Hardware - Industrial Print

Quality Print Services (QPS) is pleased to introduce the Longier range of LED cured UV printers to the UK market.

Longier print systems feature the very latest long-life, cool-cure, LED UV technology for leading energy efficiency, speeds of up to 70sqm/hr, white ink as standard plus varnish and spot colours, and many special features such as an oversized board printing option.

Demonstrating superb build quality, the Longier range is a result of UK design refinement and is supported by a team of experienced, UK-based technical engineers – offering a credible and affordable alternative to established names in the wide-format arena such as Agfa, Canon, swissQprint, HP, EFI, Durst, Mimaki and Inca.

The UK Longier range currently comprises five new LED UV printers:

• Longier Hunter FP 3750 - 2,500 x 1,450mm flatbed printer
• Longier Hunter FR 3750 - 2,500 x 1,450mm printer with roll-to-roll option
• Longier Hunter FR 4650 - 3,200 x 1,450mm printer with roll-to-roll option
• Longier Hunter FP 6000 - 2,000 x 3,000mm flatbed printer
• Longier Hunter FP 900 - 1,000 x 900mm flatbed printer

Each Longier printer will come supplied with Nazdar top-quality inks for outstanding print consistency, adhesion, colour saturation and price.

"We're excited to introduce Longier flatbed printers to the UK market for the first time," comments QPS Managing Director Chris Bailey. "The brand is a real competitor against our industry's more recognised names and with Nazdar inks ready-installed it offers exceptional quality and cost savings.

"Longier machines are solidly built, efficient and reliable so are ideal for any sign-maker or display company looking to replace or expand their equipment. In fact, we'd like to invite businesses to test the Longier printer at the UK demonstration suite to put the range through its paces using their own files on their own substrates."

For more information on QPS or to book a demonstration, please visit www.qualityprintservices.com, email sales@qualityprintservices.com or call 01704 897575.

EFI’s exhibit at the SGIA Las Vegas tradeshow highlights advanced solutions that fuel printing company success, from imaging technology enhancements and versatile, new inks to automated material handling and best-in-class workflow efficiencies. The lineup of innovative print products on display includes:

• The award-winning flagship of the EFI VUTEk portfolio, the 3.2m, high-volume EFI VUTEk HS100 Pro UV inkjet press featuring automated material loading and fully automated unloading systems, and a new material edge guide system for printing corrugated board and other challenging substrates at press rated-speeds.
• The new EFI VUTEk H2000 Pro UV inkjet printer, a 2m, extensible platform for mid-volume graphics production making its worldwide debut at the SGIA Expo.
• The 5m, roll-to-roll EFI VUTEk GS5500LXr Pro LED printer, which features UltraDrop Technology and the greener, more-efficient advantages of “cool cure” LED imaging.
• SuperFlex Ink from EFI and 3M for VUTEk GS3250LXr and GS5500LXr Pro printers, a versatile formulation offering superior LED inkjet performance on vehicle wraps, soft signage and outdoor applications requiring higher durability and flexibility.
• The EFI VUTEk GS3250LX Pro with UltraDrop Technology, a 3.2m printer offering exceptional-quality grayscale imaging and greener, “cool cure” LED technology in a versatile, hybrid roll/flatbed format.
• The EFI H1625 LED printer, a 1.65m, entry-level hybrid offering that has quickly become a popular production-level LED inkjet device thanks to its high-quality, eight-level grayscale printheads and its superior white ink capabilities.

“The range of innovative EFI VUTEk and EFI Wide-Format products – with printers that feature the superior imaging quality of UltraDrop 7 picolitre technology, the proven versatility and energy-saving benefits ‘green’ LED inkjet, and EFI’s industry-leading white ink capabilities – create important opportunities for signage and graphics professionals looking to expanded their businesses with higher-end production,” said Scott Schinlever, senior vice president and general manager, EFI Inkjet Solutions.

Wide-format’s new entry point for premium-quality graphics

The 2m EFI VUTEk H2000 Pro printer premiering at the SGIA Expo provides wide-format signage and graphics companies with a more-affordable entry point into high-end production printing while giving them the option to add features – including white ink, clear varnish and roll-to-roll media handling – as they grow their business. The printer brings UltraDrop Technology greyscale imaging to the mid-volume inkjet graphics production segment, providing high apparent resolution and excellent text reproduction along with outstanding smoothness in shadows, gradients and transitions.

VUTEk H2000 Pro users can run rigid, sheet and flexible media up to 2 inches thick on the printer, and it offers standard multi-queue functionality for continuous production. Enhanced hybrid vacuum belt technology on the new 2m UV inkjet printer optimises substrate feeding.

‘A foundation for future growth’ in roll-to-roll inkjet production

The SGIA Expo marks the North American debut of the VUTEk GS5500LXr Pro with UltraDrop Technology, a 5m, roll-to-roll printer that delivers extraordinary performance on high-throughput work requiring precise imaging. The printer’s LED inks cure at a lower temperature, giving users the ability to print on a wider range of media, including textiles and mesh substrates as well as thinner, less-expensive films that cannot withstand the heat associated with other drying or curing methods.

EFI customers like Bill Duerr, president of the New Jersey-based print firm Hatteras, benefit from the possibilities EFI innovations create in roll-to-roll LED inkjet printing. Duerr’s company recently installed the VUTEk GS5500LXr Pro model, adopting the printer’s high-quality, energy-efficient production benefits to capture growth opportunities in retail point-of-purchase signage.

“Our continuous effort to evolve with the demands of the marketplace and expand our service offering has lead us to the purchase of our new EFI VUTEk printer,” said Duerr. “This printer, with its LED and high-end UltraDrop imaging features, allows us to increase our production capabilities and opens up our capacity significantly. We are thrilled with the purchase and feel it will serve as a foundation for future growth into the retail market while allowing us to provide our clients with a superior product and innovative applications that align with their sustainability initiatives.”

Fiery firepower and EFI web-to-print/MIS for streamlined signage workflows

EFI’s latest inkjet graphics digital print workflow products, EFI Fiery® XF, version 6 and the EFI Fiery proServer, version 6, are driving the print technologies in EFI’s SGIA Expo exhibit. A new FAST RIP (Fiery Accelerated System Technology) feature presented on the Fiery proServer processes complex vector data up to 7 times faster than its predecessor.

Designed for EFI VUTEk printers but compatible with more than 500 wide- and superwide-format printers from numerous major manufacturers, Fiery proServer 6 supports FOGRA PSD certifications and it offers new tiling features for improved usability. A dynamic smoothing feature on the new Fiery proServer ensures superior gradient output.

The Fiery proServer 6 also touts enhanced integration with web-to-print and MIS/ERP workflows. At the SGIA Expo, EFI will exhibit end-to-end workflow integrations between VUTEk printers, the Fiery proServer, and products from the industry’s leading workflow portfolio: EFI Pace™ print MIS software and EFI Digital StoreFront® web-to-print and eCommerce software.

“EFI fuels our customers’ success because we listen to them closely, and we follow their clear direction on what they need to improve their businesses,” said EFI’s Schinlever. “With our full range of options for entry-, mid- and high-level graphics production and our complete, end-to-end workflow, EFI’s exhibit at the SGIA Expo shows why our customers continue to excel in the signage and graphics market.”

EFI’s exhibit is in booth 2413 at the 2014 SGIA Expo. EFI partners Nazdar and Veritiv are also showing EFI Wide-Format printers in booths 3327 and 2785, respectively. For more information about EFI products, please visit www.efi.com

Hybrid Services is pleased to announce the release of an LH-100 clear ink for the JFX200-2513 flatbed LED UV printer to complement the existing LUS -150 and LH-100 LED UV curable inksets.

The new clear ink provides the capability to produce glossy and matte finish effects, adding creativity and value to the finished product. The addition of the new ink to the gamut delivers an effect close to that achieved traditionally in the lithographic print industry for many years with a spot varnish. Additionally, Mimaki clear ink can be output in multiple layers to enhance the vibrancy of colours or to create a more tactile finishing effect.

Stuart Cole, National Sales Manager for Industrial Products at Hybrid, is excited about the potential of the new ink.  He says: “The new generation of flatbed LED UV printers are highly sophisticated and capable production machines that have been breaking new creative ground and the addition of this clear ink to the portfolio really takes the artistic and creative possibilities of the JFX200 to new levels.”

Applications such as high end PoS, labels, textured finishes and even Braille are all now possible, presenting fantastic opportunities for companies involved in packaging proofing to deliver accurate simulations of finished products in a very efficient and timely manner, with the combination of LED UV ink curing creating a touch dry finish immediately after printing.

Mimaki’s clear UV ink can be retro fitted to existing JFX200 machines with only minor hardware upgrades needed. Users should ensure that they have the latest firmware (Version 1.30 or later) and version of Mimaki’s RIP (RasterLink 6 Version 2.10 or later). Additionally, one of Hybrid’s demonstration JFX200 printers will be commissioned with white and clear inks alongside the process colours to enable visitors to the showroom to compare the variety of configurations the machine is capable of.

Matan Digital Printers will present its latest wide format print solutions at SGIA in Las Vegas, on Digitech Solutions Group's booth (#2829).

Highlights include the new Matan Quantum printer - designated for HD quality close-view applications. This printer features Matan’s Quantum Printing Engine, comprising leading edge printhead technology, with inherent 7pL drops and 3 greyscale levels, advanced LED UV curing and LED-curable UV inks. The new Quantum printer is based on Matan’s Super-Wide Format platform, with hundreds of installations worldwide, including many sites with multiple Matan systems. Also exhibited is a selection of new add-ons, including Jumbo Media Handling System, ID Backprint, Vacuum Plate which is now being offered at the size of 2m x 3m and more.

“Matan Quantum was developed specifically in order to answer the needs of print providers seeking the highest quality printing for a wide variety of applications. This unique all-in-one solution can serve customers in the best way to increase their profitablity.” said Mr. Hanan Yosefi, Matan’s CEO & President. “Our innovative printing technology gives the Matan Quantum tiny 7pL droplets and variable drop size that produces 3 greyscale levels: 7pL, 14 pL and 21pL. The result is phenomenal HD resolution of up to 1,200 dpi print quality, with superb transitions, vignettes, skin tones and shadows, as well as precise and sharp 4 point size text. All of these are a perfect match for indoor close-view applications” added Yosefi. “Combined with our cutting edge LED curing, complemented by new LED UV curable inks as well as our impressive selection of new add-ons, we offer a unique comprehensive solution, which we know the market has been long waiting for”. Yosefi concluded that “Matan’s existing line of printers, which is selling exceptionally well around the world, where speed and productivity are the main deciding factors, will continue to innovate.”

Matan will also show the MatanFlex, a new 3m UV system specifically developed for fleet graphics, including truck curtains and car wrapping. The new printer features an innovative flexible UV ink which was developed specifically for this purpose. This printer together with Matan’s UVFlex inks is designed to replace retired industrial solvent printers which have been traditionally used for fleet graphics, as well as eco solvent and latex printers which don’t offer robust enough solutions for these purposes, being uncapable of handling the heavy-weight rolls used for truck curtains. The new UVFlex ink has outstanding stretchable properties, with an elongation to break of up to 250%, which makes it a perfect match for those challenging applications.

“Until recently UV ink was unsuitable for printing fleet graphics”, said Matan’s VP Marketing Erez Zimerman. “Printed truck curtains go through a lot of repeated folding, pulling and tearing, which regular UV inks cannot survive without breaking. Car wrapping demands a great deal of stretching and heating, which was also not possible with UV inks until now. Since solvent and eco solvent inks are being banned in many countries, for environmental and health reasons, it was necessary to develop UV inks that would be flexible enough to do the job, and we at Matan raised to the challenge.” Added Zimerman.

Also featured at SGIA will be the Matan 8QW 5m (16.40’) Hybrid UV printer with white printing capabilities with a selection of successful add-ons, including Inline Finishing, Automatic Backlit, Automatic Blockout printing and more.

POP & display specialist, Imprint Group, is the first UK-based company to invest in both the Inca Onset S50i and Onset R40i wide-format flatbed UV printers supplied by Fujifilm. Increased quality and productivity were the main objectives to drive the business decision.

Dave Matthews, group sales director at Imprint Group, explains: "We have been at the forefront of large-format developments since 2001, and are constantly on the lookout for the latest technology innovations. Now is the right time to replace two of the three Inca Onset S20 devices we purchased four years ago with more advanced pieces of equipment. We believe that the investment in highly productive devices like the Inca Onset S50i and R40i will allow us to increase efficiency, print longer production runs and deliver higher volume POP materials."

Trading for over 30 years, Imprint Group has been a loyal Fujifilm customer since day one. Priding itself on stringent colour management standards, bespoke print management solutions and creative expertise, Imprint Group values Inca and Fujifilm as a reliable supplier of leading print technologies.

Dave was particularly impressed by the performances offered by the latest Inca Onset models. He continues: "With the increasing market demand for a quick response and turnaround time, it is crucial to invest in flatbed printers that can deliver excellent quality and high productivity. The throughput and print quality guaranteed by the Inca Onset S50i and R40i are outstanding. We quickly came to the conclusion that the printers were the best fit for the type of work we produce and the market we work in. It also allow us to consider future expansion into new markets."

The company is confident that high-end technologies such as the Inca Onset printers will support its ongoing growth. Dave highlights: "The machines will enable us to deal with large volumes of print even in the busiest months of the year. Choosing two presses from the same Onset family will also ensure colour consistency across the platforms and high quality applications that can meet the requirements of the most demanding print buyers."

He concludes: "We offer our clients a first class service supported by intelligent IT technologies designed to make their lives easier and satisfy their ever-changing needs. The relationship with Fujifilm and the investment in Inca's advanced technologies is fundamental to guarantee this."

Fujifilm, in collaboration with Inca Digital, will present the North American debut of the Inca Onset R40i with the Hostert full automation system at SGIA. The R40i is a wide format, flatbed UV press, and the latest addition to the Inca Onset series. The R40i prints with a full bed print array (123.6” x 63” print area) that eliminates the gloss matte banding normally associated with traditional step and repeat inkjet printing.

Show attendees will have the opportunity to see and attend live demonstrations of the R40i, including the Hostert full automation system. The Hostert system includes an automated feeder and alignment table, along with Inca Digital’s proprietary material loader and take off system. This combination allows for continuous printing onto a variety of substrates commonly used in the display, POP and sign markets.

Also making its debut on the show floor is the all-new Acuity F, a high performance dedicated UV flatbed printer for the display and signage market for service providers with a high demand for rigid media. The Acuity F Series maintains all the advantages of the popular and successful Acuity platform, including near-photographic image quality, a maximum media size of 120” x 98.4”, productivity up to 1,668ft2/hr, a white ink option, and has been optimized for the efficient and high-speed production of rigid media applications.