There’s seemingly no stopping the runaway prepare that’s wide-format print. With digital print expertise persevering with to evolve and producers bringing new and revolutionary options to market at an everyday fee, these trying to broaden and develop on this sector are backed strongly by new equipment.
Growth this yr has stepped up a notch, with some producers opting to make use of the 2 main worldwide print occasions – the FESPA World Print Expo and drupa – as platforms to launch their newest options to the market. With a mixed world viewers in extra of 100,000, it’s straightforward to see why they elected to take action.
Right here, SignLink takes a better take a look at a few of the newest improvements within the wide-format print market and the way these new applied sciences and developments might assist signage firms proceed to succeed.
Revolutionary Know-how
Among the many launches which have drawn important curiosity in current months is the brand new Acuity Triton, introduced by Fujifilm on the primary day of drupa. Utilizing the producer’s ‘AQUAFUZE’ patented, water-based ink expertise, the Acuity Triton measures 1.6m extensive.
Upon launching the machine, Fujifilm says the Acuity Triton brings collectively two titans of the wide-format inkjet {industry}. The precise {hardware} is manufactured in Japan by Mutoh, whereas the AQUAFUZE ink has been developed and produced by Fujifilm. The first goal of this collaboration is to help prospects with work throughout a variety of purposes.
Specializing in the AQUAFUZE expertise, Fujifilm says this meets a “multitude” of market necessities by combining the advantages of UV LED and water-based inkjet. Stand-out factors embrace low-energy, low temperature drying in comparison with conventional water-based print programs, whereas the producer additionally says it supplies glorious adhesion to a variety of media with out the necessity for a pre-coat primer or optimiser.
Fujifilm developed the Acuity Triton in partnership with Mutoh
Utilizing these inks, Fujifilm provides, means all printed supplies have a skinny movie, which is scratch-resistant and doesn’t require a prime coat. As well as, they’re low-odour and compliant with a number of security measures, whereas prospects additionally profit from jetting stability by means of lowered nozzle blocking because of low temperature drying.
“In a saturated market, it was excessive time a revolutionary expertise broke into this house to supply wide-format print firms an actual differentiator in productiveness and all-round efficiency, and this with sustainability in thoughts,” Fujifilm says.
“We consider this breakthrough expertise is simply the step ahead the print {industry} wants. This can be a first step of Fujifilm to ascertain a brand new WFIJ inkjet ink customary available in the market.”
This isn’t the one new innovation Mutoh has been engaged on. Shortly after drupa, the producer launched a brand new digital printer within the type of the HydrAton 1642. This roll-to-roll printer, just like the Acuity Triton, integrates water-based UV expertise.
Measuring 64″ extensive, the HydrAton 1642 represents a brand new expertise phase for Mutoh, boasting print/dry expertise. It additionally encompasses a distinctive ink movie formation course of on the printed media that attracts on the partnership with Fujifilm and its AQUAFUZE ink.
With two AccuFine piezo drop-on-demand printheads, the HydrAton 1642 can print on a number of substrates while not having a pre-coat primer or optimiser. Substrate choices open to customers embrace paper, artificial materials, technical materials, technical textiles, and heat-sensitive eco-friendly substrates.
By the way, Mutoh exhibited a number of merchandise from its wide-format, direct-to-shape, and braille ranges at this yr’s drupa together with the XpertJet 1462UF, the ValueJet 628MP, and the XpertJet 1682SR Professional.
Setting New Requirements
One other main producer making strikes in and round drupa was Epson, which, only a few days earlier than the worldwide occasion kicked off, introduced particulars of its new 76-inch industrial dye-sublimation printer with an elective Jumbo Roll, developed with high-demand textile manufacturing in thoughts.
The SureColor SC-F11000 and SC-F11000H are being billed as appropriate for purposes in style, sportswear, dwelling furnishings, and delicate signage with excessive productiveness, pace, high quality, and reliability being its core promoting factors, based on Epson.
Epson says the SC-F11000H specifically has been designed for max up-time, pushed by an elective Jumbo Roll. This innovation allows each steady manufacturing and lowered downtime, with the printer needing much less frequent media modifications than regular. The system additionally runs with Epson printheads, ink, and EdgePrint Professional software program.
Epson’s new SC-F11000H is accessible with an elective Jumbo Roll
With regards to ink, the brand new printer affords a CMYK ink configuration and likewise contains the addition of certainly one of three ink units: orange and violet, fluorescent yellow and fluorescent pink, or mild cyan and light-weight magenta, which Epson says opens up much more choices for customers in terms of taking up new work and coming into different markets.
Phil McMullin, head of gross sales for industrial and industrial at Epson UK, feedback: “Within the dye-sublimation sector, prospects demand quick turnaround occasions, constant efficiency, high-quality output, and reliability.
“With these necessities in thoughts, we’ve developed an industrial-level dye-sublimation printer that, we consider, units new requirements. The SC-F11000 affords the very best throughput of all Epson LFPs and is provided with 4 PrecisionCore Micro TFP printheads and a ‘scorching swap’ bulk ink resolution that’s designed to maintain companies operating.”
Addressing Traits
As for different developments throughout the wide-format market, it’s value mentioning HP, which detailed a number of new improvements at drupa 2024. Amongst these was a brand new, 10L high-capacity ink accent, designed particularly for the HP Latex 2700 printer.
In line with HP, this modular and upgradeable resolution opens up alternatives for higher-volume print companies. HP says it does this by addressing excessive operating prices to the following degree, lowering prices whereas concurrently growing productiveness for the person.
Tying in with it is a sustainability profit for customers. The ink accent’s compatibility with the HP Latex 2700 eliminates the necessity to discard or change present tools. As such, HP says this reduces waste, with customers being able to transition to increased quantity printing capabilities with out compromising on sustainability and incurring pointless prices.
Additionally new from HP at drupa had been updates to its Stay Manufacturing software program, which permits customers, primarily small- to medium-sized print service suppliers, to remotely handle their end-to-end workflow. As set out by HP at drupa, developments right here embrace upgrades to Design & eCommerce software program, with HP including that the brand new functionalities broaden compatibility to a wider vary of internet sites and help on-demand quotations.
“The {industry} is at present formed by three principal tendencies: the growing demand for faster turnaround occasions; the necessity for streamlined printing workflows; and a rising name for sustainable merchandise,” says Daniel Martinez, world head and basic supervisor of HP Giant-Format.
We’re responding by growing and launching merchandise and options that aren’t solely gorgeous and streamlined but additionally sustainable
“We’re responding by growing and launching merchandise and options that aren’t solely gorgeous and streamlined but additionally sustainable. Our bulletins at drupa, together with the brand new high-capacity 10L ink accent for the HP LF Latex 2700 printer, along with an industry-first suite of software program options Stay Manufacturing, Design & eCommerce, and Study Premium, cater particularly to those wants.”
Tangible Upgrades
Additionally making strikes this yr with new options is Mimaki, with Hybrid Companies, its unique UK and Eire distributor, launching three new merchandise within the UK market again in February. The triple launch comprised two LED UV printers and a brand new direct-to-film machine, with Hybrid saying the units provide “tangible upgrades and advantages over alternate options”.
The primary new mannequin is the UCJV330-160 LED UV built-in printer/cutter, the newest addition to the 330 Sequence. In line with Mimaki, this builds on the success of the eco-solvent and dye-sublimation fashions, with the brand new 1.6m-wide system incorporating white and clear into its quick-drying ink set.
This, Mimaki says, means it may possibly print high-quality pictures on conventional media used for outside signal and graphics purposes, in addition to translucent, clear, and colored supplies equivalent to PET, polyurethane and different movies, textiles together with lightbox materials, and uncoated paper.
The UCJV330-160 LED UV is certainly one of three new machines from Mimaki this yr
As well as, as an built-in printer/cutter, the UCJV330-160 is provided with options for contour chopping to ship stickers, decals and labels.
Additionally new from Mimaki is the UJV100-160Plus LED UV printer, which shares varied options with its sister UCJV330-160 mannequin. This contains the flexibility to provide high-quality print on a variety of supplies and the incorporation of white and clear inks.
Factoid: Mimaki’s TxF300-75 is its quickest direct-to-film printer, providing 3 times the productiveness because the TxF150-75 launch mannequin
The third new system from Mimaki comes within the type of the TxF300-75, the producer’s quickest direct-to-film printer thus far. This machine affords 3 times the productiveness because the TxF150-75 launch mannequin, with Mimaki saying that this new machine continues its concentrate on delivering a secure, dependable, and high-quality resolution, with the mannequin together with a two-year guarantee as customary.
Excessive-end Options
We conclude our round-up with Canon, which additionally had a busy drupa after launching a number of new machines earlier within the yr. The producer says each the imagePROGRAF GP collection and imagePROGRAF PRO collection have been created to be used in high-end manufacturing.
(Above & under) Canon launched its imagePROGRAF GP collection and imagePROGRAF PRO collection this yr
The seven-colour imagePROGRAF is focused at industrial and in-house service suppliers producing purposes equivalent to high-quality posters and graphic arts. Three fashions are on provide on this vary: the 60”/1524mm imagePROGRAF GP-6600s, the 44”/1118mm GP-4600S, and the 24”/610mm GP-2600S. Mathew Faulkner, EMEA director of selling and innovation for the wide-format printing group at Canon Europe, feedback: “With the launch of the brand new imagePROGRAF GP collection, we’re addressing the wants of the high-end, premium poster market.”
“With picture sturdiness additionally essential for the high-end poster market, any output printed on the brand new imagePROGRAF GP units will likely be each very scratch- and light-resistant, serving to to protect its longevity and worth. And with the improved media dealing with and elevated automation of the collection, we’ve additionally made it extra productive and simpler to make use of.”
As for the imagePROGRAF PRO, Canon says that is extra suited to use within the images and positive artwork markets. The imagePROGRAF PRO collection contains the 60”/1524mm imagePROGRAF PRO-6600, the 44”/1118mm PRO-4600, and the 24”/610mm PRO-2600.
The entire new printers use a brand new pigment ink set known as Lucia Professional II, which Canon says can print on A0 measurement posters on uncoated paper inside 48 seconds, with an expanded gamut of colors.
Choices on this ink set embrace orange and gray, whereas the color gamut reproducible by the imagePROGRAF GP collection can precisely hit 96% of the Pantone System Information Strong Coated pattern e book.
We’ve raised the bar for print high quality in addition to considerably growing picture robustness by way of mild and abrasion resistance
“We’ve raised the bar for print high quality in addition to considerably growing picture robustness by way of mild and abrasion resistance, which is essential for positive artwork printers {and professional} photographers,” Faulkner provides.
Whereas there’s a lot to think about on this round-up, the truth is that there have been loads of different new choices arriving on the wide-format market in 2024, with extra set to observe within the coming weeks and months. Look out for half two of this collection later within the yr for the newest updates!
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