Consumables

Large format piezo inkjet printer manufacturer Mutoh Europe nv announces availability of new water based Direct Disperse inks. This new “zero harmful VOC” four-colour ink set has been specifically tuned for Mutoh’s existing direct to fabric Viper TX and Viper TX Extreme series printers. The fast drying inks offer an excellent colour gamut and nozzle stability. Application possibilities are volume production of soft signage and double sided flags.

Mutoh’s new Direct Disperse inks are an addition to its existing water based dye sublimation inks (transfer paper printing). The new direct disperse inks aim at offering polyester flag and banner printers a direct print alternative to the sublimation process, as they allow direct printing onto polyester fabric without the need for washing.

The new Mutoh Direct Disperse inks are suited for outdoor use, offering excellent washing and perspiration fastness according to applicable ISO standards. The outdoor UV durability is rated up to one year. Similar to dye sublimation inks, the new inks will require fixation via a heat source. No pressure is required to fix the inks. A pressure-free heat fixation system or a calender can be chosen for ink fixation.

Available in 1 litre bottles, the Direct Disperse inks are compatible with Mutoh’s continuous ink supply system for the Viper / Viper Extreme and Viper TX Extreme series printers, called BIS. Mutoh’s BIS has been developed for speed-intensive volume oriented users requiring a high end, high volume ink delivery and refill system offering long unattended printing capabilities along with minimum user intervention. Three models are available, i.e. a 4 bottle system and two 8 bottle systems. Each BIS ink bottle can hold up to 4.3 liters and can be refilled whilst printing.

The new Mutoh direct disperse inks will be marketed by Mutoh Europe all over Europe, the Middle East and Africa through its network of authorised Mutoh resellers.

Neschen has added the first self-adhesive inkjet film with the Color Alliance (CA) coating to its range with the addition of the excitingly-named 'printlux PVC matt CA adh'.

As with all the products in this range, the standardised CA coating ensures a high level of colour accuracy - hence reliability - in production.  As a consequence, print  service providers can save not only material, but also time and costs. The time lost preparing the profile for new printing media is reduced to a minimum; the production costs are also reduced due to the shorter set-up times.

The new Neschen film printlux PVC matt CA adh has a permanent adhesive and is suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications.  To reliably cover varying backgrounds the 80 micon film (without inkjet coating) is coated on the reverse side with a dark (almost black), solvent-free acrylic adhesive. When printed with dye-based and pigmented inks it produces a very good image quality (Neschen recommends the use of pigmented inks for reasons of UV stability).

To ensure environmental considerations are also taken into account, the paper stock for the covering is of FSC and PEFC-certified origin, a sustainable and therefore exemplary forest management system.

"With printlux PVC matt CA adh we have placed a further CA-certified medium on the market", said Sarah Janes, MD, Neschen UK.  "We now have a very wide and versatile selection of CA media.  As a result print service providers can profit extensively from the advantages of the CA coating on an increasing number of media."

It is also planned to change other printing media to CA certification during the year.

"The aim of the Color Alliance is to make the workflow on all printing systems as efficient as possible with simple, reliable colour management", added André Kapsa, General Manager of the Color Alliance in Vlotho.

Due to the standardised CA coating, the necessary colour profiles can be made available independent of the media manufacturer.  Even for large format digital printing, all that is then required is information on the printer and ink system used.

 

 

To consolidate and broaden its ink availability within the UK, Sun Chemical has appointed IGS UK as main distributor for its Streamline wide-format ink-jet formulations. The agreement will see this leading manufacturer’s portfolio grow in presence through IGS’s comprehensive reseller network, all of whom have been selected for their strong track record in sales and service.

A member of the DIC group of companies, Sun Chemical is the largest producer of printing inks and pigments in the world and its products have grown exponentially within the wide-format market. With an increasing number of printer users wanting to source their supplies independently through a reputable channel, the decision to appoint IGS as UK distributor for Streamline inks brings added value and support to existing and potential customers who want the benefits of using formulations from a renowned manufacturer.

IGS UK’s Nick Wintle comments: “Our comprehensive knowledge of the wide-format sector, coupled with the diverse range of high quality products and services we source for our sales channel, means that we are positioned perfectly to offer Sun Chemical’s inks through our network of resellers.”

“This agreement with IGS UK now means that we can extend the customer base for our digital inks, confident in the knowledge that we are working with the most experienced and competent team within the UK,” confirms Tony Cox, business manager at Sun Chemical. “The addition of Streamline products to IGS’s existing market solutions will be welcomed by existing and new users who want to benefit from our growing range of formulations for all types of wide-format ink-jet printer.”

Based in Maidenhead, having recently relocated to new, larger premises, IGS UK specialises in the wide-format industry sector and concentrates on sourcing and distributing products only from high-end manufacturers. The addition of Sun Chemical’s Streamline inks broadens the portfolio of cost-effective, reliable solutions on offer to display producers and sign-makers throughout the UK.

Further information about IGS UK and its reseller network is available by visiting www.igsuk.net/sun

Full details relating to Sun Chemical can be found at www.sunchemical.com

 

 

Independent UK-based ink manufacturer ITL has extended its range of replacement, cost-beneficial inks for wide-format printers. The first of this trio is a dual-purpose solvent for versatile output onto both textile and vinyl substrates, the second an alternative to Mimaki's JV5 ink sets and the third a bio-solvent range. All can be supplied globally, in cartridges or in bulk feed options, representing a high quality and cost-effective option for sign-makers and display producers looking to lower costs but maintain their production standards.

The first new product, available for Epson-based solvent engines, is ITL's VTV, a dual-purpose textile and vinyl ink-jet ink in CMYK, orange and green. The formulation promises excellent results on either substrate type without the inconvenience of changing inks, and the manufacturer recommends it for improving environmentally-friendly constituents on textile and polyester-based banners. With these materials it is resistant to washing and fading especially useful for garment-printing markets, such as high-visibility clothing although it is also suitable for use on vinyl films and banner products.

Having a single ink which can meet the needs of a variety of applications at high quality whether on textile- or vinyl-based material offers the display producer an entirely new bandwidth of productivity," explains Peter Williams, ITLâ€'s sales and marketing director. "The long-term advantages of the Versatile Textile and Vinyl 'VTV' are its lack of compromise on colour intensity, machine performance and reliability, quite apart from the significant cost savings.

ITL's MS5 True Solvent is a colour-matched ink formulated to improve profitability on Mimaki's JV5 printer range, with excellent resistance to scratching, abrasion and alcohol damage. Most notably, these MS5 inks offer a wide colour gamut and strong individual colour density and brilliance, as well as 24 months' outdoor durability without fading in UV light; the printing environment is also improved due to the inks very low odour.

MS5 is available in CMYK, as well as light cyan (Lc) and light magenta (Lm). Manufactured to ISO9001-2008 quality procedures, the MS5 inks have an extended 18-month shelf-life and are classified as non-hazardous. Ease of change-over is also of particular benefit with the inks, which do not require the machine to be flushed or for new profiles to be created.

i-BiO is a new mild-solvent ink set designed for Mimaki, Mutoh, Roland and Uniform machines which employ Epson's DX3 or DX4 print-heads. With users turning increasingly towards more responsible options, i-BiO's primary qualification is its use of renewable corn oil derivatives in combination with toxicologically safe solvents, resulting in improved biodegradability and production of minimal VOCs. Pure, vibrant colour output is produced consistently with i-BiO, reassuring printers of reliability and superb results.

The i-BiO range does not differentiate between substrates, allowing for photo-realistic production onto both coated and uncoated media. Unlike other biodegradable inks, no additional lamination is required for exterior use, which also increases the options for recycling post-use. i-BiO can be purchased in CMYK, Lc and Lm, orange, green, red and blue.

"Each of these releases represents an opportunity for users to incorporate a cheaper but equally viable new ink into their existing systems with a minimum of fuss in change-over, and with the reassurance of a full warranty," continues Williams. "Our cover is for full parts and labour at a fraction of the price of OEM options in the sector and are backed up by a global network of professional engineers. Further financial benefits come with the ability to buy either in cartridge or bulk form as desired, with a range of chip options."

Manufacturer and supplier of alternative small-, wide- and large-format digital ink-jet inks, ITL (Ink Technologies (UK) Ltd) was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Cheshire, in the North of England. All manufacturing and product development takes places in the UK only and the company achieved the BS EN ISO 9001:2000 standard in 2006, upgraded to ISO 9001:2008 in early 2009. Its products span a multitude of applications, including eco- and full-solvent, water-based, UV-curing and coding inks.

Antalis Printall has been appointed as a distributor for the entire range of products from Alcan Composites. Alcan’s recent decision to switch its UK distribution partners has raised eyebrows in the sign, digital and display market, but for Antalis Printall, Alcan’s decision to appoint them as a supplier of their full product range is just another step closer to the company’s aim of becoming the market’s leading supplier of quality materials and business solutions.

Antalis Printall product manager, Chris Green says: "We are delighted to have been appointed as stockist of this wide range of products from Alcan Composites. It will further strengthen the strong portfolio of products that we offer to our display, sign and digital customers from our local warehouses on a next day delivery basis."

Antalis Printall has always successfully distributed the Kapa family of products but with the new Alcan portfolio the company has a stronger offering for the developing sign and digital markets in addition to the company’s traditional stronghold in the display sector.

Antalis Printall can now distribute the following Alcan items:

ACM

• Dilite
• Dibond Digital
• Dibond
• Hylite

Foam Rigid PVC

• Forex Classic
• Forex Print
• Forex Smart

Foam Centred Display board

• Gatorfoam
• Foam X
• Kapa-Line
• Kapa-Mount
• Kapa-Plast
• Kapa-Fix
• Kapa-Color
• Kapa Tex

“Alcan are an excellent company to deal with and have some fantastic branded products known and respected throughout the industry,” says Mr. Green. “In many ways Alcan have a similar approach to Antalis Printall in so much that they continually strive to give the market quality innovative products with strong environmental credentials. We believe that there will be exciting times ahead which will hopefully lead to the market regarding Antalis Printall are a true viable alternative to their current suppliers.”

Five HP Scitex inks for sign and display printing have been added to the official list of those that meet the chemical requirements of the Nordic Ecolabel (also known as Nordic Swan) for print service providers (PSPs).

PSPs that have been granted Nordic Ecolabel licensing for the production of printed matter have demonstrated that they fulfill a number of environmental requirements that make them some of the least polluting PSPs in the Nordic region printing industry.

The HP Scitex XP222 UV curable ink used by the HP Scitex XP5100, HP Scitex XP2100, HP Scitex XP5300 and the HP Scitex XP2300 Printers when used in standard mode, have been added to the list. In addition, two other UV curable inks - HP Scitex TJ200 and HP Scitex FB221, which are used respectively in the HP Scitex TJ8550 Printer and the HP Scitex FB7500 Printer, a high productivity flatbed, machine have been added.

The HP Scitex WB300 water-based ink used by the HP Scitex FB6700 Printer has also been approved. The HP Scitex PT10 and PT20 pre-treatments for this printer have also been accepted as meeting the chemical requirements or the Nordic Ecolabel for PSPs.

Furthermore, a solvent ink, HP Scitex TJ100 has also been added to the approved list. It is used with the HP Scitex TJ8350 Printer.

These inks join a range of HP Designjet-branded inks used for sign and display printing already listed by Nordic Ecolabel. These include HP786 and HP789 water-based HP Latex Inks, used respectively by the HP Designjet L65500 Printer and HP Designjet L25500 Printer, as well as HP91 water-based inks used by the HP Designjet Z6100 Printer.

HP is leading the greening of sign and display printing, with a wide range of innovations including technologies and products developed under the stringent HP Design for Environment programme, including digital signage printing solutions that can replace less efficient screen printers, inks with an improved environmental profile versus the alternatives, recyclable signage media and a growing range of take-back and recycling programmes that now include hardware and selected consumables and media in a growing number of countries.