More than 6 000 visitors are expected during this exciting event and they’ll be searching among the 140 exhibitors for innovative equipment and consumables to make a positive difference to their businesses. Here’s a peek at some of the top-notch technologies likely to steal the show.

Kemtek’s new-age digital systems

Kemtek is showcasing prepress, printing and finishing technologies from leading global principals such as HP Indigo, Durst, Aristo, Screen and Duplo.

Highlights on the interactive 200m2 stand include demonstrations on Durst’s P10/160 industrial roll-to-roll wide-format UV digital printer; Aristo’s TL1625 cutting table; Duplo’s perfect binders and PUR binders; and Screen’s latest Equios Universal Workflow software. Other highlights are 3D printing systems from Rapid 3D, including the Mcor IRIS paper printer and Zortrax M200. Kemtek staff and international principals are on hand to provide in-depth advice on all featured technologies.

Antalis presents quality and innovation

Long-time graphic arts industry specialist, Antalis, is pulling out all the stops with an array of digital printing and finishing systems from leading partners including EFI, Esko Kongsberg and Epson.

With a strong focus on global resources and support, this year’s showcase includes EFI’s all-in-one H1625 LED wide-format inkjet printer and Esko’s XN24 Kongsberg cutting table, with new-generation finishing capabilities. Additionally, a dedicated ‘software booth’ includes presentations from Esko and Kodak software specialists.

Also on show is the competitively-priced Epson SC-S SureColor 3610, a 1.6m-wide eco-solvent printer for indoor and outdoor signage. This highly-productive premium-quality four-colour CMYK system produces anything from posters, signs and banners to backlit panels, POS, vehicle wraps, interior decorations (wallpaper) and exhibition displays.

Another Epson highlight is the T-Series machine used for POS and posters for indoor applications. Machines on show print on a wide range of substrates, including the flagship Coala range from Antalis, which includes paper, self-adhesives, films, textiles, banner material and wallcoverings, for both solvent- and water-based ink systems.

The word ‘signage’ simply doesn’t do justice to the wide variety of options now available to designers looking for wide-format indoor and outdoor printed materials. Today, printing and ink technologies can process numerous substrates – PVC, vinyl, canvas, clear or opaque film, photographic paper and a variety of banner stock – into everything from signs and banners, POS, backlit panels, interior decorations and exhibition displays, to arresting vehicle wraps and stunning fine art reproductions and originals.

New-generation HP Latex systems

To remain competitive, high-volume printers are constantly challenged to deliver short turnaround times across varied applications, while maintaining top-of-the-line quality. HP is addressing these challenging production needs with 3.2m-wide Latex 3500 and 3100 printers, which build on the success of more than 26 000 HP Latex systems installed worldwide.

Ideal for standardised workflows, the HP Latex 3500 handles high-volume, dedicated application production, boosting productivity and helping to reduce production costs. With heavy-duty roll handling up to 300kg and ten-litre ink supplies, the printer can run unattended for long periods. Additionally, dual-roll split spindles offer easier, safer handling of oversized rolls; in-line slitters reduce bottlenecks in finishing; and built-in LED lights support on-the-fly proofing.

Delivering high image quality for numerous indoor and outdoor applications, the HP Latex 3100 is ideal for large signs and displays with a diverse service offering. Printing indoor quality at speeds up to 77m2/hour, the printer can handle production peaks and deliver short turnaround times without sacrificing quality.

‘Printers are increasingly faced with complex jobs and shorter lead times,’ states Xavier Garcia, HP’s VP and general manager (large-format sign and display division).

‘The latest HP Latex printers further establish our industrial latex portfolio, delivering a fresh level of productivity and operational efficiency to help our customers fulfil even the most demanding high-volume sign and display print jobs,’ he adds.

Allowing printers to increase unattended operation with remote monitoring and print status alerts, the new HP Latex printers are compatible with the HP Latex Mobile application, with expanded functionality including metrics reporting and extended language support. The Printer Status Beacon also helps operators stay up-to-date on job runs and unexpected downtime from anywhere on the production floor. To see these new-generation HP Latex printers in action, visit the Midcomp stand.

Roland excites

Once again, Roland is seeking to inspire with its digital production techniques. ‘Come play and get excited!’ declares MD, Bob Glenister. ‘New this year are our embossing patterns for vehicle wraps, plus a professional dye-sublimation package that will blow visitors away with its high-value, low-price ink and large colour gamut, plus sewing machines that assist in producing large banners and back drops. Sublimation just became super-affordable and, backed by our no-nonsense support, local printers are on to a winner!’.

All-new Agfa Graphics showcase

Agfa Graphics is set to make a splash, demonstrating its recently-launched Anapurna M2050i wide-format hybrid printer and its first wide-format cutting table, the Acorta.

Following the success of the Anapurna M2050, this latest version moves upmarket, meeting the performance and quality demands of an increasingly professional market, while its electromechanical redesign makes it more robust for sustained workloads.

In combination with a precision belt transport drive, new-generation print heads with double the number of nozzles offer optimum throughput while maintaining high-quality print. The M2050i also uses an intelligent print algorithm (gradient masking), with eight 12 picolitre heads for good solids, fine text reproduction, superior tonal rendering and low ink consumption. The 1 024 nozzles allow top-quality print on uncoated rigid media, such as corrugated board, plastics, exhibition panels and advertising panels, as well as roll media such as film, vinyl, paper, canvas and banner material up to 45mm thick.

Switching between rigid and roll media is instant.

Anapurna’s fast-drying UV inks deliver a wide colour gamut and versatile material compatibility for demanding wide-format indoor and outdoor applications. Additionally, a white ink function creates fresh possibilities for printing on transparent material for backlit or backlit/frontlit applications or printing white as a spot colour.

The all-new Acorta cutting table adds an extra in-house finishing step. Available in two models – HS 3120 and HS 2016 – it features a 102m/min cutting speed and a solid cellular steel structure that eliminates vibration or bending in the traverse beam. A multitool cutting head enables cutting, creasing and milling of substrates up to 50mm thick.

IIJ continues push into Africa

As reported last month, UK-based IIJ (Industrial Inkjet) is exhibiting at Fespa as part of its African expansion programme, which includes a partnership with Durban’s Nipson & Inkjet Technology Solutions.

IIJ’s award-winning systems are set to help printers open up important new revenue streams, particularly as demand increases for one-stop printing.

According to Nipson & Inject Technology’s Pieter le Grange, the kits are so competitively priced that they could also be fitted to older web offset lines, as well as providing added functionality to newer systems.

‘There are massive opportunities in Africa for companies such as IIJ to develop, particularly as so many printers don’t have huge funds for investment in expensive systems but want to provide a wider range of services,’ he maintains.

To discover more, visit this stand at Fespa Africa.

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