Print Monthly

One of the key emerging trends throughout the hall this year was UV printing. Agfa Graphics showcased their latest addition to the i-Series, the Anapurna M3200i RTR.

The 3.2m roll-to-roll UV printer on display has a dual system that can print jobs on two rolls simultaneously. The device, says Roger Sherratt, digital sign and display sales of Agfa, is extremely versatile. Used for textile printing, Sherratt explains how the result is just as good as it would be when using a flatbed. With less ink used on the material, making the whole process highly economical, the ink does not crack when handled.

Agfa's Roger Sherratt shows off the Anapurna M3200i RTR's high quality textile output, crediting the printer's low ink usage

A key feature of the device is its ability to print directly onto line mesh, which seemed popular on several stands around the hall. The vacuum plate lifts out into two sections, and a foam layer inserted into the machine allows printing onto the mesh.

Another product Agfa was excited to show us were example paint swatches made of a thin plastic. The solid colour showed off the quality of the print as every detail on the sheet could be seen.

One of the biggest launches today, in more ways than one, was on one of the show's central stands, as Inktec introduced its new wide-format Jetrix roll-to-roll UV inkjet printer, the RX3200 (3.2m).

Inktec's wide-format Jetrix roll-to-roll UV inkjet 3.2m RX3200 printer landed its first sale today at Sign and Digital UK

Ben Woodruff spoke to Sign and Digital UK 2015 visitors, describing the journey the company has come on throughout the last few years at the show, from a relatively small exhibitor, to one of the industry's major players. He emphasised how the RX 3200 (and its bigger brother, the RX5000) was designed to produce saleable quality products to the market, meaning that balancing speed, quality, and cost was top priority.

One stand-out feature are the two configurations available, with a four-colour CMYK, intended for outdoor signage producers, and a special eight-colour configuration, which includes the mysterious 'light yellow' (LY), though to be the only one in the industry. Woodruff even revealed that the first sale of the RX was ready to take place at the show, though sadly Darren McMurphy of PFI Solutions in Cheshire was not around to shake hands over the machine.

Also launching at the Inktec stand was the KX6 flatbed printer, which Woodruff claimed to be the fastest at the show, producing at 55sq m/h.

Marvellous machines


From Roland DG came a wide selection of their equipment including the CAMM-1 PRO GX-Series. The vinyl cutter comes in three widths: 762mm, 1270mm, and 1625mm and cuts at speeds up to 850mm per second.

Roland’s solvent-UV printer, the VersaCAMM VSi-series, comes in widths of 1371mm or 1625mm. The VersaStudio BN-20, a desktop print and cut device, is a compact solution that is ideal for any t-shirt printing or signage company.

(Above and below) Blackman and White's Versatech cutter is able to be fitted with a blade, router, and a laser making it able to service almost all commonly used materials in the signage industry

The VersaUV LEJ-640F, Roland’s first true flatbed printer, can be used on any substrate. Using the latest low temperature UV-LED lamps, the device has a life of around seven to eight years and is low cost to run. With high ink durability and the ability to print on glass and metal, it can produce many interesting applications.

Another big theme in the halls today was soft signage and textiles with Aaron Burton from Sabur Digital Textile Solutions telling us about the Roland XF-640 Diva. With the ability to print on fabrics such as cotton, silk, polyester, and nylon, this niche product can print 12sq m/h at high quality but can reach 62sq m/h.

Versatile cutting

Alex White, managing director of Blackman and White, also emphasised how the textile industry is continuing to grow, saying how textile producers are beginning to realise how important the soft, clean edges laser cutting can produce.

Blackman and White's Versatech output entertained visitors to Sign and Digital UK

On its stand, the British designer and manufacturer of cutting systems, was displaying its mammoth 3.2m-wide Versatech router, knife, and laser cutter, with White claiming that the machine could service all commonly-used media in the signage industry. Though the Versatech at the show features all three cutting tools and would set a sign-maker back £150,000, White emphasised that the machine is modular, so a sign-maker can customise it to a company's specific needs and budget.

AXYZ International, regular visitors at Sign and Digital UK, was also showing off its cutting powers, presenting the versatility of its flatbed CNC router. Used to cut many substrates such as paper, steel, acrylic, aluminium, and foamex, the device is highly versatile. Although it is used in multiple industries, the signage industry brings in the most work for them, says Ged Lodge of AXYZ.

Antalis showcased Drytac's Anti-Graffiti film by creating a spray paint work of art, then wiping it off at the end of the day

Finally, things were getting arty over at the Antalis stand, where Rebecca Chandler showed us its large graffiti display. Antalis's exhibition artist, Bongo, used spray paints to create a modern design on a laminated wall using Drytac's Protac Anti-Graffiti film. At the end of each day, the design will be wiped off with a solvent cleaner, ready for a brand new design the next day (which we will certainly be going back to see.) You can even be in with a chance to win a limited edition canvas created by Bongo at the end of each day. Antalis also featured a vinyl wrapped pink scooter on its stand, something that anyone can learn to do for themselves at its own Digital Academy.

It has been a fantastic start to Sign and Digital UK 2015, with such a huge range of technology, materials, and signage products on display, and many more still to see in the days ahead, it is a sumptuous feast of sign industry delight. Come back tomorrow to read about what we discovered on day two.