Hardware - Print Finishing

ImageOne Impact has introduced Clear Grommets.  According to the manufacturer, they are 'stronger than a hurricane and disappear when the banner or graphic is hung up'.  They are ideal for banners and graphics as the grommets don’t distract from the message and are suitable for applications including banners, fabrics, clothes, banner stands, corrugated plastics and foamboards and much more.

The new grommets have UV inhibitors in them for long term outdoor usage, withstand any weather conditions and are completely recyclable.

For more information on local distributors, visit www.image1impact.com

Solent Sewing and Welding is joining forces with HP to present 'ultimate joined-up finishing solution' open days at Solent's Portsmouth premises on the 4th, 5th and 6th October 2011.  These open days will provide a unique opportunity for end-users to see for themselves the variety of output that can be created by combining the Miller Weldmaster range with HP Latex Designjet printers.

The organisers say that the open days represent a great opportunity to see the latest in print and print finishing in the outdoor promotional signage and banner market.  Ian Jenkins from Solent Sewing & Welding Solutions comments, "We want our customers to see the fullest range of print output to work with our sewing and welding equipment and the HP Latex technology has been one that we are keen to get in front of our customers. It’s a technology more and more of our customers are starting to use so having the open days with a HP Latex Designjet there made perfect sense to enable them to see the both the quality of the output and the print finishing options the Miller Weldmaster Range offers.”

The open days are free of charge and there will be special promotional offers each day. 

Summa has announced the imminent release of a handy tool for its F1612 cutting table: the Basket.  The Basket has been developed to capture the cut-out samples and the waste material from the F1612 in order to keep the workspace clean.

The F1612’s Basket is a separate unit mounted on sturdy rollers, so it can be easily moved around. It includes also magnets to keep the trolley in position when placed in front of the cutting table.

The Basket can be placed in different positions. The front part can be tilted to make the cutting table easily accessible for the operator and the Basket’s front bar can be moved to a lower position. This way the content of the basket moves up and can be easily reached. To carry and idle it completely, the Basket can also be taken out.

The Basket will be presented for the first time at the Viscom France show in Paris (Paris Nord Villepinte) from 27 until 29 September.

Stafford-based Print Designs Limited has invested in a Zund G3XL3200CVE cutter from materials expert Robert Horne. The solution has been purchased to ease a bottleneck created when the organisation upgraded to a Vutek QS2000 UV flatbed printer back in February 2010.

With its automated cutting and trimming functions, the Zund cutter helps Print Designs avoid bottlenecks in the finishing department. The technology avoids many of the costly pitfalls of manual cutting such as potential mistakes and lack of efficiency, meaning the Zund G3 boosts productivity. The Zund G3 is very flexible and cuts materials up to 50mm/ 2” thickness and can operate 24/7 due to heavy-duty construction and state of the art technology for accuracy. The machine comes with a two-year warranty as standard.

Mark Thompson, Print Designs Limited comments: “We are investing in new machinery to ensure we stay one step ahead of the competition and can offer our customers a high quality streamlined service - we all know in today’s fast paced business arena everyone wants something yesterday."

He continues, "When we bought the new flatbed printer we saw a dramatic increase in output, but found work was grinding to a halt, as we just couldn’t convert the projects quickly enough. The new cutter has allowed us to increase our channel of work on standard product conversion such as Opaljet for roller banners and pop up stands. In addition we now have the capability to look at new areas such as point of sale display stands and have ordered new products such as revive Honeycombed Board from Robert Horne for cut outs.”

For more information, please visit www.roberthorne.co.uk

Robert Horne, the materials expert, has launched the Rapid Applicator, a flatbed application machine that will revolutionise your business. It offers a better way to apply self-adhesive films and application tape to a number of different substrates.

The Rapid Applicator makes mounting flat sheets of material such as ACM, Foam PVC, Acrylic and Foam Board easy. The operation is simple and the results are outstanding - perfect for any sign maker or printer. Constructed from solid steel this machine is robust, offers superior speed and quality and can even laminate glass.

The process is simple. The chassis is a strong welded frame that functions in any work environment. The Rapid Applicator can be installed in any room, accessed by a normal sized door, by using its tilting transportation system. Designed by skilled sign makers and a team of experienced technical engineers, it is a unique machine. Its system has perfect synchronous moving masts, between which the roller sits. Unlike other machines the Rapid Applicator doesn’t need a connection between the masts, making it easy to place material over the coil. With the extendable arms you can easily expand the length of the table to suit larger sized media.

The Rapid Applicator is the ultimate easy to use, durable, cost effective machine, combining speed and quality for improved workflow efficiency.
 

EskoArtwork, Fespa global software and finishing partner, will demonstrate the complete i-cut Suite workflow along with Kongsberg i-XL 24 finishing tables with partners TSG (Tecnolog'a en Sistemas Gráficos) Stand E10 and Mexico SPI (Solucions Para Impresores) at the HP stand during FESPA Mexico, 18-20 August 2011?Centro Banamex, Mexico City. EskoArtwork will also explain 'How to improve your workflow and profit, and reduce your time-to-print' at the seminar theatre, Thursday July 18, 3-4pm.

FESPA Mexico is the leading and most focused exhibition for print professionals in Mexico and Central America to connect with the latest developments and innovations in signage, graphics, wide format digital printing, garment decoration and screen printing in a lively atmosphere.

Seminar theatre presentation: Software makes finishing equipment operate more effectively
Ernande Ramos and Eladio Veron, responsible for sales, marketing and support to sign & display companies in Latin America, will be featured at the seminar theatre, describing 'How to improve your workflow and profit, and reduce your time-to-print' at the seminar theatre, Thursday July 18, 3-4pm. They will explain how to increase productivity during the finishing process with an automated workflow solution. Many wide format companies are aware of the productivity that finishing tables offer, but do not know how they can considerably increase productivity by adding a workflow solution. Ramos will present the EskoArtwork i-cut Suite workflow process in theory, while Veron will demonstrate the software, showing how the software can help to increase productivity and profitability of the finishing process.

Support from Mexican reseller partners
TSG (Stand E10) and Mexico SPI (HP stand) will offer visitors a complete view of the EskoArtwork sign & display workflow.

Mexico SPI is a dedicated HP reseller, with experience selling EskoArtwork solutions that complement HP Scitex large format digital printers. EskoArtwork's partnership with the HP Graphics Solutions Business has been extended to the HP Scitex Large Format Division. In response to the fast growing need for dedicated prepress tools, EskoArtwork and HP Scitex agreed to co-market integrated workflow solutions specifically tailored for the sign and display market. These solutions include the complete EskoArtwork i-cut Suite, its collection of pre-production design-to-finish software to streamline the entire production workflow. On the HP stand, visitors can experience a live demonstration of the end-to-end workflow – from design to finishing – integrating the EskoArtwork software solutions with HP Scitex large format printers.

TSG, based in Mexico, has over 15 years of experience in graphic arts. TSG's product portfolio provides solutions for pre-digital press, offset, flexography, digital printing, superwide format digital printing, serving companies involved in offset printing, gravure, flexo and screen printing. Through its subsidiary TSG S.C. Services provides technical service and advice on pre-press systems, direct digital printing plate and workflow systems, and tools for color management and quality control. TSG has had years of experience selling and supporting EskoArtwork Kongsberg tables and software systems, and visitors can benefit from their expertise at their stand.

i-cut Suite: Streamlining the entire workflow, from design to print to cut
i-cut Suite was designed specifically for companies that drive narrow or large format digital printers and/or digital finishing systems, and that require professional tools to streamline their workflows. It is the first workflow that offered wide format printing and digital finishing companies a complete, integrated solution. It is comprised of different modules, including i-cut Preflight for efficient PDF preflighting and editing, and i-cut Layout for interactive layout, tiling and nesting of graphics.

i-cut Suite software doesn't require users to return to a native application, working within a PDF file. Furthermore, it reduces errors by spotting them before RIPping, and it optimizes the layout, which ultimately reduces material costs and minimizes set-up time. Users with more specific requirements can easily also add supplementary modules: a structural design module to allow integration with all standard structural design programs; a graphics preparation module to create the cutting contour on both vector files and images; and a true shape nesting module offering a powerful, true shape nesting solution, particularly for irregular shapes.

Kongsberg i-XL 24: Perfect for signs and displays
The Kongsberg i-XL 24, the workhorse of the product line and best-selling Kongsberg finishing system among sign and display companies, offers a comprehensive finishing solution for the widest range of materials, providing automation, high productivity and outstanding precision. The i-XL family, with a maximum material size of 87" x 120", can be delivered with an optional conveyor extension, along with the Auto-Feeder and scissor-lift system.

"EskoArtwork continues to extend the productivity of sign and display print providers, with both a complete, integrated workflow and extremely sophisticated digital finishing systems," comments Aleks Zlatic, Vice President Western & Latin America EskoArtwork. "There is much more to the production of signs than just printing. We are committed to 'shaping the future' of our customers' business and this industry. Sign and display shops need to focus on the structure - or shape - of a sign. They need machines to efficiently cut displays when they are printed. They also need a workflow that can combine graphics with the structure. During Fespa Mexico, with the help of TSG and Mexico SPI, we can demonstrate solutions that cannot be found elsewhere."