LFR Wide Format Print News Blog

Carton Ideen announced as first global customer for Zund's S3 cutter

Thu, 24 May 2012 12:56:07 GMT

Zund has announced its first customer – worldwide – for the recently announced S3 cutter. Switzerland-based Carton Ideen GmbH has purchased the S3 machine to complement its existing array of Zund equipment.

Launched earlier this year, the Zund S3 has a smaller, space-saving, footprint than Zund’s G3 model, but incorporates all the key features and has the same exceptional build quality. With a revolutionary direct-drive system and ultra-fast Z- and T-axis control, the S3 is built for speed.

The S3 has an unprecedented price/performance ratio and enables exceptional productivity. It is capable of processing a wide range of materials including textiles, vinyls, films and thinner plastics. It has the modularity and quality build typical of Zund technology and its capabilities can be further extended with creasing tools and 300W router insert.

Established in 2007, Carton Ideen has become synonymous with creative, premium-quality packaging solutions. With a young, highly motivated team of 10 employees, the company produces high-end mailings, packaging, packaging designs, displays, specialty & custom advertising products. Through a marketing agency, Carton Ideen has recently been working on a personalised A5 invitation project for Heineken beer for the Champions League final.

A typical Carton Ideen GmbH order consists of highly individual, often 3-dimenstional, personalised mailings. All phases of production - from design to sampling to finished packaging - are handled in-house. Because of the high degree of individualisation, the need for flexibility is enormous – a need that Zund’s technology is more than able to address.

In February of 2008, the first Zünd cutter, a PN-series M-800, was installed at Carton Ideen; within 6 months, it had paid for itself. Two more M-800 cutting systems with automatic material advance and sheet feeders were added in November 2010 to handle Carton Ideen’s ever-increasing workload.

The S3 is the fourth Zund machine purchased by Carton Ideen over the past 4 years and it has already been installed at Carton Ideen’s impressive premises. Josef Weber, CEO of Carton Ideen, explains, “The installation process was very straightforward. As we are a longstanding Zund customer, the look and feel of the S3 is very familiar to us and we have already made good use of the machine.”

“The addition of the Zund Cut Center software suite helps us work faster and smarter and maintain a consistently high quality of output,” he adds.

With a highly visual and intuitive user interface, Zund Cut Center encompasses all phases of an efficient graphics production workflow - including designing, planning, printing, and cutting. It maximises the productivity of the company’s digital cutting systems. The new Zund software dynamically guides the operator through the cutting process by continually offering best choices based on the material to be cut, available tooling, and quality requirements. By doing so, it virtually eliminates the need for operator experience, minimises set-up times, helps avoid mistakes, and ensures the cutter is running at maximum productivity levels at all times.

On selecting the new S3 cutter, Josef summarises, “The S3 perfectly meets our requirements. It is a very fast, easy to use machine and was the logical next step for us. Our geographic proximity to the supplier also played an important role as it made installation and support very straightforward.”

For more information on Carton Ideen, please visit www.carton-ideen.ch

For more information on Zund, please visit www.zund.com

Kala adds IG Wrap’s tool-free canvas framing system to its product portfolio

Thu, 24 May 2012 11:59:34 GMT

Kala has been appointed as the pan-European, preferred partner (wide format) for IG Wrap’s patent-pending Gallery Wrap system. This tool-free canvas framing solution is both simple and cost-effective and is ideal for print service providers wishing to add value to their printed output.

Typically, gallery wraps are hard to stretch and require a lot of patience, skill and time – thereby making them costly finishing options. However, the IG Wrap Gallery Wrap system is so simple that anyone can now frame canvases – fast – and without the need for any training or the usages of specialised tools.

The starter kits offered by Kala include wooden framing bars with adhesive strips, reusable corner clamps, staples, acid-free glue and easy-to-follow instructions. Beyond these items, no other tools are required. The system is available in two framing bar widths – 1¼” and 1¾” – and can be used to create over 500 different canvas size configurations up to a maximum of 60” wide.

Laurent Bouchard, managing director of Kala, comments, “We first showed the IG Wrap framing system at Fespa and visitors to our stand were very impressed with the ease of use of the system and with the finished product. The tension of the finished canvas is impressive and the finished corners are perfect. Plus, the quality of the solution guarantees the longevity of the finished canvas frame.”

End user pricing starts from around €6 for a 10” x 12” frame (1¼” width).

For more information on Kala, please visit www.kala.fr

[picture below shows IG Wrap kit]

27,000 employees to lose jobs in HP restructuring programme

Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

HP has outlined plans for a multi-year 'productivity initiative' designed to 'simplify business processes, advance innovation and deliver better results for customers, employees and shareholders'. The restructuring is expected to generate yearly savings in the region of US$3.0 to US$3.5 billion - the majority of which will be reinvested back into the company. 27,000 job losses - 8% of HP's workforce - will also occur by 2014 as a result of the restructuring.

These moves are expected to yield significant improvements in efficiency and customer service during the next several years. HP expects to use the savings to boost investment in innovation around its three areas of strategic focus: cloud, big data and security, as well as in other segments that offer attractive growth potential.

HP is offering an early retirement programme, so the total number of employees affected will be impacted by the number of employees that participate in the early retirement plan. Workforce reduction plans will vary by country, based on local legal requirements and consultation with works councils and employee representatives, as appropriate.

In addition to these restructuring actions, HP expects to achieve additional savings from non-headcount cost reductions, including supply chain optimization, SKU and platform rationalisation, go-to-market strategy simplification and business process improvement.

“These initiatives build upon our recent organisational realignment, and will further streamline our operations, improve our processes, and remove complexity from our business,” said Meg Whitman, HP president and chief executive officer. “While some of these actions are difficult because they involve the loss of jobs, they are necessary to improve execution and to fund the long term health of the company. We are setting HP on a path to extend our global leadership and deliver the greatest value to customers and shareholders.”

HP expects to reinvest savings in each of its business segments to strengthen their ability to stay ahead of customer expectations and capitalise on growing market trends.

HP will invest in research and development to drive innovation and differentiation across its core printing and personal systems businesses, as well as emerging areas. It will also invest in marketing, sales productivity and tools that simplify the customer experience and make it easier to do business with HP.
Services will invest in accelerating service capabilities in the high client value areas of cloud, security and information analytics by enhancing HP intellectual property. Services will also strengthen its industry orientation and continue to differentiate its service offerings through quality and innovation delivered to clients. Combined, these activities are expected to shift the portfolio to a more profitable mix of higher-growth services. Additional work in lean process methodologies is expected to better serve clients and increase overall efficiencies.
Software will invest to speed development in the areas of security, big data and the management of application life-cycle and infrastructure solutions, both on premise and in the cloud. It will also further leverage the capabilities of Autonomy and Vertica across the entire HP portfolio.
Enterprise Servers, Storage and Networking will invest to accelerate its research and development activities to extend its leading portfolio of servers, storage and networking. Together these assets create a Converged Infrastructure which is the foundation for top client initiatives such as cloud, virtualization, big data analytics, legacy modernization and social media.

As a result of this restructuring, HP expects to record a pre-tax charge of approximately $1.7 billion in fiscal 2012 that will be included in its GAAP financial results for that period. Through fiscal 2014, HP expects to record additional pre-tax charges approximating $1.8 billion that will be included in its GAAP financial results for the appropriate periods.

"I’m a Roland user and proud of it!"

Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Roland DG’s “I’m a Roland user and proud of it” campaign has achieved country-wide success and the company has announced that the first video testimonials are now live on its website. Proud Roland users Jayson Godridge, owner of Freestyle Designs, Bath, and Harry Walker of Pro-Tect Safety Signs, Weston-Super-Mare can be seen discussing the company’s market-leading technology and high levels of service at www.rolanddg.co.uk/iamproud.

Loud and proud

With a VersaCAMM SP-540i and Eco-Sol Max inks, Freestyle Designs is enjoying roaring success producing a wide range of signage, shop facades, vehicle graphics and full-colour printed graphics for almost any application.

Jayson invested in the machine three years ago and believes the quality is still as it was on day one. Even at the highest speed setting (7.8sqm/hr), the quality and solidness of the colours produced by the VersaCAMM are excellent, according to Jayson, who runs 95% of his work at this speed.

“This machine stood out because we’re quite limited on space so one of the key things that sold it to me was the integrated print and cut,” said Jayson. “Everything is produced on one machine which makes it fast and efficient and cuts down on waste.”

“It was also very easy to use from the day the engineer came out to install it - within just four hours of installation we were producing work on it that was going out the door.”

Safety first!

Busy Pro-Tect Safety Signs prints an array of rigid and flexible signs on materials ranging from self-adhesives and banner material to reflective media, canvases and everything in between. Its four Roland SolJet XC-540s run almost constantly, producing hundreds of signs a day.

“It’s important for us to be able to produce high quality work, quickly and the Roland machines tick all the boxes,” said Harry. “They really are up to the challenge posed by the versatility of the work that comes in for us and the roll-up mechanism makes them very attractive. You can literally put a whole roll on the back and leave it to print straight through - unless there’s a problem with way the material is manufactured, the Roland won’t let you down.”

Roland cares

Both Freestyle Designs and Pro-Tect use Roland’s VersaWorks RIP software, which every Roland wide format printer comes equipped with as standard. The powerful VersaWorks is a core part of the Roland synergy – hardware, inks and RIP – which makes for easy to use yet powerful signmaking solutions. Updates to VersaWorks are made available for free download online so users always have the latest version.

Jayson’s VersaCAMM and all of Harry’s SolJet XC-540’s came with a 12 month Original Silver RolandCare warranty, which includes accidental print head damage, technical support and an engineer on-site within guaranteed response times along with all parts, labour and transport costs. After the 12 months, both extended their RolandCare warranties to ensure their guaranteed peace of mind, Harry after being let down by a third party warranty.

Harry concludes, “The service has been fantastic. It’s usually the same engineer that comes in every time and he even showed me some tricks on illustrator recently. Thanks to him we can now get the files from the computer to the machine with the correct spot colour, which is priceless.”

To find out more about Roland’s market-leading range of wide format inkjet printers, please visit www.rolanddg.co.uk

EcoPrint's Marcus Timson asks 'What do you believe in?'

Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

In his latest blog, Marcus Timson, Director of FM Brooks and co-founder of the upcoming EcoPrint Europe Live 2012 event, writes about what he believes in...

"What do you believe in?

This isn't a philosophical or religious question. But in business terms, have you ever asked yourself what you truly believe in?

The reason I ask is that I have just watched a great presentation on Ted.com from Simon Sinek who talks about leadership and how the innovative people and brands achieve change.

Sinek cites the Wright Brothers, Martin Luther King and Apple as examples of people and organisations that were able to succeed in achieving change, despite considerable resistance from the establishment.

They did this because they believed in trying to achieve something, not because they were forced or incentivised to do it. And they didn't do it purely for the money or because the logical side of their minds were telling them to do so. They succeeded by motivating the emotional side, by inspiring people to their cause because of what they believe in. The detail of their belief is played out by their actions and what they do. The results of their actions were simply the results of their beliefs.

It got us thinking in the FMB office as to 'why' we are doing what we are doing. We genuinely want to create change that is positive for the print industry. With sustainability, there is too much confusion, too much greenwash and not enough defined leadership around the issue of sustainability in print. There is very little access to clear answers on what the opportunities might be and what the leading brands - our customers, are wanting and needing. So a collaborative event designed to promote positive change, is our belief, and we think it is a good idea. And many people in the industry seem to agree with us.

EcoPrint is a forming community, and we think it is perfectly placed to actually provide a forum for change that enables the print sector to better understand the best path forward for sustainability.

To do something different, to challenge the status quo, and take our community forward, we believe in creating something new that isn't focused purely on numbers, that isn't run by a trade organisation, that doesn't share its information with the wider industry, that is relevant and that will do something for forward thinking professionals in print.

We want to provide leadership, and other leaders are welcome to join our independent and open EcoPrint Development Group to play a role in forming something new, something valuable and something that actually helps to move print forward from a strategic perspective.

And that is what we believe in."

For more information on The EcoPrint Show, please visit www.ecoprintshow.com

Sihl Direct UK launches new Company website

Wed, 23 May 2012 15:00:00 GMT

Sihl Direct UK, the UK arm of the Sihl coating company and part of the global Diatec group, has announced the launch of its new company website, www.sihl-direct.co.uk

Sihl Direct UK’s new website features streamlined navigation with up to the minute, detailed and easy to access product information. The site includes company news, case studies and access to a host of information on Sihl Direct’s development, marketing and business developments.

Ian Turnbull, Operations Director at Sihl Direct UK, says, “We are delighted with our new website. It is a site that is customer focused with first class design and functionality. The site should be the first port of call for anyone wanting to know more about the broad range of digital inkjet media, providing comprehensive product information, visuals and articles. www.sihl-direct.co.uk will form the hub of all our communications to the market and we welcome comments and feedback from all our visitors.”

Sihl Direct UK has also set up its Social Media presence with a Twitter account @SihlDirectUK and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SihlDirectUk

Prismaflex launches new production line for recyclable banners

Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Prismaflex has launched a new production line at its Newhaven factory that enables the production of 100% recyclable banner posters, made from 70% recycled materials.

The new 90gsm high definition banners are made from Prismaflex’s patented Graph’It material which can be disposed of as non-hazardous waste or incinerated to provide energy in line with European directives.

Plastic eyelets are used rather than traditional brass or chrome, allowing the whole installation to be recycled after use. The recyclable banners can be printed on any of Prismaflex UK's eight large format machines.

The development highlights Prismaflex’s commitment to reducing its own and its clients’ carbon footprints and creating the environmentally-friendly products leading advertisers and media owners now require.

“Despite all the justified excitement over digital, banners remain the mainstay of the out of home market and it’s absolutely vital that we incorporate the latest technology and build on our already high level of commitment to environmental standards in the way we service this market, not just in the UK but also internationally,” says Tom Weaver, managing director of Prismaflex UK.

[photo shows one of Prismaflex's wide format machines]

Oasis rebrands Twickenham with removable vinyl graphics for Heineken Cup 2012

Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Oasis Graphic Co temporarily rebranded Twickenham's hospitality suite and the Adidas Interactive Zone for the Heineken Cup 2012, using ultra-removable vinyl graphics on top of the existing vinyl graphics.

International sports event agency Red Door Events called in Oasis to undertake the production and installation of the graphics. In addition to the hospitality suite, Oasis also rebranded Twickenham's 6-metre England Rugby merchandising trailer, as well as a number of freestanding structures at the Adidas Interactive Zone. These needed internally- and externally-skinned graphics.

Oasis' studio manager Chris Boyd-Leslie explains, “The biggest challenge we faced was that we were only rebranding the trailer and the hospitality suite for the duration of that event, and needed to return each of them to their former state afterwards. This would normally be quite a simple project, however, both the suite and the trailer had existing graphics and we had to apply the Adidas vinyls over these and then remove them without leaving a trace.”

To achieve this, Oasis created vinyls using the company’s recently installed VUTEk GS3250 flatbed UV printer, for both the internal branding of the hospitality suite and for the external sides of the merchandising trailer.

“Preparation was key to the success of the exercise – we had to pay very careful attention to the surfaces where we were applying the temporary graphics so that we could hand back the suite and trailer in pristine condition,” added Boyd-Leslie.

Part of the preparation work was for Chris and Oasis Graphic Co's managing director, Simon Osborne, to undertake a full site survey of the hospitality suite and the merchandising trailer in order to understand exactly the task at hand and how it could be achieved.

The whole install and de-rig happened across the weekend of the Heineken Cup, with the graphics installed on the Tuesday and Friday prior to the event by a team of four people, with a full strip out, restoring the hospitality suite to its usual branding, straight after the event.

printMAX to co-host 'Discovery Days' with Roland

Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

printMAX, will be hosting three 'Discovery Days' in partnership with Roland. The events are taking place on 12th, 13th and 14th June 2012 in Roland Creative Centres across the UK.

Members of the large format print industry are invited along to discover the full potential available from the Roland range of large format printers.

Following the success of this year’s Sign & Digital UK, printMAX was keen to offer an additional opportunity to demonstrate the innovative Roland print range with the additional bonuses of great pricing and a relaxed, informal atmosphere.

In line with this experience, printMAX will not only be offering live demonstrations with expert advice, but also offering attendees exclusive offers across the range. printMAX's sales manager, Chris Martin, explains, “This is a great opportunity to see the print capabilities on a Roland. If you missed us at Sign UK or have been holding out to find the right price from the right retailer, this event is definitely for you.”

The full Roland collection will be on display, including the VersaUV range and the new double white ink configuration on the VS series. Roland representatives will be on hand, alongside the printMAX team, to take any questions and offer practical advice and skills.

The exclusive deals on offer will only be available to attendees of a Discovery Day. Each Discovery Day is divided into morning or afternoon sessions and the venues are as follows:

Clevedon – 12th June
Walsall – 13th June
Aldershot – 14th June.

For more information or to register your attendance, please visit www.printmax.co.uk

Xaar launches new printhead for ceramic tile applications

Tue, 22 May 2012 08:44:22 GMT

Xaar has launched a new model of the 'revolutionary' Xaar 1001 inkjet printhead family - the Xaar 1001 GS12.

The Xaar 1001 GS12 printhead will enable ceramic tile manufacturers to achieve deep and rich colours. It can also be used at double the speed of the Xaar 1001 GS6. This new printhead features Xaar’s patented TF Technology™ to give unrivalled reliability with low maintenance, ensuring maximum manufacturing productivity in the harshest industrial environments.

The Xaar 1001 has revolutionised the ceramics industry. It is the printhead of choice for both ceramic tile printer manufacturers and producers of ceramic tiles.

With the launch of the new printhead, tile manufacturers can now choose the best Xaar 1001 printhead for their application. The established GS6 model jets 6-42 picolitre drops which is ideal for the production of pale shades and detailed tile designs viewed at close quarters such as wall tiles. The GS6 is also the ideal printhead for packaging and single-pass display graphics applications that require fine detail. The new GS12 jets larger 12-84 picolitre drops delivering even more ink for deep colour intensity to produce bolder tile colours and effects. Alternatively the Xaar 1001 GS12 can give the same ink coverage as the GS6, but at double the print speed. With both printheads ceramic tile manufacturers can achieve stunning replication of natural materials.

The Xaar 1001 GS12 printhead makes its global debut at Ceramics China 2012 (28th-31st May, Guangzhou, China) where visitors can see the printhead for the first time. Xaar has worked closely with all the leading printer manufacturers to develop the new Xaar 1001 GS12. The first printers to feature the new printhead will be launched at Tecnargilla (Rimini, Italy, 24th -28th September 2012) with new machines from EFI Cretaprint, Hope Ceramics Machinery, KERAjet, Projecta SiTi B&T, Intesa-Sacmi and TecnoFerrari.

“No other printhead uses our unique TF Technology, so no other printhead can deliver the same extremely high level machine uptime as the Xaar 1001,” says Mark Alexander, director of marketing at Xaar. “Maintaining maximum productivity in the digital decoration process is essential for the ceramics industry which is why TF Technology is so important. Xaar is committed to remaining at the forefront of this rapidly developing market and we will continue to develop the best printheads to meet its very specific needs.”

Repropoint to host wide format print event at Mercedes Benz World

Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Repropoint wiil showcase its latest wide format print technology at an event scheduled to take place at Mercedes Benz World on 13th July 2012.

The event will incorporate 'fun, thrills and inspiration' and guests will be offered the opportunity to experience the best in speed, quality and reliability by getting up close to the HP printers and plotters, Drytac Laminators and Context scanners on offer - not to mention the Mercedes Benz vehicles themselves.

Guests will be offered the chance to enjoy the power of the AMG performance cars as expert drivers take them around the circuit at Mercedes Benz World.

In addition, James Deaco - acknowledged as one of the best vehicle wrapping trainers in the UK - will be undertaking end-to-end vehicle wrapping demonstrations throughout the day.

For more information, please visit www.repropoint.com/vipevent/

ArtSystems and ONYX Graphics combine forces to launch ONYX Thrive to UK resellers

Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

ArtSystems has joined with ONYX Graphics to help launch ONYX Thrive to the UK reseller channel. The launch will kick off with a series of product briefings to invited partners, followed by end-user events and offers to explain the new approach that Thrive brings to RIP technology.

The new ONYX Thrive™ workflow software gives print service providers a scalable print production solution based on Adobe technologies. Customers can now have full confidence about investing in workflow software that fits into their business today and tomorrow with the ability to scale up their ONYX Thrive as their business grows.

ONYX Thrive enables a true end-to-end PDF workflow from digital file submission through to colour management, printing and cutting. The Thrive Production Manager browser-based user interface enables workflow control from anywhere, optimising both operator and output device productivity.

"This is the biggest change to ONYX software in ten years and represents the move to distributed print management with a scalable software package that removes many of the old barriers to upgrades and user accessibility. It means that in many ways people need to rethink what ONYX is as a RIP and start to look at it as truly comprehensive print production management tool with outstanding colour control. Simply put, it has the ability to make significant cost savings across their business through its scalability," comments Andrew Edwards, sign & display divisional manager at ArtSystems.

GJ Plastics opts for HP Scitex FB500 industrial printer to extend product range

Mon, 21 May 2012 11:57:24 GMT

GJ Plastics Ltd, of Manchester, UK, has installed an HP Scitex FB500 Industrial Printer to produce innovative high-quality POS displays and to extend its product range.

GJ Plastics specialises in distinctive, high-impact display stands for a wide array of markets. It offers a product line from stylish, clear acrylic photo frames, ranging in size from desk top frames, to large wall displays, to magazine and brochure stands. However, it is the company's work producing printed POS displays on polypropylene, Foamex and laminated MDF that led to its investment in the HP Scitex Industrial Printer.

The company has a wide range of container and display products made from these durable, long-lasting materials, including newspaper and magazine dump bins, ticket towers, portable voting stations, questionnaire, customer feedback and survey stands, competition entry displays and ballot, deposit and suggestion boxes.

These are not run-of-the-mill large format products; G J Plastics has made major investments in specialist equipment to cut and bend its displays to produce distinctive products

"We use our highly accurate lasers and CNC routers to cut the dump bins in durable 5mm White Foam PVC, not cheap 3mm substitutes," explained Graham Croston, director, G J Plastics Ltd. "It is far longer-lasting than cardboard because it is not affected by humidity, moisture and general spills. The HP FB500 fits well into our production requirements and quality values."

GJ Plastics also prints on solid and fluted polypropylene, laminated MDF and is also planning to experiment printing HP Wall Paper to expand its offering.

The HP Scitex FB500 Industrial Printer, supplied by CWE Solutions, of Chessington, Surrey and Sheffield, can print on virtually any rigid or flexible material in seven colours, including white on rigid substrates up to 122 x 163cm (48 x 64in)(2) and up to 64mm (2.5in) thick.

"The UV-curable inks used by the FB500 printer enable us to print direct to the substrate and bend it to finished shapes without cracking," said Croston. "We believe we're the first company in the world to be carrying out this combination of direct printing and bending. This capability can take us into new areas and enable us to design new products."

GJ Plastics is not just a product innovator, but strives to keep the 17 people that work for them well-trained, and its business practices up to date.

"We believe that HP and CWE Solutions have a similar forward-thinking approach to technology and business and this is why we chose to partner with them," explained Croston. "In particular, we value the training and support we have received from CWE and we are pleased that HP has enabled us to be using UV-curable and not solvent-based ink as part of our commitment to environmental best practice. To this end, we've also worked to improve our recycling and now recycle about 100 tons of material each year - which is about 95% of our waste."

Web-to-print is a significant part of GJ Plastic's business. With six websites receiving orders, the company is not only embracing the benefits of digital printing, but expanding its market by recognising the effects of digital technologies.

"We have three in-house designers to develop products for us and our customers," said Croston. "With our combination of cutting edge equipment, contemporary product design and a client base that needs to be innovative, we're able to merge the techniques for sign production into the display market, and that makes the future look very exciting."

New mobile and cloud-based printing solutions for HP Designjet wide format printers

Mon, 21 May 2012 08:46:01 GMT

HP has launched new mobile and cloud-based printing solutions for its HP Designjet wide format printer, including an HP ePrint & Share application for Android.

On display at the American Institute of Architects 2012 National Convention, the new solutions and features make it easier for architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) professionals and firms to print large-format documents from virtually anywhere. They include:

An HP ePrint & Share mobile application for Android smartphones and tablets, allowing more users to access, view and print drawings on the go.
New features for HP ePrint & Share, including the ability to print PDF files directly from e-mail and optimisation for Apple iPad.
HP-enabled cloud printing, now available directly from Autodesk AutoCAD WS, only available with HP Designjet web-connected printers.

"Today's AEC professionals demand easy-to-use mobile solutions that fit an on-the-go lifestyle and make viewing, archiving and printing large-format documents available at their fingertips," said Santiago Morera, vice president and general manager, Large-format Printing Business, HP. "HP continues to address these needs by providing the first large-format printer portfolio that lets customers access and print their designs where the job takes them."

New HP ePrint & Share features streamline design and build process

HP's award-winning ePrint & Share is a free web service that allows AEC customers to access and print drawings from their conference room, home or job site using smartphones, tablets, laptops or the touchscreen of an HP Designjet ePrinter. HP ePrint & Share is designed for freelance architects, small- and medium-sized architecture and engineering firms and medium and large construction companies.

"With partners around the world, we needed a solution that would alleviate communication issues associated with working across great distances," said Brian Swanner, senior architect, Waggonner & Ball Architects. "The new features built into HP ePrint & Share helped us find ways to share designs with a variety of partners and, with the mobile application, we can print where the job takes us, speeding up the design-and-build process."

The HP ePrint & Share mobile application, now available from Android and iOS devices, provides fast, easy access to files and print jobs, allowing users to:

Print to any HP Designjet web-connected printer, whether at the home office or a partner's site, to save time, travel lighter and improve collaboration.
Print PDF files directly from e-mail by selecting the HP ePrint & Share application via the "Open in" button in iOS devices or "Share" button in Android devices.

"As a virtual firm, we rely on technology like HP ePrint & Share to help us find better ways to work together remotely, rather than having the overhead associated with a brick and mortar location," said Jason Prichard, principal consultant, Theatre Consultants Collaborative. "The HP ePrint & Share mobile application for Android is easy to install, streamlined and simple to use for mobile printing."

The HP ePrint & Share mobile application enables remote printing to any HP Designjet web-connected printer, including the HP Designjet T2300 eMFP and the HP Designjet T1300 and T790 ePrinters. HP ePrint & Share is available at no additional cost as a download for HP Designjet customers. The mobile application is initially available for free through Google Play and Apple's App Store.

HP and Autodesk offer mobile printing to AutoCAD WS users

At AIA, HP and Autodesk are demonstrating the new HP ePrint & Share-enabled Plot to Print cloud printing functionality for AutoCAD WS, a web and mobile application that enables customers to view, edit and share DWG files from virtually anywhere through a web browser or mobile device.

By registering for HP ePrint & Share, users can easily access and print their designs on any HP Designjet ePrinter directly from AutoCAD WS with full control over plot styles, paper sizes, layouts and more. When printing from AutoCAD WS using HP ePrint & Share, a high-resolution copy of the file is saved to the user's HP ePrint & Share cloud library, making it simple to retrieve, share and reprint designs.

"Our primary objective with AutoCAD WS is to foster a collaborative design experience for our users no matter where they do their work," said Amy Bunszel, vice president, AutoCAD Products at Autodesk. "To that end, working together with HP to offer mobile printing through the new Plot to Print functionality with HP ePrint & Share was a natural next step."

More information about the latest additions to the HP Designjet portfolio is available at www.hp.com/go/simplify.

More information on HP ePrint & Share is available at www.hp.com/go/eprintandshare.

Epson celebrates its 70th birthday

Mon, 21 May 2012 08:28:44 GMT

Epson has just celebrated its 70th birthday. The company began life in 1942 as a watch components manufacturer named Daiwa Kogyo in the Japanese city of Suwa, Nagano Prefecture. Since then, Epson has grown to become a globally recognised brand and leader in imaging and innovation.

The company started with nine employees operating in a modified storehouse used for miso – a traditional Japanese seasoning used in some soup and noodle dishes. The Epson brand was created in June 1975 and the foundation of Seiko Epson took place in November 1985.

Along this journey, milestone products and industry firsts include:

1968 – EP-101: The world’s first compact, lightweight digital printer and the origin of Epson’s printer business – representing a breakthrough in printer size
1969 – Seiko Quartz Astron 35SQ: the first quartz timepiece small enough to fit on a wrist instead of a table, giving people access to the correct time, anytime and anywhere
1987 – SG-615 crystal oscillator: The quartz device industry’s first crystal oscillator to come in a plastic Surface Mount Device (SMD) package
1994 – ELP-3000: A projector with dramatic reductions in size and weight, and the ability to connect to a PC with just one cable
1996 – Epson Stylus Photo: Offering high image quality and print speed to help bring casual colour printing to the home and office for the first time

“Epson’s origins as a watch manufacturer are indicative of its commitment to products of quality and precision,” says Tony Petford, Managing Director at Epson UK Limited. “Over the last seven decades, we’ve pioneered some of the most exciting imaging technologies, coupled with strong energy-saving credentials. As the industry continues to change, we’re looking forward to showcasing future products and innovations.”

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

MACtac expands eco-friendly line with two new IMAGin Verde products

Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

MACtac Graphic Products expands its line of sustainable digital print media with IMAGin Verde VM2229P and VM3209R. Both new wide-format UV-printable media are 100 percent chlorine-, phthalate-, and PVC-free film, designed for applications where a greener, durable media is desired.

New IMAGin Verde VM2229P gloss white media is intended for use in a variety of applications including indoor and outdoor signage, point-of-purchase (POP) displays, product identification labels, bumper stickers, short-term OEM decals and window graphics.

New IMAGin Verde VM3209R is a scratch resistant media with an optically clear removable adhesive, and is ideal for removable window POP signage as well as no-label look decals.

Both VM2229P and VM3209R can be used with MACtac's PERMACOLOR Verde VL1000 series laminates to protect the printed graphics.

"The new IMAGin Verde media reflect MACtac's commitment to providing environmentally friendly products to our customers," said Mary Ann Kucera, marketing manager, MACtac Graphic Products. "These products offer greener alternatives for wide-format UV printing while meeting stringent performance requirements."

MACtac's IMAGin Verde VM2229P is a 4-mil gloss white, top coated polyolefin film. It has a clear permanent acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive and is intended for wide-format, UV-cured inkjet printing. The unprinted outdoor durability of VM2229P is two years.

IMAGin Verde VM3209R is a 2-mil optically clear, scratch resistant polyester film, top coated for wide-format UV printing. With an optically clear removable adhesive, VM3209R is ideal for removable window POP signage as well as no-label look decals. The unprinted outdoor durability of VM3209R is two years.

For more information on MACtac products or graphic solutions, please visit www.MACtac.com/Graphics and www.TheApplicationNation.com.

New products for direct disperse printing from Fisher Textiles

Mon, 21 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Fisher Textiles has introduced DD 8600 Twilite (FR) and DD 7849 EZ Stretch to its line of fabrics for direct disperse printing. This fabric line is compatible with d-Gen Teleios, Dupont™ Artistri™, Durst Rhotex 320, Jeti 3324 AquaJet, Mimaki JV5-320DS, Mimaki DS-1600, Mimaki DS-1800, Mutoh Viper TX, Roland HeatWave and Roland Hi-Fi Express printers.

DD 8600 Twilite (FR) is Fisher’s newest backlit fabric that works well in grooved box lit applications by presenting excellent color volume and resolution.
It is 7.8 oz/yd2, 119 inches wide, flame retardant and passes the NFPA 701 test. Other uses for DD 8600 Twilite include banners and trade show exhibits.

DD 7849 EZ Stretch is an 8.2 oz. knit that is 100% polyester and totally wrinkle free. It does not contain spandex so it is easier to match the whiteness of our other popular knit styles. The fabric is 120 inches wide and has stretch in both directions, with slightly less stretch in the length to allow more ease in tension control and print registration. It gives a decent amount of opacity and great definition on all colors. Applications include geometric displays, photographic back drops and trade show exhibits.

For more information, please visit www.fishertextiles.com

Spotlight on... Catherine Monson, CEO of FASTSIGNS

Thu, 17 May 2012 09:20:23 GMT

Since her appointment as CEO of FASTSIGNS International, Catherine Monson has been on a mission to advance the brand from that of a sign and banner provider to a visual ideas company for all kinds of businesses. As part of this journey, she agreed to appear on CBS’ hit series Undercover Boss which was screened in the USA/Canada on 4th May 2012. Large Format Review spoke to Catherine to find out more about her appearance in the series and also in her role as CEO of this successful franchise business.

FASTSIGNS International, headquartered in Carrollton, Texas, has over 530 franchise business locations across the globe offering the full gamut of visual communications solutions from banners, building signs, labels, decals, interior décor, trade show exhibits and vehicle graphics through to signage for windows, walls, doors or floors. The business caters for all aspects of the signage process, from planning and design, through to the installation of the completed solutions.

In the UK, FASTSIGNS has 18 franchise locations. There are plans to expand the FASTSIGNS business operations throughout Europe as well as other key regions worldwide.

Catherine Monson was appointed as FASTSIGNS chief executive officer in January 2009. At that time, one of the biggest challenges the company was facing was a lack of communication between the corporate office and its franchise partners, as well as sales declines due to the recession. For the past three years, Catherine has been working hard to improve and grow this 25 year old business and address these issues.

Catherine puts her success in a very male-dominated business down to the fact she is very goal-directed and always goes the extra mile. She says, “A sense of urgency is also a key factor in achieving success. You can always make one more sales call; there’s always one more thing you can do.”

She also works hard – up to 80 hours a week – but does not see this as a negative thing. “My mantra has always been to work harder and smarter in order to achieve more. I love what I do and gain huge self-esteem and personal gratification from working at FASTSIGNS.

She continues, “I always want to ensure that I do the very best I can. I’m not a perfectionist. I just have a real desire for excellence.” Interestingly for someone so successful, Catherine concedes that her biggest motivator is the ‘fear of failure.’

In order to successfully operate at the highest level, Catherine spends a lot of time ensuring that she is fully up-to-date with the printing industry. She visits all the key signage shows and events, regularly talks to vendors and keeps abreast of the latest technology. Her desire to be kept fully informed was at the heart of her decision to go undercover in the Undercover Boss series.

“Our franchise partners and their employees are trained to take a consultative approach to providing comprehensive visual solutions to meet their clients’ communication needs. We’re not just selling a commodity; we’re helping businesses solve their visual communication challenges. I specifically went undercover to learn what additional training and tools our employees need to fulfil our brand promise,” comments Catherine.

She continues, “When you are the CEO of a business, people often tell you only what they think you want to hear or present things based on their personal agenda. Going undercover allowed me to see the business from a different angle; to step into the shoes of our employees and franchise partners to better learn the ins and outs of what makes our company successful, as well as where there is room for improvement.”

As a result of her appearance on the TV show, Catherine says she learnt three key things; two business-related and one relating to her personal life. She explains, “From my Undercover Boss experience, I became aware that in some cases, franchise partners were not feeding the latest marketing collateral and information down to the relevant people within their businesses. I now ensure that all marketing and communication updates are sent to both the franchisee and the central email address of each FASTSIGNS location. This communication through multiple channels increases the likelihood that the whole business has access to the materials they need.

“Secondly, from meeting with the guys on the ground, I realised that there were gaps in our training and – in particular - that we had not created a formal training programme for large signage installations. This has now been rectified and we have developed better training resources.

“Thirdly, from a personal standpoint, I realised that I did not devote enough time to my passion for horseback riding which I find incredibly relaxing. I have now rectified this and am in the process of finding a horse.”

Catherine says since the screening of the Undercover Boss programme in the USA, she has already been approached by two other business leaders who have been asked to go undercover for the CBS hit show. “It was really fun and I would absolutely recommend that they do it. You get to see your business from another angle.

“Overall, this was an eye opening experience that not only impacted my professional life, but my personal life as well,” concludes Monson. “I have realised that I need to take more time for myself and get back to the things that I really love in order to become a better leader and CEO.”

About Undercover Boss: Each week, "Undercover Boss" follows a different top executive as they leave the comfort of their corner office for an undercover mission to examine the inner workings of their companies. While working alongside their employees, they see the effects their decisions have on others, where the problems lie within their organisations and get an up-close look at both the good and the bad while discovering and rewarding the unsung heroes who make their companies run.

Caravan Industries becomes first Middle Eastern company to invest in Inca Onset S20

Thu, 17 May 2012 09:10:00 GMT

Caravan Industries has become the first company in the Middle East to invest in an Inca Onset large format flatbed printer. It placed the order for the Onset S20 on the Fujifilm stand at drupa 2012.

Caravan Industries is one of the biggest sign printers in the Middle East, and the largest in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, printing large format work for many prestigious businesses in this region. It is already a Fujifilm customer, having previously invested in an Acuity Advance HD 2545 and an Inca Spyder flatbed printer. However, the demand from its customers has increased so much that the time was right to invest in a machine with a much higher production capacity.

Mr Nasser el Rass, owner of Caravan Industries, comments, “We were in the market for a high speed, high quality, inkjet flatbed printer and had narrowed it down to a choice of two. However, when we visited the Fujifilm stand at drupa, had detailed discussions with them and saw the quality of print coming off the Onset S20, our choice was straightforward.”

He continues, “We will be replacing our current roll-to-roll printers with the Inca Onset S20 and have no doubt that we can fulfil about 80% of our production on the new machine. We know both Fujifilm and Inca very well, and have good relationships with both companies, so we have utmost confidence in our choice. The quality, productivity and reliability of the Onset S20 combined with the expertise, service and support from Fujifilm and Inca will help us maintain our leading position in the Middle East.”

The Inca Onset S20, available exclusively from Fujifilm, delivers POP quality production at speeds up to 310sqm/hr or 55 full bed sheets/hr (3.12m x 1.6m) on substrates up to 50mm thick. Aimed at companies with high-volume production needs, this high-speed printer produces superb quality display graphics economically. Engineered to provide superb levels of performance, quality and flexibility, the printheads on a full print width colour bar deliver a 28 picolitre drop size, producing excellent print quality.

The sale of the Inca Onset S20 was facilitated by Fujifilm’s digital distributor in the Middle East, the AlAoun Group, and closed in direct discussions with Fujifilm on its stand at drupa. The printer will be installed by mid July.

Perfect Colours announces prize draw to win HP Designjet Z5200 PostScript printer

Thu, 17 May 2012 09:05:00 GMT

Perfect Colours, the London-based value added reseller of large format digital printing solutions, has announced a prize draw which will offer owners of HP Designjet 5500, HP Designjet 5000 and HP Designjet CP series printers the chance to win a brand new HP Designjet Z5200 PostScript wide format printer.

Perfect Colours supplies a wide variety of wide format printers from leading vendors including HP, Canon and Epson. It has regular offers on consumables and supplies and is able to support numerous machines – from older, proven ranges through to the very latest introductions. To enter the prize draw and be in with a chance of winning the Designjet Z5200 printer, interested parties who currently own HP Designjet 5500, HP Designjet 5000 and HP Designjet CP series printers simply need to register their details online at www.perfectcolours.com/got-a-hp-5000-5500-cpseries-printer

Jason Burroughs, managing director of Perfect Colours, explains the reasoning behind the new prize draw. “We know that many of our current and potential customers are still using the proven HP Designjet 5500, HP Designjet 5000 and HP Designjet CP printer ranges. We 100% believe that it’s just as important to offer great service, support and offers for these ranges as it is for the newer introductions to the market.”

“The purpose of the prize draw is to highlight this fact and also to offer customers the chance of winning a brand new HP machine,” continues Jason. “The HP Designjet Z5200 is ideal for print shops wanting to create super-fast, cost-effective output for indoor signage applications such as pop-ups, canvases and exhibition displays.”

HP’s Designjet Z5200 PostScript wide format printer is easy and intuitive to use. It can process large files quickly and effortlessly and is capable of output speeds up to 41 m² (445 ft²) per hour. It supports multiple file formats and, particularly when combined with HP inks and ColorPRO paper, delivers impressively high-quality prints.

With an embedded spectrophotometer enabling automatic calibration and colour-profiling – thereby minimising the risk of errors – the HP Designjet Z5200 streamlines the printing process and delivers accurately coloured output in a simple, fast and cost-effective manner.

For more information, please contact Perfect Colours on 0845 6809000 or visit www.perfectcolours.com

Vibrant atmosphere at National Grid offices courtesy of Lintec's Vitrocolour film

Thu, 17 May 2012 09:00:41 GMT

Two of the UK’s National Grid’s buildings, located in Leicestershire, have seen an overhaul that brought a fresh and vibrant atmosphere to employees. A combination of printed wall mounted panels and digitally printed window film on glass partitions, ensures a variety of images that reflect the values and objectives of National Grid now adorn open spaces.

Workplace enhancement specialists, Penacom, recently completed the project at the two sites, which was designed not only to fit in and comply with the company’s corporate guidelines, but also to inspire employees and offer a more productive working environment. The images consisted of traditional seasonal landscapes, Formula One action photographs, various technologies and employees in their everyday workplace environments – both on- and offsite.

Darryl Easton, Project Manager at Penacom, says, “Our design team did a brilliant job at putting together the images that were supplied by National Grid’s communications department to create various themes in the different parts of the offices, while keeping to the corporate identity. Various window graphics, which turned normal everyday glass partitions into vibrant, inspiring working environments, made out a big part of the installation and we are pleased with the opportunities it gave us in fulfilling our brief.”

Turning glaze into canvas

Glazing enhancement opens up a whole new spectrum of cost effective and flexible possibilities for architectural design and corporate branding, which is continually expanding with new products that allow more innovative privacy designs and better vibrancy of images on glass.

Coral Design & Display played an integral part in the design, printing and installation of the window graphics at National Grid sites. Commercial Director Mark Ward explains, “For National Grid’s project, we produced a series of large format prints to which the designs required both CMYK and an inline white ink, as this process enabled us to produce mirror images on both sides of the glass ensuring that the window graphics stood out visually, whilst at the same time allowing a degree of translucency to let ambient light filter through. So, in order to produce the best possible job we had to ensure that we use a premium quality film, as the film you’re printing on plays a huge role in the level of print you can deliver. ”

So, when it came to choosing the film, Mark didn’t have to think twice before choosing Lintec Graphic Film’s Vitrocolour® non-PVC process colour film. “Vitrocolour is simply the best media for us to print to. Unlike self-adhesive vinyl, the optically clear polyester window film enables us to print with great definition, while the UV ink we use has excellent adhesion to the film. In addition, the film doesn’t stretch or shrink like PVC material, making it much easier to fit, and as it doesn’t leave a residue when it is removed, it greatly reduces the time required to take down and removes the need for using industrial solvent cleaners or abrasives scrapers.”

He continues, “The film’s hard, anti-scratch coating means that it offers greater resistance to both mechanical scratching during installation and afterwards when being cleaned, which eliminates any haze effects. The glass-like see-through quality that Vitrocolour enables us to achieve in non-printed areas is second to none.”

Brilliant results

The new vibrant designs made a significant impact on the office environments as soon as it was installed. “We’ve had a great deal of positive feedback after the installation - the new office surroundings allow employees to immerse themselves completely through the dynamic working environment” comments Darryl. “This can only be achieved by delivering a high quality job – something we’re continually priding ourselves on.”

Mark adds, “Lintec Graphic Films’ premium Vitrocolour film has allowed us to easily achieve the best quality installation on the window graphics – something we would otherwise not have been able to achieve so easily.”

Sihl Direct UK offers eco-friendly alternative to self-adhesive vinyl films

Thu, 17 May 2012 09:00:00 GMT

With the environment and a low-carbon footprint high on many business agendas, Sihl Direct UK has announced the availability of an established eco-friendly alternative to self adhesive vinyl films. Called TriSolv, the paper can be used in the same way as self adhesive vinyl films but is much less harmful to dispose of.

Businesses often use free standing or suspended panels for product advertising, generally made of plastic laminate materials in combination with films. These compositions have to be disposed of after advertising campaigns have finished. This material is potentially harmful to the environment because it does not decompose, and instead has to be burnt at a waste incineration plant, at temperatures greater than 1500°C in order to avoid dioxin formation.

The more environmentally friendly TriSolv PrimeArt Paper SA 275 glossy 3685 and TriSolv PrimeArt Paper blueback SA 210 glossy 3682, are now available for all those who work with solvent ink systems and are ideal for cardboard or pulp board uses. Signs made in this way can be recycled in small quantities along with waste paper and card from packaging. Generally larger quantities can be incinerated because theyhave a good thermal value and are more eco friendly. Also very little additional CO2 is produced during this procedure because both the boards and the TriSolv media consist primarily of renewable materials.

Ian Turnbull, Operations Director at Sihl Direct UK, explains “As a business Sihl is always looking for a greenalternative. TriSolv is a good example of an environmentally friendly product, but one which also works. It gives maximum impact for poster advertising because it is a multi-layer coated, water and outdoor resistant, high white paper, which is specially developed for solvent as well as UV curing inks. The construction enables brilliant posters that can help the user to save up to 30% ink. The range is tried and tested and proven to exceed the demands of the market.”

TriSolv is available immediately from Sihl Direct UK and authorised resellers.

Four Fujifilm Inca Onset S40i machines sold at drupa 2012

Thu, 17 May 2012 08:50:00 GMT

Fujifilm has already sold four of the newly launched Inca Onset S40i machines at drupa 2012, including the one on its stand. The large format flatbed printer with a range of new features has claimed the attention of print service providers across Europe, with sales being made to two German printers: Alprinta GmbH and Bachmann GmbH; Bergame based in France, and Kenton InStore based in the UK.

Ryuta Masui, senior vice-president, Graphic Systems, FUJIFILM Europe comments, “We are delighted with the positive comments we are receiving on the new Onset S40i and it is extremely encouraging that these are turning rapidly into sales. We hope that this continues for the remainder of drupa.”

Alprinta GmbH specialises in POS printing and is always striving to achieve the best quality and productivity on the market. Dr Tietze, Managing Director at Alprinta confirms that with the Inca Onset S40i from Fujifilm they are confident that they have found this: “When we saw the class leading quality and exceptional productivity that the Onset S40i produces we had no choice but to decide on Fujifilm. We’re delighted to have secured the machine currently on display on the Fujifilm stand at drupa, and it will only be a few weeks before it is on our premises and we will be ready to start production.”

Bachmann GmbH is one of the largest traditional screen printer in Europe and has also branched out into digital wide format. Heinz Peter Bachmann, Managing Director at Bachmann in Germany, says, “In order to serve our customers in a timely manner we really needed a machine that we could rely on day in, day out. With the Inca Onset S40i we believe that we have found the perfect printer to meet our needs, and given the long standing relationship with Fujifilm Sericol we have complete trust in their ability to provide us with the best possible service and support.”

Peter Hughes MD of Kenton Instore, comments, “We are a screen printer specialising in the production of corrugated board displays. In order to realise our aim of migrating print from screen to high speed digital we needed a printer that could obviously produce the work at the required speed, but more importantly at the required quality, particularly where solid line colours and colour accuracy are concerned.”

He continues, “In the Inca Onset S40i from Fujifilm we found the printer that ticks absolutely every box. The combination of speed and quality is unrivalled and the latest upgrades to the printer and the Uvijet OZ Inks will really benefit anyone who, like ourselves, prints high quality graphics onto corrugated board.”

Bergame, one of the largest screen printers in France, and the number one in POP production, has been using an Inca Onset S70 from Fujifilm for a number of years, and so when they learnt that the Onset S40i was available they decided to invest. The quality of the printing, the new functionality of the machine and the productivity were all deciding factors.

The Inca Onset S40i supersedes the Inca Onset S40 and includes many new intelligent features that increase productivity and reliability. It meets the high-volume, fast-turnaround production needs of specialist display print companies, using 168 new-generation, user-replaceable printheads (28 per colour) on a full width print array delivering a 28 picolitre drop size.

Key new features of this latest Onset family member include: reduced bed masking, an innovative UV sensor system, and a sophisticated substrate height detector, all combined with a new Fujifilm Uvijet ink system.

[Photo shows, from Left to Right: Martin Swift, General Manager, Fujifilm Sericol Germany, with Dr Peter Tietze, Managing Director of Alprinta Gmbh, Juergen Schaefer, Production Manager at Alprinta GmbH, Frank Heimann, Sales Manager at Alprinta GmbH and Kersten Caspar, Sales Manager at Fujifilm Sericol Germany.]

Zund cutter plays key role in BA's Olympic and Paralympic celebrations

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:51:24 GMT

A Zund PN M1200 cutting machine, owned and operated by staff in the graphics department at British Airways (BA), has played a key role in the creation of a special fleet of “Dove” aircraft. The Dove aircraft livery is part of the BA Great Britons programme, celebrating the best of British talent in the run up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The specially designed Dove livery covers the entire aircraft and the Zund PN M1200 machine was used to cut the stencils required for the spray painted project.

Ensuring that the unique design could be successfully applied to the BA fleet of aircraft was a complex task and was assigned to Phil Purbrick, graphics engineer at BA. He has worked with Zund machines for 18 years and his skill with the Zund PN M1200 and knowledge of the BA fleet ensured that the design could be successfully converted onto the stencils required for the spray painted project.

“The BA Dove aircraft is definitely one of the most intricate projects that I have been involved with. Knowing that I could rely on the Zund PN M1200 to perform was really important. It’s never let me down in all these years,” comments Phil.

British Airways replaced its original Zund plotter with the Zund PN M1200 three years ago. It had retained its previous model, a Zund P1200, for 15 years. As Dennis Griffiths, BA’s Fleet Logistics Co-ordinator, explains, “Investing in a Zund cutter makes sound business sense as you get an excellent high quality piece of engineering kit and guaranteed service and support from the team at Zund UK.”

The BA Graphics Department is involved in lots of different projects for departments across British Airways, including both aircraft livery and in-house branding and marketing projects. The BA Graphics team will be working on another London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic project. The details are presently being kept secret but BA’s Zund PN M1200 will be playing a key part.

For more information on Zund's range of cutting machines, please visit www.zunduk.com

Costumes for Landa's drupa dancers printed on Mimaki textile printers

Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

At drupa 2012, Israeli dance troupe, Maria Kong, performed 'The Dance for the Digital Age' on Landa's stand wearing strikingly colourful outfits printed on Mimaki textile machines.

The dance performance was created to 'illustrate various historical milestones in printing' up to and including Landa's nanography technology. All costumes were designed for the show by famous costume designer Miki Avni and printed on Mimaki textile printers.

Zohar Eshel–Acco, CEO of Maria Kong praised the quality of the textile print produced on the Mimaki systems, saying, "Beautiful vibrant colours can be produced that don't fade when washed. The fabrics are more durable - a definite requirement for our dancing costumes... Mimaki textile printers can print on various kinds of fabrics, giving Miki the freedom to create colourful and vibrant costumes that really add value to our artistic performance.”

Mike Horsten from Mimaki adds, "We are extremely proud to have been able to support the Landa show with optimally printed fabrics and are happy that we can make a contribution to this wonderful show.”

The dance performance was initially designed to be a warm-up for the audience while they were entering the auditorium for the Landa show. However, news travelled fast around drupa and many attendees arrived early to see the dance performance.

Horsten comments, “It's been a big hit at drupa, and many are comparing their performance with a Cirque du Soleil act. We like to think the vibrancy of the fabrics used in their costumes contributed at least a small part to the overall success of both the dance act and the draw to the Landa show.”

Mimaki’s textile printer range includes the world’s fastest dye sublimation printer, capable of printing at 150 square metres per hour on transfer paper and direct to pre-treated polyester fabrics without the need for an interim transfer paper step with no compromise in quality. Mimaki’s sublimation ink delivers brilliant colours - whether printing on transfer paper or direct-to-textile - broadening the range of possibilities for both textile printers and their clients. In addition to polyester printing, Mimaki’s range of textile solutions includes printers and inks capable of printing to natural fabrics such as silk and cotton.

For more information, please visit www.hybridservices.co.uk/textile