Welcome to 2010
Readership at FLAAR Reports rose during January 2010 compared to January 2009; and year 2009 readership had risen from year 2008 readership.
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Readership of FLAAR evaluations is greater than all trade magazines in the US and Canada put together
FLAAR has begun to evaluate metallic effect materials, everything from printable mirrors to alternatives to Dibond to metallic glisten-materials. But all this is for UV-cured printers: this is not the silver metallic ink or Roland or Mimaki (we already know the manufacturer of that ink).
Plus you can look for FLAAR evaluations of textiles, fabrics (and textile inkjet printers) by late 2009 and more in 2010 (we already cover Yuhan-Kimberly and DigiFab).
Trends towards UV flatbeds for architectural décor and interior design
At FESPA both WP Digital, GRAPO, and GCC were featuring printing on glass and other architectural materials. Since the background of FLAAR is in architecture (just Google Hellmuth architect and you will see why, even Nicholas studied architecture at the university). So for this year we are preparing a special exhibit to showcase an entire faux room printed on wide-format UV-curable flatbed or combo flatbed printers. We have not yet selected a potential sponsor, but this will come later in the autumn or winter; the exhibit is in February or March 2010, in New York (the prestigious ArtExpo, managed by Art Business News).
During March 2010 we will be inspecting a major glass printing company in Vietnam which is using the GlassMaster printer (SkyAir Ship).
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How, when, and where to meet Nicholas Hellmuth in 2010
You can make an appointment to meet with Nicholas Hellmuth for consulting at any of the major trade shows that he will be attending: Dubai in late January 2010, all three of the top trade shows in China (two in Spring, then APPPEXPO in Shanghai), ISA 2010 in Orlando and of course FESPA in Europe.
UV, solvent, giclee, photo, RIP + color management, cutters, trimmers, laminators, scanners
There will be several FLAAR Reports on latex ink early in 2010: primarily pros and cons: we have received floods of questions from end-users who are confused. And many competing printer manufacturer top managers have provided a list of everything that is uncertain about latex ink (for good reason, I bet there were more people looking at latex ink at Duesseldorf 09 and SGIA '09 than were looking at eco-solvent ink). But FLAAR also intends to continue evaluating mild-solvent (Seiko), UV, and the new inks (Sepiax, Sensient, etc).
More than 45 manufacturers produced more than 101 different models of UV printers between 1999 and today (winter 2009). FLAAR covers all of these brands and models with special reports that list literally every wide-format UV-curing printer from 2004 through the new models coming out in 2009.
We cover the top 15 brands and the most popular 40+ printer models on this home page (and all the other brands and models in FLAAR Reports which you can easily order on-line).
Basic introduction to the major structural sizes and shapes of UV printers
There are 45 brands and over 101 different models (listed in FLAAR Reports). But here is a brief synopsis with samples given for each different kind: hybrid, combo, flatbed, etc.
UV high-end: combo (moving transport belt) flatbed + roll-to-roll
Durst Rho 700, Durst Rho 800, GRAPO Shark, WP Digital (former Spuhl) Virtu RS 25, RS35. The Rho 1000 was a new production machine at FESPA Digital Europe in mid-May 2009.
UV-High-end dedicated roll-to-roll
Durst Rho 3501R, Durst Rho 320R, Matan Barak 3, Barak 5, HS, NUR Expedio 5000, Revolution (HP Scitex XP 5300), plus the new WP Digital RR50 (former new Spuhl Virtu 5-meter roll to roll at top resolution quality). Nicholas was the VIP guest at the launch of this new roll to roll UV printer in Switzerland, in February 2009. Matan was absent from Print '09 and from Sign Africa but returned at SGIA 09 in the booth of Fujifilm Acuity. This helps everyone since competition is essential.
UV high-end: dedicated flatbed (see also entry-level flatbeds below)
Oce Arizona 350 GT, NUR Tempo Q which is now HP Scitex FB6100 (was a great idea, six years ago but is old-technology today), Inca Digital (Columbia, Spyder 320, Spyder 150, etc). The WP Digital RS35 also has a dedicated flatbed mode: it is the only combo-belt UV printer that has a special function (which we explain in the FLAAR Report, based on three visits to the factory).
UV mid-range
Grapo Manta, GCC StellarJet 260, GCC StellarJet K100, Dilli Neo Venus, IP&I Cube 260, Oce Arizona 250 GT, Mimaki JF-1631(and Mimaki JF-1610, both flawed and at last replaced by a better different model), VUTEk QS3200).
Entry-level dedicated flatbed printers
EFI Rastek T660, Gerber Solara ion X, newer ion V, and newest ion Z (cationic ink chemistry now functions), Sky AirShip Skyjet FlatMaster and Skyjet GlassMaster.
UV-entry level hybrid or combo
Grapo Octopus II, Rastek H700 (formerly Raster Printers Daytona H700), Rastek H650, GCC 183, I&I 1606, Sun Neo LED Evolution, Dilli Neo Titan, Mimaki UJV-160, and many more to be released during 2009-2010.
Be careful, because there are significant pros and cons to hybrid (with grit roller) compared with combo (with moving transport belt). Our experience also provides knowledge on which entry-level printers had a great intention, but which in the real world still have a few issues that cause owners headaches: ColorSpan 5440uv (HP DesignJet H35500 and 45500). This printer is no longer being exhibited at major trade shows.
(last, but definitely not least): Major UV Printing Presses
Inca Onset (production model), VUTEk DS (never got past prototype stage; has disappeared from trade shows), HP Scitex FB7500 (has evolved from prototype to beta stage), Agfa M Press Tiger (Thieme) but we have not inspected this Agfa model and thus do not have any report on it. While on the subject of printing presses, the narrow-format Agfa :Dotrix Modular is very impressive (this is not a recommendation, which can only come after we inspect a printer; this adjective is only a comment from inspecting it perform at Print '09).
Industrial UV Printers for factories: a new category we will cover in 2010, such as the ITW Trans Tech InDecs 620UV, one of a new breed of industrial UV printers.
As a consultant FLAAR also works with printing companies who notice that there is no printer available to match their needs. Several companies came to us this year and use FLAAR as access to printhead, ink, and component manufacturers to create a custom-made printer.
Related Topics
Flatbed Cutters & CNC Routers as accessoryCNC routers and XY flatbed cutters UV-Coaters, LaminatorsDrytac VersaCoater XL UV liquid roller coater Color ManagementAfter-market Ink Third-Party InksDomingPrinting ProcessesRIP SoftwareInteresting InkHP Designjet L25500, latex HP Designjet L65500, latex Sepaix, water-based wonder Scanners3D laser scanners ScannersTrade MagazinesDigital Graphics, trade magazine Practical Sign & Display trade magazine South Africa ME Printer, Middle East printing trade magazine Air Purification Solvent or UV Ink OdorsRigid Printable MaterialsTrade ShowsSign & Graphic Middle East (Dubai) Printing Processes: how to switch to inkjetOther TopicsWho reads FLAAR Reports? |
Welcome to 2009: New Trends in UV Printers for 2008-2010
The trend for 2009-2010 and beyond is in inks and printable materials. At SignAfrica '09 (September 2009), I saw X-board from Xanita being used in every booth at the show. So I had a breakfast meeting with their CEO, James Beattie. Then at Print '09, three key people from Re-Board surprised me at the FLAAR booth. I had no idea they were at the show. And I believe it was PlyVeneer BioBoard in a flatbed cutter booth and in the HP booth (Oce had the Re-Board).
So for 2009 FLAAR has already begun to evaluate all kinds of non-plastic, non-extruded, non-PVC, non-PP, non-PE materials (in other words we will evaluate printable recyclable honeycomb kraft paper boards for UV-cured flatbed printers. We will continue to expand our coverage of BioBoard and comparable materials throughout 2010. Read the full article >>
New site-visit case studies of UV-cured ink flatbed printers in 2009
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The most reliable way to learn the truth about a UV-cured printer is to visit a sign shop that actually has one. So Nicholas has done site-visit case studies in Italy, Guatemala, Germany, Greece, Turkey, all across the US, Canada, etc. FLAAR checks out screen printing companies, franchise sign shops (Sign-a-Rama, FastSigns), Mom & Pop sign shops, as well as photo labs, giclee ateliers, beginners, mid-size, and huge printshops (our recent visits have been to the largest digital printing company in Slovenia and a second printshop near Ljubljana: both had Durst Rho printers; one had an Oce Arizona 250GT, with printhead issues in the past).
FLAAR now has over 83 reports on UV printers. Since we are a non-profit institute, our Reports ordering system has a few quirks. If you get lost, or have questions, please contact CustomerService@FLAAR.org. If that fails, telephone 1 419 823-9218, and explain what reports you wish to order. But usually you get quick response from the e-mail address. This phone is NOT a way to get any consulting. Hellmuth is not available at that number (since he is probably 17,000 miles away inspecting a UV printer factory, or a demo room or a printshop). If you wish professional consulting, you will be provided Dr Hellmuth's private telephone number. All contacts to FLAAR should be by e-mail only, not by telephone. Telephone is only if you wish to purchase FLAAR Reports and have a glitch on the ordering system, or if you wish to reserve a time and place to meet Dr Hellmuth in person for consulting.
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Most recently updated January 8, 2010.
to show our increased coverage (now including printable thick rigid materials).
Updated October 21, 200 and again, Dec. 9, 2009.
