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The Signage Foundation has announced its 5th annual National Signage Research & Education Conference (NSREC). Scheduled to take place at the University of Cincinnati, October 9-10, the two-day event will focus on “Signage as Advertising.
EFI has acquired the assets of privately held printLeader, the Florida-based provider of print MIS software products.
The printLeader MIS products will become integrated into EFI’s PrintSmith Vision product line, part of EFI’s EPS group. EFI reports that it will also continue to support the existing printLeader client base, which consists of more than 800 commercial and in-plant printing operations across North America.
Durst Image Technology has introduced two new printer additions to its lineup: the Rho 1012 and Rho 1030.
Mimaki USA’s new UJV500-160 LED UV printer utilizes LUS-200 UV inks (CMYK) jointly developed with 3M for applications with curved surfaces. When applied onto 3M media and using 3M guidelines, the inks carry the 3M MCS Warranty. The 64-in. rollfed printer provides a high-end print speed of 645 sq ft/hr; top resolution is 1200 dpi. Other features on the UJV500-160 include: Mimaki Advanced Pass System (MAPS), to reduce banding; nozzle recovery system; a vertical tension takeup system; three-way intelligent heater; and more. MSRP: $139,995; available in early summer.
Seiko Instruments USA has announced the Jetrix 1212FK UV flatbed.
Manufactured by Korean-based Inktec (www.jetrix.co.kr), the Jetrix 1212FK is a 4 x 4-ft flatbed that can reach print speeds of up to 284 sq ft/hr and offers a resolution of 1440 dpi; the CMYK + White printer features six Konica 1024 printheads, 6-picoliter drop sizes, three-layer white capability, and more.
Seiko is the exclusive distributor for this printer in North America, as well as other new Jetrix models.
EFI has unveiled its SmartSign Analytics (SSA), a system that automatically captures and analyzes signage viewership and engagement data. Conceived and shown as a technology demonstration by EFI’s Online Print Solutions (OPS) unit, SSA is designed to help signage providers and retail marketers better measure and understand the effectiveness of their efforts. A single SSA unit includes a webcam attached to a sign, which is connected to a computer or tablet running facial-recognition software and EFI’s SSA software for data organization, analytics, and reporting.
HP has introduced the Designjet L26100 printer, designed for small print service providers and modeled after the Designjet L26500. The 61-in. printer features: HP 792 Designjet Latex Inks; 1200-dpi resolution; a print speed up to 246 sq ft/hr; and a CMYKcm inkset. A 61-in. Take-Up Reel with front tensioning system is optional.
Many stakeholders across the textile supply chain are evaluating the use of digital textile printing systems as a way to mitigate risk, increase production and fulfillment cycle times, lower costs, and become more environmentally considerate. These changes are transforming the textile-printing industry and driving demand for new digital textile-printing systems.
Although the digital textile-printing market is very small in comparison to the entire textile industry, it’s growing at a rapid rate. Some of the key trends that are driving this growth include:
1. Brazil – For a self-prom campaign, print company Art Center (www.artcenter.com.br) produced and delivered pizzas to their ad clients. But these weren’t your run-of-the-mill pizzas: Art Center printed faux toppings directly onto 400 pre-treated pizza crusts, and then output custom-designed boxes with the message, “We also print on paper.” The shop used its Inca Onset S20 and Spyder 320 printers for the output, which included wraps for delivery cars.
No matter what type of ink you regularly utilize – UV, latex, solvent, eco-/mild-solvent, or aqueous – there are certain factors that come to the fore when choosing inks and selecting an ink supplier.