Hardware - Print Finishing

Assyst Bullmer, a partner of international manufacturer of cutting machines Topcut Bullmer, has introduced what it says is the 'latest and fastest cutting technology for digital finishing on the market.'  Assyst Bullmer's new 5m-wide solution - named Premiumcut ELC - incorporating 'more robust technology' will 'result in higher speeds and output'.

The Premiumcut ELC cutting machine has a cutting speed of 120m/minute and an acceleration of 2G.  Assyst Bullmer says that the system will 'dramatically improve output of any manufacturer, delivering up to 10% higher output than competitive solutions.'

Assyst Bullmer offers cutting technology up to 5m wide and 7m long cutting window with speed and acceleration 'guaranteed'.  In addition, this latest version of Premiumcut comes with wide range of tools, including routers and full range of oscillating and driven cutting tools.

The company has also teamed with Eurosystems software company to provide intuitive and easy-to-use optical-camera alignment technology - OptiSCOUT 7.  Even semi-skilled operators can precision die-cut a wide range of printed materials with unprecedented speed and ease, while conquering more advanced die-cutting tasks quickly.

This year William Smith celebrates its 180th Anniversary, establishing it as the UK’s longest serving and arguably most successful provider of integrated sign and graphics and digital printing solutions to the trade. The company has also announced that this year it will have completed over 300 successful installations of the ROLLSROLLER Flatbed Applicator for which during the past seven years it has served as the exclusive UK distributor and for which it remains the largest and most popular source of supply.

Throughout this seven-year period, William Smith has vigorously promoted the ROLLSROLLER Flatbed Applicator to the extent that this production workhorse is now widely acknowledged as the most cost-effective and accurate solution to the application of self-adhesive materials and digital prints to virtually any commonly used substrate. As a result of the company’s unique marketing skills, incomparable industry knowledge and unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction, ownership of the machine has been completed successfully at many of the UK’s largest and most influential sign and graphics and digital printing companies where it has been responsible for groundbreaking savings in production time of up to 80 per cent.

Key to this landmark achievement rests firmly with the outstanding service provided by William Smith, both during the evaluation and assessment process and following installation of the ROLLSROLLER throughout its working life. This high level of service is underpinned by comprehensive on-site operator training by the company’s team of specially trained and dedicated engineers, a five-year ‘no quibble’ performance warranty, choice of finance packages to suit all budgetary and production requirements and ongoing technical support and advice.

The ROLLSROLLER is available from William Smith in three distinct machine configurations, 19 different models and a host of optional production enhancements to accommodate a wide range of applications. It is delivered fully assembled and ready to use and will enable a rapid return on investment for all users of the machine.

For further information, please visit www.williamsmith.co.uk

Maxicam UK capped off the successful British debut of the Maxi-C 1325SE-T-V at this year's Sign and Digital UK show by selling the exhibition unit on the second day of the event. Mauritius-based brand and sign consultancy Cube Design will soon take delivery of the machine to fulfil display, advertising and corporate identity work for its clients.

The Maxi-C 1325SE-T-V cuts and routs popular substrates up to their largest standard thicknesses, including all types of wood and plastics, 25mm acrylic, 20mm MDF, Foamex, Dibond and even aluminium. At 1.3 x 2.5m, the machine's bed easily accommodates sheets measuring 4 x 8' (1.22 x 2.44m), securing them firmly for production using either T-slot or vacuum clamping.

By using high-performance servo motors to operate the tool carriage, the Maxi-C 1325SE-T-V feeds its position back to the control device constantly, providing sign-makers with the pin-head accuracy demanded by modern jobs and clients. Its welded all-steel build allows plenty of torque, meaning operators can cut complex materials quickly and deeply, and with much more accuracy than machines sporting standard stepper motors or less robust fabrication. A six-position linear tool changer completes the advanced functionality offered by the engine.

"The finesse and speed displayed by Maxicam's demonstrations at Sign and Digital UK quickly convinced me that I needed the machine for my new sign manufacturing facility," explains David Lagesse, director of Cube Design. "I was able to visualise immediately how many of our sign projects could benefit from the Maxi-C 1325-SE-T-V, and was impressed with the service offering and commitment shown by the Maxicam team."

Cube Design will benefit from Maxicam's OSAI Control software, which sports a Windows-based user interface and allows the company to control its powerful new engine using an intuitive and familiar framework. "We're excited to incorporate this robust and powerful machine into our production workflow, and to use it to create even more innovative projects for our eminent clientele," concludes Lagesse.

The Maxi-C 1325SE-T-V sits at the top of a range of machines from Maxicam, each of which can incorporate various modules to create a unit tailored to a business's specification. The Compact series offers an entry-level option for workshops at a range of sizes, while the Advanced range, which includes the Maxi-C and its sibling Maxi-W machines, adds power and versatility for milling, engraving and routing the various durable materials used by large-format houses. The Maxicam Professional, EPS, Scan and 5-Axis engines focus this functionality for the manufacture of boats, furniture and several other products.

"Maxicam is making broad strides in the British and European marketplace," explains Bill Powell, director of Maxicam UK. "The Advanced series's combination of excellent build quality and sophisticated manufacturing capabilities impressed the many visitors to our stand this year, and we are certain the Maxi-C 1325SE-T-V will be a valuable addition to Cube Design's facilities."

MultiCam has launched a five-axis router for high-speed, heavy-duty routing in the woodworking, plastics, non-ferrous metals and composites industries - the MultiCam 8000 series.

“Five-axis CNC machining opens up a world of new capabilities for MultiCam,” comments John Harris, director of sales and marketing at Maxicam. “Applications include edge trimming of molded wood, plastic and composite parts, deep-cavity mold making and machining of spiral staircase components.”

In addition to the standard X, Y and Z axes, the end of the Z axis features a 440-degree rotational axis and a 150-degree swing axis.  The operator may programme all five axes to move simultaneously, or programme the fourth and fifth axes separately or locked in the vertical position to run the 8000 Series as a standard three-axis machine. Using all five axes of movement isn’t always necessary. Five-axis machines are extremely flexible with the ability to expand a shop’s capabilities for future business.

For more information, please visit www.multicam.com

Spirit Displays, a London-based manufacturer of banner tensioning systems, has announced the latest addition to its range - Spirit-TEX.  The new solution has been developed in response to market demand for sturdy, easy-to-use frame solutions for lightweight textiles, and is designed to address challenging sizing and finishing issues.

The textile tensioning system, which has a patent pending, is the only system to offer a choice of three finishing options for the printed fabric, allowing users to reduce or even eliminate the need for finishing. Available in a number of profiles, including wall-mounting, free-standing and back-lit, Spirit-TEX has also been successfully tested for compatibility with dye-sublimation, UV-curable and latex printing systems, making it one of the most flexible fabric display options on the market.

Of the several mounting options, a combination of industry-standard silicone strip application across the top edge of a printed graphic and Spirit Displays's innovative Spirit-TEX Gripper along the sides and bottom edges offers the best of both worlds. Allowing for easy alignment with a limited amount of finishing to the textile, this method also ensures optimal tension coupled with the maximum tolerance for size variation.

With Spirit-TEX Gripper on all edges of the frame, fabric can be printed with a bleed area and the edges tucked into the frame using the Spirit-TEX tool without any further finishing being necessary. This not only removes the issue of precise sizing of the printed fabric – a complex area made more complicated by the typical shrinkage of these substrates after washing – but also allows much larger textile graphics to be tensioned. An 18 x 3m (59 x 9'10") frame has already been successfully installed at exclusive London department store Selfridges, and there is potential to go larger still.

Alternatively, TEX-TAPE from Spirit Displays can be affixed to the perimeter of the printed textile to reinforce the edge. The double-sided tape with textile adhesive does not require any special tools or training to use, and can be used in place of silicone strip. The Spirit-TEX system is also compatible with industry-standard 14 x 3mm silicone keder.

In addition to being simple to assemble and enormously flexible, the Spirit-TEX profiles are completely recyclable, making them a truly green solution for fabric display mounting, and are manufactured in the UK. The full range of profiles comprises options for front- or back-lighting and single- or double-sided display, and the frames can hang, or be wall-mounted or freestanding. Spirit-TEX and the popular Spirit-FLEX systems from Spirit Displays are available to the trade only in stock profiles and flat-pack kits, or fully fabricated with LED lighting in the case of light boxes.

Hadley Weight, director at Spirit Displays, says, "The industry has been crying out for a simple, flexible display solution for lightweight fabrics, and we have listened. We are proud to be the first to respond to the demand with Spirit-TEX and we are confident that it will become the most popular product of its kind on the market."

For more information, please visit www.spirit-displays.co.uk

Spandex, the pioneering one-stop supplier of leading brands for graphical solutions worldwide, has announced its appointment as UK distributor of the ROLLSROLLER Flatbed Applicator series, a highly versatile and time saving print finishing and laminating solution used for a multitude of self-adhesive foil applications.

The ROLLSROLLER Flatbed Applicator is produced by Reklamide AB, a Swedish company with over 20 years experience in providing innovative solutions to the sign industry through specialty consulting and high quality, patented products.

“With Spandex we have found a trusted and knowledgeable distributor and we are looking forward to our extended collaboration so more end users will be able to discover the time saving and versatile functionalities the ROLLSROLLER Flatbed Applicator® has to offer” explains MR. Göran Johansson, Managing Director Reklamide AB.

The appointment of Spandex as UK distributor of the ROLLSROLLER Flatbed Applicator® series is part of a recent agreement with Reklamide AB in which Spandex Group has been granted the international distribution rights for fourteen countries starting in the beginning of 2012.

”This is a very valuable addition to our equipment portfolio and we are extremely excited to start distributing the ROLLSROLLER Flatbed Applicator® in UK says Leon Watson, Director of Sales & Marketing – Hardware at Spandex UK.”The ROLLSROLLER fits perfectly into our existing range of start-to-finish solutions for graphic applications and we are positive our customers will greatly benefit from the many practicalities it offers to optimize their production workflow”.

The ROLLSROLLER series applicators are used for applying all types of self-adhesive foils and overlaminates to flexible and rigid materials up to 6cm thick. Typical applications include banners, signs, road signs and glass application. All ROLLSROLLER models can optionally be equipped with a height adjustment function to ensure the operator enjoys an optimal ergonomic working position. Due to its easy operation and short learning curve, operators can be up and running in less than one hour. Its uses are almost infinite.

The ROLLSROLLER series consists of three different model ranges; the Basic, Premium and Traffic range.

The Basic range

ROLLSROLLER basic models are equipped with a self healing cutting mat and automatic roller height adjustment for materials up to 60 mm thick. Media holders and lighting are additional options. Available models in the Basic range are the ROLLSROLLER 280b, 340b and 400b.

The Premium Range

The main difference between the ROLLSROLLER Premium and the basic range is the size of the working area and included accessories. The premium models are equipped with side pockets, media holders and lighting. Height adjustment comes as an option. Available Premium models are; ROLLSROLLER 400, 540, 605 and 1080.

The Traffic Range

The ROLLSROLLER traffic range comprises 7 standard models in two widths which are specifically constructed for the efficient production of road signs.

For more information on the ROLLSROLLER Flatbed Applicator® series, visit the Spandex website www.spandex.co.uk