Textile Printing

María Renée Ayau

María Renée Ayau

Friday, 19 March 2021 14:34

Kornit fashion week

Kornit will hold its fashion week at Tel Aviv from March 28 to April 1st. The opening gala will be hosted by supermodel Bar Rafaeli and Tel Aviv Fashion Week founder Motty Reif. More than 40 fashion designers will present, and the event’s core theme will highlight the collaboration of technology and fashion to achieve and elevate sustainable production and consumption practices.

“A decade ago, I started Tel Aviv Fashion Week in order to promote our local talent internationally,” says Reif. “For the past five years, we’ve been a driving force behind inclusivity in fashion, and now we are tackling the industry’s most pressing issue of our time and joining forces with Kornit in order to make production more sustainable—startup nation technology meets fashion, to change the world together.”

“For more than a decade, Kornit has led the charge for on-demand production, and our innovations ensure fashion designers can deliver brilliant designs, limitless color combinations, the finest hand-feel, and unparalleled durability, all while changing the game with production practices that are simultaneously more profitable, more responsive to spontaneous and shifting demand, and more eco-responsible,” says Ronen Samuel, Kornit Digital CEO. “I couldn’t be prouder to present an event that is widely recognized as a beacon for global movements and agendas and demonstrate how diversity and individual expression can be enriched and celebrated hand-in-hand with our shared vision of a more sustainable world.”



Thursday, 18 March 2021 14:30

HP recycled satin canvas

HP recycled satin canvas is made 100% from recycled water bottles, is now available for Latex and Solvent Printers. It produces good print results and durable canvas wraps that resist edge cracking.

“This product builds on our commitment to develop more sustainable printing materials across all of our product lines,” says Kara Work, Product Manager, for HP Large Format Media. “We strive to deliver products that achieve more with less environmental impact.”



Thursday, 18 March 2021 14:27

INX low migration inks

The new GelFlex-EB gel-based inks from INX are low migration inks for flexible packaging, these reduce package weight since there is no need for a lamination layer. GelFlex-EB inks can also be used for household, industrial, outdoor, and pet food and pet care products.

“We understand there are specific expectations of brand owners, converters and printers, ranging from maintaining the print quality of graphics to providing yearly cost reductions through improved efficiencies and package light-weighting. GelFlex-EB inks address these concerns and present several opportunities,” remarked Renee Schouten, INX director of marketing.

“Printers can reduce their overall ink consumption and experience energy savings, compared to conventional solvent or water-based flexo inks,” said Schouten. “Additional cost savings are possible by eliminating lamination layers for flexible packaging and using various decorative and special effects coatings in their place. From a presentation viewpoint, these inks also open the door for new point-of-sale interactions and experiences with consumers.”



Wednesday, 17 March 2021 14:24

Prism Inks self dispersing inks

Prism inks has launched their new self-dispersing dye sublimation inks, these are part of their SubliMate Dye Sub Ink product line for DX and TFP series of printheads.

Amir Ajanee, CEO of Prism Inks, stated, “Our philosophy is to continually improve our product offering, especially our leading dye sublimation ink. This Introduction of Self Dispersing Technology in our Dye Sub inks is a significant achievement by the Prism Inks R&D team in our Sunnyvale, California location. We are excited to provide this new capability to the dye-sublimation market since we know users will be pleased with the superior print performance derived from this major enhancement.”



Tuesday, 16 March 2021 14:21

Hexis films active against COVID-19

He is PURE ZONE technology is active in combating the viral load of coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2.

“As of the date of the UB’L3 laboratory report, i.e. 29 January, 2021, all productions and batch numbers of the product PURE ZONE 060 B/M will comply with the certification, making it possible to effectively fight against viral loads from SARS-CoV-2* and will be covered by the results of the UB’L3 laboratory report.”

PURE ZONE films provide 24 hour continuous protection against bacteria and coronaviruses, all these intended for the protection of surfaces in direct contact with humans, for example: medical environment, public transport, school, extracurricular and college environment, coffee bar/hotel/restaurant, stores, establishments open to the public, etc.



Monday, 15 March 2021 18:37

Pack Print International 2021

Pack Print International, returns to Bangkok, Thailand from September 22 – 25, 2021, and will present global packaging and printing innovations geared towards the South-east Asia audience.

Pongthira Pathanapiradej, President of The Thai Printing Association, stated: “The print-ing sector has responded by adapting to new sales platforms and implementing new packaging models. With creative direction, innovative technology and flexibility of op-erations, the Thai printing industry aims to strengthen ties between the various cluster businesses as we collectively prepare for the future. PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL gives us the ideal platform for our vision, as it continually brings together the industry’s best to the regional printing hub that is Thailand.”



Friday, 12 March 2021 21:20

New Interpack dates

The next edition of interpack will be from 04 to 10 May 2023 at the Düsseldorf Trade Fair Centre. People interested in registering can do it online, from the end of March/beginning of April.

Exhibitors who were approved for interpack 2021, which was cancelled due to the pandemic, have already been able to reserve their stand positions for 2023 and will now be able to rebook when they register.

Co-located with interpack is components, oriented towards the supplier sector for the packaging and processing industry.



Colorgate hired Oliver Guth, a well-known expert for digital décor printing, as Key Ac-count Manager Industrial Printing. He will focus on accelerating the adoption of digital printing processes in the décor market. He will analyze customers’ workflows and re-quirements and help them lead their digital print projects to success, based on the lat-est technology. With his know-how, he will assist ColorGATE’s customers in expanding and improving their businesses.

Thomas Kirschner, ColorGATE’s CEO, comments: “An integral part of our company strat-egy is to deliver expert knowledge to accelerate the beneficial adoption of digital print-ing. This includes our portfolio of software, hardware and professional services, and brings huge efficiency gains to applications such as digital textile, ceramics, packaging and décor printing. Oliver, now on board with ColorGATE, is a perfect fit with this strat-egy. He has successfully managed digital décor printing projects himself in the key area of analog to digital conversion and knows our customers’ perspective.”

Oliver adds: “I am very excited to join the team. ColorGATE is the market leader in digi-tal décor printing technology already, but the digital transformation in the industry has just started. Based on my experience as a digital décor producer, I know the challenges in such projects exactly and also how to overcome them.”



Monday, 08 March 2021 15:50

Xerox appoints new EVP and President

Xerox Holding Corporation has appointed Jacques-Edouard Gueden as EVP and Presi-dent, EMEA Operations, he has been serving in this position temporarily since the end of September.

“Jacques-Edouard will be responsible for Xerox’s go-to-market teams across EMEA to bring Xerox’s full portfolio of products, services and software to new and existing clients and partners,” said John Visentin, Xerox vice chairman and CEO. “His deep knowledge of what clients need and long-term relationships across the region position him well to drive performance and growth.”



Friday, 05 March 2021 18:27

Avery Dennison to acquire JDC Solutions

Avery Dennison will acquire Mount Julien, Tennessee-based, JDC Solutions inc. for $24 million. JDC manufactures pressure-sensitive specialty tapes for use in a variety of high-value industrial applications

After the completion of the acquisition, JDC’s manufacturing operations, workforce and product portfolio will become part of Avery Dennison’s Performance Tapes North Amer-ica business.



Wednesday, 03 March 2021 18:07

HP names new CFO

Marie Myers has been appointed new HP Inc. CFO, she has been serving as acting CFO and chief transformation officer since October 2020. She will continue to oversee this work until a new chief transformation officer is named.

“Marie is one of HP’s most respected leaders and she has a proven track record of success throughout her career,” said Enrique Lores, president and CEO, HP Inc. “As our acting CFO and chief transformation officer, she has consistently driven strong results, unlocked new sources of value, and positioned us well to deliver on our priorities. Marie’s strate-gic acuity, operational discipline and purpose-driven leadership will serve us well as we execute our strategy and drive long-term shareholder value.”



Sherwin Williams has acquired Tennant Coatings, they design and manufacture indoor and outdoor coating systems, approximately 70 of its current employees will join the new company.

“The sale of Tennant's coatings business is our latest move in the ongoing implementa-tion of our enterprise strategy—specifically, winning where we have competitive ad-vantage,” said Tennant CEO Chris Killingstad. “By divesting a business that is not central to our core strengths in industrial and commercial floor cleaning, we can redirect re-sources toward more strategic and profitable activities.”



Friday, 05 February 2021 18:47

Roland’s CEO stepped down

Jerry Davies resigned as CEO and President of Roland DG (UK), at the end of last year. Stephen Davis, EMEA Marketing director, will take the additional responsibility as managing director of UK and Ireland.

CEO Roland DG EMEA said of Davies’ decision: “We wish him all the very best for the future in his non-executive director roles and we thank him for everything he has done for Roland DG over the years.”



Wednesday, 03 February 2021 18:38

New swissQprint CEO

Reto Eicher, former CEO is now CTO, and Kilian Hintermann replaced him on January 1. Eicher will focus on product development, he is one of the three company founders (Hansjorg Untersander and Roland Fetting are the other two).

"We intend to continue driving innovation in the digital printing sector, and we aim to provide the market with solutions that are both practical and competitive”, said Hin-termann.



Monday, 01 February 2021 18:47

DRUPA 2021 cancelled

Due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, drupa 2021 has been cancelled, it’s next edi-tion will take place as scheduled from May 28 to June 7, 2024, in Düsseldorf, Germany.

The organizers are offering “virtual.drupa”, a four-day digital event from April 20-23, 2021 during the time frame drupa was originally scheduled for. To provide exhibitors and visitors with an additional sales channel and allowing them to make reliable plans.

Claus Bolza-Schünemann, chairman at Köenig and Bauer and president of drupa: “A vir-tual event is exactly the right format in the current time. “Attending drupa under the usual parameters was just too great a risk for many exhibitors, given declining export and turnover figures, as well as significant travel restrictions, which would also affect visitors. The new digital forum is a virtual platform, providing a reliable pillar and an op-portunity to maintain valuable communications within the industry until 2024.”

Friday, 22 January 2021 21:57

Kodak launches KODACOLOR EDTG

Kodak and Pigment.inc Europe will partner for the latter to distribute Kodak’s KODACOLOR EDTG Series Direct to Garment (DTG) inks.

These inks were specifically designed for direct-to-fabric printing on cotton, cotton blends, and polyester fabrics, both for finished garments or roll fabrics.

“With Kodak’s focus on quality, all KODACOLOR inks are manufactured at our USA-based ISO 9000-compliant factory,” says Grant French, Director External Ink Sales, Eastman Kodak.

Esko announced the release of its VariAngle tool for the Kongsberg C and XP wide-format routers. VariAngle allows high speed cutting at any angle from 0o and 60o, for total freedom of the design.

“Fitting the new VariAngle tool makes existing Kongsberg C and XP tables completely self-sufficient and capable of delivering most any creative design,” said Digital Finishing Product Manager, Knut Johansen. “Unlike with other brands of finishing table, using VariAngle removes the need to stop production when changing tools, drastically reducing setup time and increasing cutting speed. “Other finishing tables cut with a fixed angle blade, which means it’s necessary to change tools to cut at different angles,” explained Knut. “For some designs, three or even four different cutting tools can be required in the production process. But with VariAngle, Esko has developed a single tool which cuts straight lines at any angle selection in half-degree increments between 0o and 60o and at up to 100m/min; a breakthrough innovation for the industry.

Nazdar released a white paper to introduce IMAGE, a new process for generating color profiles that predicts how outdoor inkjet prints will age, and released a white paper explaining the process.

Nazdar has many years of experience in monitoring the behavior of prints, this, combined with the vast amount of industry data on weathering helped develop this method.

"Weathering prediction processes have been developed over many years, but with inkjet printing gaining popularity in the production of outdoor-durable displays we need to update our approach," says Bruce. "In our latest white paper we outline IMAGE, a new process for generating color profiles that can help graphics businesses design, sell and maintain graphics that will look better for longer."

Friday, 22 January 2021 21:42

Epson introduced the SureColor V7000

This is Epson’s first UV flatbed printer designed for printing outdoor signage, promotional goods and more. It can print onto a variety of rigid substrates up to 3-inches thick using UltraChrome UV inks with 10 colors (including vivid red, gray, opaque white, and varnish).

Epson SureColor V700 includes these features:

  • pin registration system for quick loading and easy media alignment
  • multi-zone vacuum system to keep materials securely in place
  • automatic thickness adjustment to instantly accommodate media up to 3-inches thick
  • the new Epson Edge Print workflow software featuring an Adobe PostScript 3 engine for layout and print management, color management and seamless workflow integration.
  • “The SureColor V7000 was specifically designed to address common pain points of flatbed printer customers – quality, productivity and price – and allow print service providers to expand their business offerings with an affordable solution,” said Matt McCausland, senior product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America, Inc. “The new UV flatbed printer offers high-end printing technologies, with a unique Red ink never before seen in an entry-level flatbed printer and provides an easy and cost-effective option for print shops looking to expand from roll-to-roll printing to flatbed printing.”

    Friday, 22 January 2021 21:34

    CalderaRIP Version 14

    Caldera’s RIP version 14 has new features such as:

  • Smart hotfolders
  • Smart import for Caldera Care
  • QuickConfig
  • Adobe PDF Print Engine 5.5 and FineLine
  • Caldera 13.1 feature included for everyone (double sided printing, nesting view).


  • Fujifilm North America (Graphic Systems Division) and ZUND America announce collabo-ration. Through this, Fujifilm’s print service provider customers (US and Canada) will ob-tain access to Zund America, Inc.’s collection of cutting technologies and methods that will provide a comprehensive solution for packaging, marketing materials, and signage.

    “We are pleased to work alongside Zund America, Inc., to answer the needs of our cus-tomers looking for cost-effective, successful cutting solutions,” said Todd Zimmerman, division president, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division. “As we move into the future of printing, and as integration and automation become increas-ingly important, it was critical for us to continue to evolve as it relates to finishing. With our combined efforts, Fujifilm and Zund America, Inc.’s digital cutting systems will offer specialized resources designed for professionals that need to deliver high quality and diverse products under tight turnarounds in an evolving market.”

    Shaun Holdom, Drytac’s Global Product Manager, has been appointed to the ISA-UK council with 100 per cent support from his fellow council members.

    The ISA-UK powered by BSGA is the trade association for the sign, graphics and visual communications industry and plays an essential role in uniting the members of this thriving community.

    "Being appointed to the council is very exciting. Having a trade association that repre-sents all facets of the industry, shares knowledge and experience with every company and individual to help support and grow their business - especially over the coming months - is incredibly important.

    I hope to bring my years of experience within all areas of inkjet and digital print to the association. It's essential we understand all the new methods for printing outside of the more traditional markets to help our members”, states Holdom.

    Michael Makin, has been acting as executive VP since the alliance of SGIA and Printing Industries of America (PIA). PRINTING UNITED Alliance announced that he will no longer be in this position after January 1st, 2021, following a successful transition of the com-bined organizations.

    “We are extremely grateful to Michael for not only his years of service to our industry and the membership of PIA, and for representing the industry from international venues to the halls of Congress, but most recently for his embrace of the vision of PRINTING United Alliance and a coming together of the industry in body and spirit,” said Ford Bowers, president and CEO, PRINTING United Alliance. “Without Michael, this would not have happened, and we are all better off for his taking the opportunity to bring two sig-nificant organizations together. We are certain he will contribute to whatever he puts his mind to, whatever that might be. Our well-wishes go with him and we look forward to hearing of his continued success”.

    Friday, 08 January 2021 21:47

    Agfa Introduces InterioJet

    The InterioJet 3300 multi-pass printer is designed for printing onto decor paper for interior decor to create customized interior decorations on laminate floors and furniture.

    This printer is an adaptation of the heavy-duty Jedi Tauro LED UV printing press, but with printheads, inks and drying system for water based inks. It can print on two rolls of 155 cms and 600kg at a time.

    “The InterioJet 3300 will accelerate the transformation from analog (gravure) to digital printing in the laminated surface market,” states Tom Cloots, Director Industrial Inkjet for Agfa. “It is the ideal cost-efficient solution for medium and short production runs. “Its limited start-up time and high flexibility will enable suppliers of laminated surfaces to gain new business by responding to evolving market demands, including printing on demand and just-in-time delivery. The system allows interior decoration designers to let their creativity run free and create customized designs for every order.”

    Tuesday, 21 July 2020 17:30

    DGI Hercules

    DGI is a Korean digital printer manufacturer that has been in the industry for many years, even decades. While DGI is owned by the one of the members of the Choi family, it is a completely separate company from Dilli; which is owned by another brother. DGI is dedicated to manufacturing textile and solvent ink digital printers, while Dilli manufactures UV curing printers.

    DGI is one of the largest and most well known digital textile printer companies in the market; and this year they have launched their newest textile printer model which is the Hercules. Just like many companies that have been affected by the coronavirus, DGI has launched this product digitally.

    The Hercules textile printer is designed for printing onto transfer paper, it comes with four colors CMYK of dye sublimation ink. And has a roll-to-roll structure and a width of 1.9 meters.

    This printer can be used for small production companies or when you want to do test runs, maybe some sampling or for small design firms or print shops.

    The structure of the Hercules printer is similar to the former DGIFD 1904 and FD 1908; which are both transfer paper printers with a roll-to-roll structure. Also, their characteristics are similar, so this might be the model that will replace both of those printers in the future.

    The Hercules printer comes with Epson 4720 printheads that can achieve a drop size as small as 2.5 pl.

    Recently transfer paper printers have become more and more popular especially for sportswear, decor, and fashion. Customization and personalization of items are important to customers and naturally DGI has been adapting to the customer needs.

    Here is a chart with all the specs for the Hercules printer

    Printhead Epson 4720
    Ink DGI Original Dye Sublimation Ink
    Media Transfer paper
    Max Print Width 1,90 m
    Max Media Load 1,94 m
    Resolution (DPI) Max. 720 x 1,800 DPI
    Rip Software Ergosoft (Optional:Inedit)
    Color 4 Color (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black)

    DGI-Hercules

    DGI Hercules printhead carriage


    We hope in the near future we will be able to see this printer in action and evaluate it.


    DGI-Hercules

    Close up of the DGI Hercules printer



    DGI-Hercules

    DGI Hercukes transfer paper textile printer


    Thursday, 11 June 2020 20:22

    Fighting COVID-19 using UV

    In light of the new COVID-19 spread (pun intended) scientists are not only looking for a cure but also ways to prevent the virus form spreading.

    So far we know that alcohol can eliminate COVID-19 from surfaces and that antibacterial soap is also a great way to disinfect.

    People are now speculating UV lights can kill the COVID-19 virus, but are they really effective? Even US President Donald Trump suggested using strong UV light to treat COVID-19 Patients. But that won't prevent or treat any cases of the disease, since UV lights can cause skin cancer.

    The premise is not completely wrong or incorrect. For decades, scientists have known about the disinfection ability of ultraviolet wavelengths, specifically germicidal UV (also known as UV-C). This is where the main difference relies; regular UV lights are not the way to go, but what about UV-C?

    What is the difference between UV and UV-C?

    Let´s start from the beginning, sunlight contains three types of UV: UV-A, UV-B and UV-C.

  • UV-A, which constitutes the majority of the ultraviolet radiation that, reaches the Earth´s surface and can penetrate the skin deeply, cause skin-aging, wrinkles and age spots.
  • UV-B can damage the DNA of the skin provoking sunburn and skin cancer, also caused by UV-A.
  • UV-C these are the shorter and more energetic wavelength lights, that can destroy genetic material in humans or viral particles. UV-C lights are filtered by ozone in the atmosphere
  • Use of UV-C for disinfecting

    According to Air Science website: “Ultraviolet light is proven to kill or inactivate microorganisms by destroying nucleic acids and disrupting their DNA, leaving them unable to perform vital cellular functions. In light of the current Coronavirus outbreak, UV germicidal lamps are being used to aid in disinfection of air, surfaces and equipment within hospitals and healthcare facilities, to help reduce and control the spread of the virus”.

    The use of UV-C lights on different surfaces as a cleanser is well established in hospitals, it eliminates 95% of aerosolized H1N1 influenza, the flu and superbug.

    UV-C is used for disinfection with applications in water treatment, air systems, and surfaces. DNA and RNA (genetic code for all life forms) absorb UV-C radiation by changing its structure and inhibits the affected cells´ ability to reproduce, so they are no longer dangerous. Although the quantity of UVC lights to inactivate different microorganisms varies and some are immune to this treatment.

    UVC´s ability to inactivate bacteria and viruses is the same principle that makes it damaging to human cells that also contain DNA. And it is why exposure to UVC is regulated globally, with the common agreement that it is harmful and presents a risk for human health.

    Some of the recommended precautions when handling UCV radiation sources include: wearing appropriate PPE (long sleeve clothing, gloves, opaque face shield), and to avoid this type of radiation on the skin, eyes, or any body part.

    These are some of the reasons why UVC lighting is not recommended to the used on humans to disinfect or to treat the virus. It is useful however to disinfect surfaces but not to be used on people. It is very important to take into consideration the opinion of experts in the field before exposing yourself to UV lights, that might kill COVID-19 but are not safe on humans.

    The International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA) and RadTech North America are educational and advocacy organizations consisting of UV equipment vendors, scientists, engineers, consultants, and members of the medical profession, states: “We would like to inform the public that there are no protocols to advise or to permit the safe use of UV light directly on the human body at the wavelengths and exposures proven to efficiently kill viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. UV light under the conditions known to kill such viruses are also known to cause severe skin burns, skin cancer, and eye damage. We strongly recommend that anyone using UV light to disinfect medical equipment, surfaces, or air in the context of COVID-19, applications that are supported by sound scientific evidence, follow all recommended health and safety precautions and to avoid direct exposure of the body to the UV light.”


    fighting-covid-19-using-uv


    fighting-covid-19-using-uv


    fighting-covid-19-using-uv


    fighting-covid-19-using-uv

    We all talk about automation and making processes automatic to speed tasks up and to decrease production times. But what does automation really mean?

    Here is the literal definition from the Merriam-Webster dictionary:
    automation
    noun
    au·to·ma·tion | \ ˌȯ-tə-ˈmā-shən \

    Definition:
    1. the technique of making an apparatus, a process, or a system operate automatically
    2. the state of being operated automatically
    3. automatically controlled operation of an apparatus, process, or system by mechanical or electronic devices that take the place of human labor

    It is a very straight forward and easy to understand definition, but in the real world the definition of automation is a bit more complex:

    Automation is the creation and application of technology by which a process or procedure is performed with minimal human intervention, this implies monitoring and controlling the production and delivery of products and services. All these are achieved by using a combination of various means: mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, and electronic devices.

    Many industries apply automation in different ways, some in hardware others in software but all with the goal of improving production. One thing is for sure automation is evolving quickly and it is a new way to speed up processes, nonetheless there´s still a need for some form of manual intervention, even if the equipment can perform most of the tasks, an operator needs to at least supervise the operation to avoid mistakes.

    Automation in Digital Printing

    There are many ways that you can use automation in digital printing, the idea is to accelerate any process and to optimize times so operators can use their time more wisely and be less and less involved in the printing process.

    Here are some ways automation can be implemented in digital printing:

    • Automation software such as MIS, RIP, color management, Web to Print Software, Variable Data Composition, etc.
    • Mechanical Arms to move media and substrates before or after printing
    • Automated media handling, pallet-to-pallet: this allows you to place stacked media on a pallet into a feeder.
    The feeder loads it onto a table, then moves it over a transition table into the printer.
    The printed graphics move across the output side transition table and into a fully automated media stacker.
    • In-line printing: if your pre-treatment, printer and finishing equipment are in-line, it is another way of optimizing time by automating the printing process and involving the operator to the minimum.

    Benefits of Automation in Digital Printing:

    There are many benefits of using automation in digital printing but her are a few:

      o Employees have more time to take on other roles
      o Improved quality or increased predictability of quality
      o Improved consistency of prints
      o Improved quality, accuracy, and precision
      o Increased throughput or productivity
      o Reduction of production time
      o Labor savings
      o Performs tasks that are beyond human capabilities of size, weight, speed, etc.
      o Provides higher-level jobs in the development, categorization, maintenance and running of the automated processes
      o Reduced direct human labor costs and expenses
      o Reduces some occupational injuries
      o Replaces human operators in tasks that involve hard physical or monotonous work

    Many people believe that by using automation employees will be left out of a job and machines will take over, but I don´t think this is the objective of using automation, it is rather the optimization of time and the good use of it by current employees, who will now supervise tasks and use their time in other tasks.

    Automation is gaining popularity and increasing in every business as technology evolves and becomes more sophisticated, it will certainly transform both the economy and workplace.


    What-is-Automation-and-what-does-it-imply

    Here you can see an example of pallet-to-pallet automated media handling on an EFI printer.


    When an epidemic or a pandemic such as coronavirus (COVID-19) strikes, the main problem is the increase in fatalities as health systems are stretched to the limits. This happens because of the thousands of patients presenting all at once, hence these run out of resources and normal surviving conditions become life threatening.

    Since coronavirus attacks the respiratory system, the patient´s lungs, critical cases require oxygenation and intensive care, being connected to oxygen allows the patient to live long enough through the infection so they can defeat the virus.

    Meaning, the only way to save a critical patients is to have many working reanimation machines. It doesn’t sound so complicated, but these reanimation devices require different pieces so they can work, but if one piece is missing it becomes crucial.


    3D-Printed-Valves-save-COVID-19-Patients-Lives

    Cristian Fracassi (left), founder of Isinnova, with the 3D printed valve. Photo courtesy of 3D Printing Media Network.


    This was the case of a Northern Italian hospital in Brescia, one of the worst COVID-19 stricken Italian areas, ran out of replacement ICU valves for a reanimation device needed to save their patients. Many lives were at stake, when supply chains fell short and suppliers were unable to keep up and with the high demand.

    An Italian 3D printing company, Isinnova, stepped up during this crisis, they brought their own 3D printer directly to the hospital, redesigned the respiratory valve and printed it right on the spot. They later tested it and by the next day they reported the system worked!


    3D-Printed-Valves-save-COVID-19-Patients-Lives

    The original valve on the left, and the 3D printed and redesigned one on the right. Photo courtesy of 3D Printing Media Network.


    This was able to help many patients live and fight for their lives. Another Italian company, Lonati has joined the cause by helping produce more 3D printed valves for the same hospital.


    3D-Printed-Valves-save-COVID-19-Patients-Lives

    The Lonati SpA 3D printed valves. Photo courtesy of 3D Printing Media Network.


    “Additive manufacturing may be able to play a role in helping to support industrial supply chains that are affected by limitations on traditional production and imports. One thing is for sure though: 3D printing can have an immediate beneficial effect when the supply chain is completely broken,” a post on 3D Media Network said.

    Wednesday, 08 April 2020 21:31

    EFI VUTEk D3r and D5r LED

    EFi has a new line of medium-range roll-to-roll printers using UV-curable inks: VUTEk D3r and VUTEk D5r LED printers. These new line of VUTEk printers have many similar capabilities as the VUTEk 3r+ and 5r+ printers but for mid-volume printing runs.

    “The ‘D’ in the name for these new printers is for ‘Design,’ and they are absolutely designed to offer the right mix of features, productivity and cost to create new opportunities for signage and graphics professionals,” said Ken Hanulec, EFI’s vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “We listened very closely to our customers for feedback to create a mid-volume solution that will be the technology of choice for print providers seeking to profitably grow their businesses with high-end applications.”


    EFI-VUTEk-D3r-Roll-to-Roll-UV-curing-printer-IMG

    EFI VUTEk D3r roll-to-roll printer.


    Both the EFI VUTEk D3r and D5r printers use LED-curing, which translates into more benefits:

    • low energy wastage
    • lower operating costs
    • more sustainable and environmentally friendly
    • ability to print onto thin heat sensitive substrates
    • Increases uptime and productivity with instant on/off and less maintenance
    • low VOCs

    Two types of UV-curable inks are compatible with the VUTEk D series printers: the efi 3M SuperRange XF inks and the SuperFlex inks for car wrapping and fleet graphics. So you get a choice of ink depending on what you need to print.


    EFI-VUTEk-D3r-print-samples

    Flexible print using white ink on the EFI VUTEk D3r roll-to-roll printer.


    One of the features worth mentioning for the VUTEk D3r and D5r printers is the Museum print mode with ultra-high definition and photographic quality at a resolution of up to 1,200 dpi.

    Some of the suggested applications for the VUTEk D models are:

    • indoor closely-viewed graphics,
    • wall decorations and murals,
    • window graphics, flooring,
    • high-value prints with selective gloss effects,
    • fleet graphics,
    • car wraps,
    • truck-side curtains, etc.

    EFI-VUTEk-D3r-print-samples

    Control station screen on the EFI VUTEk D3r printer.


    Just like with many printers you can customize them to adjust to your specific needs, you can choose from:

    • Software productivity pack and are able to remotely connect with the printers using a mobile application
    • White and clear ink
    • Inline x-cutters and y-slitters
    • Automatic backlit and block-out printing
    • Media spreaders and motorized winders

    EFI-VUTEk-D3r-print-samples

    EFI VUTEk D3r printing samples.


    Specifications

      VUTEk D3r LED VUTEk D5r LED
    Width 138 in (350 cm) 205 in (520 cm)
    Media thickness 0.43 in (11 mm) thick
    Maximum roll weight 1,653 lbs (750 kg) Optional 10.5 ft (3.2 m) super duty winder enables working with large media rolls up to 1,749 lbs (793 kg)
    Multi-roll 2 rolls of 63 in/1.6 m 3 rolls of 63 in/1.6 m
    Curing device LED lamps
    Ink types LED-curable UV inks
    Ink colors CMYK, White and Clear
    RIP EFI Fiery proServer SE

    We had to opportunity to see the VUTEk D3r printer in action at EFI manufacturing plant in Israel; you can see the quality samples produced with this printer.


    EFI-VUTEk-D3r-print-samples

    EFI VUTEk roll-to-roll UV-curing-printers.


    Monday, 30 March 2020 18:15

    3D Printing for Circular Economy

    When you think about 3D printing it is mostly associated with manufacturing objects and prototypes made out of plastics and filaments. Although there are other more sustainable and more eco-friendly choices, these are not on people´s top of mind for 3D printing.

    3D printing is one of the fastest growing markets in the past few years, with a 25% increase each year. Since it is a new field of study for many people and many things are experimental, it gives a lot of room for innovation and creation.

    3D printing is an example of how circular economy concepts can be applied, as it becomes the first self-sustaining/zero waste technology. Just to be on the same page, circular economy is an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources. In this kind of economy, materials are maintained in a close loop, when the customer is done with a product, instead of discarding it, the product serves a new purpose. You don´t through it away, the product is recovered and its embedded materials become the base of the next round of products, a regeneration process.


    Circular economy diagram

    Circular economy diagram.


    According to the report What a Waste 2.0: “the world is on a trajectory where waste generation will drastically outpace population growth by more than double by 2050. Although we are seeing improvements and innovations in solid waste management globally, it is a complex issue and one that we need to take urgent action on. Solid waste management affects everyone; however, those most affected by the negative impacts of poorly managed waste are largely society’s most vulnerable—losing their lives and homes from landslides of waste dumps, working in unsafe waste-picking conditions, and suffering profound health repercussions.

    The world generates 2.01 billion tones of municipal solid waste annually, with at least 33 percent of that—extremely conservatively—not managed in an environmentally safe manner. Worldwide, waste generated per person per day averages 0.74 kilogram but ranges widely, from 0.11 to 4.54 kilograms. Though they only account for 16 percent of the world’s population, high-income countries generate about 34 percent, or 683 million tones, of the world’s waste“.


    european-landfill

    Solid waste. Photo courtesy of new-mine.eu.


    So with this in mind, it is refreshing to see many companies, designers, engineers, technicians and many more, striving for success to develop new sustainable and greener alternatives when using 3D printing.

    With this in mind, I would like to use “Feel the Peel” project as an example of the use of 3D printing as circular economy:

    “Feel the Peel”

    Eni (an energy company engaged in the exploration, production, refining and sale of oil, gas, electricity and chemicals) and Carlo Ratti Associati (an innovation and design firm that investigates the impact of digital technologies on architecture, planning and design) teamed up t create “Feel the Peel”. This is a 3.1-meter prototype of an experimental orange juice bar using circular economy.


    carlo-ratti-bioplastic-cups-orange-peels-circular-economy-designboom

    Feel the Peel orange juice bar. Photo courtesy of www.designboom.com.


    How does it work?

    The design of the bar has a circular dome at the top, filled with 1,500 oranges, when an order is placed the oranges slide down into the squeezer and here they are cut in half and juiced.


    carlo-ratti-bioplastic-cups-orange-peels-circular-economy-designboom

    Circular dome with 1,500 oranges. Photo courtesy of www.aasarchitecture.com.


    The leftover peels are deposited in a lower receptacle, where they dry and are later milled to make “orange dust”. These are mixed with polylactic acid (PLA) derived form plant sugars; it is heated and melted to form a filament, which is fed through a 3D printer attached to the machine.


    3D-circular-orange-bar

    At the bottom you can see the peels in the receptacle ready to be turned into filament. Photo courtesy of www.aasarchitecture.com.


    This is used to print bioplastic cups on the spot, so you can drink in them the freshly squeezed orange juice. These cups can be later recycled, with the material continually broken down and remade in the further cups.


    bioplastic-cups

    These are the newly 3D printed cups. Photo courtesy of www.aasarchitecture.com.


    "The principle of circularity is a must for today's objects," said founder Carlo Ratti. "Working with Eni, we tried to show circularity in a very tangible way, by developing a machine that helps us to understand how oranges can be used well beyond their juice. The next iterations of Feel the Peel might include new functions, such as printing fabric for clothing from orange peel.”

    “Feel the Peel” is an example of innovative technology put to good use, creating a more sustainable and green product, from something as simple as ordering a cup of orange juice.

    The most important thing we should all get out of this, is the fact that you can make a huge change in the environmental impact by making simple changes and thinking outside the box.


    feel-the-peel

    Here you can see the Fell the Peel, orange juice bar running. Photo courtesy of www.aasarchitecture.com.




    Monday, 04 November 2019 14:57

    Canon UVgel gets certification

    The UL Environment (worldwide leading of safety and certification company) certified Canon’s UVgel 460 ink with the highest level on GRENNGUARD Gold. This certification is granted to products that meet the strictest chemical emission standards when used indoors.                                                                                  

    Canon is honored to be awarded the GREENGUARD Gold Certification by the UL Environment for Canon’s UVgel 460 ink technology,” said Shinichi Yoshida, executive vice president and general manager, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “This recognition has confirmed that our goal to develop an environmentally conscience solution without compromising the speed, productivity or superb image quality of the Océ Colorado 1650 has been validated.”

    Wednesday, 26 February 2020 14:31

    SAi new AR app

    VirtualSign is the new augmented reality app from SAi; it creates a virtual representation of how signs will look like in the real world.

    This app is available at no cost for all the SAi subscribers, it is intended to accelerate sales by securing projects faster and increase production throughput bye enhancing customer interaction.

    Wednesday, 26 February 2020 13:49

    Roland brand-new LV engravers

    Mid-September, Roland announced the launch of its LV laser engraver series, including the LV-290 and the LV-180 models.

    Roland’s new LV-series use a non-contact CO2 laser to engrave shape and text at high speeds while producing crisp edges. Since there is no blade and no contact with the surface, the laser maintains accurate finish with no degradation in quality. You can use these engravers to cut plastic, wood, leather, paper, cork, and other materials.

    "In Japan, acrylic character stands and accessories made by cutting out resin sheets printed with illustrations into unique shapes are highly popular, and our UV flatbed printers are widely used in creating those applications. By introducing this solution to our customers around the world, we hope our customers will create new value and excitement through unleashing their creative possibilities and transforming their imaginations into reality” said Kohei Tanabe, President of Roland DG's Digital Printing Business Division.

    Tuesday, 25 February 2020 21:45

    Pantone adds 294 Colors

    Last September, Pantone added 294 colors to the Pantone Matching System (PMS); this is the first addition of colors since 2016. With this addition, the color library will ascend to 2,100 colors; this includes improved cross-referencing to Pantone’s Fashion, Home and Interiors system (FHI).

    The new colors are available through a new Pantone extension on Adobe Creative Cloud, which allows users to search both PMS and FHI color systems to convert CMYK, RGB and Hex values to Pantone colors.

    We are always attuned to the changing market and the needs of our creative customers. As a result, we are excited to create an even more efficient workflow as we roll out new colors for the graphic arts and improved cross-referencing between Pantone’s PMS and FHI color systems.” said Adrián Fernández, Vice President and General Manager of Pantone.

    Tuesday, 25 February 2020 21:08

    Oki Printer for Garments and Hard Surfaces

    Last month, Oki launched the Pro9541WT digital printer for transfer paper; it can be used for both textiles and hard surface materials.

    This printer uses CMYK color plus white LED ink toner that is compatible and approved for use with Neenah EXOstencil screen prep paper.

    You can use this printer to produce articles on cotton, polyester nylon, canvas, leather and felt; plus ceramics, acrylic, glass, metal, enamel and wood.

    Reliable and affordable, in a competitive market for customized garment and merchandise printing, the Pro9541WT offers unbeatable flexibility for professional print businesses of all sizes,” says Shu Watanabe, Vice President Industry Print, OKI Europe Ltd. 

    Monday, 14 October 2019 08:29

    Fujifilm launches products at Label Expo

    At the most recent Labelexpo Europe in September, Fujifilm showcased five new products for the labeling industry.

    The showcased products were: Flenex water-washable plate, processor and water treatment system, LED UV-curing system and inks and a new imprinting system.

    Canon’s imagePROGRAF printers are very popular around the world for many different applications, especially for fine art and photography. At the beginning of October, Canon announced that they have launched five new different models of the imagePROGRAF series.

    Some of the features that will be beneficial to users are related to media handling: automatic media handling where you just put the roll on the feeder, the printer detects the size and type of paper and it loads automatically. You can also load a second roll of media in the secondary roll unit and send a new job while the first is still printing. This feature saves time, but also helps to avoid fingerprints to ruin the print, since you barely have to touch the roll of media.

    The printer sensors can also detect how much paper is left and if it is enough to print your job, since they measure the media that has been fed.

    Additional new features include borderless printing on three sides, automated nesting for optimal media use.

    Tuesday, 03 December 2019 22:06

    Caldera new RIP Version

    The latest Caldera RIP, version 13, has been modified according to user needs and has many improvements such as: a choice of V2 and V3 engines for InkPerformer, it supports macOS Catalina 10.15, updated Pantone Libraries, 2xCMYK print mode. Plus it can be downloaded directly from CalderaDock.

    Some of the new features from Caldera V13 are: Print&Cut Mirror (to automate and save time in mirror workflows such as backlit and dye sublimation transfer), CalderaJobs (for managing large volume of jobs and multiple printers), Tile Order (allows to choose the printing order of tiles for time savings), Custom Annotations (allows to choose which annotations will be printed) and Alpha-to-spot (automatically converts files with transparent backgrounds into white channels in automated workflows).

     

    This new version of Caldera’s flagship RIP software has been developed to explicitly meet the needs of our existing users and to provide them with enhanced benefits across the full range of workflow and RIP functions. Printing with Caldera V13 is more efficient and cost effective than ever before, with a simplified user experience for valuable time savings”, commented Sébastien Hanssens, Vice President Marketing, Operations and IT.

    We are looking forward to see Caldera next October at Printing United in Dallas!

     

    Tuesday, 03 December 2019 18:17

    ONYX for HP Stitch Printers

    ONYX RIP has announced that it is certified for the HP Stitch textile printer line, the first one for HP. This means it is comprehensively integrated, compatible, and its performance criteria are aligned to HP’s performance standards.

    For the HP Stitch textile printers ONYX has designed the driver to include functionality for both direct-to-fabric and transfer paper printing. This driver also supplies custom ICC build options, ONYX quickset options for ease of use of textile and dye sublimation workflows.

    ONYX software certification by HP and its integration with HP’s first-ever textile printer defines quality and color for textile and soft-signage print applications,” said Bryan Manwaring, Director of Product Marketing at Onyx Graphics, Inc. “HP Stitch S Series customers utilizing ONYX software profiling and color tools can feel confident in delivering fast, consistent quality output that can be automated at the click of a button.”

     

    Tuesday, 03 December 2019 18:14

    Epson F6370 Dye-sub Printer

    The new Epson SureColor F6370 will replace the F6200 dye sublimation printer; it comes with Epson Edge Print workflow software with Abode Postscript 3.

    This printer has a printing width of 1.70-meters (67 inches) and supports media rolls of 2 and 3 inch core diameters. Continuing with Epson’s latest printhead choice, it uses Epson PrecisionCore TFP printheads for UltraChrome DS ink.

    SureColor F6370 has a built-in cutter for roll-to-sheet and a take-up reel for unattended printing, it also has an Edge Dashboard, remote printing management software to control the status of ten printers simultaneously, monitor ink supply levels, warning and errors.

    The award-winning SureColor F-Series product line is the number one selling large format dye-sublimation printer and we are thrilled to continue expanding the series and providing new features customers have requested,” said Tim Check, senior product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America, Inc. “The SureColor F6370 includes features that improve efficiency and productivity, including the new Epson Edge software designed to streamline workflow applications and provide customers with the information they need to produce high-quality output that meets the needs and turnaround times for customers.”

     

    Monday, 02 December 2019 22:00

    FiberForce Pantone Matching System

    FiberForce in collaboration with Pantone have developed a line of Matching System based filaments for 3D printing, this offers the opportunity to print prototypes and products according to Pantone standards. Customized color service is also available, so consumers with high standards for quality will be satisfied and this will also allow fulfilling the growing industry needs.

    We are excited to release the first 3D filament simulating approved PMS color identities and to bring globally recognized Pantone Colors into the 3D printing world”, said Francesco Berton, CEO of FiberForce Italy.

    Leveraging approved Pantone Colors within the 3D printing process enables users to maximize the power of color and visualize samples that truly realize their design intent through easy-to-print filaments” said Adrián Fernández, Vice President and General Manager of Pantone.

     

    Pantone FiberForce

    Tuesday, 19 November 2019 16:53

    Store Enso invests in Carbon Materials

    Stora Enso will build a pilot facility at the end of 2019 to produce bio-based carbon materials based on lignin; it will be finished by early 2021. This wood-based carbon can be utilized as a crucial component in batteries for consumer electronics, automotive industry and for energy storage. This plant will be located in Stora Enso’s facilities in Sunila Mill in Finland.

    Manufacturing carbon materials so they can replace fossil-based and mined raw materials for energy storage is part of Stora Enso’s efforts to connect sustainable materials with ongoing technology innovations.

    The importance of converting lignin into hard carbon intermediate for electrode materials that can be used for lithium-ion batteries used daily in things such as mobile phones, portable devices, power tools, electric vehicles, industrial applications and stationary energy storage, grid units, etc.

    Stora Enso tree for lignin

     

    Monday, 18 November 2019 20:19

    Kornit Konnect

    Last June, Kornit Announced its new cloud-based software analytics connectivity platform designed to maximize productivity while printing: KONNECT.

    This is the first part of of Kornit’s implementation of their digital textile design and printing solution, all these fueled by data-driven trends and performance metrics. Konnect is designed so businesses can learn more, react faster and perform better for better production management and eliminate blind spots.

    While businesses need to deliver high-quality faster than ever to maintain customer loyalty, they are also challenged to maximize their efficiency and productivity,” said Omer Kulka, VP of Marketing at Kornit Digital. “Konnect empowers these businesses to make better-informed production decisions and act on them, with greater visibility and control over their operations. We have a revolutionary vision for this cloud-based platform and have plans to frequently add new modules and features that customers can leverage for long-term business success.”

     

    Kornit Konnect

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