29 Mar 2024

Dublin-based Horizon takes delivery of another :M-Press Leopard

Less than six months after the installation of the first :M-Press Leopard flatbed press in Ireland, Dublin-based print & design company Horizon has opted for a second machine to meet the demand generated by the first machine.

"Our positive experience with the first installation of the :M-Press Leopard has given us the confidence to make this further significant investment," said Ken Kavanagh, Joint Managing Director.

The :M-Press Leopard enables the company to print on substrates up to 1.6m x 2.6m, up to 50mm thick and at resolutions up to 720dpi.  It incorporates the same inkjet shuttle technology as Agfa Graphics’ :M-Press Tiger, meaning it can match it for print quality, and has been designed for jobs that require more manual handling.

Kavanagh adds, "Our customers don't just ask for print any longer, they now request the :M-Press Leopard when ordering their printed material."

“When we installed the first :M-Press Leopard we expected it would not only benefit the company but our clients too. We have been proved correct and this has been key to us investing in a second machine so soon,” adds Derek Gillen, Joint Managing Director at Horizon.

For more information, please visit www.agfa.com

[photo shows Agfa :M-Press Leopard flatbed press installed at Horizon's premises]

ArtSystems and Summa to showcase range of cutters at Sign & Digital 2012

ArtSystems and Summa will be showcasing the productivity and staying power of the Summa range on stand L30 at Sign & Digital UK 2012.  A comprehensive selection of Summa products will be on show - from the groundbreaking Summa F Series and the unique DC4SX to the entry level Summa D60.

Visitors will get the chance to see the breadth of solutions available with on-going demonstrations and applications experts on hand to answer users' questions.

Andrew Edwards, Sign & Display Divisional Manager at ArtSystems, comments, "We are continuing the theme of the Marathon that launched our 24-hour trial of the recent F Series. Though we put the F Series to the test on that occasion, the truth is that all Summa products are designed and built for intensive production level output. Sign & Digital UK gives us another opportunity to show the wide range of print finishing applications that the Summa range is more than capable of tackling."

For more information on the Summa range of cutters, please visit www.artsystems.co.uk.

[photo shows Summa F Series cutter]

Océ to demo new Arizona 318 GL UV flatbed printer at Sign & Digital

Océ’s will demo its recently announced Arizona 318 GL UV flatbed printer for the first time in the UK at Sign & Digital 2012 in Hall 3 on stand E10.   This highly-capable introductory UV flatbed model offers smaller print producers entry to the world of high-quality UV flatbed printing. 

In 2010, Océ Arizona Series platform printers captured 43 percent of new installations in the mid-range UV flatbed market. Since the first shipment of an Océ Arizona Series printer in 2007, nearly 3,000 systems built on this platform have been shipped to date.

The Océ Arizona 360 GT will star at Sign & Digital UK, as will the Océ ColorWave 600 poster printer, incorporating Océ CrystalPoint technology that uses toner pearls. Océ Imaging Supplies will also have a significant presence.

Once again at the show, Océ will be partnering Zünd Plotting Systems (UK) Ltd, the UK distributor for Zünd Systems Technik AG, the Swiss manufacturer of digital flatbed cutters. The two companies will be displaying the Zünd G3 L2500 digital cutting system. 

Océ and its partners will use the event to demonstrate the latest labour-saving innovations, designed to reduce waste and increase productivity. There will also be online access to the popular Océ Media Guide, which provides detailed advice and guidance that helps printing professionals select the best media for their printers and applications.

Derek Joys, Océ UK’s Display Graphics Systems’ Programme Manager, comments, “Once again our stand will be a must-see part of the show experience for all our customers and prospects, as well as other visitors. Sign & Digital UK is an important platform for us to demonstrate with world-leading technologies our commitment to this all-important market sector.”

For more information on Océ, please visit www.oce.com

[photo shows Océ Arizona 318 GL UV flatbed printer]

MicroGraphics Colour Imaging to install VHF ActivePro digital cutting table

MicroGraphics Colour Imaging has announced that it will soon be taking delivery of a 3m x 2m VHF ActivePro digital cutting table with installation scheduled for March.  This will be the first VHF ActivePro cutting table installed in the UK to feature VHF's new-generation Multi Cutting Head.

The VHF ActivePro has an impressive range of capabilities including a very high powered router, oscillating tangental cutter, creasing unit and bevel cutting.  Working alongside MicroGraphics’ existing machines, an Arizona 350GT flat bed printer, Mimaki JV33 and Canon roll-feed printers, the ActivePro will enable MicroGraphics to radically diversify the range of services offered to clients.

MicroGraphics Director Mike Ormond says,  “MicroGraphics has an extremely varied client base and produce a diverse range of large format output. It has always been our policy to invest in machines that offer great flexibility and allow us to adapt to client requests. The VHF ActivePro fits this criteria perfectly, it has the capability to handle a variety of materials including card, ACM, acrylic, aluminium and even wood. This flexibility, combined with a 160mm tool height and engraving functions, makes the machine a perfect fit for our needs."

For more information, please visit www.micrographics.co.uk

Mimaki launches new JV400-130LX and JV400-160LX latex ink printers

Mimaki JV400-130LX JV400-160LX JV400-130SUV JV400-160SUV

Mimaki has launched a complete new range of wide format printers, inks and environmentally friendly solutions for the sign, display and graphics markets. The new Mimaki JV400-130LX and JV400-160LX featuring state of the art Mimaki latex inks and are the first machines to incorporate Mimaki’s cutting edge print engine. This heralds the way for other ink types which will deliver a significant number of applications based upon the same platform and include Mimaki’s pioneering SUV ink; available shortly after the new latex machines.

New Mimaki latex ink

Mimaki’s latex ink delivers significant advantages over alternative solutions – requiring a very low heat to cure, opening up more materials, consuming substantially less energy and therefore minimising running costs. It is also the first latex solution to offer a white ink – which sits along side six process colours with a vibrant yield and extended gamut. The Mimaki latex inks are quick drying and supplied in 600cc ink packs which when used in conjunction with Mimaki’s eco-cases reduce waste and allow for long unattended print runs.

The 1.3m and 1.6m wide Mimaki JV400-LX printers feature a unique piezo print head, offering the usual advantages over alternative technologies – no requirement for frequent user head replacement, a stunning 4 picolitre dot size along with variable dot technology. The use of piezo heads further supports Mimaki’s environmental and sustainability credentials, with waste minimised and quality maintained throughout the printhead’s life. The Mimaki latex ink is an aqueous, resin based technology with proven eco friendly qualities and zero odour, making the machines ideal for installation in shops, education establishments and office spaces – as well as traditional print companies and graphics setups.

Pre, print and post heaters typically running below 60°C in combination with built in drying fans aid the fast curing of the Mimaki latex ink. With no gassing off required; any post print lamination can take place immediately, shortening ‘total job time’ and enabling print suppliers to respond to short lead times. Coupled to Mimaki’s class leading print speeds – up to 18m2 / hour at 900 x 900dpi – the JV400-LX range delivers a compelling solution across a broad range of applications.

Dedication to innovative products

President of Mimaki Engineering, Miko Noguchi comments on the company’s commitment to new products. “Mimaki is dedicated to bringing to market truly innovative and productive products,” he says, “These new printers are a terrific example of that dedication. The JV400 product line achieves faster print speed and higher print quality without compromise.”

New super durable UV ink

Available soon after the Mimaki latex range and utilising the same impressive print engine is Mimaki’s unique SUV ink set. Combining the flexibility of solvent with the durability of UV cured inks, the newly developed ink delivers a smooth, glossy result which is incredibly durable and vibrant. Featuring on the new Mimaki JV400-130SUV and 160SUV models, the same headline speeds of 18m2 / hour and high print quality as the latex models remain. The exceptionally high durability comes from the unique ink recipe – with components of the ink keying to the ink-receiving layer of the media. The surface of the ink is then cured using a UV process which results in a vibrant, durable and flexible finish making it ideal for banner production, pull ups and display materials – or any application where a combination of vibrant colour and a long lasting, scratch resistant print is important.
New Mimaki RasterLink 6 RIP software

Both new models in the JV400 family take advantage of Mimaki’s powerful and user-friendly RasterLink6 RIP that allows the deposition of three layers of ink in one pass, including a base layer of white ink for printers that support white ink. The new software also offers an improved user interface, new Pantone colour matching and Adobe Illustrator / Photoshop integration.

Expanding range of solutions

Hybrid Services Ltd has been Mimaki’s exclusive distributor for the UK and Ireland since 1996 and national sales manager, John de la Roche, commenting on the new products remarks, “The Mimaki latex and SUV inks that feature on the new JV400 line-up are incredible launches for the company. The level and quality of R&D that’s coming to market from Mimaki delivers an ever-expanding range of solutions for our customers and with the new models, we’re even more confident of providing exactly what they need.”

The UK & Irish launch of the Mimaki JV400-LX latex printer will take place on Hybrid’s stand at Sign & Digital UK 2012 next month where it is sure to be one of the most talked about new machines at the show.

Epson SureColor SC-S30600 to be demonstrated for first time in UK at Sign & Digital

Epson will demonstrate the SureColor SC-S30600 for the first time in the UK at Sign & Digital UK 2012 (Stand E70, NEC, Birmingham 27th-29th March 2012).  The new printer will be shown alongside Epson’s current range of roll-fed large-format inkjet printers including the 64-inch, 8-colour Stylus Pro GS6000, the Stylus Pro 11880 and the 44-inch Stylus Pro 9700.

The new 64-inch SureColor SC-S30600 is a four-colour printer which has been designed from the ground up to offer efficient and environmentally-friendly signage print production. This new large -format printer handles high-volume workloads with ease, with print speeds from 7.3 to 29.4m2/hour depending on printing mode, whilst offering a very low total cost of ownership.

The popular Stylus Pro GS6000 has a maximum print resolution of 1440dpi and is capable of printing 25.2m²/h (720x360dpi). Driven by Epson’s passion for extreme colour gamut and photographic print quality, the printer  uses the high-performance UltraChrome™ GS ink technology, an 8-colour ink set (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, Light Cyan, Light Magenta + Orange and Green) which requires no additional ventilation during production.

Epson’s 44in Stylus Pro 9700 is optimised to work with a five colour UltraChrome Vivid Magenta aqueous ink set, incorporating cyan, vivid magenta, yellow, photo-black and matte-black. Vivid Magenta technology gives a wider colour gamut for enhanced colour accuracy. Particularly noticeable on blues, magentas, reds and oranges, prints have a more natural and life-like appearance. For convenience, added productivity and reduced costs, the printer automatically selects the optimum black ink – photo or matte – to match the media.

The 64in Stylus Pro 11880 has a maximum print speed of 35.4m²/h, yet the aqueous UltraChrome™ K3 VM inkset – incorporating Vivid Magenta – means it doesn’t compromise on quality and is economical to own. The Stylus Pro 11880’s speed and quality is down to Epson’s inkjet technology that pushes the limits of photo-quality imaging across a huge range of media including ultra smooth fine art paper, matte finish, gloss finish or rigid poster board for high quality cut sheet output.

Martin Johns, market development manager, Pro Graphics, Epson UK says, “The line-up of Epson wide format inkjet printers at Sign & Digital 2012 gives POS and signage companies the ability to select the best solution for their business. The combination of Epson engineering, advanced Micro Piezo printhead technology, wide choice of media, UltraChrome inks, ease of operation, and all round low cost of ownership deliver a powerful production tool that is opening up new value-added business opportunities for companies.”

For more infomation on Epson, please visit www.epson.com