As it celebrates 40 years in business Mimaki is doubling production with a new 84,000sqm factory in Japan.
“We will be able to produce your products even if you order twice as much as you do now. We commit to invest over 7% of our annual turnover,” he said at the Mimaki birthday party earlier this week.
Mimaki Japan chairman Akira Ikeda said Mimaki already had a UV desktop printer, the UJF-3042, that could print in 3D using additive technology and the company plans to test the market over
A new colour measurement device could dramatically reduce the time taken to check output and create profiles. The Rapid Spectro Cube is a joint development between German RIP and colour management specialist ColorGate and Spanish colour consultancy ColorInLab. It was shown as a prototype at Fespa show in Cologne.
Instead of measuring colour patches on a square-by-square basis, it captures an entire colour chart “in seconds”.
“The big difference is it can measure batches. It takes the same
Wide-format machinery manufacturer Mutoh will unveil three new printers at next month’s Fespa 2015 exhibition.
The ValueJet 405GT, a desktop direct-to-garment printer, the ValueJet 1628X, a 1.6m-wide eight-channel Eco Ultra printer with white and metallic inks, and the ValueJet 1938WX, a 1.9m-wide dye-sublimation printer debuted at the event.
The ValueJet 405GT is the manufacturer’s first desktop direct-to-garment printer. The five-colour (CMYK and white) engine has been specifically
Finishing equipment manufacturer Morgana has introduced the BM500, a new addition to its booklet making range, which is capable of producing booklets of up to 200 pages.
The device is an off-line adaptation of an in-line machine sold via Xerox and Ricoh to produce booklets with the mid-production digital print engines supplied by those companies.
The BM500 can be supplied as a standalone hand-fed unit, or linked with either the recently launched AF602 or other Morgana feeders. Also
Wide-format equipment manufacturer Gandy Digital launched its Pred8tor+ high-adhesion UV ink and a new UV flatbed printer at Fespa 2015 exhibition in Cologne.
The manufacturer said the ink will enable increased productivity and the production of a wide range of durable and profitable indoor and outdoor large-format applications.
The ink, which is suitable for flat and rollable signage and graphics printed onto acrylic and corrugated plastic, is said to minimise print cracking caused by
EFI has unveiled the latest version of its Digital Storefront web-to-print software, which includes a new Enterprise Model to enable printers to better support clients such as franchise owners.
The Enterprise Model allows printers to subdivide a client’s single Digital Storefront licence into different interfaces to serve multiple franchises or subsidiaries within the client’s organisation.
Other new features in version 8 of EFI’s web-to-print software include a marketplace where printers
Soyang Europe has announced two new wide-format substrates, including its first rigid board as well as a latex, solvent and UV printable magnetic wallcovering system.
The company, which recently launched its own range of textiles for wide- and grand-format printing, will launch rigid print and design board Sealwise and printable magnetic wallcovering So-Netic soon.
Sealwise is manufactured in Germany from 100% recyclable uPVC. It is available in 2,440x1,220mm and 3,050x1,500mm sheet sizes
Canon has launched two new high-performance wide-format printers recently.
The two new devices, the Océ ColorWave 500 and the Océ ColorWave 700, offer instant-dry and water-resistant prints on roll-based media. They will be available in both printer-only and multi-function versions.
Canon is pitching the ColorWave 500 at companies producing computer-aided design (CAD); architecture, engineering and construction (AEC); and geographical information system (GIS) applications. The system comes
HP has announced new High Definition Nozzle Architecture (HDNA) technology for its Inkjet Web Presses.
The HDNA printhead doubles the native print resolution of current HP inkjet printheads to 1,200dpi, delivered by 2,400 nozzles per inch, up from the 1200 nozzles per inch on HP’s current technology.
HP said the new heads would increase speeds in Performance Mode up to 244m/min or up to 122m/min in the new Quality Mode, with a native resolution of 1,200dpi.
It also claimed that the new
Nilpeter Middle East plans to talk about latest UV-Flexo presses FB-3 and FA4* at their Gulf Print & Pack stall. Nilpeter ME is the supplier of equipment and solutions to the global label and flexible.
Talking about the products, Shyam Babu, director of Nilepeter ME, said, “During the event we planned to enlighten the FB-3 and FA4* UV flexo presses from Nilpeter. The FB-3 offers the highest level of servo automation in its class. It has a dual-axis servo transport system to deliver high
Ibis Integrated Bindery Systems has launched a “stretched” version of its Smart-binder in-line digital saddle stitcher designed for high-speed production of low pagination A5 booklets and for tabloid-sized products.
Whereas previous Smart-binders were capable of 2up A5 landscape production, they were limited to 1up A5 portrait, which created a bottleneck when trying to run in-line with modern high-speed digital presses.
Ibis has increased the maximum spine length with the SB-X from 320mm to
Agfa Graphics has launched its first wide-format cutting table, the Acorta, following an OEM deal with Italian manufacturer Elitron.
The Acorta adds finishing to Agfa’s existing wide-format product range of Anapurna and Jeti printers, Asanti workflow suite and A-Sign flexible media for solvent and UV-cured inks.
Dominiek Arnout, vice-president of Agfa Graphics’ Inkjet business, said: “We are developing an all-integrated approach in which our customers can add an extra in-house
Riso has released the company’s latest advance in digital duplicating – the ME9450 Digital Duplicator. This newest model is a fully automatic cut-sheet digital duplicator, producing two-colour documents in a single pass at speeds up to 150 pages per minute. This, said Riso, makes it ideal for high-volume one-colour and two-colour printing.
The ME9450 features advanced workflow capabilities to reduce prepress and make-ready times by up to 50% over many traditional two-colour processes
Kodak chief Jeff Clarke is implementing a new business structure. Kodak currently has two overarching business units: Digital Printing and Enterprise headed by Doug Edwards; and Entertainment and Commercial Films, lead by Brad Kruchten.
Clarke’s new structure, which is effective from the new year, replaces these units with five “market-focused” divisions. The new divisions are: Print Systems (incorporating litho plates and platesetters, electrophotographic digital printing, OEM toner and
Lexmark Middle East and Africa, highlighted the need for Middle Eastern organizations to optimize the potential in the vast amount of unstructured information that exists in the form of paper at a press release in Dubai.
Talking about the release Mathias Militzer, general manager said, “the importance of Managed Print Services (MPS) an offering that continues to evolve in the marketplace and Lexmark remains a leader at the forefront of this change. For many years our approach has been ‘Print
Kodak has reached an agreement in principle to install the Prosper 6000C press at Dubai Media Inc (DMI) premises, the first such installation in Europe, Africa and Middle East region.
DMI, the largest media group in the Middle East, plans to use the Prosper for its ‘smart printing services initiative’ in the UAE, which will see the introduction
of reader-customized newspapers and other advanced printing services.
Faisal Bin Haider, executive director of printing and distribution sector
Eight years after Screen its first high-speed web-fed inkjet press, the Kyoto-based company announced the next generation of inkjet printing with the launch of the Truepress Jet520HD.
The new Truepress Jet520HD is 520mm wide, and can achieve its highest quality output at 50 m/min with a resolution of 1200x1200dpi while the fastest speed is 120 m/min at a resolution of 600x600dpi. While the initial machines will be launched as four-colour units, the Truepress Jet520HD has a modular structure
Gallus has described its new Digital Converting System for label production as having “game changing” capabilities compared with rival inkjet label presses.
The DCS 340 hybrid conventional/inkjet press was shown running live for the first time at the Gallus Innovation Days customer event at its Swiss HQ this week. The event was set to be attended by more than 600 customers from around the world.
It marries technology from Gallus, Fujifilm and Gallus owner Heidelberg and has involved a rapid
Fujifilm announced the commercial launch of the Vybrant F1600 following its preview at FESPA Digital earlier this year. The Vybrant F1600 is a new 1.6m roll-to-roll large format printer targeted at the sign industry, featuring Fujifilm’s patented FUZE hybrid UV Ink technology. The Vybrant F1600 is a four colour machine with a productivity of up to 18 m2/hour, suitable for printing vinyl or any other flexible material to create indoor or outdoor applications where durability and fast
Xeikon has launched a new high-speed digital label press, the Xeikon Cheetah, which is over 56% faster than its current equivalent, the Xeikon 3300.
The Xeikon Cheetah, which will be commercially available in 2015, has a maximum web speed of 30m/min (depending on media thickness) at 1,200pi, giving it a maximum printed output of 594sqm/hr.
Patrick Van Baelen, vice-president of worldwide marketing at Xeikon, said that the “increase in speed represents a huge leap forward in digital press
Domino has launched a new continuous ink jet (CIJ) printer – the A520i which it claims can withstand the harsh production environment of the beverage and dairy sectors whilst delivering ‘flexible, consistent and quality coding at high output speeds’.
The A520i is the first CIJ printer to incorporate the plenum airflow cooling system, which ensures the printer stays cool whatever the production environment. Each printer comes ‘wrapped’ in an IP55 marine grade robust stainless steel cabinet
Distributor of popular brands like Sharp, Intec, Muratec, and Brother, the Altech Group of companies, Altech International FZE had organized a training sessions for the Intec digital machines like CS4000, CS5000 among others.
Explaining the Intec digital machines using Fiery XF, Philip Johny, general manager of Altech International said, “This Fiery allows us to create innumerable profiles which allows us to deploy them in accordance to the user prerequisite. Also, this machine highly
MTEX Digital Textile Solutions announced the global launch of its new digital textile products including a range of pre- and post- fabric treatment machines that will enable the user to print onto textiles in whatever market they choose, be it signage, interiors or fashion.
Eloi Ferreira, CEO of MTEX said: “With MTEX’s new coating and washer dryer machines, customers can now invest in a complete direct-to-textile digital printing solution, with preparation, print, fixation and drying in one
HP has announced a page-wide inkjet technology for wide-format printing, which challenges the Memjet-based machines from Canon, RTI and Xerox.
The first products to be based on the new printhead modules will be aimed at the reprographics market, currently dominated by Canon and Xerox, and will be launched in the second half of 2015.
“HP’s intent is to disrupt the reprographics market, which is currently mainly using LED technology with a little bit of Memjet,” said HP Graphic Solutions Business
Gandy Digital has launched its new Sl8te Hybrid and True Flatbed UV inkjet printers at Fespa Digital.
The Canadian manufacturer is promising a “low cost and low risk” route for firms making the move into direct-to-board printing, at a more affordable price point than with its existing high-end range.
A 2.2m-wide Sl8te Hybrid model is being demonstrated on the Gandy booth. It is available in four widths: 1.6m, 2.2m, 2.6m and 3.2m and can operate in flatbed or roll-to-roll mode. Pricing starts at
Fujifilm is targeting volume sign and display printers with the launch of the high-volume flatbed UV Acuity F wide-format printer series, its OEM version of Canon’s latest Océ Arizona.
Other than using Fujifilm’s Uvijet inks, the product is available in the same specifications as the Fespa-launched Arizona 6100 series, coming in two versions: the six-colour F66 (CMYK+LC+LM) and the seven-colour F67, which adds a white channel.
The Acuity F sits above Fujifilm’s Acuity Advance and Acuity LED
HP has announced the launch of its third generation of latex printers, the Latex 300 series, alongside two new additions to its Designjet Z-series portfolio.
The Latex 300 series comprises three new printers, the 1.4m Latex 310 and the 1.6m Latex 330 and Latex 360, that will target low-volume users with an average monthly print volume of 500sqm in a bid to convert more of the eco-solvent market to latex.
They join the top-of-the-range 3.2m Latex 3000, the mid-volume 3.2m Latex 820 and Latex 850
Xerox has announced the launch of a new mid-range production printer, the Versant 2100 Press, which will sit between the entry-level J75 and the Color 800/1000 and iGen presses at the other end of the scale. The Versant 2100 replaces the last DocuColor press still in new production, the DocuColor 8080, which will now be discontinued, thereby retiring the highly successful DocuColor platform.
Xerox Graphic Communications Business Group worldwide product marketing manager for High Entry
A hybrid label press will be the first fruit of Heidelberg’s partnership with Fujifilm, and more inkjet products are on the way including “industrialised” sheetfed presses that appear likely to take on Benny Landa’s Nanography head-on. And in a move into a completely new area for Heidelberg, a “4D” system for printing onto three-dimensional objects will be delivered to key customer Flyeralarm in Germany later this year.
The manufacturer provided what it described as a “sneak peek” into its
The Tx500-1800DS direct sublimation printer for the textile and soft signage industries will be one of two key devices showcased by Mimaki at Fespa Digital 2014, from 20-23 May at Munich Messe.
The Tx500-1800DS direct sublimation printer offers 1,200dpi resolution and speeds up to 150m2/h on pre-treated polyester fabrics with six on-demand piezo printheads (three staggered) and, according to Mimaki, achieves 150% faster print speed than its conventional models. The device can be specified with