DIGITAL INNOVATIONS ABOUND AT PRINTING UNITED, LAS VEGAS - WHAT DID YOU MISS? OUR EDITORIAL TEAM SPOTLIGHT NEW TECHNOLOGY
Held annually and focused on bringing together the print community in one location to experience the latest printing technologies and applications, the event provides a platform for all that is new and worthy of note. Showcasing applications and technologies for multiple markets, the show provides a unique opportunity in a physical format, where the industries application specialists are on-site for face-to-face knowledge transfer.
Printing United Expo returns to Las Vegas to present a stunning carnival of printing technology, consumables, software, and ground-breaking innovations.
The show remains a “must attend event” for the worlds print community.
Held annually and focused on bringing together the print community in one location to experience the latest printing technologies and applications, the event provides a platform for all that is new and worthy of note. Showcasing applications and technologies for multiple markets, the show provides a unique opportunity in a physical format, where the industries application specialists are on-site for face-to-face knowledge transfer. Offering technology in action alongside the latest trends on full display from wide-format to apparel and everything in between.
The title sponsor, HP, chose Printing United Expo to announce new solutions to help print service providers (PSPs) meet high levels of demand, optimise work processes, and grow their businesses by delivering innovative applications.
HP showcased their new 3.2m (126-in) wide HP Latex 2700 printers which takes production efficiency to the next level, offering vivid colours at up to 89 m2/hr (958 ft²/hr) via symmetrical double printheads, which come equipped with automatic printhead cleaning technology.
HP also launched their new Professional Print Service Plans which are designed to enable business agility, maximize uptime and productivity, and to provide learning opportunities and support.
PSPs have a choice of two different HP Professional Print Service Plans – Basic and Plus – with each containing a portfolio of service and software solutions tailored to business needs.
The diamond sponsor, Kornit Digital, unveiled its Impact Report for 2021, highlighting progress made against their goals and further expanding their commitment to a long-term strategy designed to transform the world of fashion and textiles into one that is more sustainable.
In pride of place at the Kornit stand was the Atlas POLY MAX which is a sustainable and affordable solution for printing directly onto polyester. With the launch of Kornits ground-breaking MAX technology, many capabilities that seemed out of reach are now possible, with many new creative applications enabled by Kornit MAX technology yet to be explored.
In addition to design elements, the KD systems can handle different production volumes, including short runs and one-offs. The result is a flexible production system, catering to the needs of multiple target audiences, further broadening the PSP’s customer base.
Platinum sponsor Epson showcased its full line of professional printing solutions including its three Printing United Alliance 2022 Pinnacle Product Awards winners.
The new SureColor® P8570D and SureColor F6470H earning recognitions in Roll-to-Roll Aqueous (Under 80 inches), and Roll-to-Roll Dye-Sublimation on Metal, categories respectfully. Additionally, the SureColor F10070 received recognition for the third year in a row in the Roll-to-Roll Dye-Sublimation on Textile ($50K-$100K) category.
Platinum sponsor Fujifilm announced its entry into the high-end wide format hybrid market with the unveiling of the new Acuity Ultra Hybrid LED printer.
The Acuity Ultra Hybrid LED expertly handles both rigid and flexible media, all in one platform, delivering an extremely versatile solution with maximum speeds of up to 2,346 ft²/hr. (roll-to-roll) and resolution of up to 1200 x 1200 dpi.
Platinum sponsor Agfa presented for the first time, an Inca Onset high-speed printer on its booth, the super‑fast X3 HS.
Not only has it been rebranded with Agfa’s characteristic Warm Red colour, but it also ran on Agfa’s dedicated new inkjet ink and Agfa demonstrated the printer’s newly developed high-throughput, high-quality speed modes. The Inca Onset has been pushing the boundaries of what is possible in print for the X3 HS is capable of 24/7 printing at a production speed of 15,600 ft²/h.
EFI, also a Platinum sponsor, showcased Fiery Impress™, the new, easy-to-implement, turnkey DFE solution for inkjet printer manufacturers that offers high-speed productivity, high automation and comprehensive colour management.
Advanced digital front end (DFE) and print workflow solutions from Fiery®, a business unit of Electronics For Imaging, Inc., demonstrated the unstoppable innovation needed to help customers maximize productivity and profitability in their digital printing operations.
Durst Group, a Platinum sponsor, announced an extensive line-up of technology where three printers from the Durst P5 portfolio, never before seen at Printing United Expo, were showcased at the exhibit.
First, the Durst P5 500, a 5.25m roll-to-roll printer, bringing “Super-wide format” to the P5 portfolio, and allowing efficient and unattended production.
Next, the P5 TEX iSub, a dye sub printer for soft signage and fabrics printing, was also showcased. This dye-sublimation printer with inline fixation offers a 1-step direct to fabrics printing process.
Third, the all-in-one Durst hybrid P5 350 HS was exhibited with Double 4 technology.
The Durst P5 Double 4 (D4) technology maximizes the productivity of the P5 UV series printing systems through the implementation of a double CMYK colour configuration.
In the coming technology field, STS Inks, a global leader in the wide format, industrial and household inkjet markets, launched its robust DTF series printers.
Built with advanced Direct-to-Film (DTF) printing capabilities, the Japanese-made 1682D 64” DTF Printer provides a staggered dual-head design that provides ultra-fast print speeds and is coupled with the STS 48” Automatic shaker for increased workflows and processing speeds.
STS also revealed the new features of the exclusive STS Inks XPD-724D coming in January 2023. With enhanced user-friendly operation and maintenance, the debut will offer high the printer high-quality production and high-quality output, alongside the enhanced performance characteristics that are associated with a built-in white ink circulation. The system allows for the free unobstructed flow of ink directly to the print head providing optimal results.
Both the 1682D and upcoming XPD-724D pair with STS’s DTF ink, which offers users excellent colour gamut and outstanding durability.
Finally, SwissQprint presented the second generation of its Karibu roll to roll printer. By means of the latest print head technology, the Swiss manufacturer is taking UV roll to roll printing quality to a new level.
Karibu 2, the dedicated roll to roll printer from SwissQprint, uses the latest print head technology. It achieves up to 1350 dpi resolution. The Karibu 2 delivers top quality even at high output. The machine accommodates rolls up to 3.4 metres wide and prints using UV inks that are flexible, NVC-free and Greenguard Gold certified.
Elsewhere, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite exhibited their recently updated budget-friendly subscription-based software which provides a fully loaded professional design toolkit for delivering breath-taking vector illustration, layout, photo editing, and typography projects with total efficiency.
Also on the software front, Print Factory launched their new revised dashboard which provides a consolidated view of all connected devices (printers and cutters) across all production sites, as well as job information including nests and processes.
In addition to displaying pending jobs based on delivery deadlines, the dashboard includes a “Health Check” to inform the production team of potential problems before a disruption occurs.
Following on, Onyx Graphics showcased colour automation tools using the new ONYX Colour Reference Library, available exclusively in ONYX 22. This latest version of industry-leading ONYX software was released globally in July, providing a new drag-and-drop user experience with easy-to-use tools for everyday automation.
And Finally in software, OnPrintShop, the most preferred Web-to-Print Solution, launched its Enhanced Partnership solution - a scalable and & flexible framework specially designed to offer reseller/franchisee stores, the ability to develop vendor API, gives complete control over the entire reseller/franchisee network, and consistently deliver white label shipping.
Trader printer/franchisee can set up print products centrally and resellers can easily mark up. Personalized reseller stores and franchisee stores can be created in minutes and marketing activities can be effectively managed.
All in all, the Printing United Expo presented a vibrant carnival of innovation that fascinated the many thousands of visitors, whilst securing many at show sales. New contacts were found, networks established, knowledge transferred, and commercial opportunities abounded on all stands. The show was a widely described as a roaring success.
Next year the Printing United Expo is to be held at the World Congress Centre in Atlanta Georgia.
