The Co-I series is described to harness the ability of printing intricate graphics, with CMYK plus orange, red, clear, white, and primer inks, on substrates, including plastic, leather, wood, and metals with flexibility. The printers are capable of accommodating objects up to 242mm in height and 100 kg/sqm in weight, catering to three-dimensional applications. The ergonomic table design is said to facilitate the installation of tilted devices, to ensure precise printing on gently curved or uneven surfaces.

Tony Miller, Roland DG’s president of global sales and marketing division, commented, ‘Based on their material and application needs, customers can choose the best solution from five different models, including three 64in width models with a choice of three different table sizes with vacuum beds, and two 30in width models, one with a vacuum bed.’

The integrated control panel and features such as static electricity remover and automatic printhead cleaning are claimed to make for an easier operation and stable print quality, in limited workspaces.

Co-I series printers come with VersaWorks 6 software, Roland DG’s Rip, which processes PDF, EPS and PostScript files which auto-generates white, gloss and primer layers with one button.

The Co-I series also supports cloud-based services, including Roland DG Connect, for more efficient business operations and growth, with better support in the event of errors, operational visibility and easy profit calculations. It also features PrintAutoMate for businesses like e-commerce that require continuous output in large batches.

Mr Miller concluded, ‘The diversification and individualisation of consumer needs has led to an increasing demand for timely and flexible responses that are attentive to the needs of each individual customer.

‘Interest in on-demand printing, which enables speedy production of what is needed, when it is needed, and in the required quantity, are growing year by year. VersaObject’s direct printing solutions bring numerous benefits and competitive advantages to customers’ businesses, including shorter delivery times, reduced costs, flexibility, and reduced environmental impact while enabling the creation of new business opportunities.’

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Named to reflect the company’s Japanese heritage (‘senshi’ means warrior), the new machine operates from the flat sheets typically produced by digital presses, rather than the folded signatures found in offset-based production. Duplo says that removing the requirement for this folding step reduces the requirement for skilled folder operators in favour of simpler guillotining processes, while still offering high quality flat bound products.

Quick make-ready is supported by multiple tower configurations that allow subsequent jobs to be loaded and prepped while the machine is running, plus quick switching to allow short run high priority work to be sandwiched in between longer-run or less urgent work. Automation-driven setup for new jobs is achieved in 45 seconds, with the calibration run completed in under two minutes.

Duplo’s Peter Dawson also told Digital Printer that, ‘An unexpected benefit we found from the pilot site was that unlike a regular C-shape where the loading and unloading compete for space, the different layout allows for much better access. Our pilot site will be running a job of 220,000  and when dealing with such large numbers, you need to be able to efficiently bring in and remove pallets of work and take away the finished books. All of these operator tasks add up to affect the true ‘books on the floor’ at the end of a shift’.

The Senshi’s automation is largely based on that of the existing iSaddle 5. Mr Dawson noted that maintaining the same easy job programming, automated set-up and fine adjustment were ‘crucial’, and confirmed that the new machine provide Industry 4.0 compliant reports in XML at the end of each run, suitable for ingestion to MIS or other production management systems.

He also explained, ‘Retaining the same level of features is not entirely necessary for the Senshi; for example options such as stacking flat sheets are unlikely to be a requirement for a conventional saddle stitcher. There are some features such as programming intelligent sheet feeding that are more relevant to lower volumes of digitally printed pre-collated work.’

Marine Kerivel-Brown, marketing manager at Duplo, added, ‘At Duplo, we understand that winning in any battle requires a combination of strength, intelligence and skill. With the iSaddle Senshi, we’ve created the perfect union between agility, accuracy and automation, encased in a robust frame engineered for heavy-duty production.’

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Steve Wenlock, Flexpress’ managing director stated the importance of the installation with the ‘ever-shorter supply’ of skilled staff available. He said, ‘The HT-300 is a perfect example as it enables us to turn what otherwise would have been two individual jobs into one streamlined process whilst gaining productivity as opposed to losing it.

‘We’ve seen immediate improvements in productivity made possible by utilising staff elsewhere in the business and it’s stopped us having to juggle staff, or jobs around to trim books.

‘It frees up valuable staff time to focus on other areas of the business that we’re currently unable to automate.’

Flexpress also has other Horizon equipment with IceLink connectivity and is in the process of rebuilding its internal software systems to maximise the information Ice Link provides to help make more informed decisions.

Mr Wenlock added, ‘In this age, good information drives good decisions, so connected systems give you the power to analyse data more thoroughly and alert you to ways of making improvements.’

The latest investment joins a Horizon StitchLiner MKIII, a Horizon BQ-280 PUR single clamp perfect binder, a Horizon HT-30C three-sided trimmer, a Horizon CRF 362 creaser folder and a Horizon AFC-566 folder.

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Established in 2000, 3 Way Displays (3WD) provides print solutions to customers in the beauty and fragrance industries. Specialising in temporary and permanent point-of-sale displays, the company works with clients such as Harrods and Charlotte Tilbury.

In 2017 the business chose a SwissQprint Impala to deliver the detail and precision needed for luxury brands and retail displays. With the machine proving successful for the company’s needs, the 3WD team decided to visit SwissQprint UK’s Bracknell headquarters last year to see a demonstration of the latest Impala. The decision was made to invest in a second machine for installation in February 2024.

Steve Pridham, SwissQprint UK Sales Manager said, ‘Adding a second SwissQprint machine is not only testament to the Impala’s quality, but also reinforces the confidence our customers have in our machines and us as partners.’

The new Impala has a six-colour configuration including CMYK, light magenta, and light cyan, complemented by white and varnish.

The need for precise colour matching and glossy finishes are important for the business. The inclusion of varnish increases resistance to alcohol, scratching and moisture, crucial for the durability of the displays.

Olivia Stroud, 3WD’s sales director explained, ‘Accuracy in colour replication is vital for us. With the Impalas’ capabilities, we’re able to meet the high demands of the sector to produce visually stunning displays that give off a luxury feel.’

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After moving to larger premises in 2018, the company made some investments, including a 3 x 2m CNC router, a hybrid roll-to-roll/flatbed HP Latex printer and a BubbleJet applicator table. Joint owner Gareth Craythorne explained how the CNC router was ‘great’ but didn’t have the ‘fine-cutting’ and ‘quality finish’ that his customers asked for.

Mr Craythorne visited the Graphtec GB stand at the Sign & Digital UK exhibition in 2023 and saw the WidLaser S1000. He explained how the accuracy and sharpness of the cutter were ‘incredible,’ which convinced the company to buy the machine.

He added, ‘It has a rotary option and adjustable bed heights, so we can work with different materials with different thicknesses. It also has a larger bed size, which means it fits in neatly with some of our larger production work.’

The WidLaser S1000 Ceramic Laser is a customisable and user-friendly cut and engraving system from the Portuguese laser manufacturer WidInovations. It is claimed to be an efficient and versatile alternative to a CNC cutter, with a 1600 x 1000mm active working area.

Mr Craythorne explained the machine’s ease of use as one of its many benefits. He said, ‘We simply put the material onto the bed and line it up with the register, and the software does the rest. You can adjust the orientation points to anywhere on the substrate, which means we can minimise the amount of waste we generate.’

The machine’s ability to produce ‘classy and elegant’ work has supported the company in providing different engravings and designs for its customers, explained Mr Craythorne. He added, ‘The sheer accuracy and intricacy we can deliver with the laser is incredible. Companies want to have those sorts of touches for their customers, and we are delighted to be able to provide them.

‘The WidLaser has added a new dimension to the range of applications and customers that we now work with. We are always looking at the range of services we can offer, and with the laser cutter, we have filled a broad area of solutions that we simply couldn’t match before.’

Mr Craythorne has been particularly pleased with the help and support he has received from the team at Graphtec GB. He stated, ‘This is a complex piece of machinery that requires expert support to get up and running as quickly as possible. I felt throughout that the team were always doing their best for us.’

He concluded, ‘The important thing for us is that it is opening doors and helping us move into markets and businesses that we’ve never tapped into before. The WidLaser has been a fantastic investment, and we are looking forward to seeing where it will take us over the coming months and years.’

The post Manor Signs gains new dimension with WidInovations laser appeared first on Digital Printer.

The Big Ink Tank offers a range of services, specialising in exhibition graphics and large-format work for galleries and museums. It works with a number of high-profile clients including Peugeot and the Royal Shakespeare Company, as well as more local customers such as Coventry Building Society and Coventry University.

Being constantly on the lookout for new opportunities was a key factor in the firm’s decision to invest in the VeloBlade Nexus 2516, a wide-format digital die cutter with a bed size of 2500mm x 1600mm. Combined with a CNC router, the system enables users to work with materials up to 25mm thick, such as Dibond, MDF and acrylic.

Purchased in December 2023 and installed in January 2024, the Nexus has become an important part of the production setup at The Big Ink Tank. The cutter has been put to work on a range of applications, with its automation capabilities said to make life ‘much easier’ for staff.

‘The VeloBlade Nexus fits in with our existing workflow by allowing files for cutting, routing and creasing to be automatically uploaded with minimal input from our team, The Big Ink Tank’s founder, Ty Power, said. ‘We are really benefitting from the speed of the machine; we no longer have to change the tools as they are automatic.

‘The quality of the cutting is also excellent, while the fact that the vacuum keeps the cuts so clean results in a huge time saving. We are still learning about new processes that we can then launch into the market.’

The post The Big Ink Tank expands offering with VeloBlade Nexus appeared first on Digital Printer.

Expected to appeal to photo retailers, pro labs, print shops and print fulfilment operations across the UK, the LayFlat range is designed to fully automate the binding process for lay-flat photobooks, including the gluing of single-side printed sheets, with or without inserting board in between,  plus the spine formation, creasing and binding necessary. There is also a V-cut version that can handle duplex printed pages bespoke casing-in, book press, coating, folding, creasing and lamination products for a complete end-to-end workflow. 

LayFlat is a sister business to Imaging Solutions, which has produced products that handle single-sided print, creased folding and hot melted glue binding in industrial automated settings and which are  found in major labs including Harrier, Cewe and Graphi Studio. Via the arrangement with PhotoXport, LayFlat aims to gain market share in the UK and to bring its products to mid-sized and smaller businesses who may be outsourcing this type of work, or handling it in-house but via largely manual processes.

According to PhotoXport, LayFlat offers a wide range of semi- or fully automated solutions to suit varying capacity and book size needs, at a rnage of budget points. The company’s James Lawrence-Jones told Digital Printer that the machines offer ‘industrial build quality based on Swiss design using German and Japanese parts and Far East assembly’ and are fully warrantied and supported across the UK by skilled industry engineers.

Derek Fieldhouse, managing director, PhotoXport Global, said, ‘We’re extremely excited to announce this new partnership with LayFlat.com. The products are revolutionary and come from a business with true authority and innovative R&D in the print industry and this brings real opportunity for our existing photo customers and new clients in the traditional print and fulfilment sectors.’

LayFlat CEO Djawad Khorosh commented, ‘PhotoXport have photo-printing DNA in their blood. They understand that there is a significant potential market outside of the traditional photo sector with LayFlat technologies. They have a fantastic reputation in the UK market with robust support. We are excited to see how the business develops in the territory and we are behind them for every step of the journey.’

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The Morgana BM4035 can produce portrait-orientation publications from A6 to A4, as well as A4 landscape and large format 297 x 297mm books. It also has the ability to corner and edge staple as standard.

NPC Print founder and CEO Natalie Puttock explained the purchase, saying, ‘We needed to expand the range of formats that we could produce. Most importantly, the ability to produce long sheets, such as A4 landscape products, a format that has become increasingly popular in recent years – jobs that we have had to send out for finishing. The ability of the new BM4035 to produce this format in-house will give us control of that work, as well as saving us money on outwork.

‘Having recently taken the decision to upgrade our digital print device to a new Konica Minolta AccurioPress C4070 engine, the new binder will help us to show off both our print and in-house finishing capabilities to the fullest. The square-back capability of the binder is a feature that we can also promote for higher pagination publications – it gives the impression of a perfect bound book.

‘The binder will initially be manually fed, but as print quantities increase, we know that we can easily add an automated feeder on to the unit for higher productivity.’

The company uses other Morgana products in its post-press section, including a Morgana AutoCreaser and an Intec ColourFlare device for foiling and laminating, purchased through Morgana.

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Finishing specialist, Polar has around 350 employees worldwide at its sites in Hofheim, Germany and Shanghai, China, and develops systems for the automation of industrial cutting and die-cutting processes. 

Mr Becker, who holds a degree in mechanical engineering, was recently the head of professional printing Germany at Konica Minolta Deutschland where he was responsible for the corresponding business unit. With more than 20 years of management and leadership experience in the printing industry, he has a broad range knowledge of the sector and expertise in national and international sales.

In his new role, Mr Becker will report directly to the Polar Group management. He commented, ‘I am looking forward to the new challenge and the exciting tasks that await me at a traditional global market leader.’

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The third-generation family run general commercial printer produces a wide range of print from leaflets to bespoke packaging. It prints litho on a B2 Sakurai press and digital on Xerox 4100 and 3100 presses.

Darren Wrighting, managing director of FuturePrint explained the investment was a straight replacement for a creaser folder they already had which he said ‘was not as a good as our previous one,’ resulting in a need for a solution to ‘complete the work as smoothly as possible.’

FuturePrint already runs a Horizon SPF-200L bookletmaker and Petratto folder gluer supplied by IFS, which led to Mr Wrighting’s trust in the company when looking for a new investment. He said, ‘I didn’t even look at Horizon CRF-362 folder creaser. We were told what it would do and because we already have systems from IFS we knew we could trust that it would.’

Mr Wrighting concluded stating how the machine is a ‘great bit of kit’ which gives the company versatility. He further added how the operators are happy with the machine, stating, ‘The operators discovered it can do so much more than they thought. It has given us proper value for money.’

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