Hardware - Print Finishing

Leading Spanish large format print production company Verdú Digital is the first in the region to streamline operations with the Esko Kongsberg C64 multi-functional large format digital finishing system. With an annual production of more than 180.000 m2 of canvas, vinyl and textiles, Verdú Digital has also invested in several Esko design and workflow software solutions to help it better service customers across Europe, including key clients in France, Portugal and Italy.

Vicente Verdú, Commercial Director of Verdú Digital, explains the positive impact implementing the Esko solutions has made: "In the past, we've completed large format sign and display production manually or by subcontracting. Installing the Esko Kongsberg C64 Kongsberg cutting table, meant a radical change for the company. It not only brings time and cost savings, but we can now also accept more projects than we’ve ever been able to before.”

To service its portfolio of over 8.000 clients, Verdú Digital has a 2.500 m2 facility in Barcelona and 45 employees. These clients are looking for services in digital printing on canvas, vinyl and textiles but they are also seeking graphic communication support for the production and installation of all types of advertising elements, decoration of spaces, events and scenery.

Pioneering installation

Verdú Digital was only too pleased to be the first in Spain to install the Esko Kongsberg C. "Esko is a brand with an impeccable reputation and a wide range of installations worldwide, so we knew it was a company we could trust. In addition, it offers complete solutions and has a great support and service team overseeing the installation which has worked accurately from day one. Esko fits with our company so we had no doubts. Our decision proved to be the right one because the Esko team has always been there when we needed it. With this installation, we wanted to become a leader in the market and we are getting there!"

The Esko solution installed at Verdú Digital includes the Kongsberg C64 for cutting sheets and rolls but also a range of software solutions: ArtiosCAD 3D structural design software, workflow solution Automation Engine, connectivity management with Automation Engine Connect and optimization of the cutting work with i-Cut Layout. "ArtiosCAD allows us to design structures, develop products and prototypes, Automation Engine is a modular workflow server with dynamic workflows. Both solutions are easy to set up and operate, and offer a new standard for prepress workflow automation. I-Cut Layout is a software program that allows us to make projects more profitable. It enables us to save on material and preparation time but also helps us to reduce delivery time. With this program we can optimize production from fitting the designs to create cutting strokes, bleeding, adding grommet marks, etc.," explains Verdú.

Thanks to the combination of these solutions, Verdú Digital production is smoother, more structured and better organized. Verdú says: "By automating production management we can process more orders in a time of declining run volumes. In addition, the i-Cut software allows us to reduce material waste. All these benefits translate into better service, faster delivery and an increased capacity to process more orders."

Wide variety of materials

The Esko Kongsberg C64 (with working area of 3.210 mm x 3.200 mm) always provides the same performance – even on the most demanding materials or complex jobs. Verdú comments: "We already cut all sorts of materials, both flexible and rigid and have also made some spectacular applications on cardboard, wood and methacrylate. We are very satisfied. The table works perfectly with a wide range of materials and that allows us to do absolutely everything. And the additional advantage is that we can do it much faster. Today, we can handle any kind of job!”

Amadeu Maurel, Esko Area Sales Manager, adds: “The large format printing market needs large format cutting equipment that still offers the same quality, speed and flexibility for a wide variety of materials. To meet this demand, the Esko Kongsberg features an extremely rigid beam allowing high accuracy and avoiding vibrations at high speed on large formats ensuring the highest precision and performance.”
Vicente Verdú agrees: “Since we made the investment, we have become more productive and efficient. We have managed to profitably manufacture small production runs quickly and for a wide range of materials, with the highest quality results. With the software solution, we have been able to expand our capacity to manage and quickly produce a larger number of orders.”

The industry crisis in Spain has prompted Verdú Digital to invest in new equipment to enable it to meet new market demands. The purchase of the Esko cutting table responds to this strategy and may soon result in another purchase. "At the moment we are running our Kongsberg table 15 hours a day. If the production rate continues at this level, we may purchase a new machine in the middle to short term,” concludes Verdú.

 

Staffordshire-based large-format digital print company Printdesigns Limited has ordered its second Zünd G3 digital cutter to cope with increasing demand for its expanding range of portable fabric-based display stands.

Printdesigns launched its TEXStyle display range in 2013 following the installation of a 3.2m-wide Mimaki JV-5 DS printer and a rotary Monti Antonio heat press.

"Our main area of business is the production of quality, portable display solutions for the self-build exhibitor," says Mark Thompson, Director of Printdesigns. "For many years, the market has been dominated with traditional products that employ heavy, rollable graphics printed onto PVC or polyester films.

"Our customers are always looking for new products that can provide easier assembly, increased portability and, most importantly, a higher lever of aesthetic finish. The introduction of fabric graphics along with lightweight supporting frameworks have allowed us to offer newer, more innovative solutions to our customers."

However, the success of the line created a bottleneck in production as the seamstress team was hand-cutting the fabric – a process that took longer than the actual printing – so Printdesigns decided it was time to invest in digital cutting equipment.

"We considered both Zünd and another digital cutting brand but were definitely more impressed by Zünd's professionalism," says Mark Thompson. "While the other manufacturer allowed us to see its equipment in situ at the print room of an existing end user, it was a little awkward and difficult to see it up close. Zünd's dedicated demonstration centre in St Albans, on the other hand, gave us time to sit down, ask questions and really consider the machine in a comfortable environment. It's a big investment so that level of professionalism and sense of security is very important. You feel you're buying into a more supported product."

Since that time, Zünd's demonstration suite has been renovated and upgraded, providing an even better experience for current and future users.

Printdesigns has been running the Zünd G3 2m-wide cutting table for almost three years. "It revolutionised what we did," says Mark Thompson. "We went from struggling to finish at the end of the day to having time to spare. It's worth every penny that we paid for it and more."

The company is now awaiting the arrival of a second Zünd G3, configured specifically to meet their needs, in September. "Soft signage graphics are generally produced on one big piece of fabric measuring 3.2m wide, which is great for the customer as there are no panels to line up, but harder for us with our existing 2m-wide cutting table," explains Mark Thompson.

The new Zünd G3 cutter has a 3.2m-wide bed to allow full-width rolls of fabric to be trimmed quickly and with perfect precision every time. The new cutter will also feature a specially developed fabric tensioning system, critical for the effective transport of the high elastane-content polyester fabrics used for Printdesigns's graphics.

Mark Thompson admits that he didn't actually see the wider Zünd in person before submitting the order, basing the decision on the success of the 2m table and the high-quality support of Zünd engineers. Zünd will ensure that both the new and older cutting machines are located in the most ergonomic way possible in Printdesigns's warehouse in Stone, Staffordshire.

"For print businesses who traditionally cut materials manually, the addition of a Zünd digital cutting table – configured for their unique requirements – can absolutely transform production, as Printdesigns discovered," says Nick Reed, Product Manager at Zünd Plotting Systems (UK) Ltd.

"Since so few UK graphics companies can handle very wide fabrics, this 3.2m machine gives Printdesigns an even greater competitive edge in the marketplace. The demand for lightweight exhibition graphics is set to grow and grow, and Printdesigns is ideally placed to grow with it."

For further information on Zünd digital cutting equipment or to book a visit to Zünd UK's demonstration suite, please email sales@zund.co.uk or call +44 (0)1727 833003.

As a company that has relocated to new facilities three times in the last four years, JCT Developments is witnessing extraordinary growth levels. Despite the relentless growth, the Hampshire company that specialises in large format digital advertising and retail print production, PoS signage and the respective fitting, has seen business expand by 30% over the last 12 months.

Recently conducting print & fitting projects for Audi and Ferrari at the Goodwood festival of speed - as well as regularly supplying Pizza Hut, Halfords, Hobby Craft, M&S, Thornton's, Puma and Prêt-A-Manger - the pedigree of the Ringwood company is unparalleled.  To support its exponential growth the company has just invested in a DYSS X7 1630C digital cutting table from AG/CAD.  Discussing why the company made the investment, JCT Managing Director, Julian Turner says: "We have a series of flatbed digital printers that includes two Truepress W3200UV and a Jetrix KX7, plus four Mimaki roll-to-roll upright printers. Whilst our print capability is outstanding, our flat bed and vinyl cutting machines were manually operated and this caused a production bottleneck."

For JCT, there were three key issues. Firstly, its staff operating the existing board and vinyl cutters couldn't keep pace with the fast throughput from the printing machines, which caused a bottleneck and extended project lead-times. Secondly, the existing cutting tables couldn't cut precision profiles and forms. This resulted in either the highly skilled staff taking more time to cut simple profiles, or the company just having to turn work away or subcontract it out. Finally, JCT was limited by the materials it could cut. For example, E-Flute Board, Foamex and Corex beyond 5mm thick were impossible to cut by hand whilst retaining edge quality whereas materials such as Di-Bond, acrylic, wood and PVC were a non-starter.

The company was fully aware of its limitations and the bottlenecks being created on the shop floor, so Julian Turner investigated the market. He continues: "We knew what we were looking for and after extensive investigation, the DYSS X7 ticked all the boxes for our business. As soon as we installed the machine, the benefits just kept stacking up."

An example of the immediate impact the DYSS has had at JCT can be noted on a Prêt-A-Manger poster project that is printed from a 50m long roll. Previously, this would have taken over 2 hours to cut by hand. It is now done on the DYSS in less than 30 minutes. This is partially down to the rollers on the DYSS X7 that makes set-up and cutting more precise and faster to process. With dozens of similar examples, the instant impact of the DYSS enabled JCT to relocate an employee from full time manual cutting to only using the DYSS for a few hours a day with significantly improved productivity. With a bed capacity of 1700mm by 3400mm, the DYSS X7 1630C fully complements the 1600 by 3200mm print capacity at the Ringwood company.

Julian Turner continues: "What used to be a production bottleneck is now a complete role reversal. We installed a large Screen digital printer at the same time as the DYSS and another shortly after. The two new printers would have eventually made hand-cutting a full time job for two people. However, the DYSS is so fast and precise, it can take everything our printers throw at it. In fact, it can be cutting within minutes of jobs being printed, which now means our printers struggle to keep pace with the DYSS. With our rate of growth, alleviating bottlenecks and improving lead-times is a huge advantage."

With 10 staff in-house and another 10 staff continually on the road installing projects, JCT sees projects from concept through to final installation. This 'all encompassing' printing and fitting service is a factor behind its continued success in the retail, restaurant, coffee shop, shopping centre and shopping mall advertising and POS sign and display graphic sectors. However, turnaround times are a key factor for JCT - and here the DYSS has really supported the business.

For the recent Goodwood 'Festival of Speed', JCT was involved in large projects to print and apply graphics to stands and buildings for Ferrari and Audi. For Audi, the event was part of its promotion of the newly launched RS3 car. Commenting upon this, Julian Turner says: "It was an extremely prestigious project and one that demanded a fast turnaround service. Our team worked 24 hours a day to complete the project and without the DYSS, it wouldn't have been possible. We are making a 10 fold saving in cutting times."

This may well be a bold statement, but on another recent project to produce Pizza Hut promotional magnets, the sheets were cut in 4 minutes as opposed to 3.5 hours by hand - instantly quantifying the 10 fold saving.

The addition of the DYSS now enables JCT to cut Di-Bond, Acrylic, PVC, E-Flute corrugated board, Foamex, Corex and even wood in thicknesses beyond 15mm. This wasn't previously possible and work above 5mm in most materials would have been subbed out. Unfortunately, this had lead-time and cost constraints that would have restricted the growth of the business. As Julian Turner continues: "We now have the confidence to pitch for any type of work regardless of material or the complexity of the shapes of each job. The DYSS can handle everything we throw at it. It is now down to us to sell the benefits of the DYSS to customers. So far, many of our customers are overawed by the capability of the machine - as the possibilities are almost endless."

With such bold statements, printers and sign-makers may be wondering what the potential of the machine actually is. At JCT, the company specified the SuperHead' machine with three tooling stations that can accommodate kiss-cut tools, routing, knife, creasing and pen tools. For JCT, the DYSS delivers the ability to cut through thick or rigid materials with the powerful routing tool or alternately use the high speed oscillating and static knives to carve through corrugated and Foamex boards.  With regard to the kiss-cut, pen and creasing tools, these are precisely directed around the work area for marking, folding and cutting complex designs and shapes.

The DYSS works in synergy with the KASEMAKE CAD suite that has thousands of pre-prepared templates for boxes, folders and display units. At JCT, this innovative software and the creasing/folding tools have enabled the company to supply projects such as leaflet holders that wouldn't have previously been possible.

Julian Turner concludes: "Our customers are delighted with our print and finish quality and our ability to complete projects in-house with the DYSS. We are now taking on more diverse work from existing customers and it is down to us to sell the benefits of the DYSS to existing and new customers."

The Cardboard Box Company raced for superhero glory on Sunday 12th July 2015 at the Red Bull Soapbox Race in a Lego Batman-themed car built with two Zünd digital cutting machines.

The team from Accrington-based Cardboard Box Company competed in the event as You Gotham Be Kidding Me – one of only 70 teams selected from hundreds of applications – at London's Alexandra Palace, with coverage being shown on Dave.

Normally used in the design of packaging, The Cardboard Box Company's Zünd G3 L3200 and Zünd PNXL3000 were instrumental in the creation of the soapbox car's shell of cardboard blocks.

"People go crazy on different themes for their cars for the Red Bull Soapbox Race, but we decided on Lego Batman," explains Lee Mansfield, IT Manager at The Cardboard Box Company.

"The design was an exercise in trial and error. Our CAD designer Kris Howson used the Zünd cutting systems to create and cut the pieces to build a replica of the Lego Batman Batmobile, which were then fixed to the metal frame using hot-melt glue.

"For the final version, we printed the pieces on our Inca Spyder wide-format printer and cut out the pieces with the Zünd's user registration application. On top of that we had wings, flame-throwers and battery-powered flashing lights, plus the braking and steering mechanism needed to negotiate the downhill race with ramps and jumps."



As well as the car itself, the You Gotham Be Kidding Me members were dressed as Lego Batman characters, with costumes also made using the Zünd machines.

"We built cardboard suits, complete with heads and bulky Lego-like legs," says Lee Mansfield, AKA The Joker. "It was quite tricky as we're all different sizes but they looked really good."

He adds: "Red Bull checked in now and again to see how we were doing and were really impressed by what we've done. They also sent us batches of Red Bull to keep us going over the past couple of months of designing and building the car!"

Soapbox fans can follow You Gotham Be Kidding Me's journey to London online, via www.facebook.com/yougothambekiddingmesoapbox, www.twitter.com/legosoapbox and www.redbullsoapboxrace.com/uk/en/team/you-gotham-be-kidding-me.

For further information on Zünd digital cutting equipment or to book a visit to Zünd UK's demonstration suite, please email sales@zund.co.uk or call +44 (0)1727 833003.

Bright Green Technology has launched a new LED edge lighting system for LED lightboxes.  The new system is a development of the existing Bright Green Beam edge lighting system and now comes as a fully encapsulated, IP65 rated module, making it more robust and suitable for outdoor use. This new LED system complements Bright Green’s existing range or lighting solutions for signage.

Based on a state of the art design Bright Green Beam™ ensures uniform lighting without the stripes associated with fluorescent tubes. This is made possible by the specially designed lensed LEDs that redirect otherwise wasted light towards the lit surface, ensuring maximum brightness.

Bright Green Beam is ideal for illuminating single and double sided lightboxes with depths greater than 50mm. Using LEDs specified and optimised for close binning, high lumen efficiency and lumen maintenance, Bright Green Beam is the most effective, energy efficient way to light mid-sized boxes.

Bright Green Beam is available as either a one or three LED module to allow design flexibility and as an option of constant current or constant voltage. Available in Cool White ( 5700, 6500K), Neutral White (4000K) and Warm White (3100K) Bright Green Beam is a no maintenance, low power system that delivers energy savings of up to 88% compared with fluorescent tubes.

Family run sign making specialists, Signs & Imaging (southeast) Ltd. produces signage for virtually everything including shops, warehouses, petrol stations, shopping centres, building sites and mobile events.

Keen to avoid the expense of buying a flatbed printer, Signs and Imaging looked at numerous applicators to help speed up the mounting of cut vinyl and prints, for example, onto various boards.
They were recommended the Bubble Free Applicator by a colleague. The Bubble Free Applicator, distributed in the UK by Josero, allows a single operator to mount and laminate a wide range of materials in super fast time whilst eliminating the danger of bubbles or creases.

Dean Johnson, Managing Director of Signs & Imaging (Southeast) Ltd. decided to go and see the Bubble Free in action to see if it really did perform as effectively as it claims to. Dean comments: “We were extremely impressed with the performance of the applicator. It was easy to operate, fast and efficient plus it could be operated from either side providing greater flexibility with where we could install it.”

Signs and Imaging worked closely with the Josero team to ensure The Bubble Free Applicator would meet all their requirements. Once they’d committed to purchase the applicator, Josero arranged installation, training and technical support for Dean and the team.

Dean continues: “The new Bubble Free Applicator will enable us to take on and output more work without having to take on more staff. It’s a fantastic investment for our business and we’d encourage anyone in our situation to consider the same option. We’re convinced it will help us improve our service offering to clients as well as increase our profitability.”

Loic Delor, Managing Director of Josero concludes, "Signs & Imaging is now part of a large team of extremely happy Bubble Free Applicator customers. It is one of our best selling products and sales are rapidly growing for this innovative and extremely reliable table.”