Printers Post - News

Xeikon doubles the choice of speeds and media widths

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Xeikon has expanded its successful family of digital label presses to four models which are now collectively named the Xeikon 3000 Series. This is the largest range of digital label presses on the market today, including one completely new model – the Xeikon 3050 – and an upgraded replacement for the original Xeikon 3000 model called the Xeikon 3030.

The new entry-level Xeikon 3030 will be introduced worldwide at the Labelexpo Americas exhibition in Chicago (14 -16 September 2010), where the recently announced flagship model, Xeikon 3500, will also be demonstrated for.

“Since we introduced the Xeikon 3000 at Labelexpo Americas 2008 and the Xeikon 3300 at drupa 2008, our sales revenues in the label market have grown substantially despite the economic downturn,” says Filip Weymans, business development manager labels and packaging at Xeikon. “Label applications are ideal to take advantage of the flexibility of our technology. Our award-winning presses now form the strongest and broadest range in the market, from the new entry-level Xeikon 3030 up to the Xeikon 3500, which is the most productive digital label press in the market.”

The four presses all deliver the same print quality and are divided into two maximum web widths: 330 mm (13”) and 516 mm, with each width available in entry-level or the higher productivity versions. Entry-level versions are designed to be field-upgraded to the wider and/or faster specifications as the user’s business grows, without having to make any concessions in print quality.

All models can print on an unrivalled range of substrates without pre-coat, including various self-adhesive materials such as co-extruded films, BOPP, PVC and PET, paperboards, paper with weights ranging from 40 to 350 gsm and transparent and opaque foils. The Xeikon 3000 Series include the latest enhancements to the print station and are based on Xeikon’s LED toner print engine technology. The new QA-I toner meets all the applicable FDA guidelines for indirect food contact under room temperature and less severe conditions as well as direct food contact for dry food substances containing no surface oil or fat under the same conditions.

X-Rite's free Coloratti XritePhotoWalks during Photokina

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

X-Rite has announced its inaugural Coloratti XritePhotoWalk event to take place next month during Photokina 2010 in Cologne, Germany. Photographers of all levels are invited to walk, learn about and photograph the beautiful city of Cologne while also learning about photographic techniques and tips from world class professional photographers Vincent Versace, Natural Light Photographer (USA) and Jens Petersen, Fashion, Editorial and Lifestyle Photographer (Germany).

In addition, X-Rite’s market manager photo, Thomas Kunz, and ColorChecker product manager, Chris Halford, will also join the Photo Walks so attendees can learn more about profiling their cameras with the ColorChecker Passport and enabling one-click colour enhancements.

“We are thrilled to offer for the first time at Photokina escorted Photo Walks through this picturesque city,” said Liz Quinlisk, X-Rite’s director marketing strategy, photo. “It’s a chance for Photokina attendees to take some time either before the show starts in the morning or in the early evening when the light is most beautiful to see and photograph the sites of the city while accompanied by two of the world’s most renowned professional photographers. And it’s a chance to win some fabulous prizes too for the best of the best images taken during the walking tours.”

Each free two-hour Photo Walk is a guided tour through the city of Cologne that focuses on teaching participants how to take better photos. After a brief lesson on white balance and camera profiling, the guide will escort the group through sites of interest throughout the city, and attendees will receive photo tips from the professionals along the way. At various points along the tour, participants will be given the opportunity to explore and photograph using their newfound knowledge. A local Cologne travel guide will be on hand to answer questions and provide historical information along the tour route.

Participants in the XritePhotoWalks are also encouraged to enter the Photo Walk Contest by simply selecting one final image that was taken during the walk and upload it to X-Rite’s judging site. Vincent Versace and Jens Petersen will judge and select 3 winning photos that will receive the following prizes:
1st  Place:  i1XTreme and ColorChecker Passport
2nd  Place: ColorMunki Photo and ColorChecker Passport
3rd  Place:  ColorChecker Passport

EskoArtwork to the technology rescue at Labelexpo

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

EskoArtwork with the help of ‘EskoMan', will demonstrate at Labelexpo Americas 2010 a number of technology ‘heroes’ – solutions that support Labelexpo’s theme of technology to the rescue for tag and label printers. Comprehensive, hands-on demonstrations will provide visitors extensive information to help them create and produce tags and labels more efficiently. In doing so, EskoArtwork brings its customers to new levels of industrialisation and standardisation to improve quality and consistency, and remove cost and time out of the design to print process.

EskoArtwork will be exhibiting Suite 10, a major release of its software solutions for packaging prepress, 3D structural design and quality assurance, collaboration and automation, and colour managementThe workstation software is more integrated than ever, with Automation Engine 10, adding capabilities to the automation of repetitive tasks, and taking more human interaction out of the prepress production process. This avoids mistakes and saves considerable time and money.

Featured is Studio Toolkit for Shrink Sleeves, the perfect software solution for resolving the distortion of shrink sleeves, automating the design and prepress process in Adobe Illustrator. Its unique 3D approach tackles round and irregular shapes, and even multi-packs. Pre-distortion tools compensate for the complex combination of horizontal and vertical distortions that come with irregular shapes. Users can preview artwork on the screen as it is shrunk on packaging and share the result with their clients. They can make design corrections much faster, save time and material, and avoid rejects.

The second highlight on the EskoArtwork booth is its range of digital flexo solutions, including a CDI Spark 4835, imaging digital flexo plates up to 48” x 35 and the new HD Flexo 2.0 which uses high screen rulings and advanced screening to produce plates that print near-offset quality.

EskoArtwork’s groundbreaking HD Flexo technology The company’s Kongsberg product line of CAM products for labels and packaging will also be represented with the automated Kongsberg i-XE10, a versatile and productive digital finishing system, perfect for all kinds of labels. Equipped with a newly designed stacker and sheet feeding system, the Kongsberg i-XE10 Automated finishes small-format, short-run digital printed materials, accepting sheets as large as 35.4" x 47.2".

Government must honour its industry commitments

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Printing Industries Association of Australia has welcomed the end of the political uncertainty and says it looks forward to working with Julia Gillard and her Government to implement industry commitments.

Printing Industries CEO Philip Andersen said that during the election campaign the Labor Government committed to supporting the local printing and associated industries. “It gave a commitment that the Printing Industry Working Group and the Book Industry Strategy Group will continue to address industry specific issues. One such commitment referred to Printing Industries Print in Australia campaign currently being developed.”

“The Labor Government indicated that it supports buying Australian at home and abroad and is happy to work with industry – through the Printing Industry Working Group – on promoting the capabilities of the local industry,” he said..” It also indicated that it is ready to discuss possible measures to improve the performance and competitiveness of printing firms with the industry and would welcome further discussion of these issues through the Printing Industry Working Group

“We now look forward for both working groups recommencing their work enabling practical solutions to be developed and implemented to address specific issues identified by the printing industry.”

Andersen said that with the government’s stimulus measures coming to an end the emphasis was rightly shifting to the private sector.“The re-elected Gillard Government must ensure that it creates the right conditions for private sector growth, profitability, and improvements in overall productivity and competitiveness,” he said. “It is imperative that the newly elected minority government remains committed to ongoing economic reform to help the Australian economy become more resilient in an increasingly globalised economic environment.”

Color-Logic and Mimaki: wide-format metallics a reality

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Color-Logic has partnered with Mimaki to bring wide-format process colour printing to the sign, graphics, and industrial markets. The two companies have worked together diligently to properly implement the Color-Logic Process Color Metallic System on the popular Mimaki JV33 and CJV30 large format printers. As a result, signmakers and other wide-format users can offer their customers the hundreds of metallic hues and special effects available within the Color-Logic system.

Announcing the collaboration, Color-Logic director of sales and mMarketing Mark Geeves commented: “The powerful Mimaki Raster Link Pro5 RIP software is the perfect complement to the Color-Logic system and enables Mimaki printer users to effortlessly produce stunning metallic special effects. Printing wide-format metallics requires no special prepress knowledge or technical operator skills. Mimaki also offers white ink, which may be used with the Color-Logic system to produce metallic images on transparent and metallic substrates. Finally, because the Mimaki machine can image either a white or metallic ink at the same time the CMYK ink set is being printed, registration is perfect every time. “

As a leading manufacturer of wide-format inkjet printers and cutting machines for the sign/graphics, industrial markets,. Mimaki offers innovative, high quality and highly reliable products, based on aqueous, solvent and ultraviolet-curable technologies to meet a wide range of applications.

Color-Logic develops colour communication systems and software tool sets for a variety of special effect printing applications. Its products provide brand owners, product managers, corporations, and their advertising agencies the ability to differentiate themselves and their clients with a simple print production process that yields dramatic results. Color-Logic special effects utilise the existing workflows of printers and designers, yielding dynamic results without the use of special equipment.

Roland wide-format printers now with EFI software

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Roland DG Corporation has announced that its newest and most popular inkjet printers are now supported by EFI colour management/production software including Print Pack 2 for EFI Colorproof XF and Fiery XF 4.1 RIP. Roland printers now supported include: VersaUV UV-LED printer/cutters featuring CMYK, White and Clear ECO-UV inks; All SOLJET PRO III XJ and XC printers including white printer/cutter; VersaCAMM VP-i and SP-i series 4-colour printer/cutters; and VersaArt RS four-colour printers offered in eco-solvent models.

Roland wide-format inkjets are designed for applications ranging from signs, banners and vehicle wraps to labels, packaging prototypes, digital contract proofs for offset, rot-gravure and flexography printers, continuous-tone and halftone proofing, membrane panels and even custom interior décor items. Integration with EFI software solutions enhances their productivity and offers added benefits for users of white & clear inks included with VersaUV LEC and SOLJET PRO III XC models.

Using the 1-bit TIFF option, VersaUV and EFI Colorproof XF provide the perfect solution for contone and halftone package prototyping, achieving highly accurate colour matching across virtually any type of packaging material. By layering clear ink, VersaUV produces premium results including gloss and matte finishes, embossed effects and spot varnishing.

EFI XF v4.1 supports Roland's "back to origin" feature, which boosts productivity for CMYK, white and clear/gloss printing by minimising the need for user interaction. XF v4.1 also supports Multi-Layered Printing for the VersaUV, allowing users to print CMYK, white and clear/gloss inks, and contour cut designs automatically without any user interaction.

Key features in EFI XF v4.1 include superior colour processing and matching; workflow automation, versatility and ease of use; flexible ink handling for clear and white ink; adjustable ink coverage between 10 and 500 percent for clear and white ink; easy routing and inverting; clear ink surface control, print order control and more.

With EFI's RIP, users can connect seamlessly to EFI's MIS software, Web-to-print and Web Control Center solutions for remote printing and proofing. See the new VersaUV LEC-540 and EFI software on display at Visual Impact Image Expo, September 20-22, 2010 Darling Harbour, Sydney.

HP Indigo Awards celebrate true works of art

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The 3rd Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) HP Digital Print Awards (HP Indigo) 2010, in recognition of outstanding achievement and innovation in the print and packaging industries across the region, were presented at a gala dinner attended by over 800 guests from the digital printing community. The event was held in conjunction with Dscoop Asia 2010 in Seoul, Korea.

This year's Awards in Seoul attracted more than 350 entries for the 18 categories from across 14 countries. Two companies from New Zealand and one from Australia won three of the categories. Supa Stik Labels won the Alcoholic Beverages category, while New Zealand firms Datam and Hally Group took out the Direct Mailers and Food Industry categories respectively.

“The Awards has seen a significant increase in the quality of the submissions received this year compared to the previous years,” said John Solomon, senior vice president, HP Imaging and Printing Group, Asia Pacific and Japan. “The stunning digital print works that we have received are a clear reflection of the great strides Print Service Providers have made in the advancements of digital printing technology.”

The overall grand winner from across all the categories was Kisah Publishing. The Indonesia-based company was also recognised as “Best Book and Manual” for its innovation and creativity, marketing appeal, best use of digital technology, paper selection, best use of ink and colour, finishing and packaging, and overall aesthetics. Clinching the Most Creative Award was the photo book by Beijing HengMei Impression, a China based company.

Judging was conducted by a panel of internationally renowned judges from the graphic arts, packaging and media industries. They included Almond Ko, Director of Operations, SC (Sang Choy) International Pte Ltd and CEO and principal, SCI Print Technology Institute; Alex Lim, creative director, Publicis Singapore; Jonathan McKenzie, digital creative director, Leo Burnett; Runway Tay, senior packaging designer, Nestle R&D Center; and Chris Newson, general manager and publisher, Marshall Cavendish Publishing Group.

Alex Lim, creative director, Publicis Singapore, said: ”The submissions received were true works of art boasting incredible clarity, vivid and consistent colour and so life-like that you will not think that these were printed using HP Indigo machines.”

2010 QSCLC dinner scores again for charity

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The 2010 Queensland Supply Chain and Logistics Conference dinner exceeded all expectations with 43 tables of people in attendance, Gorden Tallis signing autographs and 400 people trying to squish in around the exhibitors for pre-dinner drinks. The annual dinner is a way for the industry to get together, have some fun, raise money for a nominated charity and to honour the annual T&L Industry Development Award winners.

The 2010 nominated Charity was Foodbank with specific focus on two local charities: Mama Rene’s Foundation and the YMCA School Breakfast Program. The guests had the opportunity to hear from a truly inspiring man, Pastor John Dowell who runs Mama Rene’s Foundation for the homeless in Fortitude Valley.

Costa Logistics donated over 33 trays of fresh fruit to Mama Rene’s on the set-up day of the conference. The produce donated by Costa Logistics are some of Australia’s most well known brands and they are also internationally recognised as market leaders in the respective categories.

During the dinner George Weston Foods announced that they would donate $20,000 worth of loaves of bread to the YMCA school breakfast program. Not to be outdone the dinner guests raised $10,000 in raffles – all of which were donated by exhibitors and partners – while the auctions contributed well over $15,000. Including the in-kind donations over $40,000 was raised in less than four hours; once-again showing the significance of the Queensland Supply Chain and Logistics Conference charity dinner each year for charities. In the last eight years the event has raised over $500,000 for charities across Australia and Africa. No other conference has this level of commitment to charities and the community.

Haymans Electrical sponsored the dinner entertainment. Speed-painter Brad Blaze had guests on the edge of their seats and some even leaning sideways to work out what he was painting. Some had the opportunity to perform Elvis dance moves, Marilyn Monroe impersonations and let their hair down. A fantastic end to one of the most memorable dinners the conference has experienced.

Epson wins ninth European Photo Printer (EISA) award

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Epson has asserted its superior performance in photo printing technology and as a leader in professional imaging by winning the European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA) European Photo Printer award for the ninth time in the 14 years the photo printer category has been running.

Epson won the first EISA photo printer of the year award in 1997-98 with the Epson Stylus Photo, one of the first colour photo printers on the market. The award winner for 2010-2011 is the Epson Stylus Pro 3880, offering flexibility and high performance across a broad range of media for professional photographers and aspirational amateurs alike.

“There is no better recognition of the quality, performance and value in Epson printers than winning awards judged by experts, like the EISA panel. The fact that Epson has won the European Photo Printer award nine times, each time with a new printer demonstrating innovative technologies and advanced inks, confirms Epson’s leadership in image and colour management,” said Mike Pleasants, Epson Australia’s marketing communications director.

Using Epson’s advanced, fourth generation UltraChrome K3 Vivid Magenta ink set, with two new colours added, Vivid Magenta and Vivid Light Magenta, the printer delivers better reproduction of red, violet and purple shades. Delivering long-lasting, high-quality large format prints in both black and white and full colour, the Epson Stylus Pro 3880 offers fast and flexible printing.

The EISA panel was impressed with the size, resolution and volume capabilities of the printer, commenting: “Epson’s Stylus Pro 3880 is an A2+ professional printer small enough to be classed as a desktop model. The printer specialises in producing high-quality monochrome and colour pictures with print resolutions of up to 2880 x 1440dpi, using Epson’s UltraChrome K3 Vivid Magenta pigment-based inks. It is a great choice for photographers who print in volume, as each cartridge has a capacity of 80ml.”

“This award adds to the already considerable achievements of the Stylus Pro 3880, which received recognition with an award from TIPA (Technical Image Press Association) earlier this year. The printer is now firmly positioned as an ideal choice for professional photographers,” said Pleasants.

Positive Camtec to show new high speed UV printers

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Positive Camtec has announced the arrival of two new high-speed UV printers from Teckwin International. The TS300/600 and TeckProUV were officially launched in April 2010 by Teckwin during the ISA Sign Show in Orlando and have now made their way to Australia in preparation for the Visual Impact Image Expo to be held at Darling Harbour September 20-22, 2010.

Teckwin’s latest releases have a real focus on increased print speed whilst maintaining print quality. The great benefit of the latest UV curable printing technology from Teckwin is not only the speed at which the machines can physically print, but more importantly the flow on effects to workflow – no dry time, no post curing or “out gassing” – in fact prints can be taken directly off the printers and sent directly to the next stage of production.

The TS Series machines are the successors to the hugely popular TeckStorm series of dedicated flatbed printers, and see a speed increase of up to 75% – now offering production mode speeds up to 42m²/hour. The TS300 offers an edge-to-edge print bed area of 2.44 x 1.22 metres while the TS600 boasts a 2 x 3 metre print area. Utilising the optional roll-to-roll module, banner prints at speeds of up to 80m²/hour are easily achieved. Standard ink mode is CMYKcm + White and Teckwin’s world-renowned white ink management system is built into the core of the TS Series.

The TeckPro UV 3200 is a 3.2 metre wide dedicated roll-to-roll printer for high speed printing onto flexible substrates. Offering speeds up to 92 m² /hour it is ideal for banners, billboards, displays and general signage. Load single or multiple rolls simultaneously and achieve high quality, high-speed prints on to banner, self-adhesive vinyl, PP film, synthetic paper, canvas, fabric and mesh. Standard ink mode is fast 4 dual CMYK; options include light cyan and light magenta and white ink for printing onto dark or coloured substrates.

Label Traxx innovations on show at Labelexpo Americas

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Tailored Solutions Label Traxx – the most popular print business management software for flexographic narrow web label printers and converters – will introduce a number of innovations at Labelexpo Americas 2010 in Chicago including an iPod app for roll inventory management and direct press data collection, a new feature which is an integral part of Label Traxx Version 5.6, currently in beta testing and scheduled for full release later in 2010.

The iPod app, available only from Tailored Solutions, uses an integrated barcode scanner to manage roll inventory. The app connects in real time with Label Traxx via a wireless network to take inventory, allocate rolls to specific jobs, and edit the roll relocation in Label Traxx. In addition, the app user can check the specifications and inventory details of any roll by simply scanning it with the iPod.

“With the introduction of the Label Traxx iPod app, we continue to simplify inventory management by bringing the latest technologies to Label Traxx users,” Tailored Solutions president Ken Meinhardt observed. “We expect this to be a particularly popular addition to this already powerful and popular label business management system.”

Label Traxx direct press data collection is based on the new Label Traxx Auto Traxx encoder, a bustle wheel encoder which mounts on any press and uses a standard USB connection to record substrate roll identification and the exact length of stock to be charged to a particular job. The Auto Traxx encoder can track as many as three materials at a time, and also records average speeds, labels per hour, and the number of good and substandard labels on each run.

This new direct machine interface further reduces keying and eliminates still another potential source of error in label management. Direct press data collection is particularly useful to HP Indigo and other digital press users, because short run lengths and quick turnarounds typically complicate data acquisition and management. With the Label Traxx Auto Traxx encoder, label printers can increase machine utilisation and significantly reduce data errors.

TMS broadens its reach with HP Scitex FB7500

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Print service provider TMS Group in Sydney’s Lane Cove is the third company in Australia to purchase the HP Scitex FB7500 ultra-high speed UV digital screen printer. The investment in the HP Scitex FB7500 is part of the company’s strategic focus to deliver a comprehensive marketing service to clients that spans all aspects of visual merchandising.

Peter Waugh, director TMS Group, says, “The FB7500 will enable us to expand the work we do for existing customers and to also broaden our reach. Our experience with HP Scitex has led us to this machine and we are excited about the market growth potential the FB7500 offers.”

TMS Group operates a number of HP digital printers including the HP Scitex FB6700 and a range of HP Designjet large format printers. The company purchased the new printer through HP channel partner CPI.

Shane Lucas, director HP Graphic Arts South Pacific, said the sale to TMS Group was further evidence that HP had hit the mark with this technology which is the first true digital alternative to traditional screen printing at this size.

“The success of the HP Scitex FB7500 further demonstrates HP’s capabilities in providing a path for traditional screen print work to be moved to a digital platform. Digital convergence is making a significant impact on the industry and enabling signage producers to expand their offering and maximise opportunities for growth,” he said.

Ideal for fast-paced, industrial printing environments, the HP Scitex FB7500 Printer is a versatile UV flatbed printer designed for high-quality POP/POS applications, exhibition graphics, signage, backlit displays and posters. With maximum speeds of up to 500 m²/hr , a low cost per sheet, outstanding media versatility and an efficient, automated workflow, the HP Scitex FB7500 printer delivers the highest productivity of digital flatbed printers in its price class.

Meet V8 Supercar Stars on Océ’s Visual Impact stand

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Speed is always an important factor at the Visual Impact Image Expo, but it will be centre stage on Monday, September 20, when V8 Supercar drivers Rick and Todd Kelly make a guest appearance on the Océ stand. The two members of the Kelly Racing Team will visit the stand between 2pm and 4pm to sign autographs and chat to visitors to the Océ stand.

Océ is the official print partner of the Kelly Racing Team and assists in the supply of team graphics for the Kellys’ V8 Holdens. Kelly Racing Team has taken delivery of an Océ CS9160 wide format printer, Mutoh SC Pro Cutter and an Océ CS193 colour printer. Much of the vehicle graphics and external signage is produced internally on Océ equipment.

Océ-Australia’s business group manager for display graphics and imaging supplies, Dale Hawkins, says Océ was keen to get the brothers to appear on the stand given the popularity of V8 Supercar racing in Australia and the popularity of the Kellys themselves.

“Rick and Todd are always happy to make themselves available to greet sports fans and we know that they’ll find quite a few at the Visual Impact Image Expo.” Hawkins says. “We invite all visitors to the expo on Monday to come over and meet them. We’ll also be holding a draw for an autographed racing helmet, which all visitors can enter.”

Solutions for creating photo books with a personal touch

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Unibind, specialist in binding systems for photo prints and personalisation solutions for photo books, is to showcase a raft of innovative new products for the fast developing photo book market at Photokina 2010 taking place September 21-26 in Cologne.

Taking centre stage is the unique Photos & Sounds, a photo book that combines images with music and voice recordings, and is set to transform the photo book market. Users can record a personalized voice message such as a birthday greeting, or use pre-recorded music or popular songs, such as Christmas carols and Happy Birthday tunes.

This high-quality product combines Unibind’s innovative Staple SteelBinding technology with the award-winning ‘talking technology’ from US company, Dinotalk. The Photos & Sounds PhotoBook integrates this talking technology into the front cover, enabling users to record a personal message matching the securely bound photo prints.

Another product on show that will help businesses create new commercial opportunities is the HardCoverMaker 650M, an easy-to-use and cost-efficient solution for producing personalised photo book covers in-store.

The system features the patented ‘CasePlano’, a pre-made, FSC-certified cover from Unibind that is wrapped together with the print for the cover. It is a completely dry concept – no liquid chemicals or glues are required. This environmentally friendly solution requires extremely low maintenance, and helps businesses cut costs by eliminating the need for skilled operators.

Also present at Photokina is the Foil Xpress digital printer, which enables quick and simple one colour foil printing onto photo books. Instead of having a full-colour personalised cover, it enables names, titles, logos etc to be printed in a one-colour foil print. The system is ideal for a range of applications, including book covers, dated items, photo albums and business gifts.

Foil Xpress couldn’t be easier to install – it simply connects to a computer and is operated like any other printer. No dyes are required, and it eliminates the need for printing tools and complicated set-ups. Plus it is very cost effective, especially for short and personalised runs.

Roland DG and GMG team up for perfect mockup creation

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Roland DG Corporation, worldwide provider of wide-format inkjet printers and printer/cutters, and GMG, developer and supplier of high-end colour management software solutions, have announced that the GMG printer driver for the UV-LED inkjet printer/cutter VersaUV LEC-330, which allows the fast creation of perfect mockups, is now available.

Working together, the Roland VersaUV LEC-330 and GMG colour management offer businesses in the packaging and labelling market – including printers, design agencies, advertising agencies, repro houses, and brand owners – ground-breaking solutions for prototyping, mockup and small lot production of packaging and labelling.

The VersaUV LEC-330 supports a wide variety of substrates including paper, paper compounds, transparent films, aluminum foils, PE and PET foils, plastic, polycarbonate and other rigid substrates which are used for offset, flexography, rotogravure and screen print production. High-opacity ECO-UV White ink is ideal for transparent media, allowing users to print brilliant colours on dark and transparent substrates. With the ECO-UV Clear ink, users can simulate gloss and matte finishes, embossed effects, and spot varnishing.

Providing unrivalled quality and repeatability, GMG colour management enables the VersaUV LEC-330 to achieve a visual match, locally and at remote locations, with the main print processes such as flexography, offset and gravure printing – even for spot colours. It ensures the highest repeatability by calibrating target printers within tight tolerances. Furthermore, the simulation of cardboard, paper structure and register variations is supported to achieve colour-accurate mockups with the VersaUV LEC-330.

Compared with traditional systems for mockup creation in the packaging and label market, the Roland/GMG solution produces highly accurate colour mockups at a fraction of current costs.

Record entries augur well for PICA Victoria celebration

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Print, the Art of Craft, is alive and well in Victoria, with a record number of entries being received in this year’s PICA Victoria competition, which closed last week.

Some 356 entries were received this year, up from 303 last year, underlining the growing popularity of the Awards and their importance as the pathway to the annual National Print Awards. The final tally also augurs well for numbers expected at the industry’s ‘night of nights’, the PICA Victoria 2010 Awards Dinner, to be held on Friday, October 15 at Melbourne’s Sofitel on Collins.

“We’re delighted with the number of entries received and the quality of the work they represent,” says PICA Victoria Chairman, Trevor Hone. “Judging awards such as this is never easy, but this year’s judging panel – Norman Field, Bill Hicks, Robert Black, Mark Holland, Garry Muratore and Gerard Wintle, under the direction of chairman Rod Urquhart – were really put to the test, and they assure me we will have some very worthy winners at the Awards Dinner...and some strong contenders for national recognition at next year’s National Print Awards.”

These sentiments are echoed by Urquhart, who says “the quality of many entries could only be described as outstanding,” with judges awarding a total of 25 Gold medals across 32 categories. Three other categories – Direct Mail, Environmental Award and Design are judged separately by specialised experts. Urquhart revealed that in three categories two Gold medals were awarded as the top award could simply not be split, due to the brilliance of the entries.

As well as the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals the presentation ceremony will also see presentation of the major sponsor awards, presented by Heidelberg Australia, Dalton, Spicers and Currie Group.

This year’s Dinner will be hosted by popular presenter Livinia Nixon and feature entertainment by PICA regulars Deja vu, a 12 piece band that has kept guests dancing all night in previous years, ensuring an entertaining night for all. Tickets for the Dinner are $155 a head, and reservations can be made by returning the registration form attached to invitations currently circulating the industry, online at www.picavic.com.au, or by contacting Lynne Trensky at Printing Industries on (03) 8541 7360 or lynne@printnet.com.au

Anitech to make a big impact at VIIE 2010

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Anitech will exhibit several wide-format flatbed and textile machines at the VIIE 2010 exhibition at Darling Harbour, providing a clear demonstration to the Australian market of its comprehensive range of industry products.

“When you’re as big as Anitech it’s important we can show our capabilities by having multiple systems on display.” says Barry Grant, Anitech’s general manager. “Our stand will have several wide-format and textile demonstration machines and visitors will be able to see just how broad our market coverage really is. Combine this with our show specials and we are going to make this exhibition our best yet.”

From its Jetrix range will be the Jetrix 2513 flatbed printer that provides solutions for indoor and outdoor applications and incorporates the ability to print primer, varnish and white plus CYMK. Among its key features is variable dot capability allowing high quality work to be produced continuously from its 2,440 x 1,220mm flatbed or its 70inch roll-to-toll unit, at a rate of 30m²/hr on most popular substrates.

Also on display will be the Seiko ColorPainter V64 and H74 machines with roll widths of 64 and 104 inches respectively. The H74s model has an eight-colour ink set that provides smooth graduations and highest image quality, while the four-colour mode print speed is up to 100 m²//hr with excellent print density. Multiple media types are handled with a combination of automatic print head height adjustments and selectable pinch roller pressure, plus the machine will handle bulk media rolls with weights up to 120kg.

Making its debut will be the new Century Star CS1600 entry-level direct to textile printer complete with its own fixation unit and fume buster extraction system, making it an ideal starter system.

Another must-see textile printer is the the new Kornit Breeze 921 direct to garment printer. Production output at 600 x 1,200dpi is 40 light and 25 dark garments per hour with an A4 sized print area. The Breeze 921 will be bundled with the Adelco two-drawer dryer that is positioned under the printer for a minimum footprint.

Complementing the print units is the Drytac AFC1600 water-based flood coater which is compatible with most roll to roll solvent, eco solvent and pigmented inkjet printers. AFC coaters protect graphics on a variety of substrates and can act as flash curing devices for hard to dry inks. Rounding out the machinery on display will be the top of the range Graphtec 8000-160 series, high speed cutter.

Local printers should not fear Print in Australia campaign

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Australian companies with offshore operations have nothing to fear from Printing Industries Print in Australia campaign. The campaign which is in the early stages of development is not intended to name and shame Australian printing companies; the primary target of the campaign is printing industry clients who bypass Australian printing companies in favour of offshore print providers.

Printing Industries CEO Philip Andersen said the campaign is being designed to identify entities in government and corporate Australia that place print work offshore and to educate them about the capabilities of the local printing industry and the importance of giving local industry an opportunity to bid for the work.

“Printing Industries acknowledges that we operate in a global environment and that not all printing that is commissioned in Australia will be done onshore. Some will inevitably be done offshore for a host of reasons,” he said.“Indeed Printing Industries recognises and has promoted the value of business models where local printers developed relationships with offshore companies to better compete in the global environment.

“Our China in focus initiative was developed with the specific aim of assisting Australian printers form strategic alliances with their Asian counterparts. Thus, if in certain circumstances the printing or some elements of print production process had to be done offshore, then they could at least secure a portion of the overall revenue stream.”

Mr Andersen said another core component of the Print in Australia campaign would be to ensure that tender documents do not suggest or stipulate where the printing should be sourced from. “Printing Industries believes that it is the prerogative of the tenderer to determine how they can best submit the most competitive tender. How or where the production is done should not be a tender requirement,” he said.

Roland DG expands VersaCAMM VS line

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Three new VersaCAMM VS eight-colour wide-format metallic inkjet printer/cutter models are opening up the ground-breaking VersaCAMM VS technology to broader markets for Roland DG. The 54" (1371mm) VS-540, 42" (1071mm) VS-420 and 30" (762mm) VS-300 join Roland's original 64" (1625mm) VS-640, introduced in March this year for the sign and display market.

Featuring ECO-SOL MAX CMYK, White, and DPI Award-winning Metallic Silver ink, VersaCAMM VS wide-format inkjet printer/cutters create premium metallic graphics on demand. Metallic Silver ink produces a whole new metallic colour palette previously only available through screen printing, offset printing and hot stamping. ECO-SOL MAX achieves outstanding outdoor durability on coated and uncoated media for a broad range of applications.

"Metallic colours add sophistication to virtually any graphic and now professionals can choose from four VersaCAMM VS sizes and price points to meet their business demands," said John Wall, sales and marketing manager. "The VS-540 model is ideal for signs, banners, vehicle wraps and window graphics while VS-420 excels at printing A0 and B0 size posters typically produced with water-based inks. The compact VS-300 is a great production tool for stickers, decals and apparel heat transfers. The VersaCAMM VS is also well-suited for custom graphics, a growing market, allowing users to personalise items with the style and brilliance of metallic and pearlescent effects."

Featuring Roland Print&Cut technology, the VersaCAMM VS series prints and seamlessly contours or perforated cuts images for maximum efficiency. The VS series delivers a wide process colour gamut as well as high-density Metallic and White inks, perfect for flexography, offset and gravure printing comps. Gold, silver and metallic spot colours can be reproduced on demand and at a tremendous cost savings to printing industry professionals. The Roland Advanced Ink Circulation System self maintains these specialist inks for an exceptionally low total cost of ownership.

New VersaCAMM VS features include the Roland Metallic Texture System Library which allows users to create even richer effects by selecting metallic patterns and textures for dramatic lighting and shadow effects with a click of the mouse. This feature is part of Roland VersaWorks RIP software, included with every VersaCAMM VS.

Fuji Xerox Printers appoints new consumables distributor

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Fuji Xerox Printers has appointed Dynamic Supplies as its new distributor for consumables in Australia. A specialist in the distribution of IT consumables, Dynamic Supplies will distribute consumables for Fuji Xerox printers to Dynamic Supplies’ office products and stationery supplies resellers.

David Borg, general manager of Fuji Xerox Printers, Australia and New Zealand, said: “Fuji Xerox Printers has seen a strong demand for consumables coming through its office and stationery suppliers channel and our appointment of Dynamic Supplies will further strengthen our market share in this segment. Dynamic Supplies has built an excellent reputation in the industry for having strong relationships with their resellers. Many of the resellers we have spoken to in the market speak very highly of Dynamic Supplies and Fuji Xerox Printers is delighted to build our relationship with a winning partner that is highly respected in the industry.”

Scott McLennan, managing director of Dynamic Supplies, said: “We are pleased to be appointed by Fuji Xerox Printers to be their distribution partner in Australia. This partnership will open up the availability of consumables for Fuji Xerox printers to a wider market of over 3,000 resellers and suppliers around Australia. By having Fuji Xerox as our partner, our resellers will be able to benefit from the continuity of supply and local support that they will be able to provide.”

Dynamic Supplies’ resellers are eligible to participate in the Channel 1st partner program. The Channel 1st partner program provides rebates, training and online tools to resellers who advocate the use of a complete Fuji Xerox printing system including the use of genuine branded ink and consumables.