Hardware - Industrial Print

Night-time image of a Lamborghini printed by MTex using the HP Designjet L25500 Printer

 

Challenge

• Grow business and expand customer offerings
• Increase media selection and find a printer that can print on a wide range of substrates
• Find a large format printer that covers a wide range of applications

Solution

 

• HP Designjet L25500 Printer with HP Latex Inks
• Photographic reproduction on many substrates
• Wide choice of HP large format printing materials

 

Results

 

• Significantly broadened product portfolio and media types for new applications
• Shorter turnaround, faster response time and instantly dry prints for post-processing
• Higher image quality and deeper, darker black tones
• Reduced environmental impact

 

 

Increased customer base and acquisition of new print jobs

First impressions are important and Heiko Goetz, owner of MTex Goetz + Goetz knows how to create a good one. Customers entering his print shop are greeted by a large showroom where a gallery of impressive prints and applications are on display. Originally founded as a print shop for textiles, apparels and "just a few" large format prints, over the last nine years MTex has evolved into a well respected print shop in the Hamburg region, with a reputation for high-quality large format prints and innovative applications.

The company's growth and market reach was further boosted when MTex invested in the new HP Designjet L25500 Printer. "When we heard about the new HP Latex technology and specifically the HP Designjet L25500 Printer, we had to try it for ourselves. We wanted a replacement for our solvent printer that offered the same or even better quality for photographic printing, yet without the environmental issues," explains Heiko Goetz, owner, MTex. "As the machine requires no special ventilation and the inks contain no HAPs it has created a much healthier working environment for my employees, who immediately commented on the improvement in their working conditions."

The L25500 is capable of printing a wide range of applications - from indoor point-of-purchase displays, exhibition graphics and interior décor like wall murals and fabrics to outdoor banners, bus shelters and vehicle wraps. In addition, the optimised media selection offers 19 substrates, including seven recyclable substrates and several PVC-free alternatives. HP even offers a free, convenient programme for recycling Original HP ink cartridges and printheads and prints produced on HP recyclable media.

"The printer's high speed and the ability to print on various media including photo paper, canvas, films and textiles were a decisive factor in our decision. We have been looking for a large format printer that can do anything and everything that is required by our customers," said Goetz. "We no longer have speed or quality issues and our customers are more than delighted when they receive their jobs."

The outstanding image quality of up to 1200 dpi and wide colour gamut helps to create eye-catching graphics with rich hues and vibrant tones. The prints also have a durability and display-permanence of up to three years outdoors without lamination comparable with eco-solvent inks. Printing with odourless water-based HP Latex inks can be applied to indoor and outdoor applications. Latex inks are environmentally friendly and reduce or eliminate many of the health and safety issues of conventional solvent and eco-solvent printers. Integrated heating and drying units help ensure that prints are instantly dry and can be processed instantly thus shortening turnaround times.

These attributes helped MTex secure jobs, which it could not previously have won. The company recently won the job of printing a series of in-store graphics for Porsche. "Several print service providers were asked to print a night-time image of a Lamborghini racing through an Italian town, showing the reflection of a Madonna on its bonnet," explained Goetz. "We printed the tests using our L25500 on several different substrates. The customer was speechless on seeing the depth of the black, the vivid colours and consistent, high-quality print across all of the substrates. It won us the prestigious job hands-down."

Speeds of up to 22.8sqm/h and a maximum resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi as well as HP's Double Swath technology result in elimination of swath-to-swath banding and accurate and vivid images, with a fast turnaround time. In addition, the machine maximises uptime by offering user-replaceable printheads.

On one occasion Goetz recalls that a group of photographers were looking for a new print service provider that could offer fast turnarounds whilst maintaining an extremely high, photographic quality output. MTex's new L25500 printer exceeded expectations, and now the company prints exclusively for this group of photographers. Recently MTex won the account to print for Photohaus, an art gallery, gaining the artists trust enough to allow them to print and distribute orders direct to their customers.

The L25500 has revolutionised MTex's business, allowing it to break into new markets by being able to offer innovative applications and high-quality prints with environmental credentials.

"We have been printing everything and anything on the L25500 including textiles, films, backlit and cast vinyl and all the results have been stunning - be it car wraps, motorbike helmet prints, backlit and other applications. We have not found anything that it can't print with stunning results," continues Goetz. "I predict that anyone who runs more than a pure copy shop will love this machine. The ease of use, high-quality and environmental friendliness, as well as longer lasting printheads, are just some of the benefits that have resulted in a constantly growing customer base at our company."

 

 

Niggemeyer Bildproduktion, one of Germany’s largest and most successful large format print suppliers, signed an order for a five metre Fujifilm Uvistar superwide format printer at FESPA 2010. The device will not only be used to satisfy a growing demand for indoor and outdoor graphics, but as an inherent part of the company’s service offering and will also be utilised to print fine art and fabrics.

Roland Niggemeyer, managing director, comments: “We looked at a number of devices that would be able to produce outdoor banners at great speeds, while also able to print high quality indoor POS displays. The Uvistar was by far the most flexible machine on the market, so we decided to meet Fujifilm to look at it in greater detail.”

Roland has visited Fujifilm’s demonstration facility in Broadstairs, UK, a couple of times to carry out various tests on the machine and discuss modifications for Niggemeyer’s specific printing requirements with the technical team. “From day one, we were very impressed by Fujifilm’s commitment to excellent service”, he says. “The technical team was very happy to make the necessary modifications to meet the very stringent high quality printing needs of our customers, and was always available if we had any additional questions.”

The Uvistar is available in four different models, producing high quality output at throughput speeds in excess of 300m2/hour. A proven multi-roll system with a highly intuitive user interface, it provides fast and efficient start up with low media wastage, and has the ability to handle rolls of varying widths up to five metres. In combination with Fujifilm’s new Uvijet QK inks, the printers can produce jobs on a very wide range of flexible media, including polyethylene (PE), with no curing or ink starvation issues and with excellent inter-coat lay down for backlit and solid prints

Roland continues: “For us, the Uvistar is a perfect ‘workhorse’ and can adapt to our different high quality wide-format requirements. This, together with the fantastic customer service we’ve received from the Fujifilm team, made the decision to invest with them a perfect one – they offer the ‘whole package’.”

During the visit to FESPA, Niggemeyer also looked at Fujifilm’s newly launched process independent colour control system, Pro-File, as a solution to link all of its print processes together to match the colour of any print job on any of its printers.

“We have invited Fujifilm to do an audit on our current colour management processes, as Pro-File looks like a fantastic solution. We are eager to look into this further with Fujifilm and are confident of a positive outcome,” concludes Roland.

 

Challenge

• Expand business into lucrative high image quality outdoor and indoor signage market
• Obtain production printing speeds while maintaining outstanding image quality
• Price printed products competitively through lower production costs
• Ability to print on a broad range of media, from vinyl to low-cost polyester(6)
• Simple workflow to speed up delivery and keep costs down

Solutions

• HP Scitex LX800 Printer
• HP Latex Inks
• Original HP printing materials including HP Photo-realistic Poster Paper (recyclable through commonly available recycling programs)

Results

• Winning international customers looking to maximise market reach on tight budgets
• Customers are recognising high image quality offered at competitive costs
• Achieving production capacity and application versatility that delivers for regular, broad-ranging printed campaigns

Businesses worldwide have been adopting aggressive strategies to increase their profit margins and grow their market share despite the recent economic downturn. As a result, time to market has become shorter and shorter, budgets are extremely tight so cost and time savings are made wherever possible. Print buyers reflect the wider market conditions and continue to demand many different products, in shorter time, and with reduced budgets, even as the economic outlook brightens.

Benefits to the bottom line

Verdúdigital is a highly successful, full service printing business based outside Barcelona in Spain. They reacted rapidly to deteriorating market conditions by expanding into the higher quality signage market, a new segment for their business. They utilised the HP Scitex LX800 Printer that features HP Latex Inks to print a host of outdoor and indoor applications.

Vicente Verdu, Sales Manager at Verdúdigital describes the business approach they adopted. "In a deteriorating market it may seem counter-intuitive to acquire new equipment but the benefits to the bottom line have far outweighed the investment," says Vicente, adding, "We have made new customers by achieving outstanding image quality while satisfying customer needs to cut costs. We use recyclable HP Photo-realistic Poster Paper for high quality images. We can print directly on economical polyester fabrics and our estimated average HP Latex Ink consumption is 1800 m² (5905 ft²) per set of inks as compared to 800 -1000 m² (2625 - 3281 ft²) using our other, slower printers, on a like-for-like basis. We can now handle the print demands of larger and larger companies on a national and worldwide basis."

For a world-renowned Scandinavian furniture brand, Verdúdigital has been exploiting the HP PVCfree Wall Paper that, together with HP Latex Inks, provides odourless interior wall decorations that meet GREENGUARD criteria for low emitting products and AgBB criteria for health-related evaluation of VOC emissions of indoor building products.

In addition, by using HP Latex Inks Verdúdigital does not require special ventilation equipment or an external dryer and the company can attract environmentally conscious customers because of the printer's ability to produce odour-free(2) prints and the availability of a range of recyclable HP printing materials, many of which can be returned to HP for free and convenient recycling.

Productivity that wins worldwide business

One of their latest business successes has seen Verdúdigital printing worldwide campaigns for an international jeans brand. Vicente describes the scope of the job. "The HP Scitex LX800 Printer produces posters, billboards, point of purchase displays, interior decoration and facades. We print them, mount them, pack them and ship them worldwide. For the latest campaign we printed 1200 m² (3937 ft²) in 10 days, including mounting. The printer is extremely quick and the productivity features add to the overall fast turnaround. The dual roll means we can load two 1374 mm (54 in) rolls and print on both side by side, at the same time," states Vicente. Roll-to-free fall and roll-to-collector capabilities let you print and finish simultaneously.

Edging out competition with unbeatable Combination

Verdúdigital possesses a broad range of printing technology but Vicente believes that the high image quality, production print speeds and the workflow productivity offered by the HP Scitex LX800 Printer are an unbeatable combination. Recently a multinational company that owns a number of famous fashion labels and cosmetics brands invited Verdúdigital to present an offer for its worldwide printed signage campaigns.

Vicente explains how the HP Scitex LX800 Printer is allowing them to undercut the competition. "Their previous supplier was using chemical processes to create the images. Image quality was extremely high, but so were the costs… and delivery times were drawn out. I was convinced that the HP Scitex LX800 Printer could give us an edge by achieving a high image quality that would satisfy customer needs while delivering jobs at greater speeds and lower production costs. We ran some tests and the client was very impressed with image quality… and even more impressed with the cost savings. Prior to the HP Scitex LX800 Printer we wouldn't have been able to compete," states Vicente delightedly.

Today Verdúdigital exploits the HP Scitex LX800 Printer to print all the applications they possibly can. "Once you have used the printer in your business, you realize that you could never survive without it again," Vicente concludes.

 

Wide-format digital ink-jet innovator WP Digital reports that its presentation of new UV-curable technologies and explanation of applications at FESPA 2010 in Munich, Germany has resulted in an enthusiastic response from the market. The Swiss-based company gave the first international preview and demonstration of the Virtu RS35/48/10, an update to its original 3.5m hybrid engine, which incorporates 10pl Spectra Q-class print-heads, allowing users to achieve a new spectrum of quality for their printed and decorative applications. It also introduced its proprietary Virtu Flexo ink set for its range of machines, and many visitors had their first view of the award-winning five-metre Virtu RR50, which was nominated this year by the European Digital Press Association as the best superwide printer in the three metres or wider category.

The Virtu RS35/48/10 is emblematic of WP's robust and forward-thinking design and will be available to users later this year. The addition of 10pl print-heads permits users to realise acute accuracy across small point sizes, skin tones and gradients, but also complements the existing versatility of the unit. "The RS35 is perhaps the only true hybrid on the market as it is able to print roll-fed, rigid and oversized materials of almost unlimited variety," explains Sylvia Muhr, sales director for WP Digital. "Visitors to FESPA realised that the potential to print on substrates as different as aluminium, leather, mesh and glass can add to traditional advertising and decorative applications to create new markets and, therefore, new revenue streams."

In the latest upgrade to the Virtu RS family - which includes the 2.5m RS25 - WP Digital has married a finely tuned drop shape with high jetting frequencies and intelligent ink placement over the entire print area to deliver the quality normally associated with proofing devices at viable production speeds. Available in four- or six-colour formats plus white or spot varnish, the company has added to the Virtu range with software and hardware upgrades which optimise the new print-head capabilities and, therefore, allow users to exploit the robust, precision engineering that the machines offer. It can also be easily configured to print on oversized materials thanks to a variable-mode vacuum bed and simple alignment of production tables, with all weights of substrate catered for thanks to accurate adjustment mechanisms within the bed’s pressure roller system.

WP Digital's new, proprietary Virtu Flexo ink set is a new formulation with an uncompromised, balanced chemistry to provide vivid colours, formidable durability and excellent adhesion across both rigid and flexible materials. This proprietary range has been designed to expand the potential for printed applications in the display sector, including photographic environments, advertising agencies and digital bureaux, while combining with the Virtu printer range to reduce drastically the cost of ownership for all types of user.

"WP Digital developed the Virtu Flexo inks to accompany the minimal lay-down of ink on the substrate and the precise rendering offered by the greyscale print head technologies inherent to the Virtu range of machines," Muhr continues. "We have considered every element of the cost of ownership for users, and the Virtu Flexo ink set offers the best equilibrium between durability and the environment for all wide-format production environments. Both ink consumption and waste during production have been weighed up against the need for photographic quality and long-term durability in even the most severe of outdoor conditions."

The award-winning roll-to-roll Virtu RR50 reinforced at FESPA why the European Digital Press judges nominated it as the best superwide machine wider than three metres. Able to achieve an addressable resolution of 1,200dpi with its six-colour ink set on myriad flexible substrates, WP Digital showcased the machine's productivity by printing onto both one 5m roll and three 1.6m rolls. The Virtu RR50, which is available in four- and six-colour variants with white ink for spot, over- and under-printing, is a compact unit which incorporates cleverly designed loading and unloading features; this makes it particularly suitable for companies moving into the five-metre market for the first time who need to maximise their production footprint.

"The response to all of our activities at FESPA was extremely positive, with many visitors commenting on both the versatility of the machines but also on their reliable and solid engineering," concludes Muhr. "The Virtu RS35/48/10 gave them a glimpse of the future WP Digital is providing in this market with its hybrid capabilities, outstanding image quality and swift speeds, while the Virtu RR50 reminded our guests of the surprising what we could achieve even with 80pl heads. In an increasingly demanding industry, we were proud to demonstrate WP Digital's commitment to innovation, environmental responsibility and versatility of applications."

WP Digital is renowned in the wide-format digital ink-jet space as a manufacturer of resilient, reliable technologies for the production of many different decorative, display and industrial applications. With characteristic Swiss attention to precision engineering inherent to all of its technologies, its Virtu range of wide- and superwide-format printers is recognised for its ability to produce high-quality graphics on a practically unlimited range of substrates.

 

EFI reported today that customer demand for its award-winning digital printing technologies and innovative solutions on display in Munich (Germany) last week, make this year's Fespa the most successful European wide-format exhibition the company has attended in years. Visitor numbers were up, VUTEK®, Rastek™ and Jetrion® stations were busy throughout the five days of the show, and attendance for product demos peaked at more than 200 per day.

"Fespa Munich was a fantastic show," said David Hocquet, CEO of Deltenre, a Belgian printing company. "It was energetic and busy and the EFI stand was the busiest of them all as everyone wanted to see the latest VUTEk machines. We have two of them installed already and certainly for future investments in superwide format, we'll look to EFI VUTEk and no one else."

"We not only exceeded digital inkjet targets for VUTEk and Rastek that we had set for this show, we also surpassed goals set for our software products," said EFI EMEA's managing director Paul Cripps "Proof that EFI's customers in Europe are doing well and continue to require cost saving solutions to optimise, automate and streamline operations."

Attendance up from North and South America, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific

EFI tracked a significant increase in visitors from high-growth markets such as Asia Pacific, the Americas and the Middle East, adding to vast numbers from Western, Central and Eastern Europe.

Products on display included the VUTEk GS3200 with the new MediaMaster fully automated media handling system, the GS5000r, the high-productivity QS3250r UV roll-to-roll superwide printer, the versatile Rastek T1000 and the H650 wide-format UV printers, and the Jetrion 4830 digital label press.

Pace™ print management system, Digital StoreFront® web-to-print solutions and Web Control Center for remote proofing completed the portfolio. Together, they offered a practical demonstration of EFI's integrated workflow from order taking to printing and shipping.

Eighty VUTEk GS Series sold in one year

EFI announced that it had sold the 80th VUTEk GS printer since the product's European introduction at Fespa 2009.

Leading its category in installations worldwide, the VUTEk GS3200 flatbed and roll-to-roll hybrid UV printer delivers photorealistic quality, superwide speed, and innovative applications that expand the reach of superwide into new industries.

Debuted for the first time in Europe, the MediaMaster is a fully-automated material handling system for the GS3200 that continues to increase productivity and economics of digital superwide printing. Equipped to handle full-size 1.5 x 3 metre boards at up to 50 beds per hour, and also master as many as 3-up smaller boards across the width of the printer, for over 150 boards per hour with precision. This enables the material handling system's hands-free productivity: a single person can operate two GS3200 printers with MediaMasters, reducing cost and optimising production time.

Now commercially available, the VUTEk GS5000r offers exceptional quality and roll-to-roll speed that allow users to tap into premium-margin markets that demand point-of-purchase (POP) quality graphics.

Rastek T1000 makes European Debut at Fespa 2010

EFI's new Rastek T1000 wide-format printer was also shown for the first time in Europe. This new flatbed printer offers class-leading print speed, including white running the same speed as CMYK - all with stunning 8-level greyscale, up to 1200 dpi print quality. With a stationary vacuum table and retractable media registration pins, it has the versatility to handle a wide range of rigid media quickly and easily.

The new award-winning Jetrion 4830 UV Inkjet System from EFI offers wider web widths and faster linear speeds to increase label printing throughput more than twofold over the company's market-leading Jetrion 4000. The Jetrion 4830 prints 21 cm wide, enabling two-up 10 cm labels. Its wider print zone lets label converters efficiently take on more print jobs. With its higher speed print mode of greater than 36.6 meters per minute, the system increases productivity significantly. The new Jetrion also has an optional white printing station with the most opaque digital white print available.

EFI's Web Control Center web-based application connects, monitors and controls proofing and printing at all remote sites in a production workflow. Web Control uses JDF communications to interact with Fiery® RIP solutions (EFI Colorproof™ XF and Fiery XF v4.0) at any location via EFI proven web hosting capabilities.

For more information about EFI solutions, including VUTEk superwide printers, MediaMaster, Rastek wide-format printers, Jetrion label presses and EFI Web-to-Print, RIP or Print MIS solutions, visit www.efi.com.

 

FUJIFILM Dimatix today launched the third in a series of Spectra Polaris 512-jet printheads based on the company's advanced Q-Class platform. The new Polaris PQ-512/85 AAA expands the Polaris PQ-512 product line with a high performance 512-jet printhead capable of supporting aqueous, UV-curable and solvent ink formulations at drop sizes from 85 to 150 picoliters.

The new Spectra Polaris PQ-512/85 AAA printhead is equipped with a flexible fluid interface allowing single or two-color operation at resolutions to 400 dpi and frequencies up to 20 kHz. Its large range of drop sizes, broad fluids compatibility, 8 meters/second drop velocity and remarkable jet straightness make the Polaris PQ-512/85 AAA a perfect choice to address a growing range of commercial and industrial printing applications, from grand-format graphics to a wide array of colorful textiles and precision industrial coatings.

The new Polaris PQ-512/85 AAA takes its place alongside the 15-picoliter Polaris PQ-512/15 AAA capable of jetting 15 to 50 picoliter drop volumes, and the recently launched 35-picoliter Polaris PQ-512/35 AAA printhead delivering drop sizes of 35 to 80 picoliters.

All products in the Spectra Polaris PQ-512 series are general-purpose drop-on-demand printheads that utilize the binary operating capability of Dimatix' VersaDropTM jetting technology and Q-Class hybrid construction to deliver adjustable ink drop sizes from 512 individually addressable nozzles.

The Q-Class platform has enabled FUJIFILM Dimatix to develop new product lines of high-performance printhead assemblies that deliver the largest range of drop sizes, broadest ink compatibility, and higher packing density than previously possible. Shared physical features allow printer designs to be easily migrated across different model types and printing applications.

The common design and interface of Polaris PQ-512 printheads gives systems builders and OEMs access to a line of advanced printheads with drop sizes from 15 to 150 picoliters – the broadest range available. Interchangeability of printhead assemblies in the PQ-512 product line makes it easy for systems builders to "mix and match" models within the same product line in order to design systems built for a broad range of applications demanding extraordinary speed, superb quality and exceptional versatility.

An integral mounting bezel designed with precision registration points enables drop-in alignment – a unique feature that allows each 256-channel jetting module to be exchanged and accurately registered in the field without the need for special tools or recalibration. Each 256-channel module is also dual-ported to facilitate ink flushing and recirculation. Heaters and temperature sensors allow precise control of ink viscosity at jetting temperatures up to 60oC.

"The new Polaris PQ-512/85 AAA dramatically extends the range of applications that can be addressed by inkjet technology, giving systems builders and OEMs design options for speed, quality and versatility not previously possible – and providing further evidence of the power of the Q-Class platform," said Marc Torrey, Vice President, Marketing, FUJIFILM Dimatix, Inc.