Hardware - Wide Format Print

Federal regulations recently set forth by the FDA and European Union (EU) have limited or completely banned the types of material that can be exposed in certain applications. Such materials currently found in most plastics used in the printing industry are Phthalates and heavy metals including but not limited to lead, cadmium, and arsenic. To meet this new requirement, the Joseph Merritt & Company and the team at Merritt Graphics placed the revolutionary latex-ink printer from HP, the HP Scitex LX800, into service at its Hartford facility on Monday, December 13, 2010. For its clients, Merritt can now eliminate the trade-offs between solvent and water-based inks providing high quality printing from banners and vehicle wraps to billboards using HP Latex inks. One client in particular required Merritt to produce thousands of completely hazard-free banners to be distributed worldwide. The HP Latex ink print process meets this need and eliminates solvent emissions or VOC emissions. The HP Scitex LX800 Printer addresses the demands for a clean print process.

"In recent years, our efforts were spent working with our suppliers to develop 'banner material' that met the criteria set by the FDA and EU. This year [our client] has put a limitation on the types of inks used for the printed product," stated Ed Perry, president & CEO of Joseph Merritt. "Although, a UV-cured process may be considered safe, it just wasn't enough. HP had the solution with the latex printer."

With the ability to print up to 1200 DPI, all clients can enjoy a variety of custom applications such as high quality printing for wall coverings, Point-of-Purchase (POP) posters, Soft Signage like flags and fabric banners, Outdoor and Event graphics, Vehicle Wraps, and light boxes.

As companies across the country start to recover from a turbulent economy, many printing businesses have not been so lucky. "Diversification. That is the key to be successful and ultimately stay in business," said Perry. "There are many firms in our industry that focus on one style of printing or industry, be it offset, small-format, large-format, or blueprinting, for example." Perry explained that when he bought Joseph Merritt in the late 80s he vowed to diversify what was exclusively a blueprinting company serving the Architects, Engineers, and Contractors in the Hartford area since 1908. "We'd be out of business today, if we still only did blueprinting. Instead we made a conscious decision to become a digital print, marketing/creative services, and imaging firm offering a variety of high quality solutions." With the addition of the HP Scitex LX800 Printer, that circle is quickly becoming full and this eight-location Northeast firm continues to amaze clients across the nation.

 

Océ NV has introduced the Océ ColorWave 600 Poster Printer. This system is the fastest in its class, producing robust, instant-dry prints at speeds of up to 106 square metres per hour. Prints are cut-to-size, ready for immediate use and feature outstanding Océ CrystalPoint quality. All produced using clean, green technology. Display graphics companies, offset printers and retailers can use this system to increase throughput and reduce production costs for quick-turnaround, Point-of-Purchase (POP) posters and event materials.

Dale Mortimer, Director of Marketing, Océ Display Graphics Systems, said, "POP campaigns are moving at lightspeed. They have to be produced in much shorter timeframes and tailored for individual customers and regions. Print providers have to produce shorter runs and turnaround jobs faster. We developed the Océ ColorWave 600 Poster Printer to meet the need that print providers and retailers have for a faster POP and low operational costs."

With its production print speeds, the Océ ColorWave 600 Poster Printer helps print providers meet their clients' tight deadlines, while confidently delivering consistently high quality output. It produces up to 106 sqm (1141 sqft) per hour. That means a company can print up to 1700 A1-size posters in one eight-hour shift. It also features set printing, so a print provider can print and deliver an entire point-of-sale campaign—including banners, posters and flyers – in a single business day. Retailers can use it to print campaign materials in house, which enables them to quickly react to a competitor's promotions.

Print providers no longer have to wait for prints to dry with the Océ ColorWave 600 Poster Printer. It uses patented Océ CrystalPoint imaging technology to produce instantly dry, water-resistant prints that are cut-to-size and ready for immediate mounting. Up to six rolls of media from 29.7 cm to 106.7 cm (11 to 42 inches) wide can be loaded into the printer, so the system is always ready to produce materials of varying widths, eliminating the need to change media between jobs. Being able to use different media widths also eliminates manual trimming for standard sized jobs.

Shifting the production of point-of-purchase posters to the Océ ColorWave 600 Poster Printer reduces labour and media costs significantly. Operators can be freed up for other tasks, since the system can run unattended at full production speed and no manual trimming is required. The Océ ColorWave 600 Poster Printer reduces media costs as well. It delivers high quality prints on a range of economical, uncoated paper and specialty media.

The Océ ColorWave 600 Poster Printer is based on the same technology as the Océ ColorWave 600 wide format printer for technical document systems. Specially featured for the display graphics market, the Océ ColorWave 600 Poster Printer uses Océ TonerPearls solid toner and Océ CrystalPoint imaging technology to obtain the best print results. The unique Océ CrystalPoint technology produces consistent, high quality prints.

With Océ TonerPearls toner, there's no fine dust, odour or emission so the printer can be placed anywhere, even in an office environment. The prints of the Océ ColorWave 600 Poster Printer can be used inside retail stores because there are no emissions or fumes coming from them. The system's ergonomic design makes it very easy to use. An operator standing in one spot can access nearly all functional areas of the printer, including the touch-screen operator panel, front loadable media drawers, Océ TonerPearl cartridges and the top media delivery tray.

 

 

Insight, the branded business of Prime Midia, and the first company who purchased an Inca Spyder 320 digital flatbed printer in Brazil, has improved quality as well as increasing productivity five-fold with the installation of Brazil's first Inca Onset S20.

Since 1997 Prime Midia, which operates under the Insight brand, has offered visual communications, print services, banners, billboards, building wraps and other POP materials in Brazil. This is significant, because research in Brazil shows that 85% of purchases are decided in-store, and POP is the most effective way to enhance the image of a product. The company strongly supports this philosophy and encourages their customers to recognise that no other media can deliver such a consistent exposure of brands and products.

"A few years ago, I purchased a 5-metre wide printer but, since then, the mayor has prohibited most outdoor POP advertising. I was left with nothing else to do with the printer," said Michele Cavalcanti, managing director of Prime Midia. "I was trained as a technician and had experience fixing and programming different printers, so I decided to buy a flatbed digital inkjet printer, instead."

After researching flatbed printers, Cavalcanti's Prime Midia was the first company in Brazil to buy an Inca Digital Spyder 320 (CMYK+white) wide format flatbed digital inkjet printer. While others believed it was too expensive, he believed in the productivity of the Inca Spyder 320. "Several competitors thought this was a foolish business decision, but I had spent a lot of time comparing printers. I knew it would provide a quick payback. As it turns out, buying the Inca Spyder 320 was the best decision I could have made," says Cavalcanti. "Fujifilm Sericol was very helpful and prompt to respond. Prime Midia grew, almost immediately. We started working 24/7 and never had any problem with the printer. It was very reliable."

With the Inca Spyder 320, Prime Midia was able to print a lot of higher quality materials than was capable in the past. It allowed Prime Midia to print a lot of display work for major consumer goods companies. "My company started taking large accounts with well-known branded product companies to print POP displays—mostly on corrugated, foam board and PS. The Inca Spyder 320 demonstrated that we could deliver better quality, faster than our competitors. In fact, today we are responsible for 80-90 percent of all their jobs."

Six to eight months after installing the Spyder, Prime Midia paid back its investment, while several competitors took note and invested in the same printer. Just two and a half years later, the Spyder 320 could not keep up with demand. About the same time, Inca Digital launched its Onset S20, and Prime Midia was first on FujifilmSericol's list in Brazil. They decided to buy an Inca Onset S20—again, the first in Brazil. It is a much faster machine and is capable of printing six colours: CMYK plus light cyan and light magenta, allowing Prime Midia to reproduce a wide gamut of colours very closely.

Prime Midia installed the Inca Onset S20 in August, and, although it is five times faster than the Spyder 320, they are already running it 24 hours a day. While they expected business to increase, they did not expect it to happen so quickly. It means that the machine will swiftly pay for itself, again. When the Onset S20 was installed, Brazil was in the middle of elections. While outdoor advertising is generally prohibited, it is permitted for political advertising-- and there were many opportunities for indoor and outdoor signs, including boards in the middle of the streets. Prime Midia has done a lot of work for political candidates, who have ordered thousands and thousands of outdoor PVC sheets. "We would never have been able to print them without the Inca Onset S20. If a customer needs 100 sheets in 2 days, we have to deliver. The market is very competitive," said Cavalcanti.

"I like the speed of the Inca Onset S20, along with the unique ability to print gloss and satin at the same time. Many people in Brazil like a gloss finish, and it is a way for me to cost-effectively keep ahead of the market," said Cavalcanti. "The Inca Onset S20 can also print thicker materials, as much as 5 cm. I can print a lot of unique jobs and unusual POP materials."

The lifetime of the UV lamps—1,000 hours—has been a very nice surprise. "That means that not only is the printer faster, but I can save money on the cost of lamps, which can be very expensive in Brazil," said Cavalcanti. "The Fujifilm Sericol inks are also more affordable for us, and they print very well. I cannot see any stepping between colours, caused by the direction of the printer, so can use the fast, bi-directional print modes."

"The Inca Onset S20 has been a very good choice. I am very happy with the Onset S20's speed and productivity. When you show customers what kind of work you can do with it, they think of new, unique displays," said Cavalcanti. "Digital print provides us the opportunity to do much more. The more I do, the more I find I need it."

 

 

With the growth in popularity for digitally printed textiles being seen in the UK, Roland DG has introduced the RS-640S, which is a dye sublimation version of its VersaArt RS-640. This 1.62 m (64 inch) unit produces high quality output which can then be finished using any heat press or calender.

"Typical textile applications include soft signage, flags, banners and home and commercial furnishings, and the compatible polyester-based fabrics are robust, light weight and versatile," explains Adam Wyles, Business Manager – Promo, Screen and Digital at Roland DG (UK). "Their durability and potential for recycling are complemented by completely odourless print using aqueous-based inks, making dye sublimation suitable for a wealth of interior and exterior jobs."

Roland's VersaArt RS-640S is an attractively priced entry-level option for sign-makers and display producers wanting to print to soft signage and textiles.  The package includes the printer, the take-up unit and a bottle unit.  The machine has a maximum resolution of 1440 x 720 dpi and incorporates Roland Intelligent Pass Control technology which eliminates banding in all print modes. Precise control of droplet placement results in smooth graduated tones and vivid solid colours, with production speeds of up to nearly 32 square m/hour.

The Roland VersaArt RS-640S dye sublimation printer includes a 1.62 m (64 inch) take-up system that complements its media handling system for stable performance. Prints output onto sublimation transfer paper are ready for the calendering process immediately, with the VersaArt's two-step integrated heater system controlling the temperature needed for optimum results. Individual settings can be saved in the printer, for later recall.

As with all Roland printers, the VersaArt RS-640S sublimation system includes the company's powerful VersaWorks RIP software which incorporates fully embedded ICC profile support, variable data printing (VDP), precise spot colour matching and advanced tiling, nesting and cropping features.

"Roland has now simplified the route into soft signage and textile printing with its VersaArt RS-640S printer, and this is a welcome move for sign-makers and display producers wanting to produce soft signs, flags, décor and home furnishings using this technology," concludes Wyles. "The benefit of high quality, colour accurate production can now be applied to a whole range of indoor and outdoor applications which can be produced onto polyester-based fabrics for lightweight, durable and eco-friendly results."

 

 

HP today announced that Simpson Group has invested in an HP Scitex FB7500 Printer to offer a short-run, high-quality, quick turnaround digital service for point of purchase  (POP) and point of sale (POS) applications.

Simpson Group was established in 1972 as a conventional screen printer. It operates from two production sites, its head office, based in Washington, Tyne and Wear and Heathrow, Middlesex, where it installed its new HP Scitex FB7500 Printer. Simpson Group specialises in the design and production of high-quality, branded in-store advertising for well-known retailers.

Offering its customers a range of screen, lithographic and digital capabilities, the company decided to purchase its new equipment after establishing that up to fifty percent of the jobs it was producing on its conventional equipment were ideally suited to digital production, with limited runs of between 150 to 250 copies.

The HP Scitex FB7500 offers high application versatility with its ability to print on both flexible and rigid media.  Offering a combination of adaptability and high-productivity it also has a range of features designed to maximise throughput. Its three quarter automation and the highly accurate and intuitive loading mechanism provide the productivity and efficiency needed to complete jobs quickly.

"We first invested in a digital printer eight years ago and since then we have seen the technology develop and mature as a robust industrial tool," said Mark Simpson, chairman, Simpson Group. "With our FB7500 there are no compromises on quality. With the printer's high levels of automation, we are able to get instant feedback, ensuring that colour consistency is easy to achieve. Other benefits to our customers include, fewer wasted prints - compared to conventional printing and streamlining our workflow by eliminating the lengthy process of plate-making for quicker turnaround times on short-runs."

 

 

Industrial Inkjet Ltd (IIJ), the partner of Konica Minolta IJ Technologies, Inc., is pleased to introduce 2 new modules in their print engine range. MonoPrint modules configured for printing with Varnish and White inks are available now.

Existing printing technologies frequently don't allow the user to implement all their requirements. Many popular digital printing systems cannot support extra colours such as White or Varnish. Inkjet provides the technology and advantage of digital printing in one complete system.  Spot or selective printing can be produced on-demand with the added feature of variable information. The MonoPrint with Varnish or White configuration was designed specifically to support these requirements and these modules can be integrated to existing printing systems.

"Our MonoPrint, Varnish and White modules complement existing analog and digital printing technologies" said John Corrall, Managing Director of Industrial Inkjet Ltd. "We are confident that digital inkjet technology can not only compete with, but also complement, existing printing technologies worldwide. Our modules allow innovative companies to make a full color print and spot technology in one stage".

Industrial Inkjet Ltd (IIJ) offers a reliable and easy to use print engine system incorporating Konica Minolta printheads. The systems are designed to give the user the possibility to integrate to an existing production line or equipment: the system can be easily integrated into an inline system. Single-pass inkjet technology together with the small drop size from Konica Minolta printheads gives high quality and precision print.