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FUJIFILM doubles down on its Middle East presence with laun…

FUJIFILM Middle East and Africa today inaugurated its new offices at Expo City Dubai – an innovation-driven, people-centric community designed as a blueprint for sustainable urban living and the new centre of Dubai’s future. The launch of its new offices is part of the company’s future-facing mindset, as well as efforts to increase proximity to end-consumers and key partners. The site will also be home to FUJIFILM Technology Center (FTC), which will showcase the company’s innovative offerings. The Japanese company brings world-renowned expertise and innovations to some of the region’s vital sectors. As a global leader in healthcare, imaging and printing technologies, the firm supplies cutting-edge solutions in the UAE such as innovative diagnostic imaging systems helping raise the standard of care in the country and contributing to its development goals. The company is also preparing to launch AI-driven screening centers (NURA) in the UAE, reflecting its commitment to early detection and better health outcomes. FUJIFILM Technology Center (FTC), meanwhile, will offer professional training for employees, business partners and end-users in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia. The center is equipped with a comprehensive range of FUJIFILM solutions for live demonstrations, allowing visitors to try and test multiple products and services. H.E. Ken Okaniwa, Ambassador of Japan to the UAE, said: “We welcome the inauguration of FUJIFILM’s new offices and Technology Center in Expo City Dubai. This new investment by Japan’s top company in healthcare, imaging and printing reflects the excellent relations between Japan and the UAE as well as the strategic position of the UAE as a global hub for business. I look forward to FUJIFILM’s technologies contributing to better healthcare, promotion of industries and human capacity development.” Manal AlBayat, Chief Engagement Officer, Expo City Dubai, said: “With its technologies used in vital sectors and its commitment to knowledge-sharing, FUJIFILM’s choice of Expo City Dubai for its new offices and Technology Center reinforces the city’s position as a hub for global businesses driving innovative solutions in the UAE and beyond. We are proud to welcome FUJIFILM to our innovation- and sustainability-focused community – an ecosystem where like-minded entities collaborate to drive meaningful progress.” FUJIFILM’s renewed commitment to the region follows last year’s impressive annual performance, and the firm is looking to repeat the feat in 2025 with a double-digit growth. FUJIFILM Middle East and Africa will also extend its commitment to Emiratization, with plans to introduce new hires to support FTC operations and cement the company’s leading role in knowledge sharing. Underscoring the global importance of the FTC for the company, Masataka Akiyama, President and CEO of FUJIFILM Europe, added: “Our investment in the FUJIFILM Technology Center is a powerful tool to enable product showcases, including a full-fledged medical center with hands-on training and lectures delivered by healthcare professionals in the UAE, Egypt, and Morocco. We are now also inviting imaging and printing experts to our new Dubai office space to facilitate the exchange of ideas and support the delivery of unrivaled solutions to our customers.” Michio Kondo, Managing Director of FUJIFILM Middle East and Africa, also said: “With the opening of our new offices at Expo City Dubai, FUJIFILM is starting the next exciting chapter of our success story in the Middle East. As we look to deepen our contribution to the region’s prosperity and the wellbeing of its people by providing value through innovation and purpose-driven growth, our new space will be a center for co-creation, training, new partnerships, and the development of high-tech solutions to help enhance lives and economies.” Over the past five years, Fujifilm has more than doubled its number of staff across its offices in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa.

FUJIFILM doubles down on its Middle East presence with laun…

MUTOH EMEA & STS EUROPE JOIN FORCES FOR DTF PROJECT

Modular & Compact Direct-to-Film (DTF) Total Solution integrating 24” Printer Engine built by Mutoh Mutoh Europe - EMEA subsidiary of the Japanese wide-format & desktop digital printer manufacturer - and STS Europe today announced that they are joining forces for the new STS Modular Direct to Film system. Developed in partnership with Mutoh Japan, the centerpiece of the new system is a compact 24” (630 mm) wide printer built to fit onto a table-top or rolling stand in any size print shop. The STS DTF System is designed to be the most cost-effective and hassle-free solution to simplify the process of quickly creating custom t-shirts and apparel. In the EMEA business area, the STS DTF system will be offered by STS Europe through selected Mutoh distributors. The system will be presented at the STS booth (1F67) at the Fespa Amsterdam exhibition, to be held from 12-15 October. DTF has several advantages over traditional DTG (Direct-to-Garment) technology, which is limited to cotton pre-treated fabrics and wears faster. DTF is compatible with non-treated cotton, silk, polyester, denim, nylon, leather, 50/50 blends, and more. It works equally well on white and dark textiles and allows users to choose either a matte or glossy finish. DTF does not require cutting or weeding, creates crisp and defined edges and images, does not require advanced technical printing knowledge, and produces less waste. “With the debut of our modular system, STS Inks has monumentally improved the process of DTF printing, especially for new entrants in the custom apparel marketplace and existing firms that are looking to expand their product line,” said Shahar Turgeman, who founded STS Inks in 1999. “We’ve given each of the essential DTF components a smaller footprint, deployed a user-friendly software program, bundled in the highest-quality supplies, and are offering the STS DTF System at a lower price with improved performance than anything available in the marketplace today.” ./… “Mutoh Europe are pleased that STS selected our reliable made in Japan core technology for their DTF solution”, says Mitsuo Takatsu, Mutoh Europe’s Managing Director. “The STS VJ-628D printer is based on Mutoh’s existing ValueJet 628 eight-channel printer chassis. Mutoh Japan’s R&D team adapted the basic chassis to cover the specific needs of DTF, including but not limited to the capability of jetting white inks. We look forward to partner with STS Europe for them to roll out this program throughout the EMEA business area through selected Mutoh Certified Distributors who have the local presence, the experience with our VJ-628 engine as well as knowledge of the DTG/Textile markets. The total solution including all key components such as inks, TPU adhesive powder, PET film, powder shaker and software will be fully supported and warranted by STS Europe”. STS developed its DTF packages and programs to be a hassle-free alternative to what previously has been available in the marketplace. The company devoted an exponential amount of time and research into pairing components that are easy-to-set up and use right out of the box. The result is a customer experience that is totally free of aggravation, unlike equipment and systems that often require numerous, highly frustrating calibrations and tweaking on arrival. In addition, STS offers unparalleled service and reliability, especially in comparison to the challenge of repairing breakdown-prone converted or refurbished printers - or those shipped from overseas - that are difficult to fix because required parts and technicians are not readily available. The STS Inks DTF System simplifies traditional DTF processes and supply procurement. It begins with utilizing the STS VJ-628D Printer to print logos and/or artwork onto a single-sided coated PET Film. STS PET Film (available in multiple sizes of sheets and rolls) provides optimal printer roller traction with minimal static allowing for a high-quality printed image without background artifacts. It is manufactured to withstand the high temperatures and pressures of a heat press. The cured film is then used to transfer the printed image onto textiles using a lightweight powder adhesive, applied with the STS Automatic TPU Adhesive Powder Shaker, which distributes the adhesive evenly across the artwork and enables the transfer process. STS Inks also offers hot-melt adhesive powder that is specially formulated to provide excellent bonding and flexibility properties, withstanding up to 40+ washes with maximum coverage and a high-level transfer rate. As an alternative to the STS Automatic TPU Adhesive Powder shaker – for cutsheet prints or roll to sheet prints, the printed film can be cured in the easy-to-operate STS Transfer Film Curing Oven, which is capable of curing film up to 13” x 19” (58.42 cm x 48.26 cm) with a very small (23” x 6.6” x 15.7”) (58.42 cm x 16.76 cm x 39.87 cm) footprint. Delivering a curing temperature up to 150° C (302°F) with just a 220V power supply, the oven has a digital timer control for TPU powder curing which sounds an alarm on completion. The STS Inks DTF System deploys Flexi/STS 628D RIP Software, created exclusively for the STS VJ-628D printer. Flexi/STS offers a wide array of features including fast processing speeds, time-saving enhanced printing-while-ripping, user-defined custom cut line names and colors. With Adobe Illustrator® layer support, Multi-layer Illustrator or PDF files can be split into multiple jobs which then can be processed as spot colors like white and varnish. The DTF Inks from STS Inks offer high color density, wide color gamut and outstanding color saturation, and are print head-safe with encapsulated resin + nano pigment. STS Inks are non-toxic and environmentally responsible, formulated for excellent performance and great wash fastness, with consistent color from batch-to-batch. Available in CMYK, white and other color options, STS Inks are manufactured in the USA, and undergo rigorous testing.

admin in News July 22, 2022

How to implement automation in printing operations

It is becoming necessary in printing operations to automate as much as possible to gain efficiencies. But before you begin your planning processes, look at your current state to ensure that you understand how works happen today. Kodak, a global technology company focused on print and advanced materials and chemicals, explains the vital role of automation in printing operations and how to do it properly. Read on. Single system of record that reliably gathers data from business and production systems If you have that system of record, you are in the perfect state to take on end-to-end automation. If you have multiple points of data collection that have never been integrated, there is still a path to automation. Still, your planning may take longer to accommodate identifying the required data and the processes that use them. Standard processes for order taking, job specification, and order management When there are standard processes, planning for automation can leverage them to speed implementation. When the procedures to take orders are different for every sales channel, it is hard to standardize order intake. When the process of capturing job specifications varies by sales team member and orders are managed without a strategic view into machine usage and job deadlines, some work will be required before automating and making those processes more efficient. How many spreadsheets are used to track jobs, components, or processes? Every business has some ad hoc processes tracked on spreadsheets, whiteboards, and notepads to keep mission-critical items front of mind. There is nothing wrong with them, but when they become the sole source of truth about a job or a process, they add risk to production. Some organisations justify using spreadsheets by putting them onto shared-access servers so that all authorized constituents can easily access them. It sounds like a great idea, but over time you may find that copies are sitting on individual desktops, and the shared copy is no longer the reliable source of information. Knowing what you have as you plan for automation will help you size the effort. Moving to that automated environment creates a single system of record that is reliable and can be integrated into adjacent business and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. Planning for automation You could find some processes that appear easy to automate, add some new tools, and call that your automation plan, but there is a better path. It starts with knowing what is possible. New options in cloud-based workflows bring the same powerful options to smaller shops as the largest shops enjoy. With minimal investments and immediate implementation, shops with a single digital press can build an efficient workflow that will scale using the same technology as a mid-size shop with a mix of offset and digital devices. And these modern cloud-based production workflow solutions can help in any segment, whether the work you produce is graphically-rich static content or uses data-driven processes to execute variable content targeted to a specific recipient. Today’s automated production workflows are built to integrate MIS and ERP tools, Web-to-Print solutions, and e-commerce options. This approach should be high on your list as you consider automation options because it brings a robust IT infrastructure to the table. Automating individual processes glued together with manual interventions isn’t the accomplishment that brings the most benefit. Considering automation requires a dive into every action involved, from the point of estimation and sale to the final delivery to the customer. Planning is the active event designed to identify the touchpoints and the best approach to reviewing each step, the people involved, and the current tools used. Start by articulating your strategic goals for 2022. You may be looking to expand into a new industry or print segments. Your current workload may require more capacity. You may want to acquire more capabilities, either through buying more equipment, optimising workflows, or buying a company. As you consider your strategic plan, itemize the candidate processes for automation to move you toward those goals. Don’t be surprised if you identify current manual processes as critical roadblocks. Strategic goals are long-term and inform the way the business runs. There will be some work to do to build the bridge from strategy to implementation, and that is where tactical planning becomes essential. Tactical goals are more than solving today’s bottleneck. They work within the strategy to consider implementing new software and processes while keeping production moving. Think of it as changing the tires on a car while it’s in motion. There will be practical concerns as current processes are replaced by automation, including how and when to move off tools that are no longer providing value. Tactics should support the strategic goals and solve the business' specific challenges without adding more hurdles to creating an automated environment. Build the strategic plan for automation to consider the practical implication of automating the current processes, including goals for gaining buy-in from the team members in each department, who may be asked to change how they do their jobs or change positions to accommodate the planned process modifications. Look for onramps to the fully automated business environment for every element in the tactical plan that enables lower cost and higher margins. A part of tactical planning includes your approach to daily operations. To create an efficient environment in 2022, consider a standalone Operational Plan to document the expectations for each department, interface points between departments, and the key performance metrics that will help everyone stay on the strategic course. Automation does not eliminate the need to understand the production touchpoints. The best practice is to document what should happen if you lose access to the automation, too. The last step in planning for automation is to build the appropriate contingency plans. Cloud-based automated workflows protect you from onsite server disruptions and mitigate much of the risk associated with onsite installations when paired with a disciplined backup strategy. What to do next If you plan to automate your print workflow in 2022, look for scalable and easy platforms to integrate with your core business systems. Ensure that your chosen technology partner lets you automate each task within prepress and production and then map those automated tasks together to ensure that each type of job takes the correct journey through each process. Learn your options, and then create a plan that works for you.

admin in News July 22, 2022

Estimable estimators

If they were lucky, the human estimators had an adding machine or desktop calculator to help with the figures. A busy medium-sized printer might have 10 or more full time estimators. Finding and keeping that many specialised estimators could be tricky, as the work was exacting but hardly exciting. Computers were an obvious solution, but the knowledge of how to program for such specialised calculations wasn’t. One of the first UK companies to crack it was what was to become Imprint Business Systems, which is still going strong after 42 years. Today its customers in print and packaging run into the hundreds and many of them have used Imprint systems for at least 25 years. Like most of the early MIS developers, Imprint grew out of the needs of a particular print company, which then used the experience gained to sell to a wider circle or printing and packaging companies. The late 1970s and early 1980s saw a lot of computer estimating start-ups, often with printing company roots. Some of Imprint’s original UK competitors from 40-odd years ago have also survived and prospered independently, such as Optimus (originally Optichrome Computer Systems Ltd, or OCSL), DDS (Accura) and Tharstern, while others were taken over by the ever-expanding EFI empire (such as Prism, Radius, Shuttleworth and Technique). A few others have either merged, or closed, or both. Imprint itself was founded in 1978 by Glennys Bourne and Jonathan Richards. Originally the pair had worked together at the art book printer Shenval Press in Harlow. Richards was general manager, later a director of Shenval, but had learned programming skills at college. Bourne went on to run the nearby Caterpillar Press. Bourne says that the reason for writing the original computer estimating program was a shortage of the trained human variety. “You could not get estimators for love nor money,” she says. So the first estimating program was written to suit the needs of Shenval Press and Caterpillar Press. Bourne saw the potential for Imprint beyond the needs of Shenval and Caterpillar, so the latter was sold to concentrate on the new business. “The Imprint name describes the company well and has stood us well over the years,” says Richards. “As for why the name was chosen, it just seemed a good fit at the time.” Both are still very much involved today. Bourne is CEO, while Jonathan Richards says he’s “allowed to be chairman on high days and holidays”. However, time marches on and their children Will Richards and Nick Bourne have also joined Imprint – the latter now being MD. Today Imprint is based in High Easter, in the countryside between Chelmsford and Bishop’s Stortford, handily close to the M11 and Stansted airport. It employs 16 people in an often overlapping mix of management, programming and customer services roles.

admin in News July 22, 2022

Agfa Avinci CX3200

Avinci CX3200 is 3.2 m wide dye sub textile printer capable of printing on polyester-based textiles What is it? Agfa’s Avinci CX3200 is a highly reliable and convenient soft signage printer that can print directly to fabrics and onto transfer paper. It uses an off-line calendar unit to ensure perfect fixation. Agfa’s dedicated dye sublimation roll-to-roll printer will enable you to create vibrant, high-quality prints on polyester-based fabrics up to 3.2 m wide, including a broad range of in- and outdoor soft signage applications, as well as interior decoration. The Avinci CX3200 boasts a rich color gamut and delivers deep black, perfect solids, accurate spot color mapping and smooth tonal rendering that is particularly noticeable in skin tones. The Avinci inks are characterised by their flexibility, image longevity and outdoor resistance. They offer stable jetting performance and deliver the same high-quality results, batch after batch. An off-line calender unit fixes the color deeply into the structure of the polyester-based fabrics while evaporating the carrier fluid. When was it launched at what are the target markets? It was launched on June 22, 2021, and aimed at soft signage industry, sports wear, fashion industry and home décor. Avinic CX3200 is a 3.2 m wide Dye Sub Textile printer capable of printing on polyester based textiles. Does it replace an earlier product? It replaces the earlier model of DX3200. The Avinci CX3200 is driven by Agfa’s Asanti wide-format workflow software. Color accuracy is provided by the easy-to-use color management. Using their Calibrated Print Mode feature, new media can be calibrated and profiled in less than 15 minutes, after which the new profiles can be used to guarantee print quality. Asanti controls and automates the entire printing process from file intake to finishing, maximising productivity. Its comprehensive integration of file handling, color management and preflighting guarantees smooth and error-free jobs. The web-based Asanti Production Dashboard offers a view on your running production. It summarizes the jobs produced and reports on quantity printed, media usage, ink volumes enabling you to control your production and to manage your print shop optimally. What is the USP? It allows you to print directly on textiles and capable of print on transfer paper media as well. Single person media loading and low inks consumptions are another features. High productivity and a robust design for reliable printing at all times, vibrant prints and a wide color gamut; fine detail rendering; extensive applications scope; low ink consumption; convenient operations and a fast changeover between jobs are another features. Avinci produces good results with a minimum of jetted ink. This low ink consumption is based on Agfa’s renowned Thin Ink Layer technology: a smart combination of particular ink characteristics and our Asanti workflow software algorithms that tune the ink quantities perfectly to the required image quality mode. What training and support are available? Full in house training and support available from Agfa UAE and Belgium. Complete and integrated solution are available for printer, inks, workflow software, worldwide service and applications support. How productive is it? It prints at speed of 250 Sqm per hr on express mode. Being able to print directly to fabric is easy and ideal for fast handling and for special applications such as flags, where print-though is needed. Transfer paper allows for super sharp prints, eliminates any set-off, and limits media waste to a minimum. In addition, it extends the application scope to sportswear and fashion garments, as well as home décor prints on non-coated polyester fabrics. What does it cost? How is it sold? The recommended retail price (RRP) is approximately $220k stand alone printer and requires a separate calendaring unit. How many are in use? Currently, the latest CX3200 are around 11 units around the world. Specifications 3.2m Dye sublimation Printer Kyocera print heads 4 colour printer CYMK Direct to garment capable to print on transfer paper Max speed of 250 sqm Stand alone printer Resolution up to 600 x 1800 dpi Media types: Polyester-based fabrics, or transfer paper used to create banners, indoor wall graphics, shop decoration, outdoor advertising, light boxes, trade show displays, flags and high polyester-based blends “Agfa Avinci CX3200 was launched in June 2021.”

Aug. 2, 2022

Epson – SureColor SC V7000 Flatbed Printer

Epson's first UV large format printer offers exceptional image quality, Shihab Zubair What is it? The SureColor SC-V7000 is Epson's first UV large format printer, offering exceptional image quality. The V7000 is ideal for printing eye-catching retail and outdoor signage, window displays, hoarding panels, packaging, promotional goods, and décor products. It includes Epson’s Micro Piezo printhead with ten newly developed original inks, for accurate colour reproduction for spot and corporate colours. It allows businesses the flexibility to print on a range of media up to 80mm thick including acrylics, polycarbonates, PVC, glass, aluminium, metal, polyester, foam board, styrene, wood and stone. The printhead layout enables simultaneous high-speed printing and, with the 4-zone vacuum system, it offers real flexibility for production environments. When was it launched at what are the target markets? The Epson SureColor SC-V7000 was launched in April 2021 within the Middle East region, building on the success of Epson’s award-winning range of SureColor S Series signage printers. The V7000 allows sign and display makers to expand their portfolio of products, to deliver high quality, fast and reliable results on a variety of different media. Does it replace an earlier product? The SureColor SC-V7000 proudly marks Epson’s entry into the UV flatbed signage print market. As Epson’s first UV large format printer, it provides unique features to differentiate and enhance our offering to the signage market. Every feature of the Epson SureColor SC-V7000 has been designed with the customer in mind. This is a robust and affordable UV LED flatbed signage printer capable of fast and quality printing on a wide range of media – any type of surface, despite the size, thickness, or weight. This is in addition to Epson’s successful product solutions such as the Epson SureColor SC Series of eco-solvent and resin ink printers. For instance, for environmentally friendly organisations, Epson’s SureColor SC-R5010 Series has the capacity to include a resin ink solution, offering print service providers and creative design agencies the ability to produce a wide range of signage in a more sustainable way, without compromising on the results. For a larger ink capacity, Epson offers the SureColor SC-R5010L. What is the USP? The Epson SureColor SC-V7000 provides exceptional image quality, productivity, usability, and safety. With the unique Epson Micro Piezo printhead, the printer has ten newly developed original inks and 3-layer high-speed printing. It helps print with ease and safety with automatic measurement of media thickness, a multi-zone vacuum, and a printhead crash prevent function, Epson Edge Print, proximity sensors. What training and support is available? Epson manufactures all the components for the SureColor SC-V7000, including printheads, inks and software, in order to reach the consistent quality levels that our customers expect. The Epson Cloud Solution PORT is a cloud-based system from where you will be able to monitor equipment across several sites, or several printers across one site, from the production floor or remotely, and assist the control of production. This enables efficient production planning, increased uptime and enhanced support. Epson Production Monitor is part of the Epson Cloud Solution PORT suite of apps and allows you to examine the production status in real-time. If an issue occurs, it can be corrected efficiently with minimal disruption to the print run. How productive is it? The SureColor SC-V7000 enables businesses to print at high speed with a maximum print area of 2.5 metres by 1.25 metres. The printhead layout enables simultaneous high-speed printing, with white ink and varnish, without losing productivity. What does it cost? How is it sold? The recommended retail price (RRP) is around AED 330,563 (US $90,000) and it is sold through authorised partners in the Middle East. How many are in use? Currently two printers have been installed in the UAE, and we are scheduled to install a few more in December and further into 2022. Specifications UltraChrome UV 10-colour inkset Printing resolution of 720 x 1,440 DPI Outstanding print quality High-speed simultaneous printing even when using white, colour and varnish Printheads, ink, firmware and software with an ink tank capacity of 1,000 ml Price from AED 330,563 “Epson SureColor SC-V7000 was launched in April 2021.”

Aug. 2, 2022

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