More than 600 exhibitors will showcase innovations in digital and screen printing for graphics, signage, décor, packaging, industrial and textile applications at global print expo FESPA 2020 in Madrid (24-27 March). Wide format technology manufacturers Roland DG, Mutoh, Canon and AGFA previewed their stands.
Roland DG: New and award-winning innovations
Roland will showcase brand new introductions to its range, with announcements in the run-up to the event, plus products which will have their FESPA début at Hall 7 Booth C60, in Madrid. These include the award-winning and value-packed TrueVIS SG2 printer/cutter, the powerful all-round performer IU-1000F large-format UV flatbed printer, and the streamlined VersaUV LEC2-300 UV printer/cutter. The VersaUV LEF2-300 UV-LED flatbed printer will also be in action, alongside Roland’s innovative LV series laser engraver.
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| Roland UV printer range |
The multi-award-winning TrueVIS VG2 printer/cutters and stunning RF-640 8 colour printer will be wowing the crowds. For show-goers who are looking to get into digital textile print, or to increase their production capability, the Texart RT-640M, an intelligent multi-function dye-sublimation printer, will be put through its paces. Plus, the Roland Personalisation zone will be packed with exciting hardware and software solutions to help you seize the incredible profit-making potential of product personalisation.
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| Roland TrueVis print and cut |
New digital opportunities
"For FESPA 2020 our theme is ‘Discover New Digital Opportunities’ with a booth packed with diverse and innovative solutions," says Stephen Davis, Marketing Director EMEA, Roland DG. "We’ll be sharing some exciting product news between now and the show - come and see us and find out first-hand what's possible with our flexible, reliable and creative technology."
Creative, Cool, Commercial
If you’re looking for inspiration for new trend-setting, money-making applications, join Roland DG’s Joe Wigzell at FESPA’s Trend Theatre on March 25th (16.00-16.30). Joe will be presenting an ideas-packed session 'The 3 C's for Your Success – Creative, Cool, Commercial'.
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Mutoh to display New XpertJet product lineup at Fespa 2020
Mutoh Europe will be presenting the brand new XpertJet 461UF and 661UF desktop UV LED direct to object (DTO) printers as well as two new wide format vinyl cutters, the ValueCut II 1300 & 1800. The recently introduced XpertJet 1641SR and XpertJet 1682SR - 64 (162 cm) wide - sign & display roll-to-roll printers will make their Fespa debut. Mutoh will also present its new Digital Factory UV Mutoh Edition RIP software for Mutoh DTO printers.
XpertJet 461UF / 661UF UV LED direct to object printers
The XpertJet 461UF/661UF are Mutoh’s second generation UV LED 6-colour desktop direct to object printers. They will respond to the increasing demand for added value personalised prints and bespoke small-lot production of commercial and industrial print applications. The XPJ-461UF is an A3+ size model. XPJ-661UF is an A2+ size model.
The new XpertJet desktop flatbed printers feature various product enhancements such as a new multi-language intuitive OLED display, an extended print area, new cosmetics and a pioneering innovation, i.e. Mutoh’s Local Dimming Control technology. With this technology, it is possible to produce multiple varnish effects in the same print table movement. The result is a substantial productivity boost.
Typical applications encompass prints on phone covers, personalised gifts, photo products, promotional items such as pens, lighters & USB sticks, souvenirs, awards, small signs, small series production or prototyping of packaging samples, decorative tiles.
XpertJet 1641SR/1682SR sign & display printers
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| Mutoh XpertJet 1682SR |
The XpertJet 1641SR/1682SR models – Mutoh’s fifth generation of sign & display printers – are the successors of the multi-awarded Mutoh ValueJet 1624X and ValueJet 1638X printers. These 64″ (162 cm) wide piezo drop-on-demand roll fed printers feature a new 7 colour – CMYK, Lc, Lm, Lk – ink set, multiple product enhancements and pioneering innovative features.
XpertJet 1641SR is a single head 4 colour model. XpertJet 1682SR is a dual staggered head model for 2×4 colour setup or 7 colour setup. The printers can utilise Mutoh’s new Greenguard GOLD certified MS41 series eco solvent inks as well as Mutoh’s universal mild solvent inks.
The XpertJet printers have been specifically developed for high quality cost-effective volume production of sign & display graphics, for long term outdoor applications as well as durable prints for indoor use. Applications encompass posters, backlit signs, interior décor & wall coverings, point-of-sale displays, fine art reproduction prints, vehicle graphics, windows graphics, self-adhesive stickers.
ValueCut II wide format sign cutting plotters
The ValueCut II 1300 & 1800 are high performance multi-purpose drag knife vinyl cutting plotters for advertising businesses and signmaking professionals. The second generation ValueCut cutters feature new cosmetics, a new mainboard and keyboard, an extended input buffer as well as a standard Ethernet, USB and serial port.
Offering cutting speeds up to 1530 mm/s, an acceleration up to 4.2 G and a cutting force up to 600 g as well as a guaranteed 10 meters media tracking, the new VC2-1300 & VC-1800 are suited for regular signage & lettering applications, apparel heat transfer graphics as well as for contour cutting of preprinted graphics. With the integrated automatic registration mark detection technology, it is easy to produce series of stickers which are contour cut and/or die cut.
Digital Factory UV – Mutoh Edition RIP software
Digital Factory UV – Mutoh Edition is a new dedicated RIP software solution for Mutoh UV LED direct to object flatbed production printers. Developed for Mutoh Europe by CADlink Technology Corporation, this new RIP solution has been specifically tailored to the Mutoh ValueJet 426UF / ValueJet 626UF as well as to the new XpertJet 461UF / 661UF models.
Digital Factory UV Mutoh Edition integrates a dedicated feature set smartly addressing the unique production workflow requirements inherent to UV digital direct to object print technology.
Additionally, the RIP software also offers a dramatically simplified pre-production workflow to allow graphic designers and printer operators to efficiently and correctly work with white and clear inks.
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Canon at FESPA 2020: Digital large format printing par excellence
The Madrid show will feature Canon’s large format digital printers and workflow solutions in Hall 7, Stand A60. Through clever automation, Canon will show how business growth can be generated through process optimization. The combination of digital large format printing technologies, intelligent software and a range of unusual media produces unusual print results that help print service providers to differentiate themselves from their competitors.
A wide range of large-format graphic applications promises to inspire visitors to the show: point-of-sale and point-of-purchase examples, displays and packaging, interior decoration, including wall coverings. In addition, there is outdoor advertising such as banners, soft signage through backlit textiles and self-adhesive vehicle graphics.
Media flexibility is demonstrated through a range of large format digital printing and workflow solutions. These include the successful Colorado roll-to-roll printer series and the Arizona flatbed portfolio. Experts will be on hand to show print service providers how the tactile properties of printed products can maximize impact. The wide selection of unusual media also adds creative possibilities to the spectrum.
Colorado 1640 and Arizona 1360
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| Colorado 1640 |
More than 1,200 installations worldwide speak for the great success of the Colorado family. The Colorado 1640 and Colorado 1650 large format printers will therefore naturally also be on site. Visitors to Fespa can find out more about the advantages of UV gel technology. Large production volumes are now possible, as are new applications such as soft signage, interior design and vehicle graphics. The potential to open up new markets is therefore manifold.
Double-sided applications will be shown live on the Colorado 1640 in an automated, end-to-end printing and cutting workflow with the Fotoba inline cutting solution. The Colorado 1650 prints and demonstrates a wide variety of media such as soft signage, wallpapers and self-adhesive films. A second Colorado is integrated for the first time in a Fotoba jumbo roll that automatically cuts media into custom sizes and lengths. With this ‘UV gel wallpaper factory’ Canon shows a production facility that does not require any manual operation. This facility allows full automation for maximum productivity. This solution will be demonstrated at the booth of Canon’s partner Fotoba (booth 7-A55).
Arizona 1360 GT
The Arizona 1360 GT flatbed printer, which won the iF Product Design Award 2020 in January, will also be on show in live production with a roll media option (RMO). It will be used to print a range of interior decorations including wood and glass, wall coverings and acoustic panels. In conjunction with Arizona Xpert, an innovative solution that simplifies and automates complex work such as multi-shift and double-sided print jobs, customers will be shown that it is easier than ever to automate flatbed production. In addition, operating efficiency is increased and waste is reduced.
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Agfa to demo Oberon and Jeti Tauro wide-format engines at FESPA 2020
Visitors to Agfa’s FESPA Global Print Expo booth will be able to discuss their business needs in detail with Agfa’s experts, while seeing two versatile workhorses pair extreme productivity with extreme quality: the brand-new Oberon RTR3300 roll-to-roll printer and the award-winning Jeti Tauro H3300 LED hybrid engine.
Oberon RTR3300
The Oberon RTR3300 is the latest addition to Agfa’s large-format printer portfolio. This dedicated 3.3 m high-end roll-to-roll system comes in a four colour plus white and a six-colour version, and combines extreme productivity and quality with an extensive media scope and a unique ease of use. Thanks to its water-cooled table and its UV LED lamps, it smoothly handles any kind of heat-sensitive roll material, including lower cost media. The dedicated mesh printing kit makes printing on mesh easy. The engine comes with a number of smart functions that speed up operations, facilitate job planning, and optimize media use.
Early adopter TVE, which is one of the largest companies in the field of indoor and outdoor signage in the Netherlands, highly values the print quality of the new printer. “The Oberon RTR3300 excels in the printing of solids over the entire media width”, states owner Hennie van Osch.
Jeti Tauro H3300 LED
The Oberon will run alongside the heavy-duty Jeti Tauro H3300 LED. This 3.3 m hybrid printer is built to handle extreme workloads 24/7 at a stunning speed of up to 453 m²/h. It recently got a number of upgrades:
It now also comes in a four-color version, which reaches sellable ‘production’ quality in a mere three passes. The existing six-colour version, on the other hand, best serves those prioritizing unequalled print quality.
The new Automatic Board Feeder (ABF) enhances production efficiency. It is ideal for shorter runs, and a fast and smooth changeover between different media sizes or types.
In addition to the existing master roll-to-roll version, designed for high-volume print runs, the Jeti Tauro H3300 LED now also features an optional light roll-to-roll unit, which is particularly suited for occasional, short single roll-to-roll work, yet can be quickly converted to sheet mode. This is the version that will be demoed on Agfa’s FESPA booth.
With the new additions, the Jeti Tauro H3300 LED now boasts six configurations with different levels of automation. At Agfa’s FESPA booth, it will be printing mainly on cardboard.
Since its introduction, the Jeti Tauro H3300 LED has supported the growth of many sign & display companies. French leading print service provider Créavi is one of them. It operates two fully automated Jeti Tauro H3300 LED engines, a six- and a four-color one. “Productivity of both printers is outstanding”, says company owner Dominique Robert. “We can quickly move from one job or substrate to the next. As the engines are fully automated, they work almost autonomously – in three shifts, all throughout the year. The Jeti Tauro also sets new standards in print quality. Our clients’ demands are always increasing, yet the Jeti Tauro printers enable us to deliver exactly what they need. And all of that at a low ink consumption!”
Smart production hub
Both engines on the booth will be powered by Agfa’s Asanti software, which functions as a smart production hub for sign & display companies. Asanti automates workflow processes for increased productivity and warrants superior print quality and colour consistency. Its intuitive dashboard, which visitors can explore in detail at FESPA, provides details about the status of the printer and print jobs, while ‘media recipes’ control all parameters for a particular substrate. In addition, Asanti’s smart imaging algorithms help to limit ink consumption.
Visitors to the booth will also be able to attend demos of the Asanti StoreFront web-to-print software, and of the data exchange solution PrintSphere.
Less ink. Safe ink.
Agfa’s large-format engines not only excel in print quality and productivity. They also offer the best cost of ownership thanks to their extremely low ink consumption, relying on Agfa’s patented ‘Thin Ink Layer’ technology, which involves the optimal dispersion and high pigment load of Agfa-made inks, combined with its Asanti workflow algorithms.
The Anuvia ink sets used in the Jeti and Oberon printers obtained the highest category of GREENGUARD Gold certification, which means they meet some of the world’s most rigorous chemical emissions standards and can be used in sensitive indoor environments like schools or healthcare facilities.
A rewarding journey
Agfa is committed to taking on the role of facilitator and counsellor for its customers. “Our customers can count on us to improve the balance of their business,” says Tom Vermeulen, Head of Sign & Display at Agfa. “We do not just sell printers, ink and workflow software, we accompany print service providers on their journey, by working out a growth path together. Our sales, application and support teams think along with printing companies and help them identify their needs – and thus the needs of their customers – and the best possible way to answer them.” And he adds: “Many elements can play a role here, from hands-on application support over in-depth, technology-independent advice on colour consistency, to overall process control, or even a meticulous analysis of a print service provider’s business strategy.”
Visit Agfa in Hall 5 Booth D10 (IFEMA Exhibition Centre, Madrid, Spain) March 24-27, 2020.
https://www.fespa.com/en/events/2020/global-print-expo-2020
