Actual News about Large Format Printing
A free of charge information service
Publishing Company: CREACT, Hamburg; editor in chief: Susanne Aschoff
Publisher:
Neun Punkt GbR, Hamburg
Friday, 26. September 2003
here you
will find something about interesting innovations and news about Large Format
Printing.
Enjoy
while reading.
Sincerely
Yours
Susanne
Aschoff
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1) viscom has set records
The
signmakers are looking confidently to the future. More than 60 percent of
businesses are expecting the recovery to be “marked” or “very strong”. This is
the result of the representative trend barometer at viscom 2003. Business at
Europe’s leading trade fair for visual advertising techniques and signmaking
was also influenced by the upbeat mood. Exhibitor and visitor numbers were up,
the latter by fife percent, meaning that the viscom registered record figures
and the event was characterized by an overall increased willingness to invest.
Almost 62.2 % of the total of 296 exhibitors from 30 countries reported
concluding “very good business deals”, and a further 20 percent stated they had
seen strong demand. Enjoying great popularity this time were the areas of
digital and large format printing (72.2 %), signmaking including neon and light
advertising (48.2 %) and screen printing (4.5 %). Overall the organizers, Reed
Exhibitions Deutschland, posted record numbers of trade visitors – roughly
8,900. Two years ago 8450 buyers attended that event in Düsseldorf. The largest
increases came from abroad, specially from Asia and East Europe. The proportion
auf foreign visitors rose to nearly 50 percent. Visitors’ assessment were just
as positive. More than 80 percent gave a “very good” or “good” rating to the
fair overall and to the exhibitors’ products and services. The congress and
supporting program, including the Open Forum and the “Total digital –an overview”
exhibition, attracted a great deal of interest. Almost 93 percent of the
visitors reported having met their targets at this year’s viscom.
More
information: www.viscom-messe.com
2) Yaselan shows grand format printer
Shanghai
Yaselan Advertising Material Co. Ltd, a Chinese manufacturer of solvent inkjet
printers, has launched a new 3.4 wide grand format printer based on Spectra
inkjet technology, and a new streamlined design. The YSL S8N employs eight
Spectra Nova 256-nozzle printheads to enable a very stable and high performance
solvent-based inkjet printing system. It combines high speed with superior
printing quality and user-friendly operation. This S8N is available now with
speeds ranging from 26 qm/h at highest quality, 51.7 qm/h in normal mode up to
133 qm/h in draft mode. The engineers at Yaselan are impressed by the accuracy,
high precision and long life of the Spectra printheads, and to support this
technology have designed a completely new superior performance ink delivery
system.
More
information: www.yaselan.com
3) Makom celebrates 10 Years of LFC
For the
occasions of this celebration, Michael (MiKi) Lazar, founder of the Makom
Network, gave a speech during the viscom. The title, “XXL applications – a
track record without comparison?” was reason enough to deal with Large Format
Communication (LFC) a little more critically. Since MiKi Lazar and his team as
the first ones used mesh for a printing substrate, times have changed. The
market now thinks in applications, and not in techniques, it thinks in
efficiency and in added value. Although there is still the hunt for more pixel and
more substrates to print on, the quality of the medium increases thanks to the
cooperation of producers and users. Yet, prices and production times are going
down, the demand for quality and administration rises. All-rounders like Makom
are now in demand; not mere printers, installers, or agencies.
More
information: www.makom.de
4) Self adhesive films for glass design
At viscom 2003, ASLAN, a worldwide
supplier of self-adhesive films, introduced its new products for the surface
decoration of glass. In cooperation with the internationally known artist
Detlef Vorderbäumen, ASLAN showed several glass exhibits at its booth decorated
with the new films for glass design. Thus visitors could directly convince
themselves of the different and multifunctional uses and effects of these brand
new films while seeing an entire work of art. The new product program contains
a wide range of glass decoration films with various etched look and sand blast
effects, sight obscuring films with several different designs and sand-blasting
stencil films. It makes ASLAN one of the first suppliers worldwide offering a
complete program for effective and practical design effects on glass. The
ASLAN-films are ideal for many different applications such as the decoration of
rooms, supermarkets, medical institutes as well as windows of shops or
restaurants. The application of the self-adhesive films is very easy, cheap and
quick. Besides the products for glass decoration ASLAN will be presenting the
entire range of self-adhesive films for signmaking and digital printing
including the stencil films.
More
information: www.ALSAN-Schwarz.com
5) Infiniti with new printer models
At
viscom, Infiniti Europe has launched and demonstrated new large format
solvent-ink based printers from 1.52 up to 3.22 m width. The new models are
introduced in Düsseldorf for the very first time in Europe: The Infiniti FY6150
is a semi-flatbed solvent-ink based press for prints up to 1.52 width on a wide
variety of rigid and flexible materials including standard rolled media,
corrugated board, foam-core paperboard, acrylic, PVC, etc – up to 6.5 mm thickness.
The Infiniti FY6250SL is a large format system that prints on a wide variety of
materials up to 3.5 mm thick and 2.52 wide. Printing resolutions vary between
180 and 720 dpi at speeds up to 40 sqm/h. The solvent-ink based printer
Infiniti FY6320LQ is the fastest and largest of the Infiniti range. It prints
resolutions varying from 180 to 720 dpi at speeds up to 61 sqm/h. The print
results on flexible materials up to 3.5 mm thickness and 3.22 m width are
excellent. Main characteristics:four Spectra 256LQ print heads, automatic
cleaning and tension controlled media feed system. With a large choice of
quality large format printers in different formats, a range of materials for
all kind of signage applications and a very strong price point, Infiniti Europe
is a powerful newcomer in the European signage landscape.
More
information: www.infiniti-europe.com
6) New flatbed printer by NUR
The
latest and most anxiously anticipated addition to the NUR macroprinter product
line, the NUR Tempo flatbed inkjet press, had completed the testing phase and
has been presented at viscom, Düsseldorf as a highlight on NUR Europe’s booth.
The company featured also the NUR Fresco HiQ 8C 3200 high throughput wide-format
inkjet press and the NUR UltimaT HiQ 5000 mid-range inkjet production printer.
The equipment demonstrations have made quite an impression on visitors. The
Fresco HiQ 8C is the company’s popular workhorse production press. With its
eight-color printing capability and print speeds up to 100 sqm/h, the Fresco
HiQ series has raised the bar on expectations for productivity, quality and
reliability in production wide-format printing. The Ultima HiQ 5000, is an
eight-color photo-realistic printer, that is gaining a comparably strong
reputation for production printing of super-wide (five meter wide output)
printing applications. It is also available as the Ultima HiQ 3200 (3.2 m
wide). The NUR Tempo is a flatbed, wide-format inkjet printer that can produce
high quality output on a wide variety of both rigid and flexible materials. It
was designed as a digital alternative to screen printing presses to handle
diverse applications. In operation, it is designed to eliminate the extra steps
and costs of finishing – laminating and cutting/trimming processes – common to
other traditional methods of printing graphics on rigid surfaces. The NUR Tempo
uses UV-curable ink that gives it the flexibility to print on almost any type
of substrate.
More
information: www.nur.com
7) VUTEk celebrates 15th anniversary
It’s a
15-year history of profitability and unwavering commitment to customers. VUTEk
is celebrating its 15th anniversary and its success in continually
bringing technical developments to the out-of-home advertising market. From the
introduction of its first airbrush printer to the billboard market in 1989 to
the latest eight-color digital inkjet printing systems and UV flatbed
innovations, VUTEk continues to strengthen its position as the industry leader
and renowned expert in superwide digital inkjet printing technology. Since its
inception, the company has grown rapidly and has been profitable for each of
the 15 years. VUTEk Inc. is owned and financially backed by American Securities
Capital Partners LLC, the private-equity investment arm of American Securities.
VUTEk pioneered superwide format printers and will continue its tradition of
setting the standard in digital inkjet technology for out-of-home advertising
applications. Throughout its 15-year history, the company has remind keenly
focused on providing its customers with highest quality, most reliable, most
productive printers in the industry. In turn, this allows customers to grow
their business, enter new markets, increase their client base and become more
profitable. With customers in more than 90 countries, VUTEk will continue to
lead the superwide category with product innovations and invest in the
industry’s best service and support. The LFP-Newsletter.com
says: Congratulations.
More
information: www.vutek.com
8) EasyTWAIN now TWAIN 1.9 compatible
SCP
Software announces that their TWAIN driver for Contex, VIDAR, Océ and
GTCOCalcomp large format scanners is now compatible with the TWAIN 1.9
standard. EasyTWAIN 2.2, which is available since the middle of September, was
released especially in order to meet the latest TWAIN standard. One of the new
software’s main features is the UI-less mode: all parameters are transmitted by
the TWAIN host without any EasyTWAIN window being displayed on the screen.
EasyTWAIN 2.2 guarantees a smooth, direct scanning workflow from a broad range
of graphic, CAD and GIS applications. The software is sold online and by a
large number of authorized resellers worldwide.
More
information: www.scp.de
9) A lot of Agfa-News at viscom
There is a 130g/qm material,
developed by Agfa, for outdoor billboards, named Universal Wet Strength Paper
UWSP, and it was shown as an Agfa-highlight at viscom 2003. The new UWSP,
completing Agfa’s wide assortment of industry-leading inkjet media, is a white,
general use, water-fast, matte paper with blue backing increased opacity. It
provides vibrant high quality images with good color saturations on a white
background. UWSP will resist water for up to six weeks with no loss of image
quality. Agfa was also presenting three self-adhesive materials: Universal
Instant dry Photograde Paper (UIPP) that delivers high quality on an
microporous photo-base RC paper, Premium Paper – 90 g/qm premium coated inkjet
paper, and premium Vinyl (PV), a flexible, high-quality. Another absolute
highlight on the Agfa booth at viscom was the new Grand Sherpa 64/87 Universal,
the earth-friendly inkjet printing system based on the successful Grand Sherpa
line of large format printers. The 64/87 Universal uses Eco-Solvent Plus inks
made by Mutoh, which do not spread volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The Grand
Sherpa Universal does not require any special equipment for ventilation in the
production facility. It offers with Eco-Solvent Plus inks six colors –
CMYKLcLm. The Universal’s long-life piezo-electric heads print at 360, 720 and
1440 dpi, and is driven by the Agfa edition Onyx RIP 6.0. That RIP belongs to
Agfa’s newest workflow solutions, designed to fit the individual needs of
large-format printers. These solutions were also shown at viscom. The Agfa
Editions of Onyx RIPCenter 6.0, RIPCenter Photo 6.0, PosterShop 6.0 and
ProductionHouse 6.0 are optimized for the Sherpa line of large-format printers.
More
information: www.agfa.com
10) ColorGATE offers PROOFGATE
A
solution to master standardized proofing company internal is PROOFGATE. The
ColorGATE Digital Output Solutions GmbH offers it not only to digital proof
specialists but also to users in the fields of creative agencies, publishing,
print houses. Essential advantages of
PROOFGATE are the easy usage of
the software and the overview over the production process, both user-friendly
software properties. The product was developed following the BVDM media
standard print as well as the ECI recommendations; the UGRA/FOGRA media wedge
CMYK V 2.0 can be integrated as a controlling instrument flexibly into
PROOFGATE for easy validation. The PDF-X3 conform software RIP for all present
windows platforms drives nearly all well-known professional inkjet printers. By
integration of new transformation algorithms in the color management, color
shifts on inkjet printing systems can
be minimized so much that established digital proof solutions are replaceable.
Furthermore the spot color replacement function allows the creation and
administration of spot color tables.
More
information: www.colorgate.com
11) Onyx: New version of Workflow CD
Onyx
Graphics has launched a new version of its popular Workflow Tutorial CD that
reflects the features found in Onyx 6.0 version products. The free CD now
includes tutorials on in-house proofing and contour cutting workflow. The Onyx
6.0 Multimedia Workflow Tutorial CD is now included in the version 6.0 release
of Onyx ProductionHouse, Onyx PosterShop and Onyx RIPCenter software. In
addition to in-house proofing and contour cutting, the tutorials cover topics
such as photo, color proofing, remote proofing and screen printing workflow
environments. The tutorials, developed in partnership with the Graphic
Intelligence Agency (GIA), are designed to help Onyx customers learn about a
variety of wide format working environments and to determine which workflow
model might enhance their facility’s productivity. The Workflow CD is available
on request from Onyx Graphics.
More
information: www.onyxgfx.com and www.graphintel.com
12) BASF at ITMA: Color is not enough
BASF will
be surprising visitors to ITMA with a world innovation for textile inkjet
printing: an innovative family of inks which is set to revolutionize the
process costs in digital Textile printing. The company will be presenting this
product range for the first time at ITMA 2003 in Birmingham from 22nd
to 29th October in hall 8, booth DC 8-7A. And: Color is not enough –
a new concept for a new system – will be a big talking point there. So,
communication will also be a central issue on BASF’s newly designed exhibition
stand. Apart from the world innovation in inkjet printing, BASF is also
presenting products and system solutions in the following areas at ITMA: Sizes,
pretreatment, optical brighteners, dyeing, finishing, textile printing and
inkjet printing. Other program-highlights are a new optical brightener for all
polyester-cellulose blends, high-quality coatings for cotton and synthetic
textiles, the new “dyexact” system, for exact dyeing on polyester and last but
not least a new family of products with top ecological scores for
pre-treatment.
More
information: www.basf.com/textile
13) Xaar’s high-performance ink 770
Xaar plc
and Sericol Imaging has launched a new high-performance pigment-based UV ink –
the Xaar 770. It has been specially developed to work with Xaar’s XJ126
printheads for wide format graphics and scanning applications. Teamed with the
XJ216, the 770 series offers Xaar customers the ability to print onto a wide
variety of rigid, flexible, uncoated and non-porous substrates such as acrylic,
display board and PVC, with the added benefit that the ink is ideal for indoor
and outdoor applications. The 770 ink set achieves rapid cure times when used
in conjunction with a compatible UV light source. Xaar 770 will be available in
1 kg and 5 kg pack sizes in CMYK, with green and orange available on request.
The new UV 770 ink joins Xaar’s growing ink product portfolio. Xaar looks to
develop inks that work specifically with chosen printheads, thus guaranteeing
high performance and quality output.
More
information: www.xaar.co.uk
14) Enfocus at IfraExpo in Leipzig
From 13th
to 16th October, IfraExpo 2003 in Leipzig/Germany will be open. So,
Enfocus Software will demonstrate their latest PDF solutions at booth 2B 509.
CertifiedPDF.net, the online resource for PDF specifications is designed to
extend Certified PDFÒ workflows beyond the desktop and to improve information
exchange among graphic arts professionals. Three specifications for newspaper
workflows can be found on the Ghent PDF Workgroup page of
CertifiedPDF.net. The first one,
NewsPaperAds_lvl, is targeted at newspaper ad delivery workflows. The two
others, WebSpotNews_lvl and Web CmykNews_lvl were developed for commercial web
printing on newspaper with and without spotcolors. The new release Enfocus
PitStop Server 3.0 offers faster processing speeds. It is a stand-alone
application with powerful multi-document preflight and automatic editing
features. Enfocus CertifiedPDF is fully integrated in PitStop Server. This
PDF-files will be automatically identified and move faster through production.
With PitStop Server, multiple PDF files can be dropped into a hot folder to be
automatically and efficiently processed. Key to this process are Enfocus PDF
profiles and PitStop action lists.
More
information: www.enfocus.com
15) FESPA 2005 kicks off sales campaign
The sales
campaign for FESPA 2005 (31st May – 4th June) is kicked
off with the appointment of an International Sales Manager and the introduction
of a brand new exhibitor brochure. The newly-created sales position at FESPA
will be filled by Michael Ryan, reporting directly to Exhibitions Director
Frazer Chesterman. Michael will manage the sales of the 2005 event, and will
also fulfill a commercial role on the FESPA magazine. The efforts will be
supported by a new full-color exhibitor sales brochure, featuring key facts and
figures about exhibitor and visitor attendance at FESPA 2002 in Madrid. The
publication highlights the business diversity and international spread of the
visitor base, and identifies the unstoppable trend towards digital output
technologies as one of the key interests of visitors to the show. The brochure
outlines the state-of-the-art exhibitor facilities offered by the new Messe
Munich, which is the venue for FESPA 2005. It also spells out the advantages of
the German location in attracting exhibitors and visitors from across Europe,
particularly the emerging markets of Central and Eastern Europe. The brochure
can be downloaded from FESPA’s new look website.
More
information: www.fespa.com
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