Demonstrations and advice at SDUK 2016; expect more of that this year
Simon Eccles looks at the highlights of the upcoming Sign & Digital UK exhibition, which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary.
Spring is coming so can Sign & Digital be far behind? Not in this case, as the long-established UK show is being held from 28 to 30 March, a week after the equinox that marks the official start of spring.
This year is the show’s 30th anniversary. It started life in 1987 as Sign UK, when analogue screen printing was the dominant process for short run signs and offset was the way to produce longer runs of billboards. Digital mainly meant vinyl cutters in the 1980s, though there were a few spray-type digitally-controlled printers for very large, very low-res posters, and liquid toner printers for plans, maps and the like.
The 1990s saw the first wide format inkjet printers, although initially with oil-based inks. It was the introduction of piezo-electric printheads and solvent-based inks in the mid-to-late 1990s that saw the real take-off of digital in this sector, as these could print quick-curing inks onto plastic media, with outdoor durability measured in years. By the early 2000s, UV-cured inks and big flatbed printers allowed direct printing of large rigid media sheets of practically any material, and these really started eating into the screen printing market. Since then we’ve seen the spread of inkjet into textile printing for ‘soft signage,’ using dye sublimation and other specialist pigment and dye-based inks.
Over the past decade the show has included more and more digital signage (ie those comprising either computer display technology or computer-controlled arrays of lights that make up the image). There’s no prospect of digital signs replacing print in the next decade or so, but advancing technologies such as thin and flexible OLED displays are likely to make ever-greater inroads. Some signage printing specialists are getting into the supply and maintenance of digital signs, as the installation skills and organisation needed are broadly similar. There’s a significant digital display presence at Sign & Digital, so you can judge for yourself.
Doing business at SDUK 2016
Rudi Blackett, event director for Sign & Digital UK, said: ‘We’re looking forward to celebrating 30 years of the show. The industry has seen lots of ups and downs in that time, but Sign & Digital UK has been consistent throughout – it has always offered customers the stability, advice and support they need in an ever-changing marketplace.
‘The focus for 2017 is on applications, ideas and advice, so visitors can be sure of discovering the latest products and services from hundreds of leading suppliers. Not only that, but there’s great advice on offer from experts on stands and in the free seminar theatres.’
As ever Sign & Digital UK will be held at the NEC near Birmingham, in Halls 17 & 18. There’s plenty of parking space, or you can go to Birmingham International railway station and walk directly into the NEC under cover. There’s also the adjacent Birmingham International Airport, if you’re coming from the other side of the world.
There are far too many exhibitors to list here, but a full list is on the show’s website. See www.signuk.com for full details. As ever, there will be a lot of consumables suppliers and also resellers and distributors of hardware and software. Categories worth noting include:
Printers: Canon/Océ, EFI Vutek (via CMYUK), Epson, Fujifilm, HP, Jetrix, Mimaki, Mutoh.
MIS: including Accura MIS, CADlink, Tharstern, Clarity.
RIPs: Caldera, Onyx
Knife cutting and routing systems: AG/CAD; Blackman & White, Comagrav Digi (via Josero), Esko Kongsberg; Graphtec, Fotoba (via Leopold); Kala (via Colourgen), Kimla; Josero and Landor; Maxicam; Protek; Summa; Zünd.
Laser cutters/engravers: Gravograph; Trotec; ThinkLaser; Universal Laser Systems.
Laminators: Drytac; D&K Europe; Kala, Vivid
The TX300P is one of Mimaki’s direct-to-textile printers, suitable for producing furnishings, fashion, retail, soft signage and exhibition graphics
Below is a selective roundup of what we’ve learned will be new or fairly new at the show.
Amaya Sales UK will show the Greek Polyprint Texjet direct-to-garment printers, which are compact flatbeds with interchangeable garment holders, using DuPont Artistri pigment textile inks. It will also show Forever transfer paper for full colour printing onto garments, metal, wood and candles. It will also show the Sef range of garment film and vinyl, together with Stahls heat presses.
Brett Martin will be showcasing its range of semi-finished plastic substrates, including the Foamalux Foam PVC board range and the transparent products including Marlon FS Polycarbonate, Marpet-g FS PETg and Marcryl Acrylic. Applications include point of sale equipment, signage and displays, light boxes, illuminated signage, leaflet holders, exhibitions, in-store graphics and poster covers.
Canon will be showing live demonstrations of the Océ Arizona 318 GLW system ‘along with artistic and imaginative capabilities delivered by Canon’s wide format printers,’ including the ColorWave 700 (Crystalpoint solid ink wide format) and the imagePROGRAF PRO-4000 aqueous ink models. There will also be a bespoke Applications Gallery showing examples of print for backlit displays and decorative surfaces. Also on show will be an Arizona 318 GLW, a flatbed UV inkjet for sheets up to 1.25 x 2.5 metres. Although not officially announced, there’s a fighting chance that it will also show its brand new UVgel hybrid ink running in a new roll-to-roll printer. It was due to launch this at the Océ Venlo site early in March.
Colourgen is UK distributor for Mutoh large format inkjets as well as Caldera and SAi Rips, Kala laminators and a range of consumables. New at the show will be the 64 inch Mutoh ValueJet1638UH. This is Mutoh’s first dual- head LED UV printer, intended for improved print and cure performance. Also shown will be a print/cut combination of a Summa R140 FX cutter with 64 ValueJet 1604X and ValueJet 1624X eco solvent printers. The Mutoh 426UF A3+ format flatbed UV printer will be there too.
Digiprint Supplies is a Belgian company that offers web-based ordering of spare parts, accessories and inks for all sort of inkjet printers, cutters and related equipment. It offers original manufacturers’ parts for such as print heads, or generic replacements for some other parts, all with manufacturers’ warranties, it says.
Drytac Europe will launch a new anti-bacterial laminating film in its Protac range. This 150μ (6 mil) textured polyester resists mould growth and bacterial contamination. It’s intended for schools, nurseries, restaurants/cafeterias and hospitals. Also shown will be the company’s ReTac, SpotOn and ViziPrint films. There will also be floor graphics created with Drytac FloorTac and protected by Protac ScuffGuard film on Antalis’s stand.
Epson will be concentrating on its SureColor family, emphasising that these don’t just include the SC-T aqueous ink versions. It will also show SC-S (eco-solvent) and SC-F (dye-sublimation). The three types are used to print graphics, POS, wallpaper, textiles, soft signage and vehicle wraps. Epson has been working with BTEC students at Longdean School in Hemel Hempstead to develop a vibrant car wrap design. The winning artwork will be shown on the stand. The graphics will be printed on a SureColor SC-S80600 and applied to a Toyota Aygo by Slam Signs.
Fujifilm in partnership with CSL Digital will showcase the creative and commercial potential of its wide format applications. The stand will feature two Acuity LED 1600II roll fed 1.6 metre printers and for the first time in the UK, the 3.2 metre Acuity LED 3200R. The stand will also feature samples produced on the two LED Acuities plus the flatbed Acuity models. Fujifilm has dropped its Euromedia consumables operation, so its primary consumable is the range of inks it makes at the former Sericol factory in Boadstairs.
HP will mainly be stressing its latex printers on its stand. It will have the large 3.2 m Latex 1500 and a pair of 1.62 m models, the general-purpose Latex 365 and the faster Latex 570. There will also be an HP Scitex FB750 UV flatbed and a DesignJet Z6800 60-inch aqueous roll fed printer to cover other applications. A particular focus for the latex systems will be wall coverings, with demonstrations of the WallArt Suite web to print based software aimed at small-to-medium sized print service providers.
Hybrid Services the UK agent for Mimaki, will have its usual large range of kit to show, ranging from small to large flatbed UV printers and various eco-solvent ink printers. It’s placing particular emphasis on the CJV150, a print and cut machine available in widths from 75 cm up to 1.6 m. This will be on the Hybrid stand and those of several resellers. Hybrid will demonstrate how print and cut can be used for applications such as wallcoverings, labels and canvas printing.
i-Sub will be demonstrating the new Mimaki UJF 6042 MKII small format flatbed UK printer on its stand. This has a 610 x 420 mm print area and can take objects up to 153 mm deep. A new version of the Kebab rotator accessory allows printing on bottles and the like.
i-Sub will be showing a new Mimaki flatbed printer and Epson dye sublimation systems
The company will also be exhibiting the Epson dye sublimation system, plus examples of finished dye sublimation applications created on Mimaki, Epson, Dgen and EFI machines. It will also show applications for its own Digi-Foil digital foiling system, that works with Mimaki UJF series printers.
Landor UK will host the UK launch of a new flatbed applicator from Kala, which also makes laminators. Landor is also European distributor for the Phototaxy fabric wallcovering media, which has an advanced repositionable adhesive. The company has also supplied Liquid Laminate protective coating for many years.
Quality Print Services will demonstrate a Mimaki JV300 roll fed inkjet running Nazdar 130 Series inks, which are said to be a completely compatible, colour-matched alternative to the OEM Mimaki SS21 ink set, with a low odour formulation and lower price. The inks are formulated for high-intensity, high-gloss colours and improved resistance to alcohol, scratching and abrasion. The company will also show a Roland DG Texart RT-640 inkjet running Roland’s standard dye-sublimation inks, and a range of Longier large format UV-curing inkjets.
Roland DG will be stressing its RolandCare support packages and its Academy training classes in particular at the show, though naturally it will have a decent range of its printers running too, in particular its printer-cutter models, the entry level TrueVis SG and faster VG models. There will be a competition to win a TrueVIS SG-540, the latest model in its family of print-and-cut machines. The package is worth over £12,000. Visitors can enter by completing the sentence; ‘With a TrueVIS SG-540, the future of my business would start here because…’
The VersaUV LEF-200 is the latest in Roland’s range of small-format UV flatbed printers. This one can take items up to 508 x 330 mm and up to 100 mm thick. It adds a primer ink for difficult substrates such as glass and ceramics. Also on show will be the larger format LEF-300, now with primer ink too.
Soyang Europe will launch a new materials collection aimed at the wide format sector. These include media for standard print, self-adhesive, décor and textile applications. Senfa, a French textiles supplier, will also show its Decoprint fabric on the Soyang stand. Its Decoprint Pearl textile is widely used for backlit display work.
Super Wide Digital is a Lancashire-based large format trade services provider with a battery of UV-cured, textile and other printers. It’s been investing a lot in new EFI Vutek roll to roll and flatbed UV machines in the past year.
TheMagicTouch specialises in heat transfer media and associated printers and presses. It’s the sole UK distributor for OKI’s current white-toner A4 printers and can supply SpaceControl software to help sort out the layering order. The company has recently launched a new heat press system to transfer full colour prints onto soccer and rugby balls, which it will be demonstrating.
Vivid is a UK-based lamination specialist with its own range of laminators. The Matrix models are for sheets up to 440 or 550 mm widths, while the extensive Easymount family is rollfed in formats from 650 to 2100 mm film widths. Vivid offers hot foiling attachments for some machines, with the potential for variable data when used with dry toner digital prints.
Read the issue online here
