EFI will sell Agfa’s high productivity Tauro H3300 hybrid systems under its own brand and colours, while Agfa will rebadge the top-of-the-line 5m machines from EFI, filling a gap in its present range. Service and support will be handled by the selling company but the machines will use their original manufacturers’ inks.

Questioned about the possibility of the two companies competing for the same sales, Agfa’s Mike Horsten told Digital Printer, ‘Strangely the overlap of our customers is not as big as expected, the result is it will be incremental business for both companies, and the savings on the R&D side are also beneficial to both companies.’

CEO of the Agfa-Gevaert group Pascal Juéry commented, ‘This strategic partnership with industry leader EFI will broaden the range of options we can offer to our customers and expand the market reach for our state-of-the-art solutions.

‘It truly is a milestone for our company and for the wide-format printing industry at large.’

EFI CEO Frank Pennisi also expressed, ‘We are excited for this next chapter and the ability to leverage the strengths of both organisations to move the industry forward.’

Arnaud Calleja, vice-president at Agfa, explained, ‘By integrating their roll-to-roll platform into our sign & display offerings, we are poised to deliver an exceptionally diverse product range with unprecedented value to our customer base.’

Todd Zimmerman, senior vice president and general manager at EFI, further stated, ‘The integration of Agfa’s hybrid platform into our solutions reaffirms our commitment to providing our customers with the most advanced and comprehensive options available.’

Mr Zimmerman concluded, ‘This partnership represents a convergence of industry leaders, each bringing unique strengths to the table.’

The collaboration will make its public debut at Fespa Global Print Expo in Amsterdam, Netherlands in March 2024, where Agfa and EFI will showcase its potential on their respective stands.

The post Agfa and EFI forge strategic wide-format partnership appeared first on Digital Printer.

Like its predecessor, the Anapurna H3200 features a six colour-plus-white inkset and UV LED curing but both the print shuttle and print engine itself have been redesigned to achieve a significant productivity increase. The fast-firing print heads yield throughput of up to 66 sqm/hr in production mode and superior print quality on both flexible and rigid materials, according to Agfa. Additionally, the printer’s newly-implemented continuous board feeding mode enables efficient printing on rigid materials, with the capability to print up to four boards simultaneously.

The enhanced print shuttle is also said to contribute to improved image quality, particularly in darker solid tones. The Anapurna suits high-quality production across a range of applications, from uncoated rigid media like plastics to roll media such as film, vinyl, banners, canvas and coated textiles. Its GreenGuard Gold-certified inks deliver high colour vibrancy and a broad colour gamut, while Agfa’s Thin Ink Layer technology reduces ink consumption.

‘We are excited to unveil the next generation of the Anapurna H3200,’ said Philip Van der Auwera, product manager,  sign & display at Agfa. ‘Since the debut of the first Anapurna over two decades ago, the printer family has undergone multiple enhancements and expansions. Renowned for its exceptional versatility and unwavering reliability, the new version of the Anapurna H3200 now combines these attributes with a boost in productivity and improved quality. This step underscores Agfa’s commitment to innovation and delivering top-notch solutions that align with the evolving needs of our customers.’

The new model will be shown at the C!Print exhibition in Lyon, France from 6–8 February 2024, alongside the top of the range Tauro H3300 HS. It will also appear at Fespa Global Print Expo in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in March 2024.

The post Agfa announces next-gen Anapurna H3200 hybrid appeared first on Digital Printer.

Complementing Mutoh’s  existing XpertJet A3+ and A2+ desktop direct to object printers, the new six-colour (CMYK plus white and clear varnish) UV LED flatbed direct-to-object printer has a moving gantry design and an A1+ table size of 1420 x 700 mm; it can print onto objects up to 150mm thick. Its print table integrates a four-zone vacuum bed, supporting weights up to 50kg/sqm, allowing it to cater for a wide range of requirements, including ‘2.5D’ direct-to-object, industrial, packaging, awards and sign and display printing, including ADA-compliant Braille.

Stephan Heintjens, product marketing and product application manager for Mutoh Europe, commented, ‘Feedback on our new printer from the pre-launch at Fespa has been very positive. We are extremely excited about this printer and are delighted to make it available to the Europe, Middle East and Africa markets. Having this new XpertJet 1462UF printer means that Mutoh now offers a complete direct-to-object range covering small format as well as the new bigger format, which is a perfect match for the popular 70 x 100cm screen printing format. The XpertJet 1462UF has a sturdy and precise chassis for extremely precise ink dot placement and high quality print results.’

Mr Heintjens added, ‘With the XpertJet 1462UF, we have drastically increased the overall productivity to meet the quality and speed requirements of the size. The printer has two print heads on board, mounted in a staggered setup and two brand-new 4in multi-segmented UV LED curing lamps. This setup enables us to produce two layer prints in one pass at double the speed of  printers having only one print head and curing lamp. The print table with integrated four-zone vacuum table has holes to fix jigs, allowing great flexibility in media selection. The printer is powered by our VerteLith genuine RIP software.’

The post Mutoh ships UV flatbed shown at Fespa appeared first on Digital Printer.

When used as a flatbed machine, the Prime Hybrid can print on substrates up to 2m wide. It can print on up to four pieces of rigid media simultaneously, and features registration pins for precise edge-to-edge printing at production quality up to  92sqm/hr.

The printer also features front and back handling tables to support a range of media types while facilitating easy media positioning. The roll-fed configuration can be loaded with two rolls each up to 0.9m wide. It is set to meet the needs of print service providers who use a wide range of media across a variety of applications.

The machine is available with four colours (CMYK) as standard and uses the same inks as the Acuity Prime. A beta model will be installed in the UK in June 2023, with commercial availability scheduled for the end of the year.

David Burton, director of Fujifilm Wide Format Inkjet Systems, commented, ‘We have listened to our customers and we recognise that high functionality and versatility is in-demand. In response to our customers and, building on the success of the Acuity Prime flatbed series, we developed the Acuity Prime Hybrid – a cost effective and robust printer that will maximise productivity across a wide variety of applications.

‘We’re delighted to showcase its capabilities at Fespa 2023, and we look forward to seeing how it will positively impact our customers’ businesses.’

The post Fujifilm unveils Acuity Prime Hybrid printer appeared first on Digital Printer.

Lewis Evans, product and sales manager at Vivid, said, ‘The Easymount Hybrid laminator is a multi-patented innovation with unique hover technology, roll-to-roll technology for long run and roll-fed laminating. The new system is designed to perform, built to last and developed in-house by Vivid. The Hybrid laminator is a modular system that can be configured according to your specific production needs and incorporates both a traditional roll-fed laminator and a flatbed applicator, combining the benefits of both applications into one easy-to-use flatbed laminator and saving on the need for two systems. The patented floating rollers on the Easymount Hybrid laminator save time and keeps substrates in perfect condition.’

Mr Evans continued, ‘The Easymount Hybrid laminator is an all-in-one system and the world’s first laminator and applicator. This latest innovation by Vivid is a solution that can help customers improve their competitive edge, and save on space and money.’

As well as its hardware offering, Vivid will be demonstrating its latest developments in its Zip Core packaging software, as well as displaying the VeloTaper fully automated flatbed taping system.

The post Vivid to unveil Easymount hybrid laminator at Fespa appeared first on Digital Printer.

Several product developments will be shown in Europe for the first time in Munich. These will include a polyester direct-to-garment printer and a new digital textile printer, designed to achieve ‘highly vibrant colours for impactful designs’ in DtG and direct-to-film printing. The company will show a new roll-to-roll DtF production system as well. Ricoh says that all these offerings will enable designs to be printed and shipped for local, on-demand application onto garments.

These capabilities will be further demonstrated by Ricoh’s partnership with Fruit of the Loom and Russell Athletic. Ricoh will present a showcase where visitors can custom design their own T-shirt and see it produced on the stand.

Demonstrating how creative designs are brought to life will be Manga artist Shinnosuke Uchida. During the event visitors will be able to watch the artist work live as she shares her own take on the spirit of Japan.

ColorGate (part of Ricoh since its acquisition in late 2018) will demonstrate how its Productionserver Rip and workflow software can achieve high quality colour-accurate production across the various print devices, ink types and adhesion technologies.

Eef De Ridder, vice president, Graphic Communications Group, Ricoh Europe, commented, ‘Opportunities in the garment printing industry are developing very quickly. Innovations in direct-to-garment and direct-to-film technology are presenting textile printing businesses with compelling production capabilities that respond to leading market and environmental pressures. They are enabling them to reduce carbon emissions and water usage with local production, offer greater versioning capabilities with responsive short runs and drive creativity with easy-to-use solutions that deliver high quality results. Our systems and solutions on show have been developed and enhanced to responsively support operations in this highly demanding market. And our partnership with Fruit of the Loom will demonstrate how responsible and responsive end-to-end digital textile production is achievable.’

The post Ricoh teases European textiles firsts at Fespa appeared first on Digital Printer.

The Fespa Awards celebrate the achievements of print businesses from across the globe, recognising their skill, talent, creativity and innovation. There are 18 categories, ranging from display, packaging and posters to wrapping, special effects, printed textiles and non-printed signage.

Shortlisted entries will be announced on 13 March and will be displayed on site at Fespa Global Print Expo 2023, which takes place from 23 to 26 May at Messe Munich, Germany. The winners will be announced at the formal award ceremony at Messe Munich on 24 May 2023, followed by a drinks reception.

The post Final call for entries at Fespa Awards 2023 appeared first on Digital Printer.

The event will feature product innovations for digital, screen and textile printing and signage, with more than 330 exhibitors already contracted for the show.

Head of Fespa Global Print Expo, Michael Ryan, said, ‘Helping our global community to build profitable, sustainable businesses is at the heart of Fespa’s mission. The businesses that have come through the pandemic have already learned the importance of agility and flexibility. Now they’re facing a new set of challenges and need to explore different avenues for profitable growth. That’s why our 2023 event campaign leads with ‘new perspectives’. We’re inviting printers and sign-makers to come with open minds, ready to look at problems from different angles and challenge established perceptions to unlock growth opportunities.’

Fespa is launching a brand-new personalisation experience to run alongside the expo. This stand-alone event, located at the heart of the show, will centre around an exhibition space open to all visitors.

A multi-day personalisation experience conference will include individual content streams dedicated to personalised loyalty marketing, sportswear and fashion customisation, bespoke interiors, and personalised packaging, featuring more than 50 expert speakers. The whole experience is primarily designed for brand owners, retailers, marketers, agencies, and membership and loyalty organisations seeking to enhance or differentiate their offering with personalisation and customisation. Print service providers and fulfilment houses wanting to put personalisation at the heart of their service offering will also gain valuable practical knowledge and insight.

Duncan MacOwan, Fespa’s head of marketing, said, ‘Personalisation has been a hot topic within our community for some time. Forward-thinking print businesses have seen the opportunity for individualisation that came with the shift to digital production, though many have yet to fully embrace it. Now we’ve reached a tipping point where the creative and technical capability is matched by widespread and immediate demand.’

The post Fespa to return to Germany in 2023 appeared first on Digital Printer.

The event, which will take place from 26 to 27 April 2023, at the Silverstone racing circuit in Northamptonshire, will feature an educational line-up including a conference, demonstrations and workshops.

Advance wrap and detail enthusiasts with unique experience in vehicle wrapping, including those working for manufacturers and distributors, trainers, installers, as well as experts in car detailing and paint protection and tinting services, are encouraged to register to join the list of conference speakers.

The speaker programme will provide fresh insights and perspectives on how companies can grow their business, improve current skills and services and explore new revenue streams. The inaugural event will focus on market expansion, material innovations, marketing and social media, sustainability, nurturing and identifying new talent, and fleet and commercial vehicles, but speakers are encouraged to submit their own ideas based on their experience and expertise.

WrapFest 2023 has also opened sponsorship for manufacturers and distributors to deliver sessions on practical tips and techniques, in one of seven areas within the pit-garages of Silverstone. In addition to showcasing their products, these companies will also be able to host sessions in the area throughout the event.

Duncan MacOwan, head of marketing and events at Fespa, said, ‘We are delighted to be launching WrapFest and offering opportunities to many industry pros to showcase their incredible skills at the event.

‘The conference programme and demonstration zones are integral features of the event, providing attendees with cutting-edge insights into the latest industry trends from some of the most influential representatives. This is a great opportunity for the best talent in the business to make a real impact at a first-of-its-kind event for the fast-growing wrap industry.’

The post Speakers invited for WrapFest 2023 appeared first on Digital Printer.

Although Fespa did manage to put on a show in October 2021 in Amsterdam, after several postponements and reschedulings, it wasn’t that busy with either exhibitors or visitors because of the ongoing pandemic restrictions. This year’s event, however, very much felt like ‘the real thing’ and saw eight halls in the Berlin Messe filled with hundreds of exhibitors.

At the time of writing, just after the show closed, official attendance figures hadn’t been released, but footfall seemed as good as in the ‘old’ (pre-pandemic) days, with visitors of many nationalities.

It was clear that this part of the print industry, which has arguably been hit harder than most by lockdowns and restrictions on in-person events, was keen to put that period firmly in the past and get back to its own socialising and in-person selling. And there was plenty for everyone to look at, with new and updated machines, materials and software vying for attention.

Perhaps most fundamental to digital print is the PDF family of standards and the Adobe PDF Print Engine (APPE) technology that is used by many printer, Rip and DFE manufacturers to render digital files into ink or toner dots. Adobe used Fespa as the platform to launch APPE 6.0, introducing capabilities specifically designed to address expanded colour gamut (ECG) printing, support for spectral brand colours, and features that address finishing requirements.

ECG support, which is principally aimed at both digital and analogue packaging applications, but also supporting any ‘CMYK-plus’ print engine, allows for direct colour conversion of page elements from source colour to the target seven-colour or other output space in a single step, avoiding gamut losses caused by intermediate CMYK-only conversion and cumulative rounding errors introduced by two-stage conversion.

Support for spectral brand colours is intended to provide absolute values for colours and so avoid possible misinterpretation. Speaking to Digital Printer, Adobe’s Mark Lewiecki noted that some Rip and colour management vendors had already added spectral colour support via other means but this move now makes spectral colours ‘first class citizens’. More sophisticated image resampling algorithms from Photoshop have now been implemented, replacing relatively ‘primitive’ approaches in previous APPE versions.

Support for automated post-press processes such as cutting and creasing, often achieved by assigning spot colours in vector artwork has also been added via the introduction of ‘reserved names’. This allows the Rip to exclude them from trapping, transparency flattening or knock-out calculations, while allowing on-screen previewing and proofing, and maintaining integrity with the print artwork.

This capability also has implications for ‘derived’ plates or planes – additional colour separations that can be automatically generated from artwork, to provide a white underlay for printing on coloured substrates, for example, or producing a digital spot gloss varnish overlay. This

capability can also handle production-specific issues like choking a white underlay in DtG printing.

Another major announcement at the show was the conclusion of Agfa’s purchase of Inca Digital. Pascal Juéry, president and CEO of the Agfa-Gevaert Group, described the move as ‘a demonstration of our willingness to grow the business. We needed to accelerate, to get new scale, and new capabilities in the toolbox,’ he said, adding that ‘the Inca acquisition is a perfect example of the reinvention of Agfa in digital imaging’.

Vincent Wille, president of Agfa’s Digital Print and Chemicals division, explained that Inca firstly brings complementary product capabilities in Inca’s historic main markets, with bigger and faster multi-pass machines, ‘a nice add-on’, and secondly and perhaps more indicative of the planned direction of development, ‘a platform for growth inindustrial print with a focus on packaging and single-pass’.

Inca CEO/CTO Stephen Wilson showed how the Inca range added to the top end of Agfa’s range in performance terms, with the Onset X, SpeedSet and the Print Engine, its ‘super high-end’ co-development for corrugated with BHS. Mr Wille noted that applications in cartons and corrugated would be targeted due to the fast growth for digital in these sectors, where Agfa would now be able to offer full solutions.

Mr Wilson reported that Agfa inks were already being run on Inca printers at the company’s Cambridge, UK site, giving the installed base a choice that might ‘open eyes and opportunities’. Ongoing support arrangements will vary by country. It appears that customers who bought through Fujifilm and who continue to use

Fujifilm inks will also be supported by Fujifilm but backed by Inca as previously; what would happen if they then switched to Agfa inks ‘would have to be considered carefully’, Mr Wilson told Digital Printer.

Sales will mostly continue to be direct in the major geographic markets, and the SpeedSet even more so. Mr Wilson said that ‘it is easier to sell through the merged business. There are so many opportunities, we have to carefully prioritise.’

High speed printer developments were also announced by EFI, which confirmed the commercial availability of the super high speed Nozomi 18000+ single-pass printer for display graphics. The Nozomi 18000+ LED is a 1.8m width single-pass printer designed for the sign and display graphics market, based on the technologies in the corrugated printer of the same name. EFI claims that at up to 1000 sheets or 1.2 x 1.4m boards per hour, equivalent to between 3000 and 5000sqm/ hr, it is three to five times faster than scanning head alternatives and can handle both synthetic and paperbased media.

Announced in 2021, the 18000+ offers manual or fully automated feeding and stacking, a hybrid aqueous/UV primer for difficult materials, and optional pre-white coating for reflective or coloured substrates and/or post UV coating for durability and weather protection. EFI contends that its ‘unparalleled throughput helps users drive profitability in a wide range of high-volume signage applications’.

That argument seems to have been taken on board at Delta Group, which has ordered the new press for delivery in the third quarter of 2022, making it the second customer site for the 18000+ and the first outside North America.

A preview was given at Fespa of the EFI Reggiani EcoTerra, a new all-in-one ‘eco-friendly’ pigment-based textile roll printer that requires neither pre- nor post-treatment for the fabrics it prints, thus reducing its footprint, energy and water usage.

The EcoTerra offers a seven-colour ink set (CMYK plus blue, red and green) for expanded colour gamut and is claimed to achieve excellent wet and dry colour fastness with sharp detail and high durability. An enhanced polymerisation and finishing unit is said to give a softer hand feel to finished printed fabrics. An analytics application, Query, for monitoring and reporting, is also in development, and Reggiani demonstrated a partnership with textile Rip software developer Inèdit at the show.

Introducing brand-new printers and others that hadn’t previously been shown in public, was Fujifilm, which launched two new wide-format printers, the Acuity Prime L, and the Acuity Ultra Hybrid, the former adding a 3.2 x 2m flatbed option to the existing Prime range and the latter marking the company’s first high-performance hybrid option.

The Acuity Ultra Hybrid is a 3.3m printer that offers speeds of up to 218sqm/hr on flexible media though less on rigid substrates. Print resolution is up to 1200 x 1200dpi and Fujifilm says that the machine combines ‘ultra-high’ quality for ‘near photographic’ interior graphics with a competitive return on investment. A dimpled table surface is said to support a wide range of media types, with protection against accidental damage and accurate media feed. This is complemented by an intelligent vacuum control system that adjusts to the loaded media width and adjusts vacuum strength to hold it down securely.

The Acuity Prime L complements the Prime 20 and 30 models introduced last summer and offers up to 202sqm/ hr thanks to a larger bed size. It uses the same carriage and Ricoh Gen 5 printheads as its smaller siblings, with six vacuum zones and 16 media location pins, plus the ability to print side-by-side jobs with a dual zone function. The Prime L supports up to seven ink channels (CMYK, plus white, clear and primer). It uses Uvijet HM inks, said to yield excellent adhesion to a broad range of substrates while also producing a wide colour gamut. This is augmented by a new jettable primer for particularly difficult substrates. Both new printers are currently in beta testing and will be available in autumn 2022.

Canon also had a new flatbed printer, the Arizona 6100 MkII, a 2.5 x 3m model intended for high volume production environments. It prints at up to 220sqm/hr and is offered in two variants: the XTS is aimed at a wide range of display media types and features independent control of vacuum zones, allowing simultaneous printing of multiple boards, unusual shapes or staggered loading for continuous printing; the XTHF has 15 times the vacuum power and for porous materials such as corrugated board or warped media. Both machines are available in six- or seven-colour versions and support communications with MIS, production analysis tools or robot automation systems.

The Colorado line of UV-gel roll-fed printers already offered a choice of matte and glossy finish, but previously the same choice had to apply to the entire job. With the introduction of FLXfinish+, it is possible to mix both finishes within a job in a single pass, to achieve creative effects of some

complexity and with an appearance not dissimilar to spot gloss UV, but without the extra process or consumable of digital embellishment systems. The new capability will be included as standard on all Colorado 1650 models and offered as an option on the entry-level 1630. It will also be available as an upgrade.

On the software side, the Prisma XL Suite is intended to automate production of complex jobs and to maximise printer uptime. PrismaGuide XL is a design and job automation application that simplifies preparation of jobs, storing them for re-use. The Prisma remote app allows Colorado printers to be monitored from anywhere, while PrismaService is a cloud-based platform for customer

Durst also expanded its printer family with the introduction of the five-metre P5 500, whose development goal was reliability for unattended operation. The P5 500 features an integrated mesh printing kit that can simply be switched in or out to suit different material types, a two-minute process compared to a two-operator 15-minute one on the previous model.

The new printer also features double-sided printing and gains a horizontal cutting capability in addition to the vertical slitter; its 5.25m width can accommodate two 2.5m rolls or three 1.6m ones; horizontal cuts can be made without stopping printing. No cut marks are required on the printed roll(s) as the position is calculated via encoder, though the double-sided printing does allow for QR  codes to be printed to aid job identification.

The P5 500 supports eight channels at up to 1200dpi, which may be used to add light inks, white or clear varnish, or for double CMYK for maximum productivity. The new P5 ‘Double 4’ configuration option also allows a second set of printheads to be added to the P5 210/HS and 350/HS models, doubling their productivity.

A new top-of-the-range model was introduced by swissQprint, the Kudu flatbed – see news, page 8. SAi premiered Flexi 22, its sign-making, print-and-cut Rip software, adding productivity and workflow features. A new feature is order snapshots, a way of capturing settings and files for specific jobs that simplifies repeat orders.

New production-focused capabilities enable cutting path generation from supplied files without needing access to the original artwork-creating application.

Flexi can open and edit files created in Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw to add contour cut lines, or these can be auto-generated from bitmap files. DtF/DtG tools enable the automatic generation of white under-layers for printing colours on dark fabrics, as well as support for solid white elements or knock-outs. Colour ways for textile or wallpaper designs can also be edited without access to original artwork files.

Artwork for very large projects, such as bus wraps, can be created and worked on at actual size. True shape nesting has been improved and is said to allow media savings of up to 20-30%. A new dashboard allows users to keep track of and manage their software subscriptions and software updates, as well as to monitor production and usage of consumables.

Meanwhile Onyx 22 brings a range of ‘everyday automation’ features to improve productivity. The new release implements a drag-and-drop interface to allow job files to be added to the queue with job parameters set automatically. This is complemented by Smart Job Submission, in which key job attributes can be embedded in the artwork file name, again automating processing and set-up for less skilled operators. There’s a defined file naming syntax for this and parameters that can be set this way include the job, customer, size and number of copies. Preparing work for flatbed output or DtG printers is also supported via auto-placing of artwork elements to match jigs, and repeated elements in artwork can be split to enable shape-based nesting. Colour matching is aided by the addition of a Color Reference Library, the ability to generate and print swatch sheets with calculated delta-E values; these can be measured for iterative refinement, if required. Specific colour settings for textile printing applications are now supported too

The post Another fine Messe appeared first on Digital Printer.