With tracks covering commercial print, labels and packaging, and sign and display, I was joined by Image Magazine’s inimitable Stan Kilpin from Perth, Australia and local graphic designer Nir Navot to judge the last of these segments. And, although we had some fairly lengthy discussions about the entries, our decisions for each category were unanimous. So the responsibility rested on us three to come up with the goods from the submissions we had before us.

Compared with entries from the other print segments, it’s sad that those for sign and display were fewer. But it has to be remembered that, logistically, it is far more difficult for a PSP producing wide-format work to be able physically and logistically to send in examples of the entry being submitted. Because of size, portability is restricted so applications, such as vehicle wraps, can only be displayed in practical terms using photographs.

As a result, our judging came from a mixture of photographic representations showing final installations and examples of actual jobs, including a sizeable piece of cardboard engineering which we built ourselves prior to assessing it. Each entrant was invited to submit a storyline about the application, a useful feature as it helped us to generate more precise assessments about the finished work.

Because the awards are international, the flavour of the design parameters from different parts of the world provided an interesting aspect of the overall job. Wide-format digital print might be a universal format in its own right, but the way it’s executed varies from country to country in terms of ingenuity and overall creativity. It doesn’t take long to recognise from which continent an entry has appeared.

Mum’s the word on the results of the HP Print Excellence Awards for the time being. But all the winners and recipients of special awards will be announced at drupa, so there’s not too long to wait.

This blog was originally penned for Output‘s Talk Print! stream and posted at http://www.outputmagazine.com/talk-print/applications/judge-and-be-judged-hp-s-print-excellence-awards/

Digital print is not all ink-jet. In the commercial and packaging sectors there are options that have been well accepted during the transition to shorter runs and greater versatility. Generally speaking, display output has relied on ink-jet for its flexibility and size, allowing for all sorts of creativity and wide-format design parameters to be incorporated into a variety of jobs.

However, consider the companies specialising in poster printing, and here is a classic example where ink-jet alternatives could easily be considered. Accepted options are offset litho and screen-printing but, in wanting to capitalise on customisation and low volumes, PSPs have tended to opt for ink-jet. Quality parameters have helped with high resolution and good colour, and process familiarity has also played a part.

One of the nicely repeating markets for all things digital remains in the output of posters, often destined for a short life, and dependent on fast turnaround and an acceptable price point. Because we’ve swiftly become conditioned to accepting that ink-jet is the de facto technology for this type of application, we tend to ignore the other options as not being relevant, or good enough, for these jobs. Alternative printers tend to be targeted at the AEC and CAD markets, but the standards of throughput are so high on many of these that there is absolutely no reason why work that comes under the category of graphics shouldn’t be produced using a different kind of output device.

There are several alternatives on offer, joined recently by HP Indigo with the 10000, a 750mm-wide addition to this famous family that uses the company’s proprietary ElectroInk. No-one familiar with photobooks or high-end business cards can fail to be impressed with the quality generated on Indigo presses, and for B2+ posters the new 10000 is surely going to attract the market for variable data and mixed runs.

Ricoh‘s launch of its A0 Aficio CW 2200SP is one example directed at the CAD sector. But the type of quality it produces should appeal to many who want to produce solid, rich colours on poster output. Its ink is a hybrid product called LiquidGel and comprises a combination between laser and ink-jet printing, so Ricoh should take into account that many graphics jobs will be well suited to its production standards.

I’ve spent some time with the Océ ColorWave and immediately was impressed with what it could turn out on a range of different media, including fluorescents, blue-back, polyester films, banner material and Tyvek. Its gravity-fed TonerPearls are a hybrid solid toner and ink-jet mix, converted into a gel, jetted and crystallised onto the material without the use of any fusing chemicals. Again, this is a strong and versatile contender for the poster market.

Another recent entrant into this sector is the LED production printer, the KIP C7800, which makes no bones about the fact that it uses toner-based technology, again with a solid particle system. Here’s another machine which is just as well suited to the display market as it is to CAD and AEC, with a good range of supported media, scan/copy, variable data printing and finishing.

Giving these and other alternatives close scrutiny, it’s understandable that display producers should look away from ink-jet for serious poster applications. There’s also the added benefit that many of these machines incorporate options, such as stacking and folding, bringing features that quick printers and copy shops have taken for granted into the wider format marketplace.

Yes, there’s the argument that users wanting to produce a run of posters can gang multiples across a wider roll of material but, in terms of convenience, storage and handling, working with dedicated rolls or pre-cut sheets is often easier. These machines also provide a valuable gateway into the market for volumes that simply aren’t practical on an ink-jet production printer but need the flexibility not available with offset litho or screen-printing.

Manufacturers of these alternatives to ink-jet are going to be out in force at drupa, and it will be interesting to see how much interest is generated from the graphics sector. The wide-format digital brigade should take time out to investigate these options; they should be pleasantly surprised.

This feature was originally commissioned and published by Output and can be found at http://www.outputmagazine.com/wide-format-print/equipment/inks/it-s-not-all-ink-jet-you-know/

I remember back at Sign and Digital 2008 spending time on the HP stand talking about the imminent arrival of latex technology, and giving a presentation about it at the show. I answered questions about how the formulation worked and what it would mean to the industry, and discussed the potential of the inks to all sorts of folk who came along to one of my discussion slots.

Now, four years on, HP’s latex printers have planted themselves firmly in the roll-to-roll camp and, with the first UK showing at a trade show of this new Designjet duo, people are going to want to know what’s different about the machines. I’m lucky as I got to work with the smaller one at FESPA Digital’s Print Shop Live, and Sign and Digital UK’s visitors are pretty certain to appreciate the refinements that have gone into these machines.

Will the new versions generate interest from a broader band of end users? Yes, I believe so because of the refinements that HP’s introduced to both of these platforms. Faster throughput speeds were inevitable, but double-sided printing is an added bonus as is the improved media handling so that it’s easier to print to digital textiles. Grumbles about gamut can now be moved to one side, too, as the revised inks are a vast improvement.

What are the public expecting from the HP Designjet L26500 and L28500 at Sign and Digital UK? It’s easy to speculate because these two printers can handle a lot, from digital textiles for soft signs and décor through to banners and general interior and exterior displays. There’s likely to be a bit of wrapping happening, too, as James Deacon demonstrates his talents and shows other people how to do it.

Yes, there’s the added bonus that there are some mouth-watering deals up for grabs for show visitors wanting to place a latex order at the show, but many will be tempted regardless of additional fillips. Competition is a good thing, and other latex formulations will continue to emerge. But you need to give the original entrant into the market credit for being well ahead of the rest and setting the standard others have to follow. And imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, after all.

This blog was originally penned for the HP-powered Talk Print! stream on Output and featured at http://www.outputmagazine.com/talk-print/technology/hp-at-sign-and-digital-uk-great-expectations-and-practical-realities/

Other manufacturers, such as Roland, might not have anything new to demonstrate and for these there’s the opportunity to work with others at presenting solutions rather than just engines. Joining forces at the exhibition provides more of a working environment for potential customers, and Roland is a good case in point as it’s teaming together with Solent Sewing and Welding, whose Miller Weldmaster will be welding jobs printed on Soyang materials and cut on a Kongsberg table.

First off the blocks in terms of new machines is Mutoh with its 1.6m ValueJet 1638, determined to confirm to the market that eco-solvent platforms still have plenty of life left in them. From the outside this might look just like other systems from this manufacturer but it’s upped the speed considerably to more than 50sq m/hr and added some nice touches, such as options for 220ml and 440ml cartridges or with its high-capacity ink adapter, which supports one-litre bags. With colour accuracy becoming ever more crucial, the addition of Mutoh’s SpectroVue VM-10 spectrophotometer now means that process control can become a part of the overall workflow.

Epson doesn’t like to use the word solvent when describing the ink used in its recently launched low-cost 1.6m SureColor SC-S30600, which I got to know well at Print Shop Live at FESPA Digital. This new machine features UltraChrome GS2 nickel-free inks and latest generation TFP print-heads and, perhaps surprisingly, produces remarkably good output even though it’s only a four-colour engine.

DPI is also bringing something new to Sign and Digital UK with InkTec‘s new Jetrix 2030 FRK which has a fixed flat-bed, optional roll-to-roll printing, white ink and an in-built primer to broaden the range of materials that can be printed. The :Anapurna M2540 FB is another newcomer to the flat-bed ranks and this is joined by Agfa‘s :Anapurna M2050 which is also making its first UK appearance. Both of these incorporate white ink which is now becoming increasingly commonplace across all budgets of UV-curable machines.

I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if I failed to mention Mimaki‘s arrival on the latex scene with the JV400-130LX and JV400-160LX, which created a stir at FESPA Digital. Under the stewardship of UK distributor Hybrid Services at Sign and Digital UK, this duo of printers has new long-life print-heads with a four-picolitre droplet size and variable dot technology, along with six colours and a white ink. Don’t ignore Mimaki’s SUV ink development which, as its name suggests, combines solvent-based flexibility with UV-curable durability with the intention of bring better adhesion.

Many have stressed this year that production and MIS software is beginning to become more important to the display industry. Corel has just released its CorelDraw Graphics Suite X6, a series of programs which has retained popularity amongst Windows users and provides an alternative to several of the options within Adobe CS. With the apparent increase in Macintosh users, perhaps it’s a shame that Corel has stayed on the Microsoft path and not considered porting this for Apple.

MIS solutions are also receiving increased coverage this year with long-term exhibitor Clarity Software featuring its e-marketing tool which can be used as a standalone product. Others tackling the administrative side of production include Shuttleworth and Optimus with Dash, designed to move MIS away from litho and cater for the idiosyncrasies of digital and screen-printing.

From a technology standpoint, the changes we’re now seeing are mainly with ink formulations, much as expected. It’s four years since HP introduced its first latex machines, and variations since have been more subtle with improvements continuing to drive better results and nicer working conditions.

Sign and Digital UK will show that print engines are changing in shape and size, and materials are getting greener and more versatile. The exhibition will also confirm that software is becoming more of a driving force and finishing tables are becoming ever more essential. This event also continues to be a key place for valuable networking as well as a showcase for today’s technologies.

This feature was originally commissioned by, and published on, Output at http://www.outputmagazine.com/wide-format-print/intelligence/events/first-looks-at-the-nec-new-technology-at-sign-and-digital-uk/

Exhibitions in the trade sector differ from their consumer equivalents. Those with the motto of ‘pile ‘em high, and sell ‘em cheap’ work well in a market-stall atmosphere. But, generally, we can’t apply the same principles at printing shows for no-one is really going to plough his way through the Messe Düsseldorf in search of an impulse bargain.

The drupa show represents a vast congregation of everything to do with print. It’s a bit like Marmite, and people either love it or hate it. But few miss the opportunity of visiting the Messe to soak up the extraordinary atmosphere even if logistics and cost aren’t advantageous.

As well as being the showcase for all things print, Düsseldorf holds the additional fascination of being responsible for showing future trends and practices. Never would I have dreamed at my first drupa back in 1982 that an industry could change so radically in such a short time. Players have shifted focus and increased or decreased in dominance. Newcomers have arrived and tackled the industry in a big way, and stalwarts have hung on as their presence in size and importance has dwindled.

As analysts and journalists, we’re spoilt because we get to have a fair idea of what’s new well in advance and can plan it into our daily rounds of the halls. And we get to spread the word ahead of time; serious visitors will have scoured the trade press to ascertain where they want to concentrate their attention. The lucky ones will have been privy to pre-drupa events where new equipment can be previewed at source, an invaluable opportunity for manufacturers to get a true idea of what the industry thinks about their latest developments.

But for the majority of visitors, all 375,000 of them anticipated this year, what they find at drupa is often down to chance just as much as it is to pre-planning. That’s why the surprise element rates highly at this exhibition, providing the optimum platform for new announcements as they’re certain to receive the widest world-wide audience.

As we enter the final countdown, my eager anticipation blends with concern about the suspiciously cheap hotel I sourced in the centre of town. But my curiosity about all things print and what drives them will overcome minor inconveniences, such as cold showers and a lumpy bed. I know I won’t be alone in putting up with a few discomforts so that I can enjoy the drupa effect for the eighth time.

This blog was written for the HP-powered Talk Print! blogging stream on Output, and originally published at http://www.outputmagazine.com/talk-print/intelligence/the-drupa-effect/

Unlike traffic signs, many wayfinding options aren’t privy to strict criteria and restrictions in design and layout and can all too often be represented in a manner deemed fit by the design fraternity. Often coming under an umbrella which encompasses branding, applying directional intent can become swallowed up in other graphics, leaving lost souls frustrated as they try to navigate their way to their destinations.

True, local councils have their own ideas, and there are acts that now abound so that partially sighted people can interpret information but, as in so many areas of life, the more technology there is available to produce something then the more complex it can become. Wayfinding displays should be driven by simplicity and clarity, and not peppered with fancy text and graphics; after all, there are plenty of other opportunities where more heterogeneous design skills can be put on show.

Government organisations and large companies tend to have their own sets of rules for the design of wayfinding displays. Rather like with branding, the intention is to provide a commonality which is instantly recognisable and that, where necessary, conforms to the designated colour schemes, logos and type styles. In public places and buildings, a hotchpotch of elements which don’t meet a certain set of parameters can be confusing, and will probably look most unappealing. Common symbols which come outside the health and safety remit yet still need to be clearly identifiable can easily lose their meaning if the design is too eclectic, and vague instructions don’t help people trying to find their way around new locations.

It is testimony to good design parameters that early wayfinding signs evolved into displays that continue to perform their intended function. That some of these have now erred on the side of complexity is a shame and totally unnecessary. We all have stories to tell about locations where directions and other visual instructions have both failed, whether this is a shopping centre, a countryside walk or an airport. Similarly, it’s just as likely that we can recount sites where a perfectly well designed example has been badly installed and ends up being obscured by another obstacle, or is totally illegible because of an unwanted reflection or a bad viewing angle.

This is an industry sector where sign-making should still excel. Clearly produced displays using roll-fed or rigid materials, computer cut, often back-lit with the use of inlaid lettering, will score highly when compared with some ethereal digital print that might look very attractive but fails on the legibility stakes. Wayfinding signs also need to carry overall durability given that many are placed in locations where inclement weather and graffiti are both rife. They also need to be sufficiently stable to prevent idle hands from altering their direction.

For most people these days, the whole wayfinding experience has changed with the use of computers to search out initial directions, and satnav for finding destinations when driving or, even, walking. Trying to be all things to all men means that sign-makers working in this sector need to be aware that the way their displays are interpreted don’t always come from the same origination point. There is often the danger of too much information overpowering the detail being outlined; applying the maxim that less can be more can lead to workable clarity rather than a mishmash of confusing instructions.

Wayfinding displays have also become an ideal candidate in some locations for touchscreen solutions, but these need to complement clear fixed signs. Identification and the viewer’s ability to relate to information being provided on a panel must have a sensible follow-through to make the whole wayfinding experience straightforward.

A good wayfinding display is really a call to action. People rarely pay much attention to these signs until they need to go somewhere unfamiliar. The man in the street or the building won’t be interested in how the signs have been designed, produced and installed. What’s relevant are their effectiveness and how easy the instructions are to interpret, and this rides on clarity and simplicity.

This technical feature was originally commissioned by, and published on, Output at http://www.outputmagazine.com/sign-making/projects/signs/show-me-the-way-wayfinding/

When we see hosts of gleaming machines at trade shows and in demonstration suites, how much do we really know about their manufacture? Are the people involved in building these platforms really interested in how they evolve into working units, or are they just doing a job?

A complex printing machine which represents a sizeable investment to a PSP needs to be designed and assembled with confidence. It needs to emulate its manufacturer’s ethos of quality, and should easily be able to outlive its intended ROI. The platform must be rugged enough to cope with the everyday stresses and strains of being put to work, and often in non-stop environments where throughput must be reliable and continuous. Sadly, I know of plenty of cases where this hasn’t been the case.

Anyone planning to buy a print engine surely has the right to investigate the quality of its components and the overall manufacturing practices. Those running production sites shouldn’t be nervous about allowing potential investors to subject the machines they’re interested in to the closest scrutiny. After all, these platforms are going to provide the daily bread for many and the last thing anyone wants is a stuttering piece of equipment which doesn’t do the jobs it’s intended for, and becomes a costly white elephant that cannot be depended on to turn out results that are fit for purpose.

But, as well as the quality of the components, there are teams of people whose task it is to develop, engineer and knit together equipment. Although automation might play a part in some elements of construction, the folk who oversee and cherish the print engine they’re responsible for building need to take pride in what they’re doing. Clean and organised production areas are going to inspire far more confidence than some grubby factory in a gloomy part of the world, where staff struggle in poor lighting trying to fiddle around with sub-standard parts.

So HP Scitex’s facility is on my agenda for another visit. It’s a great example of how printing machines should be built, and strong testimony to the finished equipment that comes out of the company’s production methodology.

This blog was originally written for Output‘s Talk Print! channel, sponsored by HP, at published at http://www.outputmagazine.com/talk-print/technology/manufacturing-more-than-skin-deep/

But we’ve just had a nice surprise. You could say it’s not new, but it’s one of those logical additions which will open up new doors to PSPs who want to bring something different to their customers without adding any risk to their investments. After all, no-one can afford to gamble these days, can they?

HP’s taken its existing Indigo range and turned it into a family of new products by adding sensible options that people are going to want. These changes take on board application potential and how to achieve different results, rather than merely being demonstrative of improvements for the sake of a bit more speed or productivity. So what else could be added? How about a larger format?

So HP has gone wider with its Indigo platform, having just announced its Indigo 10000, which brings this technology to a whole new type of end user. No wonder its announcement received an enthusiastic round of applause from the assembled audience.

Yes, it’s a new concept using this technology, but it’s not based on whims and dreams. This is a fourth generation machine, so not a theoretical exercise, and it’s based on solid Indigo foundations so it will work. It’s a B2 press, or 29″ (0.73m), and its larger format is certain to open up a whole gamut of new possibilities to PSPs who want to make a departure from narrower applications but who prefer to stay with familiar digital technology.

This is a machine with great potential, with seven colours and a host of features to whet the appetite. It actually extends the wide-format arena into new territories and brings about a new way of thinking about production. There are plenty of PSPs around who like the idea of larger sized production but who don’t want to adopt the same ink-jet technologies as their competitors.

Look out for the HP Indigo 10000 at drupa, of course. My bet is that it will be surrounded by all sorts of die-hard wide-format printers who want to take their applications in a new direction.

This blog was originally written for the Talk Print! stream on Output, powered by HP, and was published at http://www.outputmagazine.com/talk-print/technology/mood-indigo-goes-wider/

This is the first paragraph of the full road test I’ve written for Output. If you’d like to know my thoughts on the ValueJet 2628TD in full, read my profile and review of the machine here.

No-one expected stands bristling with new products but there were some interesting additions to existing portfolios. But, perhaps for the first time, the exhibition emphasised strongly the relevance of software, without which none of us would be producing anything from our hardware and accounting for the output.

The fact that this year’s show wasn’t bursting at the seams with new technologies confirms the accepted place where digital sits these days. Instead of dozens of new machines, the emphasis was strong on workflow solutions – an element, perhaps, to which sign-makers and display producers thus far have not paid as much attention as their smaller-format counterparts.

In production terms, perhaps many now realise that the print rate of an engine is only one part of throughput speed and that sensible end-to-end software is key to gaining and retaining efficiency throughout all areas. Integration is becoming increasingly important, and this is being addressed by RIP and other software developers. Automation and accountability are joined by ink saving, smarter colour management options and a greater leaning towards adopting standards.

But, without doubt, the hottest news at this year’s FESPA Digital was the challenge Mimaki has given to HP with its own version of latex ink. Mimaki also had another product which opens up new doors to what we expect from our chemistries. This formulation has a solvent component to key with the surface of the media, fixing the pigment, while the UV-curing results in the expected tough finish.

Latex was dominant on the HP stand with the first showing of the company’s two new Designjet printers, the L26500 and its larger brother, the L28500. Both of these show the enhancements that have been made including a revised ink formulation, double-sided printing and a greater awareness of the ability to print soft signs on digital textile materials.

Xanté‘s Excelagraphix 4200 also brought something different to the table, with its Memjet Waterfall print-head technology and its ability to print direct to various materials, including corrugateds and foamboards. It’s still early days for this machine, though, and one wonders how it will fare in the well-served market area for the media it claims it can handle.

In terms of UV-curable ink formulations, there were introductions sprinkled around the hall, with Agfa Graphics demonstrating its commitment to this technology with the first appearance of the :Anapurna M2540 FB dedicated flat-bed machine. Likewise, Fujifilm‘s Acuity LED 1600 hybrid printer featured strongly as did the rebadged SigmaGraf printers, formerly known by the Grapo name. Océ is also continuing down the flat-bed path route with its new low-cost Arizona 318 GL, and these examples show that this ink chemistry is still flourishing.

In terms of LED curing, there are still many doubters who don’t believe it’s yet up to speed for wide-format production printers, even though Roland and Mimaki have achieved success with its incorporation into their platforms. EFI‘s VUTEk GS3250LX is currently the only 3.2m industrial strength engine to feature this lamp technology, and the results should bring assurance to those who question its efficacy.

Expected trend patterns for textile production and smaller machines were in evidence at the show, as was the predicted growth in popularity for cutting tables across all sizes and budgets. Likewise, proof that solvent-based engines with next-generation ink formulations are still highly popular was in evidence with well priced entrants like the Epson SureColor S-30600 challenging other entry-level platforms.

However, this year’s FESPA Digital should be remembered for making it clear to every PSP in every sector that it’s time to pay attention to workflow and colour management. The days are gone when accuracy was a hit or miss affair, and this is now simplified with software that irons out the calibration and profiling creases and should help users achieve professional standards that meet ISO criteria.

The FESPA team once again achieved what it set out to do, and that is to provide a dedicated platform for the digital sectors. As such, all visitors will have gained valuable insights into the technologies which will continue to drive our industry forward from an event dedicated to the purpose.

This feature was originally commissioned by Output and published at http://www.outputmagazine.com/wide-format-print/intelligence/events/fespa-digital-review-a-show-driven-by-software/