Autobond’s research and development team have been working overtime recently and the company says it will be launching several additions to its already extensive range of laminators during the coming months. The first of these new products is the Mini 76 AT, which is a combination water-based/thermal laminator aimed at markets where companies want to run a bio-degradable film and/or labour costs are generally lower, but runs lengths often higher, than in Europe.

“Water-based adhesive film is about half the price of thermal film, but it requires greater skill from the laminator operator,” says Autobond managing director John Gilmore. “In countries where labour costs are lower but where the market for laminating is large, the new Mini 76 AT provides the perfect opportunity to produce all types of laminating cost effectively.

“The Mini 76 AT is equipped with a rewind unit for handling water-based adhesive film and the standard suction-drum version can run at up to 45 metres a minute. All Autobond models are designed so that extending the functionality is straightforward. For example, this new laminator could be fitted with a Heidelberg Speedmaster 74 rising pile back separation feed head, which would increase the maximum speed to 60 metres a minute.”

The thermal version of the Mini 76 is one of Autobond’s most successful models. The new Mini 76 AT has the ability to handle stock from A4 up to 76 x 102 cm in weights between 90 gsm to 650 gsm. All Mini laminators are designed so that they can fit into a factory where space is limited and the Mini 76 AT has a footprint of only 3.9 x 1.6 metres.

The heavy duty build helps to ensure reliability and accuracy, as well as enabling a nip pressure of up to six metric tonnes. This means that Autobond laminators can be used for work printed on litho or digital presses, as the force in the nip rollers allows good adhesion between film and stock even if toner based inks have been used. The high degree of automation incorporated within Autobond’s laminators, along with features such as the quick-change airshafts for mounting films, makes them extremely efficient and easy to use.

Autobond has developed a wide range of options for its laminators and machines can virtually be tailor made, if required, to suit a customer’s particular needs. Standard features include an adjustable anti-curl bar, pneumatically adjustable in-feed nip rollers and a pneumatic clutch to ensure constant tension of the film.

The laminators are available in sizes from B3 to B1 and can be made as perfectors, allowing both sides of the sheet to be laminated in one pass. Operator training can normally be carried out within a couple of days and there is also a remote diagnostic facility. This means that an experienced Autobond engineer can easily log on to a laminator, wherever it is in the world, and provide advice to the user.

Save outsourcing costs and gain control over quality by bringing wide format digital graphics production in-house - offer a one-stop shop solution for all your client's print needs!

The Deal

Roland DG is offering a fantastic time-limited trade-in offer of £1000 for any Hewlett Packard, Epson, Canon, Encad or Kodak wide format printer when purchasing a Roland VersaART RS-640*. The trade-in package also includes:

FREE 2 year limited warranty
FREE take-up unit
FREE set of inks (440ml)
FREE roll of banner
FREE roll of paper
FREE roll of vinyl
FREE Roland DG Academy course
FREE Roland VersaWorks RIP
FREE telephone technical support

*This deal is available until the 30th of June 2009

The Machine
Gain a distinct competitive advantage and quick return on investment by investing in advanced digital printing capabilities. The VersaArt is a flexible production tool for a wide range of applications from precision composite designs and posters to large, durable outdoor signs and banners. It supports coated and uncoated media as well as new environmentally friendly paper media and fabrics for profitable specialty applications. The VersaART RS-640 is a great entry-level wide format machine at just £14,999 and comes with a range of other benefits:
- Single ink set - Top speed of 21m2/hr
- Wide print size range - Indoor and Outdoor applications
- 1440variable dot dpi - Permanent heads

Just some of the applications achievable with the VersaART RS-640 include:
- Indoor and Outdoor prints - Vehicle and Accessory Wraps
- Banners - Interior backlit
- Fabric Banners - Displays and Adverts
Featuring the latest in Roland eco-solvent inkjet technology, the VersaART RS-640 offers image quality, productivity and performance beyond that of any other printer in its class. The VersaArt RS-640 comes complete with VersaWorks professional RIP software for precision colour management and supports 64" media. It delivers the exceptional productivity and print quality required for successful in-house production, eliminating the need to outsource wide-format graphics.

The package includes a Roland DG Academy course, designed to help users get the most from their wide format digital print machine from set-up to maintenance to getting the most out of your machine and new applications.

This whole package costs £70 a week on a 5 year finance package - it will only take 2 prints a week to cover this cost!

Find out more at www.rolanddg.co.uk/rs640  
Call: 0845 230 9060
Email: sales@rolanddg.co.uk

Large format piezo inkjet printer manufacturer Mutoh Europe nv announces release of a new high volume dye sublimation printer series, called Viper Extreme. 

Available in 65” (1651 mm) and 90” (2240 mm) widths, the Viper Extreme family is an addition to Mutoh’s existing  Viper family of printers.   Incorporating Mutoh’s proprietary Intelligent Interweaving print technology, Viper Extreme printers allow top  quality production printing for close viewing distances up to 37 m²/h.  Top speeds up to 77 m²/h can be obtained.

Suited for transfer sublimation printing (paper) and for direct sublimation printing (polyester fabrics  with closed structure), Mutoh Viper Extreme printers are specifically targeted at print businesses focusing on volume production of a wide range of sublimated graphics, such as banners, flags, soft signage, interior decoration, curtains, bed linen, sportswear, etc. Prints made with Viper Extreme can also be used for transfer to objects (mugs, cups, mouse pads, snowboards, etc). 
 
Destined for high volume applications, Mutoh Viper Extreme printers have been purpose-built for dye sublimation printing.
 
The machines support all typical dye sublimation transfer paper weights and are  able to print at high speed on the thinnest available lightweight transfer papers of 70 g/m².  Viper Extreme integrates two digitally controlled heating elements into the print platform.  The pre-heater element will acclimatise media before printing.  The post dryer heating element will promote fast drying of the prints, as such preventing “ghost images” during calandering of the dye sub prints.
 
To allow transfer paper to expand whilst absorbing ink, it is possible to “disable” the pressure rollers on the printer.   To compensate for media expansion during printing, Viper Extreme printers incorporate Mutoh’s patented ETT tool (Extra Tensioning Tool).  This tool keeps media under a constant tension, minimising cockling, and easily adapts to different media size roll sizes.
 
Unattended roll-to-roll printing is made possible by the integrated motorised unwinding/winding system for media rolls up to 100 kg.  This system will provide accurate unrolling, adequate tensioning and straight winding of finished prints.  This is particularly important for easy after-treatment on e.g. a calender.
 
The printers incorporate 8 piezo drop-on-demand 360 nozzle heads, offering print resolutions of 360 x 360 dpi, 720 x 360 dpi, 540 x 720 dpi, 720 x 720 dpi and 1440 x 1440 dpi. Mutoh have pre-programmed dedicated Intelligent Interweaving print weaves for each resolution mode to enable high speed banding-free printing for close viewing distances. 
 
Viper Extreme utilises Mutoh’s tested and approved high-speed disperse dye inks, offering excellent nozzle stability for high-speed and high-volume printing.   The inks produce rich and vibrant colours and offer excellent colourfastness.   Being water-based inks, they are a preferred choice for environmentally conscious customers.   Available in 1 and 5 liter bottles, the inks deliver top scores in wash fastness, rubbing and perspiration.
 
Viper Extreme printers connect to Mutoh’s optional professional continuous ink delivery system (BIS).  Two BIS models are available, a 4-bottle system and an 8-bottle system.  Each BIS ink bottle can hold 4.3 litres of ink and can be refilled during printing.

 

Xaar Americas, Inc. announces that Squid Ink Manufacturing, Inc., a unit of Engage Technologies, Inc. and a leading manufacturer of quality inks and inkjet printing equipment, has introduced its new PZ Pilot Pro® hi-resolution inkjet printing system featuring the Xaar 380 printhead. The PZ Pilot Pro is an affordable new device for printing high quality bar codes and other product information directly on corrugated cases and cartons.

With up to 2.1in of print height per head, the PZ Pilot Pro exceeds the 2.0in GS1 specification for case code printing, without the additional cost of a larger print engine.  Yet, what really differentiates the PZ Pilot Pro is the easy-to-use 6.4in colour touch display. The touch-screen user interface is intuitive and, as Squid Ink puts it, ‘ATM simple’. Users can easily create or edit messages directly on the controller, as well as downloading them via a network connection, or from a USB memory device.

The PZ Pilot Pro uses the robust Xaar 380 printhead, offering superior print quality, 80 pico-litre droplet size, and the durability required for industrial environments. In addition, PZ Pilot Pro uses Xaar-approved oil-based inks specifically designed by Squid Ink for the Xaar 380 printhead.

“The good thing about the Xaar 380 printhead is that it is very reliable,” explains Chad Carney, Director of Marketing, Engage Technologies Corporation. “The head’s easy mounting structure was very helpful in the design of the PZ Pilot Pro. Speed was also very important for us. The Xaar 380 printhead delivers the performance that the PZ Pilot Pro printer needs, with online speeds of up to 167 feet per minute at 180 dpi, ideal for most secondary packaging lines.” The 180 dpi resolution is capable of printing razor-sharp graphics, small character text, and scannable bar codes.

“The PZ Pilot Pro is another example of how piezoelectric drop-on-demand printheads meet the needs of the coding and marking industry. The Xaar 380 printhead at its heart gives the performance, ease of integration, and total cost of ownership that production facilities demand,” comments Chris Lynn, VP Sales and Marketing, Xaar Americas Inc. “Xaar is very pleased to be a partner of Squid Ink, and we expect the PZ Pilot Pro will be received very well in the packaging marketplace.”

 

Screen’s Truepress Jet650UV industrial inkjet printing system will make its European debut at Fespa Digital (Stand B140, 12-14th May, Amsterdam) and can be seen printing instrument panels, lenticular graphics and other samples on rigid sheets and boards. Alongside the debut, Screen launches an ink for this innovative printer that can be used for printing on a variety of media with the flexibility to withstand three-dimensional moulding after printing. The new ink provides excellent stretchability and adhesion to substrates, which allows high-precision printing on a wide variety of media, including ABS resin, acrylic, PVC and PET in addition to polycarbonate.

The Truepress Jet650UV has highly-customisable features and provides precise, high-resolution 1200 - 2400 dpi imaging on a range of object sizes up to a maximum size of 644 x 594mm wide in multi-colour including white. It is suited to a wide range of applications, including industrial materials, sign and displays, packaging, souvenirs and interior products. It is particularly popular for the printing of car dashboard panels, where precision, visual confirmation and durability are crucial.

Prices are cut on selected Stylus Pro large format printers plus media

Loyalty programme continues until end of June

Epson is offering the SpectroProofer versions of its Stylus Pro 7900 and 9900 printers for the same price as the standard units, representing savings of up to £1,000. This is one of several promotions Epson is running until the end of June.

At widths of 24in and 44in respectively, the SP 7900 and SP 9900 ensure the highest quality proofing, fine art and photo printing. With the in-line, off carriage SpectroProofer versions, powered by X-Rite, managing and calibrating colour is easy. It is fully automatic and provides advanced measurement and certification.

During the period of the offer, the Epson SP 7900 will be available for £3,195, a saving of £800 from the RRP of £3,995. The Epson SP 9900 will be available for £5,595, saving £1,000 off the RRP of £6,595.

Both the Epson SP 7900 and the SP 9900 deliver the widest colour gamut available today. They use UltraChrome HDRTM, an advanced 11-colour ink set incorporating new orange and green inks, which gives a higher percentage of standard spot colours to be accurately reproduced, and a maximum expression for photo and fine art applications.

Under the terms of Epson’s Loyalty programme, existing owners of Epson Stylus Pro printers* can purchase the Stylus Pro 7880 for £1,995, a saving of £400 on the RRP, and the Stylus Pro 9880 for £3,995, a saving of £500. The SP 7880 prints up to A1+ and the SP 9880 up to B0+, both with excellent results in both monochrome and colour. Epson UltrachromeTM K3 Vivid Magenta ink offers the finest quality results.

To complement its Stylus Pro offers, Epson has also cut the price of its Traditional Photo Paper roll media.