICC profiles. Integration to a range of other workflows is also available.

The JETRIX RX3200 might only have been in the country a few days - with its official European launch at Sign and Digital on Tuesday 24th March - and yet the very first UK sale has already taken place. The appeal of this super-wide 3.2m Roll to Roll UV printer, designed on rapid production speeds, was not lost on PFI Sign Solutions. A dedicated signage specialist, PFI Sign Solutions offers every aspect from design and production, right the way through to installation.

The newest addition to its printing portfolio is equipped with sixteen Konica KM series (14PL) print heads, and while this specific model benefits from 8 colours (CMYK, Light Cyan, Light Magenta, Light Black and Light Yellow) the JETRIX RX3200 is also available with a 4 colour (CMYK) configuration.

As Darren McMurray, Managing Director of PFI Sign Solutions says: "The biggest appeal for us of the JETRIX RX3200 was to be able to enhance our offering to meet the ever changing demands of our business, particularly in producing super wide signage, by adding a reliable 3.2m roll to roll printer. Currently, we have two JETRIX 2300 flatbed printers, so we knew the build quality and technology was excellent. All these factors combined with the technology and service support that InkTec offer, meant that with this printer we could have it all and more."

In addition, the second day saw the sale of both the KX6 featuring on the Perfect Colours stand and the KX7 which was impressing a number of visitors on the InkTec stand.

"At JETRIX, we are obviously delighted that the RX3200 has already demonstrated its capabilities so soon after its launch. Combined with the sale of the KX6 and KX7 too, it just goes to show how our use of tried and tested technology, in conjunction with our product innovation means that our reputation is clearly going from strength to strength." said Ben Woodruff, JETRIX UK Sales Manager.

 

Devon, UK-based Studio Screenprint Ltd has added to its wide-format digital firepower with a high-speed SCREEN Truepress Jet W3200UV HS flat-bed printer.

Studio already has two existing digital flat-bed machines at its Newton Abbot plant - a Fuji Acuity and an Inca Spyder.  With a maximum throughput of 150sqm/hr, the new printer — which features CMYK plus light cyan and light magenta and two opaque white ink channels — significantly increases production capacity for Studio’s extensive portfolio.

Studio provides clients with a full design-to-print-to-despatch service of what director Simon Beasley describes as “POS to exhibition graphics and much more.”  The company produces screen and digital print, the latter on a wide variety of materials — including glass, wood, metal, all types of plastic, and corrugated and solid board.

Although the Truepress Jet is the company’s first printer from SCREEN, the fact that it features the same Inca-developed technology as the Spyder was a major reason for the investment.  Explains Simon Beasley:  “We looked at machines from other manufacturers but our feeling is that many of them are pushing their technology to the limit to deliver the speed, reliability and consistent quality we demand.  On the other hand, we believe the Inca technology in the Truepress Jet W3200UV HS is already there at the high end, proven and working at other companies.”

He adds that the final decision was made after both an impressive demonstration and a real-world production test at an existing user.  “The printer did everything we asked of it, and has done since we installed it.”

The Truepress Jet W3200UV HS features linear drives that provide exceptionally smooth, controlled and accurate motion of the print carriage, while retractable lay pins provide fast substrate positioning to ensure accurate, repeatable registration, especially on double-sided printing.  The multi-layer function enables perfect inline registration of up to eight independent image layers for sophisticated front/back overprinting of quality backlit and variable day/night graphics.

As a result, the printer delivers fast throughput of high-quality, short-run, sign and display work, including exhibition graphics and retail signage, posters, product decoration, architectural signage and backlit displays.

Perfect Colours's strident year continues with a new strategic partnership with EFI, which will see it supply and support two of its popular, innovative hybrid wide-format printers to businesses throughout the UK. Effective immediately, the London-based reseller now offers the top-flight EFI H1625 LED wide-format printer and EFI VUTEk H2000 Pro printer and will present the first of these on its stand, C10, at Sign and Digital UK next week.

The agreement sees Perfect Colours join the EFI channel as a dealer, its highest partnership tier, which means that it will not only sell the machines in the UK but, crucially, also support them. The company has invested continuously in country-wide assistance for customers in recent years and now sports a team of eleven engineers and a dedicated technical support hotline, along with training, online ordering and complementary systems.

"When our clients invest in premium equipment through Perfect Colours we pride ourselves on giving them the confidence that they are fully supported, which is why we in turn have made such a solid investment in our service department," explains Jason Burroughs, managing director. "EFI's high-productivity platforms fit superbly with our portfolio and buyers know that they can count on Perfect Colours to guide and sustain them in every way. We don't expect to sell them a machine and leave them to fend for themselves."

"EFI understands that uptime and productivity are crucial for businesses in our sector," adds Paul Cripps, vice president of EFI EMEA sales. "Perfect Colours has both the reputation and the demonstrable track record in service and support we demand from our dealers, so they're a logical strategic fit as an EFI partner."

The 1.6m H1625 LED roll-fed and flat-bed engine represents a low-cost point of entry into a versatile and high-value application space, while the 2m VUTEk H2000 Pro printer's extensible platform enables rapid, six-colour production onto an abundance of rigid and flexible substrates with a range of imaging and production options to meet any business need.

 

Berkshire-based Weedoo Signs took the next step in its business growth back in October 2014 with the investment of a Mimaki JFX200 flatbed printer from reseller printMAX.

The company was struggling to meet the growing demands of its customer base: never a tough problem to face but in terms of resource management, time allocation and overall print capability Weedoo was certainly at a crossroads. The decision to look at the Mimaki JFX as a solution came when its supplier of choice, printMAX, took on the Mimaki product range.

“We had been looking for a product that would take us up to the next level for quite a while but as is always the way, time gets away and the decisions get put off. When printMAX took on the Mimaki range they introduced us to the JFX and after a one-on-one demo we were able to see the opportunity immediately.”

Following the installation and training from printMAX, Weedoo has been able to confidently print direct to board along with offering a more diverse portfolio of services.

“We’ve been able to take on more work than ever, work that we might have had to turn away due to the print requirements and resources available. The JFX certainly adds diversity to our work along with completing our existing projects in a much more effective manner.”

The Mimaki JFX200 has been causing quite a stir within the industry this year. Having won multiple awards and impressing in terms of both speed and quality, printing up to 25m2/hr with a maximum print space of 2.5 x 3.1M.

printMAX MD, Michael Bolton comments: “The JFX allows benefits in terms of removing processes, with regards to Weedoo Signs this was clearly going to help with their time and production restraints. Where Weedoo Signs would have previously had to print onto roll to roll media and then mount to board they now need only print straight onto the board using the flatbed printer, this has ultimately saved time and money with regards to purchasing media and man power.”

With a print depth of 50mm the application possibilities on the Mimaki JFX are vast. Weedoo signs specialise within the signage industry so have benefitted from being able to print direct to board and hoardings. Machine operator Stuart Barker adds, “The intended use for the JFX was to print directly onto large scale signage and way finding, however, we’ve seen a particular benefit within our interior graphics services. The flatbed can print onto pretty anything, within reason, and the result on glass and Perspex is visually, very appealing. We didn’t foresee this as an area of growth for the business but has added real value to our product offering.”

Production Manager Jeff Bufton adds: “The JFX200 really has allowed us to work at a much faster production rate than ever before, I’ve been able to streamline the business and enable the team to work far more efficiently. For such a large bit of kit it is also surprisingly easy to use, after the 4 day installation and training process we were fully prepared to use it at maximum capacity.”

For more information on the Mimaki flatbed range please contact printMAX on +44(0)142 511539 or alternatively visit http://www.printmax.co.uk/view-hardware/mimaki-jfx200

You will find the Mimaki JFX200 on printMAX’s stand at Sign and Digital UK this year, 24th – 26th March 2015, stand F30.

The Window Film Company has completed installation of an Oce Arizona 460 GT wide-format printer in its new larger production facility, to boost capacity, increase flexibility and drive growth

Following several years of continued growth, The Window Film Company has moved to a new two-storey facility in Chesham, Buckinghamshire and installed an Oce Arizona 460GT flat-bed printer.

The Window Film Company - www.windowfilm.co.uk - has been at the forefront of the window film industry for many years, specialising in the design, production and installation of a wide range of decorated, privacy, safety and solar control products for residential and commercial applications. Printed graphics are becoming an increasingly important part of the business which has led to the company’s expansion.
The company’s new facility includes an enlarged print and graphics department, and a large production space to enable the company to invest in new print equipment. Now in full production, the Oce UV printer is capable of printing high-quality, fast-drying graphics at over 30 square metres an hour in full colour and can handle advanced multi-pass print techniques used to create one-way graphics. The printer will not only increase capacity, but will also provide the option of printing onto rigid media such as metals, perspex and wood.

Speaking about the investment, Director Micky Calcott said: “The new printer is an exciting development for us and our customers. We pride ourselves on keeping pace with our clients requirements and this new hardware will allow us to print directly onto a huge variety of films and surfaces, widening the range of solutions we are able to offer. The printer is state of the art and means we can print in near-photographic quality at any size onto almost any surface. High quality results can be achieved quickly, and in tandem with our nationwide installation service we’re able to deliver all manner of printed projects to a high standard – even with tight turn round times.

“We are of course continuing to print onto our popular range of films: optically clear, frosted film and digital wallpaper all provide magnificent opportunities for incorporating printed graphics onto walls and windows, but the ability to print onto rigid media means that we can provide full colour print onto whatever surface our clients require. We’re proud of our continued growth which we’ve achieved by investing in premises, people and equipment. The new head office has been fully refurbished to meet our exact requirements. We continue to add to our staff and the arrival of the new printer shows our commitment to growth, but most importantly reinforces our commitment to delivering exactly what our customers want and need.”