Vision Asia Issue 2 - March 2014

digital print intelligence

ASIA

02 ISSUE

VISION

inside

• local scene: malaysia • franchising • software • new products • media • awards

Visionaries

C O N V E N T I O N • K u a l a l u m p u r O C TO b E r 2 0 1 4 a t W O D aY D i G i ta l p R i n t t e C H n O l O G Y B R i e F i n G F e at u R i n G S p e a K e R S F R O m a C R O S S t H e p l a n e t

the future is about change, ViSiOnaRieS are those who change first.

ViSiOnaRieS - the two day convention featuring the best visionary minds of digital printing, providing attendees with a briefing on what will be the printing landscape in the asia of the future. the convention will be of benefit to those market leaders who naturally look forward to adopting the latest digital print technology and trends, it is a presentation for decision makers, thought leaders and those with an eye to the future. if you believe you have the ViSiOnaRieS philosophy, then this convention is designed for you.

Kuala lumpur October 2014

Booking details for attendees will be available soon.

platinum SpOnSOR promotional opportunities exist for sponsors with vision contact ed@visionamagazine.asia for details

VISIONasia

ISSUE 2

4

New Products

6

Franchising

10

Feature Location: Malaysia

13

Media and Inks

17

Software

19

Events & Awards

21

Business

22

Technology

Our cover reflects this months regional focus of Malaysia. with it’s rich cultural heritage and diverse society, it is a high flying nation exemplified by the tradition of the making and use of the distinctive malay kite

10 PAGE

VISION asia magazine the changing face of print in asia Published by Vision Asia Media Pte Ltd 57 Ubi Avenue 1 #03-06 Ubi Centre Singapore 408936

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new Products

EFI HS100 LED printer on

the drawing board

EFI used Connect 2014 to announce that the company plans to extend LED (or Cool-Cure) technology throughout its VUTEk line and is preparing to unveil an LED model of its HS100 printer, although no specific date was announced for the launch.

Since the launch of LED technology at Fespa Digital 2010 in Hamburg, Germany EFI has completed multiple installations of LED curing printers worldwide. Vice-president of marketing for inkjet solutions, Ken Hanulec, said the company, one of the leaders in the transformation of analog to digital imaging, sold more than 100 LED devices in 2013.

Based on their average ink usage, VUTEk LED users are said to be producing as much as 50% more print volume than VUTEk GS models without LED curing. Their expanded application range and versatility are the result of their ability to print on speciality substrates while increasing productivity and lowering operating costs.

They produce no VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and less waste, use fewer consumables and less energy and have the ability to print on environmentally-friendly materials without warping or head strikes.

MUTOH VALUEJET 1638X and 1638WX the latest WIDE FORMAT DYE SUB PRINTERS

Mutoh Belgium has launched a new range of wide-format printers - the ValueJet X-series, incorporating the ValueJet 1638X and ValueJet 1638WX. Available immediately, the 64” wide X-series ValueJet printers are the successors of Mutoh’s ValueJet 1638 and ValueJet 1638W dual head printers introduced in 2012.

Utilising Mutoh’s new DS2 series dye sublimation inks, the ValueJet 1638WX model is destined for digital transfer applications - soft signage, apparel and gadgets. Integrating a new mainboard that allows faster data communication and data processing as well as advanced print automation features, the X-series printers are specifically targeted at volume users who also need quality and image definition.

ValueJet 1638X’s production print speeds start at 10 m²/h at 1080x1440 dpi and go up to 15, 20, 29 and 36 m²/h, the latter still at 720x720 dpi.

The ValueJet 1638WX dye sub model offers production speeds of 11 m²/h at 1080x1080 dpi, 25, 42, 50 and 65 m²/h, the latter at 360x360dpi.

Features include: Micro Piezo Print Heads Both printers incorporate two latest generation micro piezo heads, mounted in a staggered configuration. The area over which the printers actively spread the ink dots covers nearly 2 inches, which allows increased print speeds with preservation of image quality. Depending on the Mutoh ink used, the heads produce droplets as small as 3.5 picoliters up to 35 picoliters for ValueJet 1638X and 5.9 up to 45.3 picoliter for the VJ-1638WX.

New Mainboard To deliver speed and print quality, the ValueJet X-series printers feature a high-precision mechanical design and a new mainboard including a powerful 64-bit RISC processor. The mainboard will allow faster data communication and processing and the ability to use the integrated heads to their full capacity.

New DropMaster Technology Specifically developed for Mutoh’s dual head ValueJet models, DropMaster is a print automation technique which eliminates the need for time consuming media dependent head adjustments. Knowing the media thickness and consequently the drop-throw distance between print head and media surface, DropMaster is capable of automatically recalculating and adjusting the uni/bi-directional fire timings.

Systems are targeted at long term outdoor/indoor sign and display applications and can be configured with Mutoh Eco Ultra inks and Universal Mild Solvent (UMS) inks The technology does this regardless of resolution and print speed.

In combination with Mutoh’s Intelligent Interweaving technology, DropMaster provides improvement in overall dot control, leading to better output at all print speeds.

The VJ1638X can be configured with two different ink types. Mutoh Eco Ultra inks, available in 220 ml and 440 ml cassettes, are Mutoh’s third generation eco inks featuring improved ink fixation, better drying and improved scratch resistance. Mutoh Universal Mild Solvent (UMS) inks are available in 440 ml cassettes and litre bottles, for use with Mutoh’s bulk ink system. Mutoh UMS inks combine the key benefits of resin-based, eco solvent and mild solvent ink chemistries. They offer a large colour gamut, covering 83% of the Pantone C colour chart.

For the ValueJet 1638WX dye sublimation printer model, Mutoh is introducing a new generation of cost-effective dye sub inks named DS2 series inks, which are 100% VOC-free and do not require any risk labelling.

The inks offer a wide colour gamut with bright and vibrant colours as well as comfortable light, washing and perspiration fastness properties.

Different optional motorised take-up systems for roll weights up to 30 kg are available for the ValueJet X-series printers. Mutoh also offers fully motorised roll-off/take-up systems for rolls up to 80 kg and 100 kg.

Both machines are available immediately through authorised resellers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa

new products

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Canon ImagePRESS C7000VPe Entry-Level press

Canon Europe launches the imagePRESS C7000VPe Factory Produced New Model (FPNM) digital colour press, designed to help organisations take their first steps into digital print with a solution that offers high quality low capital investment The competitively priced printer is produced by collecting best-selling models from recent years from the market and disassembling these to the frame level at a Canon factory. Key moving parts are replaced, and all disassembled parts are then cleaned and tested before the machine is rebuilt using a combination of existing and new parts, creating a new edition of the original model. A high proportion of existing components are re-used, saving the need for new raw materials and minimising waste.

Canon says the imagePRESS C7000VPe offers offset comparable image quality along with speeds of up to 71 A4 pages per minute. It also features extensive in-line finishing capabilities including brochures, perfect bound booklets and reports, giving businesses access to a wide range of applications and opening up new potential revenue streams.

The printer complies with the same standards as other Canon solutions, and, since a large amount of the CO2 emissions over a product lifecycle are associated with raw materials, Canon’s FPNM range represent a reduction

in CO2 emissions of nearly 80% according to lifecycle assessment simulations, resulting in a more sustainable print solution.

Every imagePRESS C7000VPe printer undergoes the identical quality assurance process as a new device and Canon guarantees the same quality and performance as the original machine.

“One of the main challenges facing organisations that want to move into digital print can be in securing the finance to make an initial investment.

Canon aims to help businesses to grow and build a sustainable business model for the future. Canon’s Essential Business Builder Programme is an initiative to help organisations and in-house print departments to plan their approach to a digital printing business model, and the imagePRESS C7000VPe is intended to help those same organisations with a solution that offers the high quality and performance that the market expects from Canon equipment, but for a lower capital investment than a brand new machine,” said Mark Lawn, marketing director for professional print, Canon Europe.

Colorific UV640PC First Wide-Format Machine Colorific has launched its first wide-format print-and-cut machine, the UV640PC, based on a Roland VS640i chassis.

The 640 uses Colorific’s UV Light inks which create vivid colours associated with solvent inks in combination with the durability of UV-curable options. Outgassing is eliminated and shrinkage non-existent, meaning that output is immediately dry and ready for application, providing distinct time advantages for print houses and their customers alike. Subsequently the production cost per square metre of print using Colorific’s SUV formula is dramatically reduced.

The UV640PC incorporates Epson’s latest DX7 print-head technology allowing resolutions up to 1,440dpi in high-quality mode. Production mode allows for 21sq m/hour, making banner and billboard jobs ready to hang the as soon as they are printed.

For cut applications such as stickers, decals and vehicle markings, the machine simplifies the process by reducing shrinkage to less than 1mm while traditional solvent and eco-solvent engines are likely to produce media with a noticeable shrinkage of two to three millimetres.

“Solvent, eco-solvent and latex have been a mainstay for wide-format houses producing print-and-cut applications, but none is really the perfect solution.

The UV640PC addresses their conventional disadvantages and turns them into major positives. We’re confident that the extension of Lightbar into printand-cut will offer phenomenal advantages, and we look forward to taking the

The 1.6m (64″) printer combines the benefits of solvent and UV-curable chemistries to provide a viable, cost-effective alternative to latex UV640PC on tour this year,” said Shaun Holdom, business development director, Colorific.

Units will ship from March, and can be seen at Sign and Digital UK in April, and at FESPA Digital in Munich in May.

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INDUSTRY

Franchising INTERNATIONAL

FRANCHISING

signing on with Signarama Signarama is the latest US import franchise to hit Asia, and is rapidly expanding in the region. Is franchising the solution for small and medium businesses in a signs and display industry?

Power of a Br and At a volatile time when the industry is witnessing closures of small printing and sign making shops Signarama, the world’s largest sign franchise with more than 900 stores globally and 100 stores in operation in Australia, is on the verge of rapid expansion in the Southeast Asian region.

At the helm of this expansion is Alex Butt, president of Signarama Pte Ltd and regional master franchisee of the US-based sign specialists.

Determined to make Signarama’s model work in Southeast Asia, Butt has already opened six Signarama stores in Singapore over the past four years.

Most recently, he sealed a deal for the first franchise in Malaysia. Butt hopes to hit 30 stores for just Singapore and Malaysia. His ultimate goal spreads throughout the region – he wants to reach 100 stores in the Southeast Asia.

“We already have Signarama in five countries in Asia; Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand. We set up our first Indonesian operation a year ago, and we’ll be franchising there soon. We have a store in Thailand, but due to the political situation, we are not able to expand as fast as we’d like to.

Once Thailand settles, we’ll be there for support. Now, I have high hopes for the Philippines. I believe we can reach 30, even 50 stores there,” said Butt.

The idea of franchising is simple enough; to set up an independent business with the tried-andtested model of a successful company. Butt has 17 years of regional management experience in the IT segment in Microsoft. The Singaporean left the corporate world to pursue his ambition to be an entrepreneur in 2009. Instead of starting from scratch, Butt decided on leveraging on an existing brand through franchising.

“There are three things that I looked out for, sustainability, scalability, and consistency, and the franchise model has been developed with this in mind. With 27 years of business, Signarama had those qualities that I believed would work in the Asian market,” said Butt.

With nary an experience in signmaking, his draw to Signarama does not seem natural. He summarised his inclination in one catchy phrase: “Every business needs a sign. I always say, a business with no sign, is a sign of no business,” he quipped.

The power of branding is a key influence on the draw of franchising, and herein lies an issue with print franchising – branding for signmaking stores is not important for the customer. This is especially so in the price-sensitive Asian market that is highly

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saturated and competitive market.

“In Asia, people don’t recognise Signarama as a brand. Most people here just see us as another sign printing company. Most can’t even pronounce the company name!” Butt laughed, acknowledging one of the challenges the company faces in Asia.

“We started out with a lot of international clients, and through referrals and recommendations we’re building brand confidence for Signarama. We’re beginning to be a reference point when it comes to print prices. No one company comes to mind for sign making, but with our expansion and the brand confidence we’re building, we’re starting to get there now.”

Service-Oriented Butt believes that in order to succeed in today’s climate, businesses need to move from a traditional mindset of being in a product business, to one that is a service provider: “The signage industry has evolved from being a mom-and-pop

craftsman shop. The whole idea for Signarama is that it is built more as a service-oriented business, rather than a product-oriented one.”

As a storeowner, Butt emphasised that focus needs to be solely on bringing in the business.

He believes that is the key to grow as a business, instead of merely surviving in the industry. “Your role in Signarama is as a marketer, and not a technician or a print operator. As a storeowner, your job is to go out there and bring in business for the store. You need to be technologically savvy, but you cannot be the technician who’s handling the jobs behind-the-scenes,” said Butt.

According to Butt, Signarama stores can make an average of 18-22% of profit - a number that many printers can only dream of. Although it is still too early to establish profitability for all his outlets, the prospects appear encouraging: “It may not be guaranteed, but if you follow the Signarama system, you can get to that as we’ve experienced based on our flagship store. We set it up three

Franchising IQDEMY: from Russia with love IQDEMY, a Novosibirsk, Russia based group of companies that combines best practices, business knowledge and expertise in the digital large format marketplace, has announced it is offering ready-made business packages enabling print service providers to become part of its worldwide network of Sun Studios.

IQDEMY ceo Vlad Mirchev, said that franchisees can nominate the business configuration that best suits their business as there are a variety of packages for indoor or outdoor printing.

For example, the Sun Studio Palladium and Aurum packages enable print service providers to start-up a business within the field of interior printing.

The company says that, according to Forbes magazine, the franchise is counted within in the top 25 of the most profitable franchises in Russia.

Sun Studio art centres have been started successfully in Paris, New York, Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Dubai and their works decorate the interiors of Sberbank, Rosnano, Technopark in Akademgorodok, Novosibirsk, Disneyland in Tokyo, a network of hotels in Dubai and restaurants in Turkey.

The company says that Sun Studio centres will soon be opening South India and Belarus.

Sun Studio - Palladium package The Palladium package is for those who prefer self-employment where the licensee becomes a director of their own Sun Studio. The business profile is for the production of large and small format portraits/posters and large orders such as photo wallpapers and the recommended location is in big shopping malls or high traffic environments. IQDEMY say that the package is designed for licensees who have limited start-up capital. Space requirement is approximately four square meters for the shop front and 30 sqm for the production area.

Package includes: • Documentation for quick startup and investment return • IQDEMY Kingfisher 1600 for printing photos, posters and other indoor applications • Eco-solvent printer IQDEMY SC-180 for production of individual photographic wallpapers.

Price: €17,000 Sun Studio - Aurum package The Aurum package is designed for print service providers and spans several different markets including glass and furniture manufacturing, indoor printing, advertisement production and signage. Franchisees will be able to complete project work in the indoor application market including signage and exhibition services. The equipment will print on furniture, stretch ceilings, glass and glass partitions, kitchen facades and splash backs, doors, wardrobes, mirrors, canvases and wallpapers plus users can produce unusual effects by printing on glass, creating special effects such as reproduction stained glass windows. The Aurum package is targeted at PSP’s that want to work with the consumer market including interior designers and furniture manufacturers.

The package includes: • Franchise for Sun Studio art center • Hybrid UV-printer IQDEMY Evolution GT 1600 that prints on any rigid and flexible surfaces • Cutting plotter (cutter) CT1200 Price: €150,000

INDUSTRY

years ago, and at its sixth month of operation the books started to show profitability. Recouping the initial total investment took 2.5 years.”

Capturing All Markets While a lot of signmaking businesses choose to specialise in a niche market, Signarama aims to be all encompassing. “It’s common that we tend to stick to something that we do well in, and ignore other markets. People are a creature of habit; we do what is comfortable for us. But in order to be successful in the business, we need to be able to do what is required to grow the business.

Signarama is a small business, with a big business discipline,” said Butt.

The biggest market drivers for the Singapore stores are in acrylic signs for businesses, lightboxes and vehicle wraps. Butt counts the project for Universal Studios Singapore as one of their proudest moments to date. The company was enlisted to wrap ride vehicles for the Transformers thrill attraction for the theme park. Outdoor advertising, in which signage play a large component in, along with conferences and exhibitions in the MICE industry, are growing industries for the signs industry.

A Green Future Butt also hopes to purchase flatbed printers that utilises energy saving, eco-friendly UV technology.

Flatbed printers will allow them to print on a wide array of substrates, opening yet more market segments for the franchise.

For now, Signarama stores alternate from Roland and HP latex printers. Butt favours the printers

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for their environmentally friendly qualities. In terms of equipment, he is always on the lookout for print solutions that allows him to be as green as possible.

“At the end of the day, the customer can’t tell the difference in print quality. In terms of functionality, Roland and HP are very good. My goal is to go green. I’m always on the lookout for technology that lets me be eco-friendly, and both companies have provided great support in that. Roland with their eco inks, and HP with their latex printing solution,” said Butt.

Sign Fr anchising in Asia For franchises operating in Asia, it seems as though a business model that accentuates on being a service-provider is one that works.

Singapore’s Snap Print is a branch of Bideas Enterprise, which started out as a home-based printing business in 2002. Within four years, Snap Print accumulated more than 50 franchise partners in Singapore. Much like Signarama’s model to present itself as a service-provider, a Snap Print includes marketing services as part of its offerings as well.

Sun Studio, of Russian-based company IQDEMY, is also actively expanding its print franchise network in Asia, having recently participated at the China International Franchise Exhibition 2014.

There are currently more than 120 Sun Studios worldwide. The company attributes its success to offering more than simply machinery and consumables to their franchise partners.

“Enabling our unique printers to print on any

substrate is just not enough in today’s market place. Our unique solution includes support by our business development managers and many other offerings that look for themselves in the industry – such as the establishment of a knowledge database that is accessible for each of our franchisees”, explained Vlad Mirchev, founder of IQDEMY. “Our SUN Studio franchisees enjoy highly successful businesses that even grow in these uncertain times and difficult demanding market environments. Together with our partners we have established many successful businesses globally and will continue to do so.”

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Feature Featurelocation location

malAysia

the lucky country

Burgeoning business investments and government support is sending Malaysia on its way to becoming an economic power in Asia. As one of the oldest industries in the country, the print industry is growing digitally. Vision Asia speaks with industry players and explores market drivers, trends and challenges.

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At a Glance Country Government Type

Location Population Economic Indicators Currency Also known as

Malaysia Federation of 13 states operating within a Constitutional Monarchy using the Westminster Parliamentary System and categorized as a Representative Democracy Southeast Asia 29.7 million (as of 2013) USD$10,760 per capita GDP (as of 2013) Ringgit (MYR) Lucky Country, one of ASEAN5

Business Environment

Ranked 6th Most Business-Friendly in the World

Print Industry

Highest investments in 2012 at RM490.3 million

The Malaysian printing and publishing industry is one of the oldest in the country.

The industry is also amongst the top five largest in the manufacturing sector for the country, and is a significant contributor to its economy.

The government’s active support in assisting the growth of higher value-added manufacturing activities, including as high-end printing businesses, has allowed the industry to flourish.

The efforts have proven fruitful; the 2014 World Bank Report ranked Malaysia as the sixth most business-friendly country in the world. This year marks the first time that Malaysia has managed to break into the top ten ranking.

A large component of the support system comes in the active reaching out toindustries to encourage direct investments. According to the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), the highest investments recorded for 2012 were for the printing and publishing industry, at RM490.3 million. Following the most recent 2013 investment performance of the country, this trend appears set to continue. In the past year, Malaysia sets a new record of RM 216.5 billion in the manufacturing, services and primary sectors for approved direct investments for foreign and domestic investments.

Foreign direct investments into Malaysia rose nearly 25% on year in 2013 to a record RM38.8 billion. The US lead as the highest foreign investor in the manufacturing sector with RM 6.3 billion, followed by the Republic of Korea with RM 5.5 billion, Europe with RM 5.1 billion, Singapore with RM 4.5 billion and Japan RM 3.6 billion. Among the significant projects in the print industry was the investment of 5 billion yen (RM 170.5 million) by Japan’s Dai Nippon Printing Co Ltd (DNP) for a new plant in Pasir Gudang, Johor to produce dye sublimation thermal transfer media used for photo printing. The decision was spurred by the increasing demand for digital photo prints, especially among emerging countries in Southeast Asia.

“The Malaysian government supports the print industry. There are a lot of print associations in the country, and a lot of tradeshows for the industry,” said Bernard Sun, senior marketing manager for

APAC, EFI. “Setting up a business in Malaysia is relatively easy, as compared to some countries in Asia that requires a longer set up process.”

There are several print associations in Malaysia, signaling a healthy and united print industry. The Malaysia Printers Association (MPA) works closely with the local government. One of its earliest functions was to help printing companies with licensing issues, namely the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, a legislation that requires all print media in Malaysia to obtain a license. Other print associations include the Perak Printing Press Association, Selangor Federal Territory Chinese Printing Press Association and Kuching Printing Press Association.

EFI’s VUTEk GS3250LXr Pro - a 6-colour UV LED roll-to-roll printer that can print on a range of flexible substrates that offers variable-drop grayscale printhead technology, 600-dpi resolution, and a top speed of 1200 square feet per hour

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The Move to Digital Malaysia’s highly competitive manufacturing and export industry scored the country the 24th rank as most competitive nation in the world by the World Economic Forum in its Global Competitiveness Report 2012 to 2013. The ranking indicates a progression from an efficiency-driven economy to an innovation-driven economy. For the print industry, this progression translates to an environment that is one of the most responsive to digital technology in Asia.

“Malaysia is quite receptive to digital, and that’s a sign of a good growing market to me. There are very advanced digital printers in Malaysia, with a propensity for the larger printers to transition into digital,” observed Steve Green, vice president for Asia Pacific, EFI. “Most of the print companies in Malaysia has a mix of both offset and digital

needs, and I think the goal right now for printers is to have feet in both camps.”

This tendency to have both offset and digital printers was exemplified by Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Berhad (PNMB), a wholly-owned unit of the Ministry of Finance. Over the next few years, PNMB will allocate RM20 million to RM30 million on equipment, including digital machines.

In 2011, the company had allocated RM15 million to purchase new equipment. The machinery investment is in line with PNMB’s five-year plan that focuses on quality and delivery to ensure that the company stays competitive and relevant.

“Investing in new technology helps to widen business opportunities. The digital printing technology has improved a lot and is still evolving.

Technologies available today, such as radiant fusing, copy press, inkjet webpress, latex ink, UV ink, has driven more applications for bigger business opportunities,” said Pang Yee Peng, senior manager, Canon Marketing (M) Sdn Bhd. The openness to digital in the industry, however, has yet to measure up to actual adoption. Although printers are including digital offerings alongside their offset, the transition is slow: “There is still a lot of analog in the market and people are still looking for ways to go into digital. It’s not moving as fast as anticipated, purely because of the nature of the culture itself. In terms of digital, not that many are willing to be the trendsetters, and it takes a lot of time to educate the market and the people, and build confidence,” said Sun.

Canon’s Oce ColorStream 3000 Twin Series - High speed, high quality full colour inkjet printers with a speed of 75 or 100 metres per minute for 505 up to 1350 A4 images per minute

Trend #1: Go Green EFI’s focus is in promoting the LED cool cure technology on its wide-format digital presses, which it hopes to be a major market driver for its inkjet business for the Malaysian market. The company recently unveiled the Vutek GS3250LXr for the Asian region in Guangzhou at Sign China 2014. The Vutek GS3250LXr is the first dedicated roll-to-roll printer to incorporate the LED cool cure technology.

Thus far, the response for environmentally friendly solutions has been nothing short of welcoming, according to Green: “We’ve had some early success with our LED cool cure technology in Malaysia. Some countries like Indonesia have not even started on LED yet. The take on our LED environmentally friendly technology has been brilliant.”

The increasing interest in environmentally friendly solutions comes in tandem with Malaysia’s stance on going green. The Malaysian government unveiled a five-year plan in 2013 to reinvent the country as a green tech hub. The country has also committed to cut down on its carbon emissions by 40% by 2020.

“Malaysia being environmentally friendly seems to be the trend, though we see that in other countries as well. I think people are just more responsible for the environment that we live in and I think everyone just wants to do the right thing and be as environmentally friendly as possible,” said Green.

Trend #2: Digital Colour Improved quality, lowering costs, and shorter runs meant that printers have chosen to go the digital route when previously it was offset. Due to the better quality of digital, certain applications are even able to rival offset printing. This is especially prevalent in digital colour printing.

“Colour offset printing is slowly moving into inkjet due to more flexibility and cost effectiveness in short run jobs,” said Pang. He added that many are opting to print in full colour instead of just black-and-white due to affordability: “The cost of printing is dropping over the years. For example, an A4 colour print which used to cost RM1.50 in the past is now available at RM0.40.”

Trend #3: Workflow Optimisation Printers are taking an interest on applications that allows them to level up on efficiency and productivity. Software has evolved to become an integral part of workflow optimisation.

In Malaysia, Canon places emphasis on educating and helping their customers to enhance their operations through roadshows, application studies and workflow solutions demonstrations. “One of

the trends in the digital print market in Malaysia is that users are more keen to improve the service quality, products consistency and simplify the production workflow. Printers need to look into workflow, quality consistency and cost to stay competitive,” said Pang.

2nd Largest Quran Printer In late 2013, the Mushaf Al-Quran Printing Centre was established in Kuala Lumpur, setting Malaysia on the path to becoming the second largest Holy Quran printer in Asia after Saudi Arabia. Although book printing is typically a straightforward procedure, the printing of the Quran requires a high level of expertise and care due to its religious nature. Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said that as a modern and progressive Muslim nation, Malaysia was ready to emulate the work of the Raja Fahd Quran Printing Complex in Medina. The printing centre was the outcome of collaboration between PNMB and the Restu Foundation, which saw 700,000 Quran printed over the last 20 years.

Media and inks

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Lintec HP-CBR extreme high temperature label product

Lintec Graphic Films released its latest addition to the HEATPROOF label series, the HP-CBR. The HP-CBR is an extreme high temperature label product that can withstand temperatures of up to an impressive 1200ºC and be variable data printed on-site. The addition further addresses a number of challenges faced by the ceramic, glass and metal production industries.

Poor identification of metal, ceramic and glass leads to costly and time consuming corrective procedures, and there is a growing demand from across the production industry for a highly resilient solution to label damage caused by extreme temperatures, chemical exposure and harsh weather conditions. Such problems undermine everyday production efficiencies, including mixed batch numbers, liability issues, lost inventory via tracking problems, identification after cooling, outdoor storage and shipping difficulties.

motor vehicle parts – is paramount for production companies and of course, their customers.

We’re always striving to be at the vanguard of innovation, and there was a great demand from our customers for a label that could not only withstand temperatures of up 1200ºC, but one that could be supplied as blank label, printed on-site and applied with minimal fuss,” said Andy Voss, managing director, Lintec Graphic Films.

Whether a bar, serial or QR code, the pre-printed HP-CBR is a chemical proof, highly scratch resistant label that can effectively endure the harsh environments created during the manufacturing process. Capable of being produced in-house, the label enables the stock management team to print labels in real time in the factory via thermal transfer and then easily apply the self-adhesive product – removing the need for special heat activated adhesive.

“The identification of the goods in the manufacturing of machinery – such as industrial baking trays and

Enhancing time and cost efficiencies, HP-CBR also provides close control over heat treatment

Felix Schoeller Group new canvas collection

3M IJ67 perforated film

Germany-based Felix Schoeller Group (FSG) has expanded its canvas range to include four new matt canvas products suitable for use in large-format printing (inkjet, water-based) for wall decorations and large-format digital reproductions of fine art or photos.

3M Commercial Graphics has introduced 3M Scotchcal Perforated Window Film IJ67, a removable film designed for short-term promotional first surface window applications. IJ67 is an alternative to 3M’s IJ65 and IJ66 films which have been discontinued.

The new range consists of Canvas and Canvas Premium with the two options differing primarily in structure and weight.

This 5.9 mil vinyl film has a pressure-sensitive adhesive and a 40 percent die-perforated pattern that allows a full image to be seen on the outside of a window, while allowing viewing through retail and non-regulated vehicle windows from the inside.

Canvas has a fine, homogeneous structure and a grammage of 340gsm. Canvas Premium has a deep natural structure and a grammage of 410gsm. Both are available in Natural White and Bright White. All the canvas materials are free of harmful substances in compliance with Oeko-TexStandard 100 (Confidence in Textiles).

Features are consistency in terms of both material and quality and their high light resistance with pigmented inks with the added advantage of drying immediately after printing.

Film IJ67 comes with a polycoated paper release liner that is backed with a continuous paper layer, enabling easier registration on UV, solvent and latex digital printing platforms, as well as screen printing equipment. With applications on interior and exterior building windows and dividers, as well as non-regulated vehicle windows, film IJ67 gives graphic manufacturers an ideal solution for windows and is available in 54 inch x 50 yard rolls.

process management for electric parts, heat generating processing for glass products and the homogenising of aluminium ingots.

The HP-CBR label is composed of an organic/ inorganic complex with highly modified acrylic adhesive and backed with a paper release liner.

Lintec Graphic Films’ HEATPROOF series is renowned for its high temperature and chemical resistance, excellent printability of up 600dpi, its robust durability within interior and exterior conditions and importantly, its cost-effectiveness.

“Significantly, the HP-CBR can also be produced via variable data printing in-house, providing absolute control for those in the front line responsible and ultimately reducing liability for lost, late and faulty stock. It provides automatic tracking and management of materials throughout the supply chain, improving efficiency and safety – gifting production companies with the peace of mind to focus on the other important areas of their business,” Voss concluded.

Aslan CM 100 wall film

Aslan has launched CM 100 a self-adhesive colour film series with a 100 micrometre (1/10th of a mm) thickness, designed for exhibitions, shop fittings and wall decorations. The Aslan CM 100 has a low reflective surface, roll width of 102cm, and flame resistance according to DIN EN 135011.

The products 100 micrometre thickness allows fast and easy applications and its high opacity makes it ideal for applications on coloured surfaces, plus the film is removable without leaving residues, which also makes it suitable for wall decorations.

The Aslan CM 100 range in available in 23 colours.

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VISION

Media and inks

Avery Dennison Supreme Wrapping Film line with satin finishes with both matte and gloss characteristics.

The films are constructed with appearance and ease of installation in mind and feature Easy Apply RS technology which allows the installer to quickly reposition and slide the film into place and reduce air bubbles, minimising the total application time for the wrap.

No overlaminate is required before installation making them ideal for interior and exterior accents for vehicles, point-of-purchase signage and architectural installations.

Avery Dennison has introduced five satin-finish colours to its Supreme Wrapping Film line.

The satin colours - black, white, white pearlescent, carmine red and bubblegum pink now make up a

full spectrum of 78 opaque cast films in gloss, matte and brushed metallic, matte, pearlescent, carbon fiber, conform chrome and satin colours that are primarily used for colour change car wraps and feature a finish that is a medium lustre,

Mimaki and Foamalux partners show off wide format capabilities

A study by Avery Dennison demonstrated that Supreme Wrapping Film outperforms competitive wrapping films currently on the market.

Independent applicators completed benchmark tests on perception of product and application performance, comparing seven vehicle wrapping films from major manufacturers worldwide. Avery Dennison Supreme Wrapping Film ranked highest for slideability and conformability, and achieved the highest score for overall performance.

Application times were also measured and Supreme Wrapping Film was rated the fastest to apply – almost 20 percent faster than other products.

Drytac Europe Viziprint Impress Clear Uv Drytac Europe has released ViziPrint Impress Clear UV window film a PVC-free, 100% recyclable product that is resistant to both wearand-tear and water, the 100 micron film is ideal for self-adhesive applications on glass and other smooth, flat surfaces.

Mimaki used the Wetec 2014 international trade show for signmaking, large format printing and light advertising to demonstrate the capabilities of its JFX500-2131 UV LED wide format machine with Black Foam PVC sheet from Brett Martin’s Foamalux range of substrates.

With 15 available shades in the Foamalux Colours range, including the recently launched Neon Pink, Neon Green, Raspberry and Black Sparkle, it offers the widest choice of off-the-shelf coloured foam PVC to choose from. The foam PVC sheets are ideal substrates for digital print, and are continuously advanced to ensure superior image quality, print clarity and colour reproduction for outstanding print results on the latest flatbed equipment.

“Our Foamalux Colour Foam PVC range in 15 colours offers printers a quality direct to print substrate that promises outstanding print every time. At Wetec, visitors can see fantastic examples

of eye-catching images being reproduced on Black Foamalux Foam PVC sheets, and we believe Mimaki’s JFX500-2131 UV LED printer is the ideal device to showcase the high print clarity and quality that can be achieved when printing our products,” said Duncan Smith, sales director, Brett Martin.

ViziPrint utilises a specially designed, embossed release liner that imparts micro grooves in the adhesive allowing for air evacuation using just a felt burnishing pad. The proprietary adhesive is removable and repositionable, making installation simple and eliminating professional installation costs.

“Our proprietary suction technology ensures that ViziPrint Impress leaves no residue behind once the graphic has been removed. The versatile film can also be reverse printed and does not stretch,” said Steve Broad, sales director, Drytac Europe.

Foamalux is lightweight, versatile and durable, and known for quality performance and endless applications in sign, display and print. In addition to the extensive Foamalux Colours range, printers can also choose from Foamalux White, Foamalux Ultra and Foamalux Xtra.

ViziPrint is compatible with most UV flatbed printers. For opaque window graphics, it can be printed with white inks or backed with Drytac Spectrum, a white printable vinyl with clear adhesive and can be repositioned and re-applied multiple times.

Manufactured to the BS EN 9001:2008 standard, Foamalux has a consistently flat and smooth surface that allows for fast high quality output and maximum productivity. This versatility means that Foamalux sheets can easily be cut, routed, scored, folded or bonded, according to the printers finishing requirements.

The product is suitable for both indoor and shortterm outdoor applications including window advertising, graphics, decals, and stickers; privacy and decorative glass applications; electronic equipment, such as TV screens, iPad/tablet displays and computer monitors; refrigerators or glass display cases and aquarium backdrops.

Media and inks

VISION

15

Pantone Releases New View Colour Planner for Autumn/Winter 2015/2016 Pantone has introduced Engage, the View Colour Planner for Autumn/Winter 2015/2016. The multi-platform forecast offers seasonal inspiration, key colour direction, and suggested colour harmonies for women’s and men’s fashion, active wear, cosmetics and lifestyle, as well as industrial and graphic design.

As global fashion trends are becoming less constrained by rigid colour rules, consumers are indulging more in colour expression. Colour statements in the Pantone View Colour Planner are described as confident, with classic and familiar tones combining with some less traditional tone to make up unusual yet commercial palettes.

Engage comprises of eight colour palettes; impression, intermingle, curiousity, empathy, connect, physical, iconic and subliminal.

Published bi-annually, 18 to 24 months in advance of the season, the PANTONE VIEW Colour Planner is based on the PANTONE FASHION + HOME Colour System, the most widely used and recognised colour language standard in the world.

“In the past, as temperatures drop, consumers have typically retreated into darker shades of blacks and navies, but in our globally connected world, this is no longer the case. Today as we begin to feel more confident about our economic future and can see what our friends are wearing around the globe, consumers and businesses alike are yearning to engage in a dialogue with color not only during the warmer spring and summer time period but also during the misty and colder autumn and winter season,” - Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute.

Inx Digital eco solvent ink for Epson printers

The book is produced by an international team with expertise in different disciplines, providing comprehensive colour-direction across multiple design areas.

Within each of the season’s directional colour palettes, a general introduction outlines the colours included and the philosophy behind them. In addition, a specific breakdown of each palette highlights harmonies, suggested colour combinations and suitable patterns, fabrics and products according to end use.

For added convenience and usability, at the end of each palette section, a printed version of each Pantone Fashion + Home Colour is featured in perforated swatch form and 1” x 4” detachable cotton strips. The planner also comes with a DVD containing static images of photos used to illustrate the seasonal themes a movie version that has music to set the unique mood of each individual palette, a printed colour card where the forecasted colours are arranged by colour family and a poster-sized overview of the season.

Xaar at Inprint 2014 Xaar plans to highlight the power of its industrial inkjet printheads at InPrint 2014, 8-10 April, at Hannover Messe saying the company’s inkjet technology will help drive down costs, reduce waste, improve process efficiency and move to just-in-time production.

Inx Digital introduced ESC inkjet inks, an alternative eco solvent ink and is the newest addition to the Triangle line of branded ink products. Developed to meet the demand of customers asking for alternative ink sets, ESC is a unique product for wide format applications. The ink was launched at the Fastsigns convention, where the ESC wasdemonstrated on an Epson Stylus GS6000 commercial outdoor printer.

Designed to run on the Epson Stylus GS6000 as well as the Epson SureColor commercial outdoor printers, the ink produces brilliant colour for outdoor banners, posters and tradeshow graphics.

ESC is cost effective and time efficient when paired with the GS6000, the fastest 64-inch wide roll-to-roll printer in its class.

Susie Mendelssohn, sales manager and international marketing manager, INX Digital said that ESC ink is an alternative for outdoor applications compared to the Epson ink, particularly on the GS6000 printer where the wider colour gamut and availability of custom ICC printer profiles helps with smoother transitions and improved shadowing and highlighting details plus the ink has improved Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) resistance.

The company says its printheads incorporate patented technology which delivers performance when decorating, patterning, depositing functional coatings on, or adding structure to, a variety of industrial and consumer products in sectors ranging from ceramics and labels to direct-toshape packaging and laminate flooring. In the ceramics industry alone, 40% of the market has converted to digital decoration, with Xaar taking 75% market share plus emerging advanced manufacturing systems for the production of solar cells, semiconductor wafers and touch screens for tablets and mobile phones are powered by Xaar printheads.

Several keynotes will highlight Xaar inkjet technology: Neil Hopkinson of Sheffield University ‘Inkjet: The Key to High Volume Additive Manufacturing/3D Printing’ and Volker Till, Till GmbH will explore the application and benefits of direct-to-shape digital decoration onto cans and bottles using Xaar printheads

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VISION

Media and inks

ASLAN CR 62 scratch-resistant blackboard film for writing with chalk Specifications Application onto smooth indoor and outdoor surfaces for the creation of blackboards for schools, nurseries, offices, homes, stand-up displays for bars or restaurants or the restoration of damaged and worn blackboards.

Product advantages are that it is especially scratch resistant surface so chalk can be easily removed with a wet cloth leaving no shadows, scratches or ghost images when writing is removed and it can be cut into shape making it ideal for creative applications in schools, nurseries, restaurants or bars.

Aslan has released CR 62, a self-adhesive film is designed specifically for circumstances where daily updates are required such as set-menus in bars and restaurants, offices and children’s rooms. The product converts any plain surface to a classic chalk, writeable one and its especially scratch-resistant surface ensures that writing can be wiped off easily without leaving behind any ghosting and shadows.

Face film PVC-film, thickness of 130 µm Adhesive Acrylic pressure adhesive Characteristics Semi-Permanent Release liner Silicon paper 63gsm Surface Smooth surfaces Dimensions 25 m x 1,25 m

HP new canvas and backlit media for hp latex printers HP has introduced new canvas and backlit inkjet media, that have been optimised specifically for HP latex printers to ensure consistent, high-quality results and include: HP Premium Satin Canvas: With a bright-white base and larger colour gamut, fine art and photographic reproductions are accurate and consistent. The new canvas is scratch and crack resistant for perfect, quick finishing, including stretching for gallery wraps and mounted applications.

HP Everyday Satin Canvas: This semi-matte, slightly textured canvas has improved performance with a lower cost, making it the perfect choice for production oriented décor and display work, while maintaining a quality consistent with fine art gallery wraps.

Next-generation HP Backlit Polyester Film: This updated backlit film has a super-wide colour gamut that produces brilliant colours and sharp detail when backlit.

Sun Chemical new soft signage ink for fespa Digital 2014 Sun Chemical plans to showcase its portfolio of digital aftermarket inks at FESPA Digital 2014, from 20-23 May in Munich, including a new soft signage solution The company will highlight the latest addition to its Streamline ink range, Streamline TX, the direct print sublimation textile ink for soft signage applications. The textile ink was developed to address growing demand for synthetic and polyester material used for signage.

Streamline TX is a direct print sublimation ink providing bright strong colours and dense blacks, both crucial for stand out soft signage applications.

Bordeaux Digital Printink smart cartridge for Epson SureColor printer released Bordeaux Digital Printink has introduced a Smart Cartridge Solution for the Epson SureColor S printer and they plan exhibit the technology at Orlando’s ISA show from 23-26 April.

Bordeaux says the show will see the introduction of its newest 700ml cartridge ink solution for the Epson SureColor S printer, an addition to the already existing 1L bag solution fitted for the company’s Smart Cartridge System intended for these printers.

The new cartridge is an additional ink feeding option for these printers and enables users to view and monitor the ink level in every colour channel at any time and receive real-time ink changing alerts when the ink level is low.

The new cartridge solution is also Mix & Match with the original ink, preserving original ink quality without requiring new ICC profiles and enables the user to change cartridges on the fly without requiring any prior or post preparations. The

700ml printer compatible cartridge is offered in CMYK colors and flush.

Bordeaux will also demonstrate the company’s Dye Sublimation inks, EDEN ST and EDEN SD, designed to produce washable and colour-fast images on Polyester fabrics which can be used for t-shirts, hoodies, corporate apparel, baby apparel, blankets, robes and slippers, backpacks, tote bags, aprons as well as tents, flags and banners.

These high density inks deliver outstanding print quality and ink yield to prevent bleeding and stop dye migration.

Both dye sub inks are water-based and have Eco Friendly features, free of Alkyphenols and manufactured from non-hazardous, hypoallergenic raw materials with low environmental impact. The inks feature bright and vibrant colours, excellent image definition for high quality printing and a long shelf life.

The inks also have excellent “show through” properties because of their penetration into the fabric. This has been shown to be a major benefit to flag printers where a similar appearance is achieved when the image is viewed from either side of the fabric.

Tony Cox, Business Manager Aftermarket Products, Sun Chemical, comments: “We talked about Streamline TX at FESPA 2013 and following customer feedback at the show we identified further product enhancements and we’re now ready to bring it to the market. We see FESPA Digital 2014 as the platform to do this. The soft signage market has grown significantly over the last few years and we’ve seen a move towards substrates such as polyester based textile materials which are used for products such as flags, banners and flexible signs. Streamline TX is a great addition to our existing digital aftermarket range.”

Joining Streamline TX will be other products from the Streamline family of inks.

Sun Chemical’s successful Streamline solvent based ESL HPQ, Ultima HPQ and Optima HPQ inks, which since their launch in July 2012 have led to a significant growth in business, will also be on display.

Software

VISION

17

SAi PixelBlaster 3.0 standardises colours using profiles including GRACoL Euroscale and FOGRA PixelBlaster Library: With a new user interface, Library now incorporates PixelBlaster Profile to make it even easier to achieve colour results. It is one complete software application to create all profile components: print mode, ink splitting, calibration and profile.

A new integrated media manager offers a streamlined overview of every profile, including spot colour edits. A new test chart generator recognises the defined media width and measurement devices. With the full support of external measurement devices, like the Barbieri Spectropad, PixelBlaster Library now offers internal devices like those found in HP Designjet and Epson Stylus Pro printers.

SA International (SAi) has released PixelBlaster 3.0, an upgraded version of the software for print preparation and workflow efficiency for the professional signmaking, large format digital printing and CAD/CAM for CNC machining industries.

The software is a modular and scalable endto-end system covering preflight to production.

Using a PDF-based RIP, PixelBlaster delivers a customer-selected suite of workflow applications that can drive an extensive line-up of large format printers, regardless of supplier. A main feature is its ability to standardise colours based on industry-accepted profiles, including GRACoL, Euroscale and FOGRA. PixelBlaster is specifically designed for users in

super-wide format, high volume print production environments, as well as the increasingly important specialty printing sector on substrates such as glass and ceramics. The software provides flexibility to help users respond to customer requests and balance their workloads to accommodate demand levels and equipment availability, features include: PixelBlaster Layout: The new Layout feature allows PixelBlaster to be integrated into workflows producing a wider variety of printed products.

Functions available in Layout include: true shape nesting, manual job positioning, double-sided printing, white handling and cutting. PixelBlaster Layout also replaces the existing “Add Job” dialog of PixelBlaster Engine and the “Submit Job” dialog commands of PixelBlaster Central.

Double-sided printing: PixelBlaster 3.0 fully supports a wide variety of double-sided printing applications, which, importantly, are not limited to printers offering dedicated registration marks. This feature can be used for jobs using both manual and automated file processing.

Improved RIPping performance and quality: performance has been optimised, with processing of some types of input files (e.g., complex PDF files) improved by up to 200%. This reduces RIPping time to enhance productivity and workflow. Additionally, new rendering parameters deliver significantly improved sharpness, when needed.

Improved queue handling: Using the added function of a “Cut” tab in the queue function, it is now possible to define printing and cutting parameters for jobs in the same queue, improving both performance and use. This new tab offers all tools that are needed to combine printing and cutting into one fully automated production workflow.

Madeforlayers now Adobe Creative Cloud compliant

KBA will distribute Optimus mis

Axaio software’s MadeForLayers is now compatible with Adobe’s InDesign Creative Cloud.

KBA and the Optimus Group have formed a partnership relating to worldwide sales and distribution of management information systems (MIS) from Optimus. Effective now, press manufacturer KBA is to become a distributor for Optimus solutions such as Dash, Cloud and Cloud Mobile in the regions Western Europe, Asia-Pacific and USA/Canada.

Further markets are expected to follow later.

MadeForLayers, software that simplifies the creation and editing of complex documents, has now been made compliant with Adobe’s Indesign Creative Cloud, following Axiao’s other plug-ins MadeToTag and MadeToPrint which have already been made Cloud compatible.

MadeForLayers makes it possible to save different layers into layer views, streamlining working with layouts that contain multiple language versions, regional variants or different editorial content. In packaging environments, for example, users can clearly assign multiple technical as well as various design layers.

Each defined layer view can be applied to new or existing documents. A specific layer view – containing layer names and metadata definitions – can be set as the default

document view determining which layer will be visible when opening the document. New layer views can be created from the currently visible layers and can be adjusted at any time.

The document structure can be standardised and production automation can be enabled thanks to metadata definitions added to layers.

In combination with Axaio MadeToPrint, all different versions of a publication can automatically be exported or printed with the standardised settings and without risk of mixing up content in complex documents. With the Axaio MadeToPrint, users can also easily create either one master PDF file containing all the different layer views or one PDF file for each layer view.

A free trial version and updates can be downloaded from the Axaio website.

Sheet fed offset users around the world will find the capabilities of the integrated MIS useful in managing different substrates and processes and various KBA customers are already using Optimus systems where they have gained a reputation for their flexibility and user-friendly implementation.

KBA said that although customers can integrate existing or new KBA Rapidas into their preferred MIS solutions, when we recently decided to offer MIS as part of a closed-loop workflow with its presses, Optimus was the first choice.

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SOFTWARE

Contex new virtual demonstration room for resellers and distributors Contex, a global provider of wide format scanning and imaging solutions, recently launched its Contex Demo Room, a virtual demonstration environment for all Contex products.

The Demo Room is a valuable tool that allows distributors and resellers to virtually demonstrate the company’s scanners and solutions, even without access to the physical scanners.

For group presentations or impromptu meetings, users have access to rotating 360-degree images of Contex wide format scanning solutions, as well as videos, buyers’ guides, and case studies and competitive reviews.

The site also features an Image Compare facility that shows how an image will look after being captured using different types of technology from Contex and its competitors. It also displays the results of specific Nextimage software features.

“Demo Room provides immediate access to everything that resellers and distributors need for excellent product demonstrations,” commented Steve Blanken, general manager, Contex North and South America.

“This is an outstanding tool for our channel to have the information they need for every scenario.”

Caldera Variable Display 3.0 software is not just for the print houses it was originally designed for

Demo Room is a valuable support for distributors and resellers to showcase Contex’s scanning solutions, with or without access to a physical scanner. It enables feature comparison of Contex scanning and imaging solutions to those of selected competitors.

Its graphics-rich user interface also allows a demonstrator to explain the products’ key features in a local language, using local terms.

Product information such as updated data sheets can be emailed to prospective customers from within Demo Room.

Axiao MadeToPrint 2.5 maintenance update brings server interface up to date Axiao has released a maintenance update for MadeToPrint Server that keeps its User Interface in sync with version 2.5 of MadeToPrint Auto which was released last January.

Caldera says that with the appeal of its digital signage suite is now extending beyond the print houses it was originally designed for, it has announced a powerful new version upgrade.

Variable Display 3.0 represents a major functionality boost for adopters, adding remote hardware monitoring, screen layout features and a Flash customization service to help deliver hardhitting campaigns.

Template manager Many wide-format printers are already combining digital screens with printed point-of-sale materials and wall coverings to make convincing, integrated graphics content spanning print and digital.

Users can now specify and place widgets on the screen, each containing live or static content to be run simultaneously within zones in the visual area. With Caldera’s drag-and-drop interface, v3.0 owners can create templates for quickservice restaurants, retail and a variety of internal communications applications with a few clicks.

Development feedback from previous versions indicated that uptime was a key concern in digital signage installations so v3.0 adds a remote monitoring tool that observes behaviour across all networked players. Vital hardware statistics, including usage and temperature for the CPU, hard drive and motherboard, are collated within

a interface that allows users to identify, preempt and resolve problems before they occur.

This ability to provide superior client support and remote system administration is expected to be popular across the Variable Display user base.

Device Monitoring An online, form-based template will also make it easier for novice operators to include the visual dynamism of Flash content within their installations, adding to existing HTML5 capability.

An algorithm allows simple animations to be created using templates and saved within Variable Display as an asset, removing the complications of using cumbersome external Flash creators.

Caldera said that Variable Display is now crucial to many installations, from exhibitions and retail to corporate communications and its development team continues to address the most important market shifts with each upgrade. While Variable Display was originally conceived as a way to help wide-format printers to access new revenue streams, its sophistication is now making it one of the best out-of-the-box options in the wider digital signage market.

Commercially available now, software can be downloaded Caldera, purchased through partners or updated via the software’s upgrade panel.

The previous release added the ability to assign priorities to hot folders to determine the order in which folders are scanned and jobs are processed. This allows for example, the ability to assign archival workflows a lower priority than workflows performing urgent production work.

The MadeToPrint Server update makes this feature also available in the MadeToPrint Server user interface, offering more flexibility and userfriendliness in MadeToPrint Server.

The company says the main objective of all versions of MadeToPrint is to standardise output processes so that all the different components needed for production are created according to the right specifications, in the right locations and with a predefined standard naming convention.

This reduces errors and lead-times and as a result increases rentability of production.

An important part of this process are tokens, variables that allow output settings in MadeToPrint to be more flexible and to incorporate various pieces of metadata, ranging from dates and times, over automatically increasing numbers to information from editorial systems.

Tokens are available for many aspects of output settings. They can be used to determine where files will be saved, how their name will be created and more. MadeToPrint contains built-in help to work with tokens and allows predefined token lists for recurring needs.

The update for MadeToPrint adds four important new tokens that provide information regarding the number of files generated, the sequence in they output and the first and last spread number of the currently exported file (information was only available for pages until now).

EVENTS & AWARDS

VISION

19

FESPA 2015 back to Germany FESPA 2015 will be held in Cologne, Germany again, to stage its flagship screen, digital, and textile exhibition from 18th to 22nd May 2015.

Launching the show to exhibitors this week, FESPA aims to host over 700 exhibiting suppliers from the screen, textile and digital print industry and expects the show to be the largest in FESPA history.

“The decision to host FESPA in Cologne next year - following this year’s FESPA Digital 2014 event in Munich - reflects the significance of our visitor audience from northern and central Europe, and the DACH region in particular. As Germany’s fourth city, Cologne offers us an excellent contemporary exhibition venue in a city which is easily accessible by road, rail and air from many of Europe’s key economic areas,” said Neil Felton, CEO, FESPA. The Rhineland is one of northern Europe’s major industrial centres, with thriving manufacturing, media and creative industries clustered in its urban centres, and a population of over ten million in

the Rhein-Ruhr Metropolitan Area. Koelnmesse stages approximately 75 international exhibitions and 2000 conferences with over a third of a million visitors.

“We have scheduled the 2015 exhibition to fall within the working week, responding to feedback from our exhibitors who felt this better reflected the needs of the event’s B2B audience, while the move to late May is also popular,” said Felton.

Cologne is served by Köln-Bonn and Düsseldorf airports, with direct routes to hundreds of world cities, putting the city within two hours’ flying time of most European capitals. ICE train routes also bring visitors into the centre of Cologne from many other German and European cities in a few hours. Cologne offers visitors to FESPA access to hundreds of hotels, and a first-class visitor experience, with a wide range of restaurants, bars and cultural experiences to cater to all tastes and budgets.

Ninth Annual Dscoop Conference sold out - official The Dscoop9 ‘Break the Mold’ conference was held in Orlando Florida from 6 to 8 March and officially sold out before the event started, with organisers saying it attracted more than 2,000 digital print professionals and 93 partners.

Scitex, high-end Latex, and Inkjet equipment and related solutions. Dscoop is focused on educating and connecting its members with each other and with HP to improve members’ business growth, efficiency and profitability.

development; competition and commoditisation and of printing; adapting to new technologies; staff management; innovative product offerings; hiring and motivating sales force; environmental messaging; and more.

Founded in 2005, Dscoop (Digital Solutions Cooperative) is an independent global community of graphic arts business owners and technical professionals who use HP Indigo,

Attendees saw a strong line-up of speakers, partners and HP experts who will help businesses “break the mold” and provide insight on a variety of topics, including: new business

Although registration was still available for those who registered on-site, Dscoop officials closed online registration early to focus on creating a positive onsite experience for attendees.

WAND brings home the gold for Innovative Digital Signage

The company is a developer of restaurant technologies Wand Corporation was awarded Gold for Innovative Digital Signage at the 2014 Digital Signage Expo. The company’s entry is a digital menu board solution for food trucks.

Wand’s content for Juicys, a provider of outdoor dining concessions via mobile food trucks, won the judges’ votes. Since food trucks need to satisfy customers in different environments, the use of a content library is key. The solution for Juicys’ truck was a Wand Mini Controller, which allowed operators to engage customers and draw foot traffic with a user-friendly cloud-based library of Wand content.

“It really brought that ‘wow’ factor I was looking for,” said Brett Enright, Juicys’ owner. Currently, Juicys is one of the first food trucks to benefit from using digital menu boards.

“These road warriors are part of the move toward digital signage. Sales success truly rests with serving the right content to the right audience at the right time. That’s what digital is all about,” said Dave Perrill, president, Wand.

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VISION

Awards

Winners of Inaugural

Scodix Customers Job Awards Announced Applicants represented every continent and just about every segment of the market, including direct mail, product packaging, fine arts, and commercial printing.

Winners of the first Scodix Design Awards were announced at the Print 13 show. Organised by Scodix, a provider of digital print enhancements for the graphic arts industry, the competition saw over 50 entries from the users all around the world. The awards saw entries from Asia as well, including braille books from Korea and wedding albums from India.

The judging panel consisted of five renowned industry experts and authorities. Each entry was rated according to design quality, production complexity, and overall appearance.

Winning entries include the following: Glittering Category: The winners are SKAG of Greece for their Calendar, and Tukaiz of the United States for their Magazine Cover Metallic Category: The winner is Pressing of Spain for their Cocktail Menu General Commercial Category: The winners are Acculink of the United States for their Brochure, and GZD of Germany for their own Brochure

Direct Mail Category: The winners are Curtis Packaging of United States for their US Open Ticket Pouch, and PM Digital of India for their Greeting Card Packaging Category: The winners are Chanakya Mudrak Pvt. Ltd. of India for their Orange Box, and Acculink for their Sun Glasses Packaging Restaurant Menu Category: The winners are Copiadora Nacional of Brazil for their Restaurant Menu, and Xicailons – Jing Ping Dao Yuan, for their Chinese Restaurant Menu “The applied creative wizardry in conjunction with the Scodix enhancement capabilities produced some of the finest real-world projects I’ve ever seen. While we’ve see some amazing eyecatching samples coming from the Scodix booth at every trade show, it’s always amazing to see how production professionals can take their technology to a whole new level of impact. I can only imagine what their clients were thinking when they saw their projects come to life so vividly. It’s magic!” said Frank Romano, one of the judges for the competition.

“I thought I was impressed by the Scodix work I had seen at previous shows. Seeing actual commercial work of this calibre is on a whole new level. I am telling our printer and broker members that they need to ‘stand out’ by offering print that ‘stands out’ with Scodix. What a market differentiator,” added awards judge, Vince Mallardi.

BUSINESS

VISION

21

Scodix Big Seller with China’s Leading Menu Producer Jing Ping Dao Yuan has produced over 5,000 customized menus and wine lists to establish the firm as the largest and most influential in the Chinese market and beyond

In Beijing, China in February 2014 – a recent article “10 trends shaping the restaurant industry in 2014” highlighted menu innovation as one of the top impacting influences. “If there is anything that’s a common theme here — maybe more so than in years past — it’s menu innovation,” said NPD Group restaurant industry analyst Bonnie Riggs. For Scodix user Jing Ping Dao Yuan, this is old news. China’s largest menu producer has been breaking new innovation ground in the menu marketplace now for more than a year, after they installed their first Scodix Digital Enhancement Press in December 2012.

“We offer a one-stop service operation for our clients including photography, design, printing and enhancement,” notes General Manager Mr. Miao Wentong. “As the industry’s leading provider, our customers are always looking to us to offer product that is both innovative and creative, yet increasingly more practical. We have produced over 5,000 customized menus and wine lists, which by now has not only met with the approval of our clients, but the millions of consumers they serve. Over the last 12 months, Scodix has allowed us to bring a whole new dynamic to our product offerings.”

“We are a creative company first, always interested in new idea and new technologies,” he continues.

“Our target market and target application primarily focuses upon restaurant menus, and the

“For us the biggest benefit of Scodix SENSE™ is bridging a closer relationship to our end users. This closer relationship has meant greater product and brand loyalty. This has translated to our second benefit: increased revenues. And of course stronger customer ties and increased revenue means a stronger hold on our industry leadership position. In our business, higher quality brings higher profits and Scodix has meant all that and more to us.”

advertisement and design agencies that serve them. Our business is a channel sale model. We cooperate and support them with a variety of new and innovative ways of producing the traditional menu in a more appealing and eye-catching means. But recently, due to our implementation of Scodix, we are now also developing the magazine and book cover enhancement as a new and profitable revenue stream.”

“Last winter [2012] we installed our first Scodix Digital Enhancement Press and this vastly expanded our capabilities. As a leader in any category, you must keep growing to maintain your leadership position and Scodix technology clearly differentiated us from all others. The unique effects are ideally suitable for short to middle runs, and initially we saw it as a rousing way to enhance the inside pages of restaurant menus. The feedback has been very positive, and the unique effect has completely satisfied our customer base.”

Setting New Standards

Before Scodix, traditional means of applying the print enhancement types were both time-consuming and costly. “It was much more inconvenient for us to do enhancements when we didn’t have Scodix.

We had to send jobs out to external suppliers, wait for their response with proofs, apply edits and hope the alterations were what we wanted. Now, with Scodix we do it all in-house, and we can serve our customer much more efficiently with superior and unmatched capabilities, versatility, highest quality and confidence. We are now seen as also the value-added leader.”

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VISION

TECHNOLOGY

T H I EM E I nt roduces

an Open Development Platform for Screen and Digital Printing Systems

THIEME said they will be showcasing several innovative printing solutions at the InPrint 2014 trade show to be held in Hanover from 8 to 10 April.

The highlight of its stand will be digital printing system, Thieme Lab Digital.

The most diverse industrial applications can be developed utilising the open laboratory printing system and their production parameters optimally coordinated in advance.

“The unique thing about our machine concept is its 100 % industrial suitability both in digital and screen printing. With this cross-technological development platform which combines the best of both worlds, we have achieved a genuine unique position in the industrial printing market,” - Harry Götz, Product Manager of Digital Printing, Thieme.

The range of industrial printing applications is extremely diverse - as a result modern coating solutions must be correspondingly flexible. Thieme therefore not only offers its customers standard machines but also enables the development of digital and screen printing systems, based on a uniform technical platform, specific to each application.

The Thieme Lab Digital laboratory machine to be presented at the trade show represents an open digital printing machine design which is individually customised to the customer’s needs. Both the printing format and the transport technology can be varied. Different option packages are also available - it is even possible to combine digital and screen printing stations into a single hybrid machine. The innovative digital printing system is suitable for single and multi-pass applications and is distinguished by high precision linear technology and a variable print head arrangement.

The substrate thickness (max 50 mm) can be programmed.

A secure scale-up from the laboratory to the production machine: Interested trade show visitors will be shown the diversity of the new Thieme machine platform at the exhibition stand, for example, with regard to parameters specific to the print head (e.g. wave forms, resolutions, printing modes) or equipment options (e.g. table vacuum, printing formats, substrate thicknesses). The system concept additionally includes the option of evaluating ink systems and other drying systems such as IR or LED can be alternatively integrated. Sample substrates will be printed on the Thieme Lab Digital, whose quality can be assessed and discussed directly at the site.

Since the laboratory machine has the same control system as the production machine, customised printing parameters can be applied one-to-one in a later production machine. “As the sole manufacturer, Thieme enables the implementation of the customer’s own development in industrial coating systems. Our customers can thus be sure that the step from the laboratory to the production process does not lead to a dead end,” explained Harry Götz, describing the Thieme product strategy.

TECHNOLOGY

VISION

23

Zund to Present Cutting Technology Expertise at InPrint

Zünd will use the InPrint exhibition to showcase its high-end automated digital cutting solutions for industrial manufacturers to demonstrate how its cutters can accelerate performance in the different production environment.

Zünd will display an advanced modular G3 cutting system configured with an automated sheetfeeder for continuous cutting of various sheet, board and roll materials. The company’s cutting systems are designed for 24/7 operation and the automated loading system further enhances performance, providing manufacturers with a fully automated workflow and increased flexibility, for small and medium production runs.

“Zünd cutters are the ideal engine to satisfy the demands of industrial production. The cameraaided digital finishing systems enable customers to accurately cut printed and unprinted material up to 50mm thick. The modularity and its 16 different sizes also allow manufacturers to handle a broad array of materials up to 3.2 m wide,” said Oliver Zünd, CEO.

“Zünd cutters are well-known and respected in many demanding manufacturing industries. Our longstanding expertise has allowed us to build a solid reputation in different sectors, and with over 20.000 systems sold worldwide we can confidently claim to be a leader in digital cutting. Existing and new customers can see the huge potential of Zünd technologies and their ability to cut both conventional and innovative materials to meet the demands of different production environments.

InPrint is the right platform to showcase these capabilities,” - Zünd

Zünd plans to highlight the unique features of its cutting technologies to satisfy the specific needs of industrial sectors and at the same time showing its extensive knowledge of material finishing.

The system will provide a clear example of the digital cutters’ versatility with precisely-cut samples produced by customers from a wide spectrum of industries including automotive, aeronautics, electronics, interior décor, photovoltaic, medical and functional textiles.

The advanced feature and functions of Zünd digital cutting solutions enable customers to cut anything from flex prints and membrane keyboards, to lamp shades and suspended ceilings for interior decoration applications, as well as synthetic fibres like Aramid for protective clothing.

The automotive and aeronautics sectors can also benefit from Zünd systems’ capabilities to cut tachometers, leather for seats and steering wheels, carbon fibre, honeycomb materials and airbags.

Screen develops a cancer scanner using its image processing technology experience Dainippon Screen, best known in the graphic arts industry for its prepress, CTP, software and digital printing solutions, has recently formed a Life Sciences division, whose first step is the development of the Cell3iMager (3D cell imager); a high-speed 3D cell culture scanner capable of measuring and analyzing multiplication and morphological changes in cancer cells grown on 3D cell culture plates, without using a reagent.

Using Screen’s proprietary image processing technology, the Cell3iMager system enables rapid measurement and analysis of multiplication and morphological changes in cancer cells grown on 3D culture plates over time. In addition, as no reagent is applied, the same cancer cells can be used to continuously monitor the effects of experimental drugs without destroying the cells.

Current testing methods used in 3D cell culturing for cancer research mostly follow the conventional approach and involve first growing the cells and then adding pigments or other reagents and observing any changes. As a result, there are several issues associated with this style of testing, including its labor-intensive nature and the inability to perform follow-up observations on the same cells, because they are destroyed by the reagents.

Screen developed the Cell3iMager, over two years with the cooperation of Dr. Geoffrey Bartholomeusz, University of Texas’ MD Anderson Cancer Centre and Professor Tamio Mizukami, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science; who describe it as an ‘important step’ in the development of cancer-fighting drugs.

The Cel3iMager will be shown to the world at BioJapan in October. Dainippon Screen is also active in the semiconductor industry, printable electronics, solar panels, flat panel displays and thin film manufacturing of rechargeable Lithium-Iron batteries.