After a successful beta run with the first EFI Pro 30f printer from Electronics For Imaging, Inc., cornhole board manufacturer AJJ Enterprises has purchased a second Pro 30f from authorized EFI inkjet reseller partner Nazdar SourceOne to meet increased consumer demand.
The Cincinnati-based company installed its newest LED inkjet flatbed printer in June.
With the pair of Pro 30f printers, AJJ Enterprises has brought about a 7x increase in throughput compared with the roll-to-roll vinyl and UV inkjet flatbed printers the company used previously. The EFI Pro 30f printer’s direct-to-substrate production capabilities on items up to 4 inches (10 cm) thick was exactly what AJJ Enterprises needed to print directly on pre-assembled cornhole boards, saving crucial time, labor and production costs.
“EFI’s engineers worked really closely with us because we have such a unique application,” explained AJJ Enterprises Co-owner Shane Back. Because the company constantly prints at maximum thickness, EFI worked with AJJ Enterprises to adjust the printer’s UV LED curing lamps and ensure consistent, high-quality output.
“On the beta printer, we were also able to change our jig to hold the boards on the table and make some structural changes that are now standard on all Pro 30f machines,” said Back.
This simplified, fast production the Pro 30f delivers is imperative for the company, which has seen an unprecedented increase in demand for its products. While a portion of the company’s sales are in the struggling promotional corporate sector, the other half of the business – direct-to-consumer ecommerce retail through the AJJcornole.com website – is booming. “With everyone at home due to COVID-19, it’s really driven our direct-to-consumer market,” Back said. This demand drove the need for the second Pro 30f.
Improved speed, quality and cost-savings for unique applications
Print customers were asking for a larger flatbed size, capability for thicker media production, wider application possibilities, and better price points, and EFI delivered with the Pro 30f. The LED flatbed printer has a maximum printable area of 120 inches x 80 inches (3.05 m x 2.04 m) with bleed printing. It features four colors plus dual channels of white standard, along with multi-layer printing.
The machine’s unique capabilities allow EFI customers to extend their range of supported substrates. Best-in-class white ink gives users the power to print superior color images on clear and colored media, as well as specialty media, such as wood, metal or glass. The ability to print white ink direct to its birch cornhole boards has been a game changer for AJJ Enterprises specifically.
“Being able to print white at a high speed has been a huge help,” said Back. “It’s been a huge cost savings. We can move jobs that we would have first printed on vinyl and then transferred to the substrate to the Pro 30f because of the white ink.”
The printer’s six-zone, user-selectable vacuum system ensures efficient hold-down, no unintended media movement, and easy transitions between jobs, which is conducive to AJJ Enterprises’ high volume of work. “What sets us apart from competitors is the wide breadth of designs that we have and the fact that we can print so quickly,” said Back.
“With the Pro 30f,” he added, “we can print a cornhole board in a minute and 40 seconds.” That translates to a significant increase in work completed per shift compared with the company’s previous process printing on vinyl and mounting those vinyl sheets to each cornhole board.
The EFI Fiery proServer Core digital front end has also helped improve throughput and overall efficiency, providing simple job management for both new and existing designs. “Since we reprint a lot of the same designs, once we get the first print set up it’s an easy press-and-replay approach,” said Back. “Custom designs take a little bit of finesse, but it’s just a matter of testing, making any adjustments, and printing.”
With AJJ Enterprises’ revenue expected to grow 10-15% this year to an anticipated $10 million, the improved capacity and throughput it has gained by working with EFI are vital to fulfilling the demands of the company’s growing customer base.
