Hardware - Industrial Print

Gerber Scientific Products unveiled its latest Solara ion flatbed UV printer, the new Solara ionZ at three recent trade shows.

The Solara ionZ's eight print head, 14 picoliter drop size print engine produced jobs that excited crowds at PRINT 09 in Chicago, Viscom Düsseldorf Germany 2009, and the 2009 SGIA Expo in New Orleans.

"The Solara ionZ is a powerful new edition to the popular line of Gerber UV flatbed printers. Capitalising on proven UV print technology and the universal flatbed platform of the Solara ion, the Solara ionZ produces output with simply outstanding print quality, unmatched ink adhesion and impressive colour representation accuracy," said Curt Brey, executive director of digital solutions, Gerber.

The Solara ionZ utilizes the innovative print technology found in the Gerber Solara ion family of printers. GerberCAT cationic UV inks offer the highest degree of UV ink performance because of their unique chemical bonding process. Gerber's Cold Fire Cure low energy cure technology operates at nearly room temperature, allowing the user to print on heat-sensitive materials such as paper-based products, thin styrene and corrugated plastic.

While several pre-release units have already been installed worldwide, production shipments will begin in early December 2009.

One of the first EFI-VUTEk GS3200 wide-format UV-curable ink-jet printers has now been installed in the UK with Sutton Coldfield based Andesign opting to purchase this versatile flat-bed and roll-fed machine. After making its debut at FESPA Digital in Amsterdam earlier this year, the GS product line enhances the speed and quality already developed in the enormously successful QS series and brings faster, high standards of output to the market.

The choice of manufacturer was never in question, states Andesign’s managing director, Andy Williams. His company previously invested in a six-colour EFI-VUTEk PressVu 200-600 in 2004 and never had cause to question its quality or reliability. However, the demand for higher speeds at finer resolutions led him to upgrade his printer to a newer model and the eight-colour plus white GS3200 suits his purposes perfectly. Supplied and installed by specialist distributor, CMYUK Digital, the installation took place in mid-October 2009 and was up and running immediately.

This investment is playing a key role in the expansion plans for Andesign, and Williams comments: “We’ve worked with Robin East of CMYUK Digital before and, because we have a strong relationship with the company, I was happy to buy the EFI-VUTEk GS3200 on the strength of the quality of the samples I was shown. We didn’t even view the machine before coming to a decision and nor did we feel the need to look at competitive alternatives.”
Situated in the heart of the Midlands, Andesign designs and produces a wide range of displays ranging from retail and point-of-sale, portable solutions and exhibition graphics, interior and exterior applications including multi-sheet posters, floor graphics and banners, plus vehicle liveries and wraps. Such has been the success of the business that the need for a faster and more versatile wide-format printer became an essential addition to the company’s armoury of equipment.

In addition to working with standard sign-making display materials, either in sheet form or off the roll, Andesign has also experimented with more unusual substrates to determine their suitability for digital printing and, currently, incorporates products such as leatherette into specialist applications. This type of media is proving to be ideal for printing using UV-curable ink and is well matched to the versatility of the EFI-VUTEk GS3200.

Because of the company’s skills with cardboard engineering, intricate and complex point-of-sale and display products have become one of Andesign’s specialities. The company works with prototypes of original concepts and designs which are then die-cut and produced in longer run lengths using offset-litho. However, the speed and quality of the new ink-jet printer means that, for some shorter runs, clients are opting to have the entire job output digitally and this is particularly beneficial when variations in graphics and text are required between print batches.

The eight-colour EFI-VUTEk GS3200 has a maximum print width of 3.2 m on both flat sheets and rolls, with fast and easy change-over from one type of material to the other. Andesign opted for the additional white because of the extra versatility it would provide, and Williams is particularly impressed with the machine’s ability to print two boards or rolls side-by-side in the same job.

Williams is a firm believer in white ink because of the savings which can be made on jobs where it is more cost-effective to use coloured media. “Not being restricted to white material is a tremendous advantage,” he says. “The good opacity of the white on the GS3200 is enhanced by the way it can be incorporated into the work-flow, making it a simple addition to the existing colours and enabling greater creativity in designs and how they can be implemented in a digitally printed format.”

Andesign’s history is the stuff that dreams are made of, with Williams originally starting his business 14 years ago as a sign-maker in his parents’ garage. As demand for his computerised vinyl cutting talents grew, so he was able to expand by moving to larger premises and taking on additional staff. Being in the right place at the right time with a strong client list meant that, when wide-format digital colour output became available, Williams was able to adopt the technology as and when it came to market, gradually augmenting his facilities to accommodate additional machines. Today, Andesign occupies a series of units which enables the company to handle all types of work, including cardboard engineering, in-house.

“Growing our business in line with the technology which was available was a natural progression for us,” states Williams. “We are familiar with all the different ink-jet formulations and also have experience with thermal transfer. Handling colour accurately and knowing the best way to reproduce it onto a variety of different materials has evolved through many years of experience.”

As well as a full line-up of printing and vinyl cutting capabilities, Andesign also has comprehensive finishing equipment, including laminators and flat-bed cutting tables with “magic eye” registration for working to intricate shapes and contours with rigid and flexible materials. These facilities include a Zünd flat-bed table with iCut technology, essential when cutting, creasing and folding applications which need complex cardboard engineering. The ability of the EFI VUTEk GS3200 to print direct to card stocks, box boards, corrugateds and other packaging materials is as essential as working with more conventional sign and display substrates which include acrylics, aluminium composites, Foamex, Correx, plus flexible media such as vinyls, films and banners.

Williams’s overall knowledge of different ink technologies has given him broad and practical experience across wide-format digital printing machines ever since the first options came onto the market more than a decade ago. Having used early aqueous-based and thermal transfer machines, Andesign has benefited from solvent-based units as well as early UV-curable systems. As a result, the company is well positioned to know what it expects from its equipment and how to optimise output quality, colour accuracy and speed.

CMYUK Digital’s Robin East says: “Andesign is a classic example of a business which has worked steadily since its inception to develop a true understanding of how wide-format digital print can play a vital part in today’s market and its changing trends and technologies. The company has a total grasp on the need of the market; its constant drive to deliver superior quality will ensure it goes from strength to strength with this latest investment.”

Willams concludes: “We’re confident that this investment will pave the way to winning further lucrative national and local contracts and draw attention to us. We really do offer a difference and the EFI VUTEk GS3200 will allow us to focus on the requirements of large print projects as well as responding to the needs of clients with extreme deadlines without any negative impact on quality.”

 

For further information on EFI-VUTEk solutions, visit the CMYUK website, or contact Robin East on robin.east@cmyuk.net

New Durst Rho 500R UV inkjet printer wins DPIA’s “Product of the Year”

“The best grand-format roll imager”

For the second year running, a production roll to roll Durst Rho UV inkjet printer has received one of the most coveted awards that the imaging industry has to offer.  The Rho 500R superwide UV inkjet printer, which made its North American debut at last week’s SGIA trade show in New Orleans, was chosen as the Digital Printing & Imaging Association’s “Product of the Year” in the grand-format roll to roll UV inkjet printer category.

Last year the DPIA’s “Product of the Year” award was presented to Durst for its Rho 320R UV inkjet roll to roll printer during the SGIA trade show in Atlanta.  On both occasions Christopher Howard, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Durst U.S., was on hand to receive the awards during brief ceremonies at SGIA.

“All of us at Durst are extremely pleased by the recognition that these honours convey,” Howard said.  “Durst’s tradition of excellence, in technology and in meeting the operational requirements of our customers, is clearly demonstrated by the fact that our products are judged to be world class year after year.  It’s very gratifying to see the industry taking notice, and we want to thank SGIA and all the imaging experts who took part in the evaluation.”

Based on a rigorous evaluation process of printer output overseen by a respected independent quality testing organisation, and judged on the SGIA show floor by a team of digital imaging experts commissioned by DPIA, the Rho 500R was judged best in the grand-format UV curable class against all of its major competitors.  Entrants were required to submit a test print produced on the nominated printer.  The image, designed by SGIA, was created specifically to challenge the capabilities of the output device, according to SGIA.

“The Product of the Year award winners highlight the best technologies, consumables and software from the digital imaging community,” said Jeff Burton, SGIA’s Digital Printing Analyst.
    
The Rho 500R offers an unrivalled combination of productivity and quality of print. This is made possible by the latest generation of Durst’s own Quadro® 30D Array printhead technology, which doubles the number of nozzles per colour to 2,048 – the highest in its class. It prints six colours at 600 dpi resolution on the widest variety of roll media at speeds up to 400m² without compromising quality. As well as printing display media such as vinyl banners and mesh for facade cladding up to a width of 5m, it will also print three 1.6m rolls together, for example, of textile for banners or self-adhesive polyester film for backlit application. The built-in sensors and the specially designed media transport system allow for problem-free unattended printing. Furthermore, the extremely low production costs and low ink consumption, thanks to its intelligent dither technology, make the Rho 500R one of the most economical printers ever.

The Specialty Graphic Imaging Association is the one organisation whose sole purpose is to provide graphic imaging professionals with the technical know-how, expert advice and knowledge they need to operate more profitable businesses.

At the recent SGIA Expo in New Orleans, Roland DG and its customers were recognised with several of the industry's most prestigious international awards. Roland earned three DPI Product of the Year Awards while Roland customers won two André Schellenberg awards. Roland SGIA award winners include:

2009 DPI Product of the Year Awards

• AdvancedJET AJ-i grand-format inkjet printers – Output: Grand-Format Roll to Roll Solvent & Latex category
• Metallic Silver ECO-SOL MAX Ink – Digital Ink category
• VersaCAMM VP-i wide-format inkjet printer/cutters – Output: Poster Size category

2009 Andre Schellenberg Awards

• Gina Alexander Handbags – Textile category: Other. These fabric handbags featured custom graphics produced on Roland Hi-FI Express FP-740 74" sublimation printers.
• Luma Brite Mad Wrapper Lighted Vehicle Wrap – Unique Applications category: Digital Entry. Graphics for this illuminated vehicle wrap were produced on a Roland SOLJET PRO III XC-540 54" inkjet printer/cutter.

Entries for the DPI Product of the Year competition were judged on the Expo show floor by a team of digital imaging professionals. In the Output categories, entrants were required to submit a test print designed by SGIA intended to challenge the output device's capabilities. André Schellenberg Awards are widely recognized as the industry's most prominent forum for digital imagers to show off their best achievements for the year. Winners gain international acclaim and recognition for their dedication and talents.

Since 1999, Roland has won eight DPI Product of the Year awards and Roland customers have taken home 16 Andre Schellenbergs including two Best in Show awards.

"The quality of work this year was exceptional. Judges in virtually every category told me the entries were so good that choosing winners was a real challenge," said Johnny Shell, SGIA's vice president of technical services.

"These industry competitions recognise the best of what the digital imaging industry has to offer and we are very proud to receive so many honors this year," said Rick Scrimger, vice president and general manager for Roland DGA. "We congratulate our Andre Schellenberg winners whose imagination and creativity demonstrate the power of Roland technology when placed in the hands of world-class professionals."

To find out more about the award-winning Roland AdvancedJet printers, visit www.rolandpro.co.uk

 

Print-Division, located in Maribor, Slovenia, has recently installed the world’s first production Rho 800 HS (High Speed) large format, UV inkjet printer. This is the fifth Rho UV inkjet in use by the company, which has three Rho 160’s and a Rho 600 Pictor. The Rho 800 HS was purchased to replace their existing Rho 205, which had served them well for three and a half years.

Mr. Zoran Marković, Managing Director of Print-Division, said: “What we needed now was a very fast, high production machine and the Rho 800 HS was the ideal choice. We first saw it at FESPA in May this year and made the decision to purchase it immediately.”     

“Over the years our salespeople have been getting much larger orders and, particularly in the retail market, delivery times have been getting shorter. So, to be able to satisfy this demand for high volume, high quality print, we had to look to investing in new equipment. The Rho 800 HS had only been installed for a few days, and already we were greatly impressed by both its speed and quality of print.”

The Rho 800 HS is housed in the company’s new 7,500m² premises that will eventually hold all their production and warehousing needs.

Print-Division was founded 22 years ago as a photographic lab and retailer. The business grew rapidly into a large and successful chain of photographic retail outlets and photo labs. They first ventured into large format digital printing about 12 years ago with a Durst Lambda and soon the company wanted to expand into other large format digital print areas. Today, both the photographic and printing businesses trade as successful independent companies.

The company employs 44 personnel and offers a complete digital print service through to finishing and delivery of the widest range of roll and rigid materials, from textiles and vinyl to Foamex and corrugated board, both for indoor and outdoor applications. Their customers include all the major Slovenian retail chains and major brand names such as BMW and Coca Cola across the country. They also export a large volume of print to Austria and Germany.

They see the purchase of the Rho 800 HS as a major step towards automated production of instore displays. “We intend to purchase an automatic cutting table in the near future to link in with the Rho,” said Marković. “We want to make the production of corrugated display material a continuous process. Not only is the Rho exceptionally fast, it also produces very high quality print and this is particularly important for in-store retail displays. We have the six colour option of additional light colours so flesh tones etc. are perfect.”    

Michael Lackner, Marketing Manager of Durst said, “We’ve incorporated our latest imaging, workflow and operational technologies into a proven production imaging platform to create the Rho 800 HS printer. Users can complete a wide array of print jobs faster and far more cost-effectively – which improves their operations, their ability to say yes to their customers, and their profits.  We’re pleased but not surprised that Print-Division is having such a positive experience with its new Rho 800 HS.”

The 250 cm-wide Rho 800 HS features “continuous board printing” and comes equipped with the latest development of Durst’s own Quadro® 30D Array print head technology with double the number of nozzles per colour of 2,048 which effectively almost doubles its output speed over the standard Rho 800 Presto.

The Rho 800HS prints on multiple narrow boards across its total 250 cm width, on materials up to 70mm thick, at a top speed of more than 216 sheets/hour (125 x 80cm/4 x 2.6ft.).  In productive two-pass mode, it delivers exceptional image quality at 110 sheets/hour (125 x 80cm/ 4 x 2.6ft.).  The Rho 800 HS also is compatible with Durst’s roll feed / take-up accessory, designed for long runs and fast media changes.  It handles oversized rolls up to 200kg, diameters up to 30 cm and widths up to 250 cm. and with Durst providing the highest reliability in the market, users can rely on 24/7 production.

HP today announced that Fair-play BV, of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, has installed an HP Scitex FB6100 Printer, a versatile flatbed printer which uses UV curable ink and easily converts from rigid to roll-fed applications.

The new machine joins Fair-play's existing range of digital printers, including an HP Scitex FB7500 Printer and an HP Scitex XP2700 Printer.

"The latest HP Scitex FB6100 Printer will perfectly complement our existing portfolio," said Pieter Oorthuizen of Fair-play. "While our new HP Scitex FB7500 Printer is perfect for longer runs, this new printer will allow us to cater for high quality one-offs, trials and very short-runs.

"We have built our reputation on delivering products of the highest possible quality. The printer's ability to print white ink means we will be able to achieve high colour fidelity on transparent and coloured media," noted Oorthuizen.

Equipped with one of the largest flatbed imaging areas available, the HP Scitex FB6100 Printer delivers an exceptionally high print quality with displays that achieve greater colour density and application versatility. Additionally, the fast-drying UV curable inks offer vivid colours, a wide colour gamut and a print resolution of up to 1,270 by 800 dpi on both rigid and roll-fed media.

"Being able to achieve eight-colour printing at speeds up to 50 m²/hr will ensure our clients' exhibition and display graphics are turned around quickly and are the most eye-catching on show," concluded Oorthuizen.

Fair-play employs thirteen people and carries out work for several high-profile customers in The Netherlands and Belgium.