Epson has purchased shares in venture company Cross Compass Ltd. and has begun a partnership focusing on artificial intelligence (AI).

Cross Compass, established in 2015, sees artificial intelligence as a next-generation core technology. It uses deep learning techniques to analyse data, provide AI consulting services, and develops and provides algorithms and neural networks. Cross Compass has earned a particularly strong reputation among its customers in the manufacturing industry.

Cross Compass also provides Manufacturing-IX (M-IX), an integrated development environment (IDE) for the manufacturing industry that enables easy implementation of AI without requiring AI expertise.

Epson, as stated in its Epson 25 Corporate Vision, seeks to transform the future of manufacturing by strengthening its business infrastructure as a manufacturing company, driving advances and efficiency improvements in manufacturing and production control, and innovating manufacturing processes. The development, application, and implementation of AI are seen as critical for achieving this vision.
By forging capital and business ties with Cross Compass, Epson seeks to combine the unique technologies of both companies to achieve business synergies that will drive manufacturing process innovations and advances in product intelligence.
 
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Konica Minolta has launched AccurioLabel 230, the latest version in its digital toner press portfolio.

AccurioLabel 230 builds on the AccurioLabel 190 press and is claimed to bring numerous benefits for customers including productivity, flexibility and stability. It has been built on the established Konica Minolta AccurioPress engine. It is targeted at small- and mid-range segments and is suitable for label printers, print providers, brand owners, packaging companies and commercial printers.

Enhancements available with the 4-color Konica Minolta AccurioLabel 230 include:

- Increased speed, at 23.4m/min and representing up to a 147 percent increase, with most coated/uncoated papers, PP and PET media now able to be printed at full speed;

- Productivity, with continuous highest quality 1200 x 1200 dpi print runs of up to 1000 meters able to be achieved without the need for recalibration; the time taken between jobs has also been eliminated, increasing productivity further;

- Overprinting, allowing printing of pre-printed media, for example overprinting of flexo white pre-printed on clear PP labels; and

- More accurate print registration, with a built-in speed detector for media feeding also cutting paper wastage.

Jon Pritchard, Industrial Print business unit leader at Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK), explained: ‘With over 350 installations of the predecessor to the AccurioLabel 230, the core technology is proven worldwide. The AccurioLabel 230 is a robust and simple to operate/maintain concept that makes for the perfect entry-level digital label press, with productivity and print quality performance to match and exceed presses over three times the cost.

‘This is truly the most capable CYMK digital label press in the market, when considering performance and investment. Printers looking at entering the digital label market no longer have to compromise on media width, speed or quality. Whilst the AccurioLabel 230 has the price tag of an entry-level press, its performance and flexibility allow it to compete with the long-standing digital label presses in the market. If automation is required then the fully integrated inline semi rotary label finishing solution gives ultimate productivity advantage. The AccurioLabel 230 is the true no compromise entry-level label press.’

Shipments have already started for the new AccurioLabel 230 digital label press, which has been developed and manufactured in Europe with Danish firm Grafisk Maskinfabrik (GM).

AccurioLabel 230 will be officially shown in public for the first time at Labelexpo Europe 2019.

At the opening of Océ Australia’s high-tech Customer Experience Centre, Océ took the opportunity to formally introduce the new Océ Arizona 1300 series flatbed UV printer to a gathering of Océ customers and industry professionals.

The new addition to the award-winning Océ Arizona range was one of the highlights at FESPA earlier this month, and guests at the new Centre’s launch found it equally impressive.

The latest in the popular and proven Arizona range, the 1300 series is designed for the high-productivity mid-volume wide-format and digital print markets. It delivers innovations in print speed, ease of use and curing technology which Product Manager Garry Muratore says will allow print service providers to do more, do it smarter…and do it now.

“The Océ Arizona 1300 series is a great choice for print service providers in the sign and display graphics industry who want to really lift productivity, versatility and quality,” Muratore said today.

“Today’s print buyer is not only discerning in terms of quality, but also creative, driving a new wave of innovative print products on an almost limitless range of media and substrates. This is where the Arizona 1300 series delivers in spades.”

This affordable machine features productive print modes which can easily expand capacity and throughput for small to mid-range businesses who currently need more speed and quality than their lower-end or older printers can deliver, or who are looking to expand their product range and increase output.





“The new Océ Arizona 1300 series answers the two biggest challenges faced by print service providers today – the need to boost productivity, and the need to diversify their application portfolio to take advantage of new business opportunities,” Muratore explains.

According to Muratore, operators will immediately notice the difference on both scores, with outstanding speed and ‘mind-blowing’ application latitude.

“The Océ Arizona 1300 stands out in its market segment as an easy-to-use, mid-range workhorse which not only delivers exceptional productivity, consistent prints and reliable performance, but uncompromised quality,” he says, adding that the range appeals particularly to print service providers interested in high-end applications like photography or fine art reproductions.

“Optional light magenta, light cyan, varnish and Océ’s brightest white ink ever, plus enhanced screening come standard and, because all our new LED inks are Greenguard Gold certified, the prints can be used anywhere, even in schools and hospitals,” Muratore says.

Like other Arizona models, the 1300 series also supports Océ Touchstone, so printers can easily create textured prints, both transparent and opaque, which Muratore says will ‘delight’ customers. “And, all these options – additional ink channels, roll media option and static suppression upgrade kit that makes for static and trouble-free printing on hard plastic materials like acrylic, polycarbonate and styrene – can be retrofitted, helping future-proof your business,” he adds.

Versatility is also a key, with the Arizona 1300 range easily able to produce flawless imaging to a wide range of media including odd shaped, heavy, smooth or pre-cut media, and even unusual substrates like canvas, glass or wood – a must for print service providers who want to build their business by expanding their product offering to create valuable new revenue streams.

This is married with a range of other innovative features, including an intuitive user interface which makes short work of designing even the most complex, multi-layered projects and allows operators to easily make last-minute adjustments at the printer, such as nesting, batching of complex jobs, step and repeat, mirroring and re-assignment of print modes.

Integrated Océ Arizona Xpert self-learning technology enhances this ease of use, enabling the machine to learn from what its operators do and then remember the ‘recipe’ to produce consistent, flawless results, time and time again.

“And, importantly, this range is fast,” Muratore adds. “All Arizona 1300 models deliver sharp, high-key prints at speeds of up to 53m2/hour. And productivity is boosted even further by innovations like Océ’s ‘instant-on’ capability, a new LED curing system which requires no warm up so the printer is always ready when you are.”

Rounding out the package is reliable performance, backed by the Océ Automated Maintenance System which allows hands-free printhead maintenance to restore nozzle function in seconds, and support from both Océ remote service and Océ Australia’s extensive national service and support team.

Australian businesses can choose from three GT models (Océ Arizona 1340 GT, 1360 GT, 1380 GT) with a flatbed print area of 1.25m x 2.5m, or three larger 2.5m x 3.08m XT models (Océ Arizona 1340 XT, 1360 XT, 1380 XT).

Customers invited to the opening of the CEC in Melbourne were first to see the new series in action, with an Arizona 1380GT installed at the Centre, but the range is already taking off with Muratore saying Océ expects to place several units in the field in coming months.

www.oce.com.au 

Well over 100 guests were treated to an outstanding experience last night when they became the first in the country to explore Océ Australia’s expansive new Customer Experience Centre at its head office facility in Clayton.

The impressive facility, which the company says has been designed to ‘inspire the world of print, to print the world’, takes up most of the ground floor of the building which has been transformed to showcase an inspirational product range while providing a ‘best in class’ customer experience.





Craig Nethercott, Océ Australia’s Managing Director, was clearly delighted with the realisation of his vision as he welcomed guests to the new facility, saying the launch event represented the culmination of a long and exciting period of planning and development, and a company-wide commitment to building stronger customer relationships.
The result of these endeavours is an open, welcoming and innovative space that reinforces the Australian arm of the Netherlands-based print leader at the forefront of its global network – but was designed with just one person in mind: the Océ customer.

“Océ’s vision is to ‘inspire the world of print, to print the world’ – and in this Customer Experience Centre we are bringing the very best print technology to our world-leading print service providers right here in Australia, so that they can explore the possibilities for their own businesses,” Nethercott said.





Using a range of flexible and rigid media, the team illustrated the versatility and superiority of their products, producing a diverse array of applications on the spot, while more were on show in what Nethercott calls the ‘Ideas Lab’ – a space packed full of inspirational applications designed to get print service providers thinking ‘outside the box’.

“In an increasingly competitive market, innovation is important for two reasons,” he said. “Firstly, it gives you a point of difference – something to take to new prospects and a reason to go back to your existing customers. Secondly, it adds value, allowing you to improve profitability with higher-margin products.”

Those high-value products are very much in evidence in the new Centre. The glass entry doors feature printed decals and lead directly into the Ideas Lab’s, which is dominated by a floor-to-ceiling, seductively tactile, faux-brick wall created using Océ’s dimensional Touchstone print technology.





Available only on Océ Arizona printers, this technology has made a major impression recently at local and international shows, including winning a prestigious European Digital Press Association (EDP) Award at FESPA recently.

Printed coffee cup holders and ceramic tile coasters adorn a range of print-topped tables and even a printed canvas ottoman, bathed in the glow from a lamp with a printed shade. Vibrant posters produced on the Océ ColorWave printer using a number of different media provide a practical illustration of the different effects which can be achieved.
The unrivalled media versatility of Océ’s printer range is further demonstrated in the CEC’s showpiece – a multi-media printed wall featuring everything from acrylics and MDF, to glass and ceramic tiles, display boards and corrugated iron. The company has even printed a pair of thongs and an electric guitar to demonstrate the potential.
And it’s not all about wide-format. Océ’s innovative continuous feed and sheet fed inkjet presses haven’t been forgotten, with plenty of applications created on these devices also showcased at the facility.

“The Ideas Lab is central to the concept of this Customer Experience Centre – it demonstrates in practice how ideas and inspiration can be translated into a profitable reality using Océ technology,” Nethercott says.

“Here, our technical experts will push our products to the limit to create exciting new applications, and our customers can come to gather ideas, see our technology in action, and talk to product specialists about how it can create new opportunities for their businesses.”

In an adjacent, glass-panelled area, vistors could see the company’s range of market-leading machines from both the Display Graphics (DG) and Technical Document Systems (TDS) ranges in action – and what a line up it was.

Headed by the flagship Océ Colorado 1640 roll-to-roll printer featuring the company’s revolutionary UVgel technology and an Océ Arizona 1380 model from its recently-released 1300 range it also features a ProCut digital cutting system – all powered by ONYX end-to-end PDF workflow software and ProCut digital workflow and cut preparation software, and integrated Océ Arizona Xpert self-learning technology. ColorWave and PlotWave printers, for both display graphics and architectural, engineering and construction applications, were also on show.





Importantly, visitors to the CEC can also see straight into the company’s new, open plan office area where the full Océ Australia team is on hand to meet, greet and support customers – something Nethercott says is vital to building the kind of strong, long-term partnerships on which the company prides itself.

“This new CEC is at the heart of our headquarters, providing us with an unique opportunity to connect with our customers,” he says, indicating that the team is planning regular events and is also keen to welcome customers and prospects to meet there at any time by appointment, for what he calls the ‘full Océ experience’.

“We believe Océ is quite unique in the market, in that we understand that it’s not just about the product – it’s about what our brand means, the experience we create for and with our customers, and the vision we share, for our business and for theirs.

“Above all, it’s about the relationships we build. We want our customers to come here and explore new opportunities, but also to connect with as many of our people as possible, from operations and logistics, to our service personnel, the customer service team who are our first point of contact for sales and service calls, to our marketing team, finance and HR experts.





“We want our customers to get to know us – all of us – just as we like to get to know them, and their businesses, so that we can genuinely partner with them in their future success.”

When you're one of the best car racing teams in the world, you need the very best graphics. That's why Renault F1® Team has chosen Roland DG’s new TrueVIS VG2, the second-generation eco-solvent print and cut device, to produce its race-leading Grand Prix prints.





Renault F1 Team has relied on Roland TrueVIS printer cutters for many years, using the reliable and high-quality systems at its Technical Centre in Enstone, Oxfordshire, to produce stickers for its racing cars, livery for its support vehicles, displays for its hospitality areas, and much more. Grand Prix events can attract worldwide audiences of more than 400 million viewers, and sponsorship is as competitive as the races themselves. High-end sponsors demand the highest precision in their brand colours and immediate replacement of any damaged advertising graphics; Renault F1 Team always travels with 30 identical versions of every sticker, totalling around 1,400 stickers for every race.





The award-winning TrueVIS VG2 Series has over 40 incredible enhancements, allowing Renault F1 Team to push its boundaries for accuracy, reliability and turnaround speeds even further. Those who have seen the VG2 in action describe it as both ‘best printer/cutter’ and ‘best print device in the industry today’. Designed to meet and exceed the needs of today's most demanding print professionals, the Roland DG TrueVIS VG2 is already proving incredibly popular, and attracting widespread attention at trade shows around the world.





Joe McNamara, Head of Paint and Graphics at Renault F1 Team, has praised the extended colour gamut, now with bold Orange for vibrant colours, natural skin tones and exceptional colour replication. "One of the first things we noticed was the improvement in the colour matching, because a lot of what we do covers an entire season," he comments. "It gives us a good opportunity to have a consistent colour." He adds: "It also comes with the new orange swatch which has about a hundred colours in there – yellows and oranges. It really makes our life easy when it comes to matching colours exactly for our corporate sponsors, and also for our own branding on cars, on garages, and on everything we take to races with us." 

A video featuring Joe and his review of the new TrueVIS VG2 is available to watch at the link below. In the video, Joe notes that the new TR2 inks deliver brilliant bonding and stretching abilities for vehicle wrapping applications, and their fast-drying time allows his team to print, laminate and ship graphics to Renault F1 Team colleagues across the world on the same day. He adds that the VG2's perf-cut feature is making work "much easier" when producing multiples of the same sticker, while the new media clamp system is "a really clever piece of engineering".





"What's really impressive about this machine is what it can do for the price it's pitched at," he says. "To have that colour gamut for that price point is really amazing. I just don't know how Roland does it."

To learn more about Roland DG's award-winning TrueVIS VG2 series wide format printer cutters, visit: https://www.rolanddg.com.au/products/printers/truevis-vg2-series-printer-cutters 

Find out more about Renault F1® Team at www.renaultsport.com.

The benefits of technology advancement and automation will be in the spotlight next month, when one of the largest technology-focused events in the packaging industry, EskoWorld 2019, takes to the world-famous stage of Nashville before more than 500 attendees.





EskoWorld2Now in its 28thyear, Esko’s annual EskoWorld event will bring together customers who are brand owners and suppliers from across the packaging and print sector to discover, demonstrate and discuss the latest innovations that can add value to their businesses. Unique in the event landscape in that it provides a platform for the entire value chain to interact and exchange ideas, EskoWorld brings brands and their suppliers together in an open and friendly atmosphere to learn about solutions for challenges they have in common.

This year’s event arrives in Music City, Nashville, TN, on June 24-26, and will be held at the prestigious Gaylord Opryland Resort and Conference Center.

Melissa Plemen, Esko Director of Marketing North America, said that as part of the three-day event packaging professionals will learn how they can gain new capabilities, using Esko tools to deliver error-free packaging for their customers faster than ever before. “EskoWorld is a unique opportunity for our customers to explore the future of packaging production workflow and see how it can change their businesses,” she said.

“This is a hugely exciting time for the industry, where customer demand is driving innovation and significant opportunities exist for those with the flexibility and technology to deliver fast turnaround in a globally connected sector. As well as giving exclusive insight into where the industry is headed, EskoWorld will feature sneak peeks into forthcoming Esko solutions roadmaps, with sessions providing not only insight into the future of those products, but also giving attendees the opportunity to help guide their development.

EskoWorld1“The whole event can be summarised in three words – Digitise, Automate and Connect,” said Plemen. “Attendees will see first-hand how our technology ecosystem of software and hardware truly automates and connects supply chains to deliver quality, efficiency and speed-to-market, as well as supports the dynamic omni-channel world in which brands now find themselves.”

EskoWorld 2019 has been specifically designed to meet the needs of a range of roles within brand owners and packaging suppliers. Training and Roadmap sessions will provide valuable learning for operators and production managers and the Executive track zooms-in on more business-related topics, providing value to business owners and C-level executives.

“Attendees will meet and learn from people in similar roles, sharing their own experiences,” added Plemen. “They will be literally surrounded by peers with whom they can discuss specific issues and topics, offering a great opportunity to troubleshoot and network on a one-to-one basis.”

Presentations at EskoWorld will feature more than 70 guest speakers, and include Matthias Byström, President of Esko, who brings with him more than twenty years of general management experience; Mark Johnson, a Grammy winner, film director and motivational speaker; and Ryan Baysa, the Structural Packaging Designer and Lab Lead at Lumi.





This year’s keynote speech will be delivered by Robert B. Tucker, President of The Innovation Resource – the California-based consulting firm devoted exclusively to assisting companies seeking to improve top and bottom line performance through systematic innovation. Robert is an internationally-recognized leader in the field of innovation, who is one of the thought leaders in the growing Innovation Movement.

“EskoWorld is a great opportunity to support our customer base with a range of training solutions, advice and insights and of course, the networking that happens boosts the whole experience,” added Plemen. “Building knowledge is the cornerstone of the EskoWorld experience; from beginner to advanced, from hardware to software, everyone expands their knowledge and develops new skills throughout the event.”

John Morrow, President of VinPeak Advisors who delivered speeches at EskoWorld in 2017 and 2018 and is the President of the EskoWorld 2019 Advisory Board, said the event had grown in popularity due to its offering unique access to exactly what customers wanted. “The event is actually curated alongside and with the input of customers, which for an event of this scale is quite unique,” he said.

“EskoWorld is an opportunity to connect with packaging professionals and Esko experts to solve problems, create solutions, make connections, innovate together and give back to the community.”

EskoWorld 2019 takes place in Music City, Nashville, TN, June 24-26. To attend or find out more, please visit: www.eskoworld.com

The first swissQprint roll to roll printer premièred at Fespa 2019 and was at the same time honoured by the EDP Awards jury in the "roll to roll printer >320 cm" category.

Only just unveiled, and swissQprint's first roll to roll printer is already a prizewinner: Karibu is the recipient of an EDP Award in the "roll to roll printer >320 cm" category. The award ceremony took place on the periphery of the Fespa 2019 trade fair in Munich, where Karibu celebrated its world première. The jury praised the Swiss product's overall concept as well as specific details.

Jury verdict
The summary assessment from the jury's concluding report: "The machine convinces overall with its concept, but also because of the many well thought-out details. Especially impressive are the new and odourless inks, which have been specially developed for web printing. They are extremely flexible and can be used on many materials."

Afinia Label, a manufacturer and distributor of industrial colour label printing and finishing equipment, in conjunction with Sihl, Inc., are announcing the certification of BS 5609 (Section Three) from Smithers Pira for the L501 label printer, with pigment ink, when using PICOFILM O-60 White XM1 BOPP (polypropylene) label material.

Compliance with BS5609, the British Standard for pressure sensitive adhesive warning labels required for hazardous chemical containers shipped by sea, ensures labels stay intact, and remain legible. In the event of a maritime accident, durable labelling is crucial in keeping responders safe from injury and aiding in rapid containment and clean up of potential environmental hazards.

In order to meet this Section 3 standard, the specific printer, ink formula and label material must be tested. All aspects of the printed label, including ink, and label base material, must meet minimum durability benchmarks. This testing evaluates the permanence of the print through abrasion and submersion in salt water for a period of 90 days.

The Afinia Label L501 Duo Ink Color Label Printer’s ability to produce BS 5609-certified and GHS (Globally Harmonised System) labels keeps chemical manufacturers compliant with OSHA mandates. The consequences for failing to comply with these standards include significant fines, penalties and the possibility of irreparable damage to a manufacturer’s reputation.

Sihl offers a coated BOPP film for aqueous inkjet printing with PicoFilm O-60 white XM1 from the Facestock range for this purpose. Within the framework of the new GHS standards (globally harmonised system of classification and labelling of chemicals), the product is ideally suited for the labelling of hazardous goods transported by sea. It is characterised in particular by its high resistance to abrasion and water.

Mike Atkins, national sales manager of Afinia Label, says, “Afinia is pleased to offer a fully compliant solution to companies needing to properly and safely label products. The pigment-based inks used in the L501 along with certified materials have proven durability. The L501’s ability to print media up to 8.65" wide delivers flexibility for labeling small containers, industrial drums and everything in between.”

In addition to its high-durability pigment inks, the L501 is compatible with dye inks that give labels maximum colour vibrancy. The L501 is best suited for small- to medium-sized print runs. It can print large labels with a media width up to 8.65" (219.7 mm) wide. The L501 uses separate CMYK ink cartridges that contribute to a lower cost per label, since only colours that are empty need to be replaced. It is also available in a fanfold-compatible version.

In-house printing offers opportunities to save time, save money and reduce waste. By printing labels in-house, it is possible to create clean, professional labels that are easy to modify. With in-house label printers, it is possible to design and create labels for different types of packaging that specific products require. 

Longina Phillips Designs was established in 1988 and is now Australia’s leading creative print design studio. Recently the company made a major investment in a new printing solution and the choice they made was to use Epson SureColor printers to print all of their designs.
 
To see Epson printers in use at Longina Phillips Designs go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goJ_VOtUMVs&feature=youtu.be





Lola Phillips, founder and managing director of Longina Phillips Designs explained, “Our talented design team creates new trend directions with consistently forward-thinking, boundary-pushing collections of textile designs.
Longina Phillips Designs consists of a full-service studio offering three mainline collections. In addition to our collections, we share decades of experience in fashion and design by offering tailored trend reports, custom print work, a gifts section for limited edition art prints, and our very own print school. In other words, the printers we use are essential to the success of our business and for those, we chose Epson SureColor.”
 
Epson SureColor printers now play a key role in bringing the unique Longina Phillips Designs to the global fashion industry.

Phillips continued, “As a design practice we have always sought the best colour output, the best product and the best support. Our relationship with Epson started early around 1995 with desktop printers. Colour has always been the first consideration for us and our first models were Epson desktop A4 and A3 printers, then we moved on and purchased an A2 printer. Our first wide-format Epson stylus had water-based inks and was our favourite printer as it gave a much greater colour gamut. We now have all our Epson wide format printers calibrated to give the best colour.”
 
It’s clear that colour and quality feature heavily on Lola Phillips’ and Longina Phillips Designs’ list of key requirements.
 
Phillips added, “Colour is absolutely paramount and the flexibility of printing different sizes of paper is also very important to us too. We now use Epson wide format SureColor printers to print all our design work with. We love the SureColor as the colour of our printed designs is outstanding. Our clients always comment on the colour of our designs and ask us what printer and inks we use. The printing and the quality of colour can be always relied on with Epson.”



In the fashion world, what you see is not just what you get but what you sell so the imagery and prints Epson help Longina Phillips Designs achieve go a long way within the company.
 
Lola Phillips concluded, “There are several key benefits for Longina Phillips Design in using Epson SureColor printers moving forward. Critically it’s the reliability and quality of their printers combined with Epson’s first-class support, knowhow and knowledge. When all is said and done that’s an unbeatable combination for us.”
 

For more on Epson SureColor printers go to: https://www.epson.com.au/Prographics

Konica Minolta Australia has announced the launch of Prokom, Konica Minolta’s independent global community of commercial print users, to its Australian customers. 

Prokom offers market research, information and practical tools to help commercial printers be more productive and more profitable. The Prokom program provides its members with the opportunity to share ideas, develop and grow efficient digital communication services, as well as express their own voices and cross-pollinate with others in the industry. Prokom has Konica Minolta customers from Europe, United States, and many other countries, as members. 

Prokom also provides opportunities for members to connect, learn and grow through networking events. They can actively engage with Konica Minolta’s senior management about their priorities for future design, functionality, technology and services while building profitable long-lasting relationships. 

Sue Threlfo, General Manager, Production and Industrial Print, Konica Minolta said, “Konica Minolta Australia’s decision to support Prokom locally demonstrates our continued investment in our customers, and the wider industry. Our aim is to build an environment for our customers to transform through education, networking and shared experience. Each month, the Prokom team identify a relevant topic that is designed to support our customers to grow or ideas for effective management their business.  Konica Minolta also sees it as a way to aid in the development of cutting-edge industry relevant solutions.” 

There are significant management and operational benefits from being a member of Prokom including:

- make better-informed decisions based on the latest industry information and reviews
- network with other business leaders
- use resources better with business planning and project management tools
- create new business opportunities by improving sales and marketing activity
- run a better business with help and advice on managing cashflow, recruitment and operational improvement
- improve through e-learning courses
- save time and money by viewing the latest tips and tricks videos
- get advice from a global network of other Konica Minolta users
- acquire valuable insights and knowledge from product reviews and user forums.

To become a Prokom member, Konica Minolta customers are invited to register here. A valid Konica Minolta serial number is required upon registration. 

SCREEN GP Australia has announced availability of its PlateRite Ultima 24000N series of thermal plate recorders capable of up to 24 x A4 pages on a 1632mm x 1325mm plate. The series features the latest GLV (grating light valve) imaging heads and delivers high throughput of up to 35 full-sizeplates per hour (Z model), with an outstanding cost performance.

“VLF, or very large format, CtP is experiencing an upswing in Australia and New Zealand as the demand for faster plate changes on both wide web and oversize sheetfed litho machines increases,” says local Managing Director Peter Scott. “Markets include publishing, packaging, POS and platemaking where several jobs are ganged up on one plate. We already have very strong interest in the new Ultima 2400N and expect installations to happen this year.”

PlateRite Ultima 24000N series
Several plate sizes are possible on the new Ultima 24000N series and Screen has optimized the plate sizes series to suit these presses. Two new versions offer significantly more compact footprints than the existing models with even greater productivity and cost performance.

The PlateRite Ultima 24000N series incorporates the latest GLV imaging heads with an upgraded optical system. These heads support the output of Screen’s proprietary Spekta 2 hybrid screening, enabling richer, high-resolution results. The 24000N-Z model is equipped with a 1,024 channel head that boosts output up to 35 VLF plates per hour, or 45 plates per hour when making B1 1030mm x 800mm sized plates.

The 512 channel 24000N-S model also improves throughput to 24 plates per hour, from the 22 plates offered by its predecessor. Both models are able to handle plates from 650 x 490 mm  up to 1,652 x 1,325 mm, comprehensively covering the sizes used by large-format presses. In addition, the new series can be used with Screen’s MA-L40000 multi-cassette autoloader, capable of automatically supplying up to 300 plates, to achieve extended continuous operation. Screen also plans to develop a new model of its Skid autoloader, which is able to deliver a larger number of uniformly sized plates.

The whole system can be linked to TRUST Network Service, the company’s sophisticated online maintenance support service, helping to ensure trouble-free operation.

Screen CtP thermal platesetters are available through plate suppliers such as Fujifilm, WRH Global/Xingraphics and, for flexographic CtP, Jet Technologies. The company will be at PrintEx 2019, Sydney August 13-16 on stand B08.

www.screenaust.com.au 

Toray Graphics, a manufacturer of waterless offset plate technology based in the Czech Republic, has introduced a new waterless offset printing plate, Imprima LJ.

Toray described the new water-washable plate as having high quality and durability. Its printing resolution is up to 175 LPI.

The thermal negative CTP printing plate uses a standard imaging wavelength of 830 nanometers. It is suitable for label production but can also be used for a wide range of other applications, including CD/DVDs, loyalty cards, metal decoration and for printing on non-absorbent substrates. 

These plates are also suited to printers using UV curable inks as well as for sheet-fed and on web presses that require production quality such as density stability during the print run,’ said the company in a statement. ‘Its high resistance to chemicals and UV inks makes it an extremely durable plate. It also offers excellent screening at 1-99 percent with 36 micron FM or hybrid screening, and 2-98 percent with AM screening at 175 LPI.’

Since it is a water-washable plate, it requires no chemicals in the developing process, and can be processed in most available waterless processors. It also does not require post-baking. This makes it easy to insert into any offset workflow and results in low-cost processing. 

Other benefits of this new plate are said to include:

- Stable dot reproduction
- High ink coverage
- Up to three hours daylight resistance under standard safe-light conditions
- Long shelf life, suitable for archiving
- Compatible with all waterless inks

Following this launch, Toray said ‘in the near term’ it will introduce a new plate type for other printing segments: the Imprima WJ high resolution and high durability water-washable plate. 

Two T370HDs will expand the company’s high-quality, faster-to-market, personalised direct mail offering

HP has today announced that IVE Group (ASX: IGL) subsidiary Blue Star Direct has chosen to expand and upgrade its digital fleet in Sydney with a new HP PageWide Web Press T370HD, in response to increasing demand for agile and high-quality digital printing.

Blue Star’s previous HP PageWide Web Press T300 has been relocated from Sydney to its Clayton facility in Melbourne, where the press was upgraded to a T370HD. The upgrade process is unique to HP’s PageWide Web Press series, and enables 80 per cent of the parts and materials to be reused while increasing the lifespan of the press.

The acquisition and upgrade has equipped Blue Star with HP’s High-Definition Nozzle Architecture (HDNA) technology, while expanding Blue Star’s HP PageWide Web Press capability to Melbourne, allowing the company to expand its service offering and customer base, which already includes many of Australia’s leading financial and retail organisations.

The HP PageWide Web Press T370HD’s HDNA technology empowers Blue Star to close the gap between conventional commercial printing and traditional inkjet production capability. Supported by a complete commercial printing production line, inclusive of inline priming, post coating and automated sheeting, the HDNA technology enables Blue Star to print on a wide variety of uncoated and coated substrates with top-of-class productivity and efficiency.

The acquisition comes eight years after the company became a pioneer HP inkjet customer in Australia, with its 2011 purchase of the HP PageWide Web Press T300. It says the decision to continue its long standing partnership with HP came down to quality, speed, and unique differentiation.

“Since 2011, we have used the high-quality output of HP PageWide technology, and its 30-inch print format, as a point of difference in the market, and we have enjoyed a lot of success as a result,” said David Veness, Group General Manager, Blue Star Direct. “This upgrade will deliver even greater print speeds, higher quality printing, and better performance through a combination of hardware and software upgrades.”

This collaboration has enabled Blue Star to become a market leader in direct mail – a marketing channel the company says has experienced a resurgence in popularity, with a 2018 Roy Morgan Research report finding that close to 70% of Australians read catalogues.

“The wealth of customer data now available to businesses, in conjunction with advancements in digital printing technologies, has fostered a renaissance in direct mail marketing,” said Veness. “With HP PageWide technology, we can create highly personalised and targeted marketing campaigns, which deliver a far greater return on our customers’ marketing investment.”

Digital printing is increasingly being utilised for print jobs traditionally dominated by offset printing, like direct mail, for its flexibility and customisability. In North America, 60 per cent of direct mail is forecast to be produced by digital printing by 2020, up from just 45 per cent in 2015.

“As direct marketing continues to trend towards data-driven personalisation, printing service providers require presses that offer mass customisation at a competitive cost, and on a variety of media options,” said Michael Gillis, Country Manager, HP Indigo and PageWide Industrial, HP South Pacific. “The HP PageWide Web Press T370HD delivers on each of these demands, while also offering outstanding image quality and enhanced productivity.”

HP’s PageWide Web Press solutions are ideal for personalised direct mail campaigns, but are also being utilised around the world for high-volume commercial printing, publishing, and corrugated packaging applications.

About HP

HP Inc. creates technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere. Through our portfolio of printers, PCs, mobile devices, solutions, and services, we engineer experiences that amaze. More information about HP Inc. is available at http://www.hp.com.

Couldn't make it to FESPA? Don't worry, here are some highlights from the Canon / Océ stand. 


Click on the image below to watch more. 

Watch all the highlights of the World Wrap Masters Europe 2019 that featured 3 competitive rounds including a creative round and a training workshop on positioning the material with non-stress application techniques.

Click on the images below to watch the highlights. 

Day 1




Day 2




Day 3

Roland DG is delighted to announce that the new TrueVIS VG2 series eco-solvent printer cutter has won 'Best Print & Cut Solution' in the prestigious EDP (European Digital Press Association) Awards. The TrueVIS VG2 was launched in March this year and drew large crowds on the Roland DG booth (Hall A5 Booth H10) at FESPA 2019 in Munich, Germany.

The winners of the EDP Awards are decided by an independent panel of judges from Europe's 21 leading trade publications, who evaluate the most exciting technical launches from the past twelve months based on their 'achievement, quality and cost efficiency'. When judging the Roland TrueVIS VG2, the panel said, 'Roland DG has not adhered to existing concepts, but has redefined product development'. The judges were particularly impressed by the system's breadth of colour gamut, optimised colour accuracy and colour reproduction capability, plus a host of technological advancements to deliver high-precision print and cut performance. 

Building on Roland DG's 35 years of manufacturing expertise, 16 generations of print and cut innovation and feedback from thousands of experienced users across the world, the TrueVIS VG2 wide format inkjet printer cutter has been engineered to meet, then exceed, the quality and production needs of today's most demanding print professionals. 

First, answering the need for faster turnaround times, the VG2’s stunning quality prints are ready to laminate and then immediately finish in just six hours* for true same day installation. Setting the new standard in head-turning print quality, the TrueVIS VG2 offers new Orange ink that expands the colour gamut even further, delivers incredibly realistic colour reproduction and enables accurate matching of corporate brand colours. The new TrueVIS TR2 ink offers optimised colour reproduction and greater realism to printed images, plus outstanding performance in terms of stretch, adhesion, rub resistance and outdoor durability.

The VG2 solution is also certified by some of the industry’s leading media suppliers: VG2 with TR2 ink is certified for long-lasting results under the 3M™ MCS™ Warranty. Plus, VG2 with TR2 ink is certified by the Avery Dennison™ ICS™ Performance Guarantee. TR2 ink is also certified GREENGUARD Gold for low chemical emissions and is safe for indoor graphic applications.

In addition, the VG2 is powered by feature-packed VersaWorks 6 RIP software that delivers an optimised workflow for efficient production. VersaWorks 6 fully supports PDF 2.0 and enables complex files to be processed directly in the RIP. 





All this, plus more than 40 intelligent and intuitive enhancements over the previous award-winning generation and unwavering reliability, backed by Roland DG's industry-renowned service and support. "We're absolutely thrilled to have won the EDP Award for ‘Best Print & Cut Solution’ with the new TrueVIS VG2," comments Gillian Montanaro, Head of Marketing Roland DG EMEA. "When we launched the VG2 just a few months ago we were ready to show the industry something special, a solution that could genuinely change print professionals' working lives in terms of colour quality, turnaround speeds, reliability, longevity of their output and much more. The EDP Awards are widely regarded as the most prestigious awards for the digital print business in Europe so the title of 'Best Print & Cut Solution' absolutely reflects how incredible this machine is."

Despite only launching in March this year, the TrueVIS VG2’s outstanding performance has already gained global industry recognition, having also been awarded the 2019 ISA Sign Expo® Innovation Award in the “Printer” category.

For further information on the award-winning TrueVIS VG2 series printer cutters, visit: www.rolanddg.com.au/vg2

Couldn't make FESPA? Check out the awesome new Durst P5 printing systems, modular software solutions and services for large format specialists under the motto "Pixel to Output". For more information, visit www.durst-group.com.

Click on the video below to see more. 

Gandy Digital innovates the next generation flatbed printers using “NanoDot” Technology. A whole new concept of digital printing that has come of age to extra wide large format printing in Gandy Digital’s Gladi8tor True Flatbed printer.

Gandy Digital innovates the next generation flatbed printers using “NanoDot” Technology. A whole new concept of digital printing that has come of age to extra wide large format printing in Gandy Digital’s Gladi8tor True Flatbed printer. The Gladi8tor comes in two sizes, Gladi8tor “2” has a 4ft X 8ft (1.22m X 2.44m) print size or Gladi8tor “3” with a 6.5ft X 10ft (2m X 3.05m) print size both on a vacuum table. Both models can have a Roll to Roll attachment either 8ft (2.44m) Wide or 10ft (3.05m) Wide. 

Gandy has been offering innovative printers for over 35 years known for their reliability and strong support. The Domin8tor and Pred8tor were the latest state of the art flatbed printers with vacuum table and special features that became the standard in the industry. 

Gandy Digital has taken the best of both worlds by combining the reliable Domin8tor and Pred8tor and upgraded them with the latest “NanoDot” Technology, introducing the next generation, Gladi8tor true flatbed printer. The Gladi8tor with “NanoDot” Technology, 3 picoliter grayscale print heads gives both smooth Colour and high speed. Gandy also supplies a custom made RIP to maximise the “NanoDot” capabilities. Sharp images just got sharper, with 3 point text really readable. Incredible precision at true 1200 dpi on a Superwide format printer. 

Gandy has taken this precision to a new level by creating unmatched smoothness in skin tones and even more impressive is the smooth colours on lighter shaded solid colours. This can only be achieved before with offset printing or photography. Finally a match to the quality of offset printing and photography. Everybody talks about it, Gandy has achieved it. 

The Gladi8tor uses the Blade Technology, a key feature innovated by Gandy. This allows for precise prints without the need for time consuming alignment as the heads are pre-aligned by laser precision. 

The best news is with all this quality, the speed has dramatically increased. 

The Gladi8tor’s biggest advantage is the ability to print up to 120 (4ft X 8ft) boards an hour 3800sqft/hr (350sqm/hr). The “NanoDot” Technology coupled with our inline blade technology gives excellent sharp quality and super fast speeds. Unbelievable speed and quality that you will only believe if you witness with your own eyes. 

Gandy has always kept existing customers interest and investment in mind when introducing new printers. The “NanoDot” new technology can also be upgraded on all Gandy Pred8tor and Domin8tor models. 

The Gladi8tor will come with an option to take one row of print heads at half the speed or two rows at full speed. You can start with one row of print heads and upgrade to two rows and achieve full speed at a later date. The Gladi8tor will come ready for easy field upgrade. 

Gandy will also offer an upgrade path to its existing Pred8tor and Domin8tor customers to start with one row of print heads and later upgrade to two rows and achieve full speed. 

The Gladi8tor will have all the features from the Pred8tor and Domin8tor. Here are some of the popular features: 


- Crash Sensors that stop for even small objects and save print heads from damage. 

- Static Bars that really work in dry climates while keeping prints sharp. 

- Automatic head cleaning and wiping station. 

- Graphical User Interface simple touch and drag (GUI). 

- Powerful vacuum table holds uneven materials flat. 

- Automatic head height adjustment. 

- Camera built in to assist remote service. Nice idea to avoid expensive visits but getting the job done. 


The Gladi8tor has very powerful long lasting LED lamps that cure to perfection even at the fastest speeds and yet keeps its cool. 

Gandy introduced the first “multi layer” capability many years ago. The Gladi8tor will have the same feature allowing colour, white, and colour for backlit images, and unlimited multi layer variations with as many colours as you wish. 

The Gladi8tor will have the option to get double white blades to print heavier layer of white faster especially effective on darker substrates. Instead of double white you can get single white and varnish. Gandy’s varnish can also act as a very effective primer, giving a dual purpose capability. 

Gandy has many years of supplying a UV ink that gives excellent adhesion to many plastics including acrylic. The Gladi8tor will continue to get the same ink formulation for its LED Lamps. 

Gandy Digital’s Gladi8tor is the most advanced and groundbreaking Superwide Digital printer in the industry today. 

Labels give products their unique identity and influence the impulse to buy at the point of sale. Accounting for around 5% of the global print volume of approximately EUR 400 billion, today the label market has the greatest growth potential in the printing industry, and has evolved from a niche segment to a sizable industry over the last few decades. The associated knowledge base has also greatly increased hand in hand with this evolution, and today is differentiated on the basis of a remarkable variety of different printing technologies, applications, substrates and further consumables.

In the digital age it was just a matter of time before the stakeholders in this industry, in other words users, manufacturers, associations and market research institutes, bundled this knowledge and made it available on a digital platform. With immediate effect, the new knowledge portal in English for all things label printing can be found at https://label-experts.com. This expert forum was started as a joint project between Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) and its subsidiary Gallus.

“Heidelberg’s strength lies in its knowledge of its customers and their issues,” explains Professor Ulrich Hermann, Member of the Management Board responsible for Lifecycle Solutions and Chief Digital Officer at Heidelberg. “This is where our future customer communication begins, not just with the product. Our customers in the label printing industry will be able to access exclusive expert knowledge with this platform presence. Only if we are able to prove to our customers that we understand the label printing industry, will our customers continue to place their trust in us for their most important investment decisions.”

According to Heidelberg: "In a highly dynamic environment, the requirements for label solutions are changing faster and faster nowadays. Following the trend of customisation, the market is increasingly demanding shorter runs as well as versioned and localised labels. Distinguishing features are becoming more and more important, thus the demand for just-in-time deliveries and labels with unusual embellishments is growing. For the latter, more and more creative formats are being found: labels as on-pack promotion deliver advertising messages in the smallest of spaces and can be broadened from a leaflet to a mini brochure. Special effects are produced using inks that light up in the dark or heat-sensitive inks that are visible within a limited temperature range. The wealth of variants is almost infinite. The variety of the applications is matched only by the multi-faceted nature of the content on https://label-experts.com. Awaiting users of this platform are newsletters, technical articles, the latest market research results, white papers, tips for their next investment, and much more."

You can register here: https://label-experts.com.

swissQprint launched Karibu, the company's first roll to roll printer, at Fespa 2019. This sturdy Swiss product features a compelling concept and will be available from September 2019.

Karibu, the first swissQprint roll to roll printer, made its public debut at Fespa 2019. This is a UV inkjet printer with a maximum print width of 3.4 metres. As the Swiss manufacturer hinted in advance, Karibu incorporates ingenious features aimed at high efficiency and reliability as well as huge versatility.

Easy roll handling - The swissQprint stand at Fespa had live demonstrations of how easy and fast it is to change rolls with Karibu. Thanks to the cassette system, rolls are loaded and ready to print within minutes.

On-the-spot inspection of backlits - Karibu features a Light Box right next to the printing area, for immediate and continuous quality control of backlit prints. As a result, neither much material nor time has been lost should optimisations prove necessary. That having been said, what visitors to Fespa saw was impeccable backlit printing in typical swissQprint quality.

Ingenious mesh printing - Karibu has a Mesh Kit integrated with the print bed. This makes clean and simple work of processing permeable substrates, as well as full bleed printing. There is neither additional set-up work beforehand nor cleaning afterwards. A mouse click by the operator sends the Karibu print beam – which is movable in the X direction – from its standard position to the mesh position. Printing can then start immediately.

Printing two rolls at once - For users who regularly print in parallel, swissQprint offers a dual roll option capable of handling two rolls each up to 1.6 metres wide. This doubles Karibu's productivity. The roll holders are split into two sections with each half of the shaft driven individually, thus ensuring optimum web tension and perfect results on both rolls.

Tip Switch vacuum - Karibu has 136 keys ranged across the print bed width, rather like a piano. Each one opens or closes a vacuum channel, thus eliminating air leakage even in the gap between dual rolls. A light tap on the switches using a fingertip is all the user action required to open or close the entire vacuum area width within four seconds. This is called Tip Switch vacuum, a technical solution for which swissQprint has filed a patent application.

Status monitoring - Karibu has four beacon-like status indicators affixed to the print beam. They are observable at a distance and inform the operator about machine status and printing progress. So it is always possible to keep an eye on Karibu, even while the operator is elsewhere in the print room taking care of other equipment or tasks.

Specially developed ink set - swissQprint has developed an ink set specifically for the new Karibu roll to roll printer. The cured ink layer is flexible to ensure suitability for all imaginable roll media. The inks themselves are NVC-free and Greenguard Gold certified. Printed products are thus safe to use in critical places such as hospitals and schools, potentially broadening a print provider's range of services.

Available from September 2019 - The international swissQprint distributor network is now accepting orders for delivery starting in September 2019. Since Karibu clearly bears the hallmarks of its Swiss manufacturer, customers can look forward to the usual swissQprint quality, functionality, energy efficiency and durability. This in turn underlines the machine's combination of innovative solutions with 20 years of development experience in UV inkjet printing.