PRINTING United: A Technology Overview of the BIGGEST Show of the Year

The countdown is on for the biggest show in the printing industry to open its doors. Buzz surrounding PRINTING United, the next generation of the SGIA Expo, is ramping up as word spreads about the newest equipment, software and substrates that will be shown in Dallas. PRINTING United takes place October 23-25 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. Registration can be accessed online at: www.printingunited.com/register.

Exhibitors representing all industry segments will be showing live demonstrations of the latest solutions for apparel, graphics/wide-format and functional printing applications, as well as commercial, packaging, in-plant printing technology, and more.

“Our comprehensive PRINTING United program has something for every market segment,” said Ford Bowers, President & CEO, SGIA. “But it’s not only the equipment, substrates and technologies on the show floor that are exciting; the solutions being shown here can and will equip printers with clear-cut ways for them to differentiate, and expand, their businesses.”

PRINTING UNITED TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION SHOWCASE

Among the endless global and North American product launches taking place at the show, here is just a sampling of what attendees can expect to see, and experience — by segment — at the inaugural event in Dallas. For a complete list of educational sessions within each of these categories, and to register, visit: https://www.printingunited.com/sessions:

COMMERCIAL PRINT TECHNOLOGY

• Screen: Truepress Jet520HD+ inkjet web press can produce offset quality printing on standard coated stocks for applications, such as commercial printing, direct mail books, labels, and more.
• Fujifilm: J Press 750S sheetfed inkjet press is a B2-format device that incorporates the newest generation of Fujifilm Dimatix Samba print heads.
• Riso: VALEZUS T2100 full-color, cutsheet inkjet printer for double-sided printing at 320 ppm or 19,200 pages/hr.
• Ricoh: Pro C9200 digital press series is a cutsheet, toner-based digital press, ideal for book jackets, 6” brochures and other inkjet applications.
• Konica Minolta: AccurioLabel 230, the latest in its digital toner press portfolio, is designed for short-run labels.
• Kodak: NEXFINITY digital press, featuring five-stations with speeds up to 152 ppm and a new LED writing system for image quality and consistency.
• Heidelberg: Debuts the Digimatrix 60 C/FC diecutter and foil stamper with a small footprint, suitable for a variety of short-run and small-format jobs.

FINISHING TECHNOLOGY

• Muller Martini: Presto II Digital Saddle Stitcher for digital, traditional or hybrid products that integrates digitally printed with conventionally printed signatures.
• MBO America: MBO’s CoBo-Stack collaborative robot does not require a protective cage and picks stacks up directly from tables and deposits them onto pallets which can be positioned on both sides of delivery for uninterrupted operation.
• Challenge Machinery: Champ 150 & 185 Paper Cutters are portable floor models with hydraulic guillotine cutters.
• MBM Corp: Debuts the VRCut Ready Triumph guillotine cutter featuring integrated prepress PDF creation for any experience level.

SOFTWARE

• EFI: The Midmarket Productivity Suite Workflow is the latest version of this solution suited for display graphics providers.
• OneVision: Commercial Automation Suite sits between the MIS and RIP for end-to-end production workflow, and outputs print-ready PDFs.
• Canon: Océ Touchstone software is compatible with the Océ Arizona 1200, 1300 and 2200 Series UV curable flatbed printers and ONYX Thrive software; making file creation printing exceptionally easy.

*Relevant Educational Sessions:
10/22: “Wide-format Strategies for Success” (Half-Day Intensive Program)
10/23: “Adding Value to Digital Print”
10/23: “Developments in Finishing for Commercial Printing”
10/24: “Printing is Not a Commodity”
10/25: “What You Should Know About Web-to-Print Software”

IN-PLANT TECHNOLOGY

• Canon Solutions America: Océ Colorado 1650 UVGel technology with new ink formulation for maximum flexibility is great for applications that need to be folded, wrapped or bent. Increased ink savings and self-monitoring.
• Ricoh: Pro L5160 latex printer is a durable second-generation technology with AR latex inks for vivid long-lasting color and scratch resistance. Great for banners, posters, vehicle wraps and more.
• Mimaki: JFX200-2513 flatbed printer 2.5D allows users to create dimensional textured graphics.

*Relevant Educational Sessions:
10/23: “Benchmarking Your Workflow and Building a World Class Operation”
10/24: “In-Plant Panel Discussion: Growth Through Change”
10/24: “Next Generation Tactics and Strategies for In-Plant Service Providers”

LABELS AND PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY

• INX International Co.: INXhrc High-Performance Inks are water-based inks developed specifically for food packaging and is certified safe in the U.S., Europe and Asia.
• Screen: Truepress Jet L350UV+ inkjet label press is designed for high-quality label printing at up to 197 fpm.
• Fujifilm: Inca Digital OnsetX HS Flatbed Printers feature 50% increase in speed over previous models, and is ideal for corrugated board, packaging and non-PVC rigid plastics.
• Heidelberg: The Diana Go 85, for entry-level packaging production, is a compact folder-gluer for short-run production in digital and commercial environments.

FUNCTIONAL & INDUSTRIAL PRINTING

• Kornit Digital: Kornit Atlas is a heavy-duty system created for super-industrial DTG printing designed to deliver a typical annual production capacity of up to 350,000 impressions, optimizing production efficiency and cost of ownership.
• Marabu: debuting its first piece of digital printing equipment, the M-Revo, a single pass semi-automatic printer designed for cylindrical objects.
• Engineered Printing Solutions: Designed for photo-quality printing on cylindrical objects, such as bottles, cans, cups, cosmetic tubes, drinkware, and more.

*Relevant Educational Sessions:
10/23: “Direct to Object/Direct to Shape Inkjet: Technology Status and Opportunity”
10/23: “Digital Printing: New Opportunities in Décor”
10/24: “On the Road: “Trends and Opportunities for Traffic Signage”
10/24: “Printed Electronics: State of the Art”

APPAREL TECHNOLOGY

• Anajet: Ricoh Ri 1000 Direct to Garment printer is great for small runs and prints high resolution images up to 1200x1200 dpi with an interactive touchscreen and smart notifications.
• Lawson Screen & Digital Products: Zeus Digital Hybrid Squeegee-Jet can print DTG on all garment types. Also new is its Trooper Express EX, an automatic screen printing press that is easy to set up and maintain, and boasts a touchscreen interface with built-in training tutorials.
• OmniPrint International: Cheetah Industrial DTG Printer + Wurk Software is a true, one-pass printing technology. The order process is simplified with a front-end website.
• Roland DGA: VersaSTUDIO BT-12 is Roland’s first DTG printer which allows users to print full-color graphics directly onto cotton apparel and accessories.

*Relevant Educational Sessions:
There are more than 10 different sessions specific to apparel decoration. Highlights include:
“How Investing An Industrial DTG Printing System Helped A Small Print Shop Grow”, by Milton Mendez, Mendez Printing
“When, How, And Why To Scale Your Screen Printing Shop”, presented by Justin Lawrence, Oklahoma Shirt Company
“Heat-Transfer Vinyl And Screen Print Transfers”, presented by Bob Robinson and Jenna Sackett, STAHLS’

WIDE-FORMAT TECHNOLOGY

• EFI: Pro 30f flatbed printer, with 120x79”-bed, is the first EFI printer to give users ability to print on media up to 4” thick.
• Durst: P5 350 hybrid printing system for roll and board printing up to 3.2 m wide.
• Summa America: L3214 Laser Cutter is designed for cutting textiles and combines continuous scanning of material with continuous cutting, simultaneously.
• Colex: Sharpcut Pro SX1732 and Sharpcut Creator SX1717 are longer and wider than earlier models and feature a steel welded frame, triple interchangeable tool head, energy efficient vacuum system, and more.
• Drytac: Polar Chrome is a reflective satin silver PET film, suitable for billboards, POS displays, and more.
• Fisher Textiles: GF4022 Nirvana Purity Shine is a shiny, soft signage fabric for frontlit framing systems.
• Verseidag US: Ultra Heavy Knit 9 oz is created specifically for dye-sub transfer.
• SA International: FlexiDYESUB is an all-in-one workflow software designed for dye sublimation.
• Onyx Graphics: ONYX 19 software is the newest version release of the company’s wide-format RIP and print workflow software and introduces the Spark Engine and DeviceLink+.

*Relevant Educational Sessions
10/22: “Convergence Power Rankings: Where (and How) to Grow” (Half-day intensive program) (Ticket required)
10/22: “Digital Textile Printing: What, Why and How” (Half-day intensive program) (Ticket required)
10/23: “Who Buys Wide Format: Uncovering Key Trends in Buyer Industries”
10/23: “Digital Printing: New Opportunities in Décor”
10/24: Women in Print Alliance Breakfast, 7:30 am (Ticket required)
10/24: “Graphics Producers Luncheon” (Ticket required)

“Between the live technology demonstrations, and meticulously planned education tracks, PRINTING United will provide attendees with three of the most useful and valuable days of their year,” Bowers said. “Our goal for PRINTING United 2020 in Atlanta is to continue listening to, and providing solutions for, our widespread industry that is hungry for more to keep business alive and growing.”

PRINTING United and Educational Sessions Registration
To register for PRINTING United, and its educational sessions, visit: www.printingunited.com.