Mimaki will display its flagship printers and cutters for the sign, graphic, industrial, and textile markets, including the recently announced TxF150-75 Direct-to-Film (DTF) machine, the high performing 330 Series and the entry-level 100 Series.

The company will make its return as a gold sponsor to the FESPA 2023 Global Print Expo (May 23–26 in Munich, Germany), joining FESPA and the wider printing industry to look at the sector with a ‘new perspective’ with its latest innovations, technologies and collaborative projects.

Mimaki’s first foray into DTF technology, the TxF150-75, will make its international show debut at FESPA. Providing an easy and affordable process for decorating apparel, most commonly T-shirts, the TxF150-75 responds to the market need for a reliable and stable DTF technology.

Equipped with Mimaki’s core technologies, it prevents common issues, such as poor ink ejection and white ink clogging, ensuring that processes are carried out efficiently with minimal intervention needed.

Other notable technologies on show include Mimaki’s flagship sign and display technology such as the entry-level 100 Series and the high performance 330 Series. The print and cut workflow will be demonstrated with Mimaki’s latest cutting plotter, the CG-AR series.

For industrial printers, visitors can see the Mimaki’s advanced UV flatbed printers, from the smaller size UJF-6042 MkII e to the large format JFX600-2513. For textile printers, the sublimation printers, the TS100-1600 and TS330-1600, will also feature.

Embracing FESPA’s theme of ‘New Perspectives’, Mimaki will use this global show to recontextualise the print industry through the lens of sustainability, reinstating the company’s commitment to it, as well as engaging and collaborating with creative eco-conscious minds from across the industry.

This year Mimaki will be showcasing the Dutch surrealist Rik Lina’s visually vibrant art inspired by the natural world. The artwork headlining the booth, titled ‘Fascinated Rainforest’, is based on Lina’s own travels in the rainforests of Saba, in which he seeks to capture the essence of nature and instil the same feeling of awe in the viewer that he had while there.

The staple customer gallery will also make a return and is set to include various inspiring applications created by Mimaki’s customers across multiple sectors, from sign graphics and industrial to textile and 3D.

‘The environment is a critical concern across all print sectors – including for us here at Mimaki. We are working towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on reducing wastage, water and to encourage and help printers to create sustainable applications, where possible,’ commented Danna Drion, General Manager Marketing. ‘We will return to FESPA to join hands with the industry to collaborate on and hopefully inspire some creative, show-stopping end-products. Like previous shows, visitors can also expect Mimaki to debut something new on our stand.’

LOCAL DISTRIBUTOR  Graphix Supply World Tel: 27 21 511 5340 Email: marketing@gsw.co.za Website: http://www.gsw.co.za

Productionserver is a colour management, RIP and print data generation solution for industrial digital printing and graphic arts printing. With more than 25 years of experience not only in the development of printing software, but also in the fields of packaging, sign and display, surface decoration, ceramics, and textiles, ColorGATE offers unique features to fully support these applications.

The new version 23 opens up new possibilities for automated colour correction. Décor and packaging applications often require the reprinting of an existing printed reference. If colour deviations occur during reprinting, they can be automatically corrected with ColorGATE’s Fingerprint and Colour Correction Loop technology. Productionserver 23 now supports a wide range of measuring devices for iterative colour correction using Colour Correction Loop technology.

Customers can achieve a new level of automation with Productionserver’s REST API. New features are available in Productionserver 23, facilitating the integration in existing production processes. ColorGATE will support connectors to OneVision and Enfocus workflows.

With Productionserver 23, customers also benefit from various improvements in PDF support as well as general stability and performance optimisations with Adobe PDF Print Engine 6.1.

ColorGATE supports many printing, cutting and measurement devices. With version 23, more than 1850 devices can be driven with ColorGATE. ColorGATE will be demonstrating the new functions and tools at FESPA Munich.

ColorGATE Productionserver is a colour management and RIP solution for industrial digital printing and the graphic arts industry. It is available in dedicated versions for packaging, ceramic, decorative and textile printing, where it often forms the backbone of complex printing and production processes.

The core function of Productionserver is to generate print data from design files. This print data is specifically generated for the connected digital printing system, considering the required data format, ink setup, print mode, substrate and all other parametres that affect print quality and colour reproduction. In this way, optimum print results are achieved at different production times, on different systems and in different locations, which match a defined reference, a key requirement in industrial print production.

Highlights of Productionserver 23

Compatibility with Adobe PDF: ColorGATE relies on the Adobe PDF Print Engine to render PDF files. Productionserver 23 is equipped with the latest Adobe PDF Print Engine 6.1 This ensures compatibility with the latest design applications from Adobe.

Automation with REST API: The REST API interface can be used to integrate ColorGATE into existing workflows and to further automate them. ColorGATE is striving to make all relevant Productionserver functions accessible via the REST API and has, among other things, added the option of creating and editing containers to Version 23.

Automated colour correction for every workflow: getting colour right, especially when reprinting, is crucial in the printing business. This usually requires a lot of manual work, tweaking and the like, no matter how good master samples have been preserved. With ColorGATE’s Fingerprint technology, digital samples can be created from raster data and, in the new version 23, also from PDF files. When printing the digital master for the repeat run, it is easy to detect colour deviations and to use the Colour Correction Loop module to automatically correct them so that the print results are consistent with previous runs.

Improved UI and support access: the user interface has been further optimised in Productionserver 23, making it easier for users to work with and for new customers to get started with ColorGATE software. Customers can now easily access ColorGATE’s technical support directly out of the Productionserver software.

Thomas Kirschner, CEO of ColorGATE, emphasised, ‘At ColorGATE, we prioritise automation and standardisation for efficient and profitable digital print production. Productionserver 23 offers new workflow automation features, automated colour correction, improved PDF support, and stability and performance optimisations. Our commitment to providing the best solutions for our customers is reflected in this new version.’

Many print service providers are facing increased job volumes, especially for smaller, more customised jobs. In order to cope with this, while remaining efficient and keeping machine utilisation high, automation is a critical factor.

ColorGATE users will have the opportunity to easily automate their prepress workflows. To make this possible, ColorGATE is now connecting to products from OneVision Software AG and Enfocus BV. Dedicated connectors make it possible to include ColorGATE-driven output devices and all their colour capabilities within automated workflows.

COLORGATE
www.colorgate.com

SA International (SAi) will mark 10 years of SAi Cloud solutions, and showcase its latest version of the flagship Flexi sign making software.

The company will demonstrate the latest developments to its Flexi sign making software, an all-in-one design, print and cut software for sign and print providers, at FESPA. SAi also heads to FESPA as it celebrates the 10th anniversary of its Cloud solutions that continue to facilitate communication, support, file transfer, updates, storage and innovation for its customers.

Flexi 22 has an enhanced, user-friendly interface with the SAi Connect dashboard for monitoring production data, licences, subscriptions and downloading updates. Efficiency, ease of use, and the ability to modify jobs directly within Flexi Production Manager streamline the workflow, delivering time and cost savings. Repeat jobs are easily accessible with original settings for faster, easier and more profitable reprints.

This powerful software for sign and display producers incorporates SAi’s established, sign-specific design tools, RIP software and print-and-cut software for vinyl cutting. Flexi 22 also has tools for special applications including direct-to-film and direct-to-garment design and production, giving the software exceptional versatility. These features can help sign makers expand into new markets and offer additional services to their existing customers.

Flexi 22 is available as subscription software, making payment easy and assuring sign makers that they are always using the latest version. In addition, users are able to select features for special projects and unlock them on a short-term basis. In this way, costs can be controlled and even applied to specific jobs.

Ten years in the Cloud – one billion jobs stored

A lot has happened in ten years, and the use of the Cloud for storage, software delivery, file sharing, support and training has continued to expand and now is accepted as standard practice.

Today, nearly 25,000 SAi customers have active subscription licences and are using SAi Cloud to store one billion jobs. The ability to receive regular, automatic updates and unlock special applications on a short-term basis has made SAi’s Cloud offerings the gold standard for its customers.

‘Flexi 22 is hitting the sweet-spot for sign makers,’ said Sarit Tichon, Senior VP, Worldwide Sales and Marketing, SAi. ‘Its long history of reliability and innovation have made it the leading software for the industry. Having one billion jobs stored in our tenth year of SAi Cloud services is a major landmark and clearly illustrates both Flexi’s evolution and SAi’s commitment to our customers and the industry.’

LOCAL DISTRIBUTOR  GRAFICOMP Tel: +27 11 792 1348 Email: sales@graficomp.co.za Website: http://www.graficomp.co.za

With the ability to handle both single and dual-roll printing, Agfa’s Flex RTR module can accommodate widths of up to 3.3m and 1.6m, respectively, with a maximum roll diameter of 400mm and a weight of 450kg for each roll.

Switching from single to dual-roll printing and back is a quick and straightforward process that can be accomplished by a single operator. The dancer rolls do not need to be removed or reinstalled but can remain in place during the changeover.

Print service providers can benefit from increased flexibility with the Flex RTR module, which doesn’t need undocking when transitioning from rolls to boards or sheets. This improves printer uptime and maximises print production efficiency. The module marks the next step in the Tauro’s automation story, focusing on the optimal utilisation of this hybrid printing solution’s versatility.

‘Automation is at the core of our inkjet printing solution’s development track,’ said Dieter Jancart, Segment Manager for high-end inkjet systems at Agfa. ‘Depending on a company’s specific job types and printing requirements, we will offer a tailored solution that will ensure the most efficient handling of their workload, regardless of whether it involves rigid or flexible substrates, or a combination of both.’

The Flex RTR was developed to match the one-pass printing mode on the Tauro H3300 UHS LED, up to a printing speed of 905sqm/h. It has a compact footprint and is ergonomic and user-friendly. With the simple press of a button, the dancer rolls controlling media tension move upward, enabling quick and effortless loading of the media by a single operator.

To ensure accurate double-sided printing, the integrated camera system reads QR codes generated by the printer’s user interface to pinpoint the exact image location and adjust the print position at the start of each job. If printing on the back side is unexpectedly halted, the camera system will identify which image needs to be printed, so that production can resume rapidly and flawlessly.

The new Flex RTR module is available now for all Tauro H3300 LED printers. Agfa is set to showcase the new roll-to-roll printing module on its fastest multi-pass wide-format inkjet printer family, the Tauro H3300 LED, at FESPA in Munich from 23-26 May. The compact Flex RTR allows for swift switching between rigid and flexible media, maintaining high productivity levels.

THUNDERBOLT SOLUTIONS
+27 11 657 7000
www.thunderbolt.co.za

The Caldera team will be attending FESPA 2023 in Munich to showcase its latest innovations.

Caldera will demonstrate PrimeCenter, a solution for Nesting and Job Preparation. PrimeCenter helps prepress operators optimise job preparation for digital printing and cutting. Automating repetitive prepress tasks brings significant benefits such as: saving time, reducing media usage and increasing productivity to scale up the entire production. 

LOCAL DISTRIBUTOR  MIDCOMP Tel: +27 11 789 1222 Email: sales@midcomp.co.za Website: http://www.midcomp.co.za

Xeikon will exhibit integrated end-to-end solutions designed to give printers the freedom to diversify and exploit opportunities in different segments.

‘Xeikon is attending FESPA to showcase the unequalled application versatility of its digital print technology, which offers profitable growth through higher levels of automation while also allowing for more sustainability,’ said Dimitri Van Gaever, Market Segment Director for Graphic Arts. ‘We look forward to meeting with printers to discuss how they can pivot their operations and accelerate into new profitable markets by implementing our innovative, highly flexible solutions.’

Xeikon’s booth will be brimming with digital print samples and products covering the whole spectrum of printing, from marketing communications, specialty applications and interior decoration, to labels and point of sale solutions. The latest iteration of Xeikon’s Wall Deco Suite will be running live to showcase digital printing on a variety of non-woven materials from substrates partners Ahlstrom and Lahnpaper. This end-to-end inline solution consists of a jumbo unwinder, web cleaning unit, and Xeikon CX500 digital press followed by a water-based varnishing module and a slitting and waste removal unit before a wallpaper rewinder.

Delivering high profitability and mass customisation capabilities, Xeikon CX500 toner press prints in full rotary mode with variable repeat lengths, in true 1200dpi resolution for outstanding print quality. In addition, it offers superior sustainability performance with optimised energy consumption and eco-friendly toners that are odourless and contain no harmful substances. The toners also score high for lightfastness and are compliant with a host of industry regulations.

Visitors at FESPA will be greeted by many innovative examples of how Xeikon’s fully integrated and sustainable manufacturing technology can be used to drive more growth. In cooperation with customer Färggrossen, which is one of Sweden’s largest suppliers of paints and wallpapers, the stand in hall B2 will feature a new interactive kiosk concept that allows customers to choose, customise, visualise and order wallpaper in store. Meanwhile a large feature wall will display art wallpaper with a unique 3D clay effect designed by wall deco customer belarteSTUDIO, another Xeikon customer with a unique design philosophy.

‘Wall decoration is one of the many segments where Xeikon technology excels. Whether it’s for wallpapers or full-scale murals with individual designs, patterns or photos, the uptake of digital technology continues to grow due to the endless opportunities to revolutionise the status quo,’ stated Van Gaever. He concluded, ‘But of course, Xeikon’s mission goes beyond wall decoration. We want to show customers in all our markets how they can overcome challenges, expand their scope, and move towards fully automated production.’

IPEX MACHINERY
+27 11 493 7816
info@ipex.co.za
http://www.ipex.co.za/

Summa will demonstrate its latest developments in workflow efficiency and highly advanced automation. Its F1612 flatbed cutter will showcase an automated workflow.

Automatic sheet feeding

Summa is introducing the Board Feed Pro 75 at FESPA, a new board feeder to load sheets automatically onto the F1612 flatbed cutter. It is designed to process cardboard, printed sheets and other graphic materials. In addition to that, the feeder is also compatible with materials such as UV printed foam PVC boards and more typical sign and display materials.

Using the feeding system, the printed volumes to process can go up, which reduces the cost per copy. Moreover, the F1612 keeps its flexibility thanks to the easy roll in and roll out design of the feeder.

Automatic collection of cut materials

After the F1612 flatbed cutter processed the materials and brought them forward to the conveyor extension, visitors will discover the next step in workflow automation, Cobot.

The Cobot ensures that the cut material is collected without operator intervention. It is able to recognise different designs and sort them as required. The Cobot has great built-in safety that allows it to cooperate with humans. Therefore, there is no need to put a safety fence around it which saves valuable space. By introducing these new extensions for the F1612 flatbed cutter, the F Series have become even more versatile.

On top of the new solution to workflow automation, Summa’s full product range will be represented. Visitors will be able to witness live demonstrations on: the F1612 flatbed with conveyor extension, the Board Feed Pro 75 and Cobot, L1810 laser cutter, coupled with a Caron feeder, S One D160 roll cutter and S1D60 with the Tray One sheet feeder, S Class 2 T160 – featuring meticulous and fast cutting, and the Valiani cutter range.

LOCAL DISTRIBUTOR  FUJIFILM SOUTH AFRICA Tel: +27 11 430 5400 Website: https://www.fujifilmgraphicsystems.co.za/

Mimaki Europe will join FESPA and the wider printing industry to look at the sector with a ‘new perspective’ with its latest innovations, technologies and collaborative projects. Mimaki will display its flagship printers and cutters for the sign graphic, industrial, and textile markets, including the recently announced TxF150-75 Direct-to-Film (DTF) machine, the high performing 330 Series and the entry-level 100 Series.

Mimaki’s first foray into DTF technology, the TxF150-75 will make its international show debut at FESPA. Providing an easy and affordable process for decorating apparel, most commonly T-shirts, the TxF150-75 responds to the market need for a reliable, stable DTF technology. Equipped with Mimaki’s core technologies, it prevents common issues, such as poor ink ejection and white ink clogging, ensuring that processes are carried out efficiently with minimal intervention needed.

Other notable technologies on show include Mimaki’s flagship sign and display technology from the entry-level 100 Series and the high performance 330 Series. The print and cut workflow will be demonstrated with Mimaki’s latest cutting plotter, the CG-AR series. For industrial printers, visitors can see the Mimaki’s advanced UV flatbed printers, from the smaller size UJF-6042 MkII e to the large format JFX600-2513. For textile printers, the sublimation printers, the TS100-1600 and TS330-1600, will also feature.

Embracing FESPA’s theme of ‘New Perspectives’, Mimaki will use this global show to recontextualise the print industry through the lens of sustainability – reinstating the company’s commitment to it, as well as engaging and collaborating with creative eco-conscious minds from across the industry. This year Mimaki will be showcasing the Dutch surrealist Rik Lina’s visually vibrant art inspired by the natural world. The artwork headlining the booth, titled ‘Fascinated Rainforest,’ is based on Lina’s own travels in the rainforests of Saba, in which he seeks to capture the essence of nature and instil the same feeling of awe in the viewer that he had while there.

The staple customer gallery will also make a return and is set to include various inspiring applications created by Mimaki’s customers across multiple sectors, from sign graphics and industrial to textile and 3D.

‘The environment is a critical concern across all print sectors – including for us here at Mimaki. We are working towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on reducing wastage, water and to encourage and help printers to create sustainable applications, where possible,’ commented Danna Drion, General Manager Marketing. ‘We will return to FESPA to join hands with the industry to collaborate on and hopefully inspire some creative, show-stopping end-products. Like previous shows, visitors can also expect Mimaki to debut something new on our stand.’

The company will make its return as a gold sponsor to the FESPA 2023 Global Print Expo, taking place May 23rd– 26th in Munich, Germany.

LOCAL DISTRIBUTOR  Graphix Supply World Tel: 27 21 511 5340 Email: marketing@gsw.co.za Website: http://www.gsw.co.za

Fujifilm will present developments to its existing Acuity models, as well as unveil an entirely new machine in the line-up, following the huge success of their ‘New Blueprint for Wide Format’ appearance at FESPA 2022 in Berlin. Additionally, Fujifilm will present more details on its partnership with industrial manufacturer Barberan, to bring single-pass inkjet to the sign and display market.

Fujifilm’s 500sqm stand will consist of six display bays. Four of these bays will showcase printers first displayed at FESPA 2022, allowing Fujifilm to highlight technological developments and enhancements made since then, as well as early market success. One of the remaining bays will highlight Fujifilm’s partnership with Barberan, while the sixth will be used to unveil a brand-new machine in the Acuity line-up for the very first time.

Acuity Prime L

The Acuity Prime was first revealed to the world at FESPA 2022. This stylishly designed new flatbed – which is a larger version of the Acuity Prime 20 and 30 models – has a 3200mm x 2000mm flatbed, prints at speeds of 202sqm/hr, is easy to operate and produces high quality results at high speed. It features six vacuum zones and 16 media location pins, and allows tandem printing – printing on one side of the bed whilst setting up on the other. Now with installations in the European market, the Acuity Prime L is commercially available and market proven.

Acuity Ultra Hybrid LED

The Acuity Ultra Hybrid LED, also first unveiled at FESPA last year, will be showcased again at this year’s event. The 3.3m high-end printer offers exceptional print quality and performance on both rigid and flexible substrates. It prints at speeds of up to 218sqm/hr (RTR) and delivers a print resolution of up to 1200 x 1200dpi. The printer is unique in combining ultra-high quality and a competitive return on investment for both rigid and flexible applications, all in one platform. With a beta model now in place with a customer in the UK, and a number of technical developments since last year, this machine is a must-see.

Acuity Ultra R2 (5m and 3.2m configurations)

Announced in mid-2021, the award-winning Acuity Ultra R2 is available in 5m or 3.2m versions. Fujifilm will exhibit its 5m, four-channel conventional UV curing High Speed model, which was developed in the last year and prints up to 65% faster than the standard 5m machine. Fujifilm will also highlight the substantial speed increase – of up to 39% – that it has achieved for the 3.2m High Speed model.

The Acuity Ultra R2 is now being shipped as a modular system and existing models can be upgraded on-site to add light colours, white or High Speed modes, depending on the requirements of the print business.

Big reveal

Fujifilm will also display a brand-new addition to the Acuity range – which will be announced ahead of the show – while its historic partnership with Barberan will be demonstrated with an intricate scale model and video demonstration.

David Burton, Business Director, Fujifilm Wide Format Inkjet Systems commented: ‘We can’t wait to, once again, showcase our Acuity wide format printers, which offer value for money, reliability and stability.’

These solutions can all be seen at FESPA 2023 (Munich, 23rd -26th May).

LOCAL DISTRIBUTOR  FUJIFILM SOUTH AFRICA Tel: +27 11 430 5400 Website: https://www.fujifilmgraphicsystems.co.za/