Beaver Paper Group, a leading manufacturer of sublimation media, is proving their commitment to producing sustainable products with the launch of their new TexStyles NatureSeries family of graphic fabrics. NatureSeries is a revolutionary line of sublimation fabric made with cutting-edge sustainable CiCLO technology. In ideal conditions, fabrics made with CiClO will biodegrade at the end of their lifecycle within three to five years as opposed to 60 years for traditional synthetics in the same conditions, including recyclables.

Currently, over 44 million pounds of synthetic textiles end up in U. S. landfills each day! Since synthetic textiles are extremely popular, Beaver Paper’s fabric manager, Jeff Mills, spent almost two years researching and developing the NatureSeries Soft Knit fabric to help mitigate the negative effects of synthetic textiles and raise the bar on sustainability within the industry. Beaver Paper’s new Soft Knit with CiClO will help reduce textile accumula­tion in landfills.

Since it is the most widely used fabric for exhibits and retail signage, Mr. Mills focused on creating a truly sustainable soft knit fabric including attention to the products end-of-lifecycle.  The new NatureSeries Soft Knit fabric will be a major rival to the many soft knit recyclable fabrics currently on the market.

“My goals in creating NatureSeries Soft Knit were to take the most popular fabric used in the industry and make it truly sustainable, and to challenge the industry to think about sustainable standards for end-of-life products that end up in our landfills,” said Jeff Mills, TexStyles Product Manager.

NatureSeries vs. Recyclable Fabric

Recycled fabric, while a step in the right direction, still ends up in a landfill at the end of its lifecycle and can remain there, in ideal conditions, for up to 60 years. On the other hand, as NatureSeries graphic fabrics hit the landfills, its CiCLO® additive technology goes to work, in ideal conditions, breaking down the fabric so that it is close to 95% degraded within 3-5 years.

“It’s exciting to be launching our NatureSeries line  that highlights our commitment to producing high-level sustainable products,” said Tobias Sternbeck, CEO of Beaver Paper. “I believe our new NatureSeries fabric goes beyond anything in the industry today, in reducing synthetic textile pollution.”

How It Works
CiCLO is a sustainable textiles ingredient in the form of an additive that is combined with polyester during melt extrusion at the beginning of the fibre making process. CiCLO additive creates millions of biodegradable spots in the matrix of the plastic where microbes that naturally exist in certain environments, such as landfills, can break down synthetic materials like they do with natural fibres. Third party lab studies, using recognised ASTM Test Methods, show greatly accelerated rates of biodegradation compared to traditional synthetics in landfills, sea water, and wastewater plants.

NatureSeries Soft Knit, made with CiCLO fibres, looks and feels like traditional synthetics with the same high performance and durable characteristics but behaves more like natural fibres if they end up in the environment. The new Soft Knit fabric has been tested to ensure traits such as tenacity, pilling resistance and printability are unchanged. It is also proven to be safe for use in sustainable textile applications by a third-party OEKO-TEX ECO PASSPORT certification and meets industry requirements for safety and health.

NatureSeries graphic fabric is durable and produces the most vivid colour reproductions. NatureSeries possesses all the characteristics of high-quality polyester graphic fabrics with one exception, when it is discarded, it will not stay piled in the world’s landfills for up to 60 years.

beaverpaper.com

ASLAN, the German specialist for self-adhesive films, keeps developing new solutions and introduces three new exciting products.

MagicProtect Matt ASLAN SL 99 – it’s a laminate with a magical, repellent effect against paint, varnishes and dirt. Made from a special top coated 80 μm PVC film, it was developed for smooth and rough surfaces. It comes with a matt, repellent coating that protects prints successfully against graffiti, dirt and other surface vandalism. The effect is the same like water on a lotus leaf – the paint is dripping off while spraying. Due to this effect, the sprayer cannot complete his work and very quickly loses interest in the “artwork”. Paint does not stick to the surface, vandalism is prevented. When laminated on smooth substrates, graffiti can be removed just like of other dirt and staining. When it comes to rough surfaces, the ASLAN MagicPro Cleaner will help to clean graffiti very easily. The film is available in 1.37 x 50m rolls. Once applied, it will last up to 3 years outdoors.

Holographic ASLAN SE 72 is a silver self-adhesive film with a holographic effect. Based on a 50 μm polyester it shimmers in the colours of the rainbow. To make it unique: Not only does the film have the same effect on both sides, but it also has no repeat pattern, as holographic materials usually have. With its in-house developed solvent-free special adhesive the film offers an outdoor durability of up to 3 years outdoors. Holographic ASLAN SE 72 is printable with latex and UV-curing inks, is suitable for smooth and flat surfaces. It will be perfect for use in retail stores, shop windows, exhibitions as well as for visual merchandising. The film is available in 1.01 x 25 m rolls.

WrapTheBase ASLAN DFP 48 is the last born in the already wide range of ASLAN floor graphics films. It is suitable for indoor smooth floors, is based on an 80 μm PVC film, and is not only easy to apply and reposition during application, but is also perfectly removable in one piece without leaving any residue. The films will get its perfect slip resistance in combination with FloorProtect ASLAN MP 326 (R9) or PremiumFloorProtect ASLAN MP 300 (R12). As a very special highlight, as you know it from several other ASLAN floor graphic solutions, the printed floor graphics film, when combined with ASLAN floor laminations, offers the Bfl-s1 EUROCLASS fire certification for floors. WrapTheBase ASLAN DFP 48 is available in 1.37 x 50m rolls.

aslanvinyls.com

Zünd Connect compiles production data from integrated Zünd cutting systems into meaningful key performance indicators, such as cutter capacity, availability, and overall equipment effectiveness. Zünd Connect creates transparency and identifies areas in the digital cutting workflow with potential for optimisation.

There are many ways to optimize digital cutting and ensure maximum productivity, which is the reason why Zünd now offers Zünd Connect, a monitoring tool that helps the user recognise this potential and increase productivity. Using Zünd Connect, the user can see at a glance when and, more importantly, why machine interruptions occur, how much time is spent in setup, and what the availability of each machine is.

The most successful companies are the ones that produce the most saleable products per hour. High machine availability and productivity are essential for profitable cutting and finishing. As simple as this may sound, it is no small thing in the day-to-day production environment. Where do the relevant key performance indicators come from? Is data available that enables monitoring? And last but not least, how is the data compiled so that it can be interpreted accurately and reliably?

This is where Zünd Connect comes in. The web-based monitoring tool gives the user access to cutter- performance data at a glance, any time of day. Reliable key performance indicators are available at all times to help users maximise productivity. The system records productivity levels over a freely definable period using Zünd Cut Center – ZCC (Version 3.4 or later) as data source. Data monitoring provides information users need in order to make informed decisions. This comprehensive overview of production data reveals connections that are often overlooked. Zünd Connect supplies valuable key performance indicators for assessing how efficiently cutting systems are working. To be able to improve cutter efficiency, potential areas of improvement must be uncovered and recognised. This potential lies primarily in the technology but also in the way it is being used. Zünd Connect consists of multiple dashboards with specific options for evaluating data:

Overview–This dashboard provides past production data and indicates, for example, fluctuations in machine utilisation. The user can select various views and switch between indices for overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), availability, and capacity. In addition, a filter function can be used to compare performance across different shifts.

Job list– This shows a list of processed jobs, what they entailed, the time it took to produce them, and the cutting distance traveled per job. Diagrams show the time spent by each individual material/substrate, processing method, tool, and module. In reference to materials, for example, bar graphs show the processing time for each material used during a specified time frame.Loss detection – This view visualises losses in terms of time. It shows, for example, when process interruptions tend to occur most often. Loss detection enables the user to evaluate factors such as the specific time frames, materials, or tools most likely to be associated with interruptions.

Interruption statistics – This lists the reasons for such interruptions. The user can filter for time of day, material, method, tool, or module. The statistical representation shows the user how many hours the cutters were unable to produce during a specified period because of machine interruptions.

Zünd Connect is available in a “Monitor” or an “Analyzer” version. As the name suggests, “Monitor” consists of a graphical display of overall equipment effectiveness and is available to all ZCC users for free. “Analyzer”, on the other hand, makes it possible to perform subsequent analysis and pinpoint productivity losses. “Analyzer” provides the necessary tools for the user to be able to evaluate the production process and recommend improvements.

zund.com

Nazdar Ink Technologies has announced the global availability of the 270 Series of UV-LED inks.

This general graphics/product print ink set has been specifically designed for UV-LED curing with ambient temperature controlled printheads.

The Nazdar 270 Series low viscosity, low-odour inks offer a replacement for UV-LED printers that do not require an ink to be heated to jet at a certain specification. The vibrant inks deliver long-term exterior performance with proven resistance to UV degradation and colour fade.

Adhering to a number of both flexible and rigid substrates including vinyl, styrene, sintra, foamboard and polycarbonate, the cost-effective inks have been formulated to provide 2 years' outdoor durability when mounted vertically.

On the introduction of the new ink set, Josh Lutz, Nazdar's Global Market Segment Manager for UV Digital Inkjet Inks, comments: "The 270 Series inks were developed in direct response to feedback from end-user customers regarding the globally-successful 260 UV-LED Series inks. The new updated formulation delivers a stronger colour strength with a noticeable increase in black; lower odour to accommodate office environment printing; and an increased surface cure response to lesser powered LED units."

"As with all our ink solutions, the 270 Series are covered by one of the most comprehensive warranties in the market which enables businesses to confidently take advantage of the increased efficiency and cost-effectiveness offered by Nazdar's fully field-tested products."

For full information regarding validated equipment, please see the Nazdar 270 Series Technical Data Sheet.

Esko has delivered a world-first in connected packaging production, supercharging secure Variable Data Print (VDP) capabilities in terms of both speed and scale for a new collaboration with Scantrust and pioneering packaging company ePac Flexible Packaging®. Esko Automation Engine is at the heart of the operation, with its innovative VDP technology enabling the printing of serialised and secure QR codes on flexible packaging on a mass scale, unleashing the power of VDP for the new connected packaging and connected goods service, ePacConnect™.

“Variable Data Printing has the ability to take the role of packaging to a whole new level,” said Esko Product Manager, Paul Land. “With opportunities for localisation, serialisation, personalisation and traceability, the advances in automation mean it is now possible to further harness the technology to transform the prepress environment. With cloud deployment for 24/7 global access to data and new scalability capabilities, Automation Engine is enabling ePac to realise the power of VDP for an organisation without the downsides.

“By connecting the VDP module in Automation Engine with Scantrust, we have created a framework for codes that makes it easy for converters to use,” said Paul. “Not only is this implementation the first of its kind, but it also unlocks capabilities that were previously difficult to achieve.”



Because every ePacConnect™ flexible pack includes a Scantrust QR code, every pouch becomes an online gateway. The unique on-pack code, which is smaller than a postage stamp, activates the Scantrust suite of connected goods and connected packaging tools. Accessible features range from consumer engagement tools to active brand protection and anti-counterfeiting features that work through scans of a safe QR code on the pack.

“Scantrust gives every single physical product a unique digital identifier, which adds complexity for prepress and production,” said Peter Kostur, Scantrust Sales & Partnership Director. “Our platform can deliver protection against counterfeiting and improve traceability within the supply chain as every single label, pouch, or bottle can be traced, even when in the hands of the consumers,” he said. “Brands utilise such digital interface technology to connect with consumers, integrate with loyalty platforms and customer relationship management tools, and also for internal supply chain operations. When incentivizing consumers to interact with the products, not only can the relationship and trust between brand and consumer be significantly improved, it can also help by crowdsourcing the supply chain data for further strategical improvement.

“There are three building blocks to making the connected packaging,” added Peter. “There’s the variable QR code, a mobile environment enabling the user interactions, and a platform that enables the customer to manage the codes, product content, and extract the data. However, each project starts with a question from the brand: How do we get the variable data on our product?”

Automation Engine makes the integration of VDP requirements as easy as a few mouse clicks. “It is now simple to integrate the VDP requirements into the process,” said Paul Land. “The process can even happen in the cloud, for added flexibility in terms of printing a job at any location.

“Typically, once the order details are entered, the information is passed through into Automation Engine which then acts as the enabling platform between all the systems,” he said. “It consolidates and pulls the variable data information through, determining the quantities and parameters of the job. So for example, with a quantity of 100,000 records it expands the files and the variable elements for printing, and then automatically expands the template file to the quantities needed - each with its own unique QR code - and lays them out for production. The automation means that a process that used to take hours or even days is now completed in just a few minutes.”

Ryan Kiley, Director of Market Development, ePac Flexible Packaging®, said the ability to produce mass scale VDP regardless of run size had been a game changer. “Scale is where the rubber meets the road,” he said. “Scale is what we can accomplish through working together. Now, with a single click, a customer can turn their packaging into an interactive platform delivering consumer engagement, proof of provenance, and brand protection while reducing touchpoints in prepress and production.

“With the VDP automation, we can accelerate our rate of growth as we add plants, people, systems, languages, currencies, substrates, structures and other technologies,” said Ryan. “And with Automation Engine being cloud-based, it means we have total control over our production – with our teams able to access files from anywhere, at any time for 24/7 operation, scale production up or down to meet demand and enabling us to divert the production to any plant around the world.

“As a result, our ePacConnect™ service has achieved customised, flexible packaging with connected packaging features that require very little or no up-front costs, lower minimum order requirements, and minimal technical setup.”

Contra Vision are proud to present a great value product that makes signs stand out both day and night. Contra Vision® Performance™ Black Perforated Film in 20% transparency is a black on black perforated film intended for the production of dual-colour back-lit signage.
 
The film is applied to the outside surface of built-up channel letters and during the day, when it is not backlit, the letters appear black. When the sign is backlit at night, it takes on the colour of the translucent sign face used.
 
Already this product has been used successfully by sign makers based predominantly in the USA but with increasing use in other countries. Recently, it was used by Rainbow Signs and Maintenance, who are based in Northern Ireland, on the Carryduff Community Church sign and the installation has been met with a great response.
 
Gavin, Lead Pastor at Carryduff Community Church said of the response to the sign,

“We love the sign and have had a number of very positive remarks about it from the general public as well as the folks who attend the church.”

This 20% transparency film gives greater night-time light output than other lower transparency products currently available on the market. This means signage will stand-out to passers-by due to its vibrancy.
 
Alternatively, we offer a white on black perforated window film in 20% transparency which can be printed to produce channel lettering that is coloured by day and white at night.

www.contravision.com/case_studies/carryduff-community-church-dual-color-backlit-signage/

www.contravision.com

Content Management in WebCenter from Esko is making significant time and cost savings for brands, with one multinational customer reducing its end-to-end labelling lead time from 14 weeks to just 14 days with structured content.

As a result of the global pandemic, consumers now place significantly more value on food safety and hygiene, according to McKinsey1. As brands adapt their packaging and labelling to meet changing regulations and legislation, it’s essential that speed to market must not come at the cost of accuracy to maintain consumer trust and confidence.

Matthew Haws, vice president global marketing at Esko Brand Solutions, said: “In reality, many businesses are still working with disconnected processes, which is a real minefield when it comes to approvals. In the case of heavily legislated industries, such as pharmaceuticals for example, it slows lead times down if multiple stakeholders are struggling to track various versions of both content and artwork for approval.”

The content management function of Esko workflow management software, WebCenter, which includes both packaging and structured elements, makes it simple for teams to specify, manage and reuse content to be used in artwork designs by connecting content and workflow directly in the artwork creation process.

“This single source of truth helps brands to navigate the complexities of managing content when creating and marketing consumer products,” continues Haws. “Enhanced efficiency, faster lead times, and improved quality can be planned into one central process.”

WebCenter structured content coordinates regulatory efforts company-wide, including affiliates and partners within a single‚ÄØsystem‚ÄØtightly integrated with label and packaging departments. Through collaborative editing and improved traceability, brand teams can re-use approved content for labels, IFUs, and leaflets with complete confidence.

When every element that makes up a label or pack on a consumer product must be created and approved at a rapid pace, the ability to manage the creation and approval of everything down to barcodes and symbols, in one system, ensures that packaging and labels are compliant and error-free.

“Eliminating error-prone manual processes and increasing efficiency by automatically feeding content into artwork is invaluable when accuracy is essential to maintaining brand trust. The influencer effect had already established consumer confidence in brands as a major factor in the purchasing decision. The pandemic has heightened the need for brands to maintain consumer confidence as a powerful marketing tool.”

https://www.esko.com/en/solutions/brand-solutions/webcenter/content-management

This new film from STEK is designed to resist chips, scratches, and virtually all other forms of road damage, making it the ultimate choice for windshield protection! The proprietary design features highly elastic TPU layers, allowing DYNOflex to absorb and disperse even the most substantial shocks.

Thanks to its hydrophobic property, DYNOflex also offers excellent weatherproofing, effectively preventing damage caused by harsh climates. The versatile windshield film is easily applied on curved surfaces and requires no heat guns or shrinkage when used. Once installed, it offers continuous protection that eliminates the need for glass replacement, ADAS sensor recalibration, and other costly repair procedures.

Visit here for more information

Domino & Paragon Inks Join Forces and Create Fully Compliant Suite of UV Varnishes for Global Use
Available for global use, these UV curable varnishes have been fully validated for compliance meeting multiple legislations.

Domino Digital Printing Solutions, one of the most successful leading players in the digital printing industry, and global inks specialist, Paragon Inks, have developed a full suite of varnishes specifically for overprinting on Domino's UV95 and UV90 ink sets for use with their N-series digital inkjet label presses. Available for global use, these UV curable varnishes have been fully validated for compliance meeting multiple legislations.

Julie Cross, Technical Director for Domino's Digital Printing Solutions division said, "After listening to the challenges faced by some of our customers, we wanted to help them by providing a varnish optimised for overprinting UV95 printed output. We therefore set about finding a solution, ultimately deciding to work in partnership with Paragon Inks. And after 18 months of great collaboration between the two teams, we have developed a range of varnishes fully validated for compliance, and suitable for global use."

Varnishes are used on labels for three reasons: to provide enhanced protection from sunlight, wear or abrasion to extend the life of the labels; for aesthetic reasons to enhance label designs and colours, add value and increase shelf presence; and to enable labels to be overprinted with variable information later in the packaging production process.

The first set of varnishes (matt and gloss including TTO over-printable), for use with Domino's UV95 food packaging compliant UV digital ink set, are optimised such that the output does not need to be corona treated before the varnish is applied. Not only does this reduce the complexity of the hybrid printing line, but in addition, it provides a solution for medias that are unable to be corona treated, such as some metallic foils. During testing, it was also identified that the gloss varnish can be used as a lamination adhesive enabling further simplification, as one varnish can be used for two applications.

These varnishes have been formulated for many non-direct food packaging applications and, under the right conditions, are migration compliant. They are suitable for global use, being fully compliant with Nestlé, EuPIA, Swiss Ordinance Annex 10 and the North American TSCA (Toxic Substances Control Act).

To compliment these, there is a second suite of varnishes suitable for use with Domino's general purpose UV90 ink set.

Amanda Jones, Business Development and Marketing Director at Paragon Inks, concludes, "At Paragon Inks, we are committed to continuous improvement and customer service. We recognised that label converters were experiencing challenges applying varnishes to digitally printed labels. This partnership with Domino highlights how we have worked together as a team to develop a mutually beneficial solution for both organisation's customers. We look forward to continuing to work with Domino in the future."

For more information about Paragon Inks, visit: www.paragoninks.co.uk

New film and overlaminate provides exceptional performance and ease of use, resulting in faster installs with less rework
 
Sydney Australia, Auckland New Zealand – June 1, 2021 – In a fast-paced industry that demands creative ideas, bold designs and flawless installations, graphic manufacturers and installers need to have access to best-in-class tools that can exceed expectations and ensure customer satisfaction, while still achieving maximum return-on-investment. With more than 30 years in the graphics industry, 3M recognises the importance of designing films that not only look impressive on the road, but are easier to install, offer exceptional conformability and lift less. That’s why 3M is proud to introduce 3M™ Print Wrap Film IJ280 with 3M™ Gloss Wrap Overlaminate 8428G – their newest print film and overlaminate for commercial vehicles to the market.
 
Created to make an impact in both installation and performance, the combination of 3M™ Print Wrap Film IJ280 and 3M™ Gloss Wrap Overlaminate 8428G delivers exceptional ease of use, leading to faster installations with less rework. As a result, installers can wrap commercial vehicles confidently and with less effort, so every installation can be completed quickly and correctly.
 
“At 3M, we’re committed to developing innovative graphic solutions that provide outstanding aesthetics, are easy to work with and exceed industry expectations,” said Scott Wheaton, 3M Global Portfolio Leader – Digital Print Films. “Our new 3M™ Print Wrap Film IJ280 not only delivers on print quality, durability and conformability, but also reduces labor costs by minimising rework, contributing to a stronger bottom line for our customers.”
 
The new 3M™ Print Wrap Film IJ280 with 3M™ Gloss Wrap Overlaminate 8428G not only helps graphics manufacturers achieve faster installs, it helps them do it fearlessly.
Benefits of the new products include:
• Preferred by installers globally*
• Up to 20 percent faster to install^
• Proven to lift 2x less*
• Conforms with less heat*
• Outstanding print quality
• 3M™ Comply™ v4 Air Release designed for max airflow and smooth results
• Proprietary adhesive offers optimised initial tack, slide and repositionability
• Removes cleanly at end of life with heat
• Backed globally by the 3M™ MSC™ Warranty
 
For more information on 3M graphic films and to request a sample, visit 3M.com.au/IJ280 and 3M.co.nz/IJ280.

*when compared to Avery Dennison® 1105EZRS/1460Z, Arlon SLX®/3210, & 3M™ IJ180Cv3/mC/8518 with experienced installers applying 3M™ IJ280/8428G for the first time.
 
^when compared to Avery Dennison® 1105EZRS/1460Z, Arlon SLX®/3210, & 3M™ IJ180Cv3/mC/8518.

Nazdar Ink Technologies has expanded its 130 Series of solvent inkjet inks with two new colours: Orange and Light Black. By enhancing the existing range of CMYK plus Light Cyan, and Light Magenta to include Orange and Light Black, Nazdar will enable end-users to deliver an enhanced range of colours and more accurate greyscale printing on graphics output.
 
Designed specifically for use in Mimaki Digital Printers using Mimaki SS21 Ink, the Nazdar 130 Series inks are closely colour-matched and chemically compatible with the original inks, saving users both time and money by switching one colour at a time. Flushing, purging, or re-profiling is not necessary when transitioning, due to the accurate colour reproduction capabilities of the ink set.
 
Suitable for multiple substrates including vinyl, banner material, blue back paper and backed mesh, the high-impact, high-intensity Nazdar 130 Series inks also have enhanced drying characteristics to accommodate faster print speeds.
 
On the new ink colour introductions, Stephen Woodall, Market Segment Manager – Aqueous & Solvent Digital at Nazdar, comments: “The Orange ink has been added to the range to ensure our end-user customers can achieve a wider, more vibrant colour gamut, while the new Light Black option will help deliver stunning monochrome images.
 
“All our inks are covered by one of the most comprehensive warranties in the market – covering the entire ink train – enabling businesses to confidently take advantage of the increased efficiency and cost-effectiveness of our fully field-tested solutions.”
 
Nazdar 130 Series Inks are designed for maximum outdoor resistance to colour fade and chemical attack caused by the combined effects of UV degradation and environmental pollution. Each colour is formulated with durable long-term outdoor pigments and – when used with proper colour management – colour variance of the original print density will be minimal over a period of 24 months for vertical outdoor exposure.

nazdar.com

HP Inc. announced enhanced print services and solutions with HP Wolf Security that allow IT departments to help boost workforce productivity while also helping to protect corporate networks and data1. As part of these enhancements, HP introduced a new Flexworker offering, Internet Printing through HP Advance2 and HP Secure Print3 compatibility for Universal Print from Microsoft.

“The existing business transformation trends around cloud, as-a-service, and security have seen significant acceleration over the past year,” said George Brasher, General Manager and Global Head, Print Services and Solutions, HP Inc. “In this hybrid world, where workers are distributed and the risk of cyberattacks has skyrocketed, we see businesses needing scalable and flexible printing solutions that are both secure and manageable.”

New Flexworker Offering; Part of HP Wolf Enterprise Security Services

HP’s new Flexworker offering, which is part of HP Wolf Enterprise Security Services, is a scalable cloud-based print service for hybrid workforces. This new extended Managed Print Service (MPS) allows IT departments to arm hybrid workers with secure, company-approved printers to enhance productivity at home. By leveraging the HP Instant Ink and MPS ecosystems, HP is delivering a fully automated enterprise managed print experience that includes financing, technical support, reporting, centralised billing and device security features and monitoring.

According to HP Wolf Security Blurred Lines & Blindspots report 4, 45% of IT decision makers say they have seen evidence in their company of compromised printers being used as an attack point in the past year. The same report contains data from KuppingerCole, showing 86% of industry executives said their customers had concerns around the security of their home printers.

Flexworker gives enterprises visibility of up to 15 essential security settings5 on devices and leverages Security Manager to continuously monitor and automatically remediate if a device falls out of compliance with corporate policies.

As companies extend corporate offices into the home environment, HP is also expanding Flexworker to include select LaserJet Enterprise 400 series models – the HP LaserJet Managed MFP E42540f and HP LaserJet Managed E40040dn. The LaserJet Enterprise 400 is HP’s smallest enterprise-class printer series providing seamless remote management and the world’s most secure6 printing experience. The LaserJet Enterprise 400 series offers HP Wolf Security, which includes HP Trusted Platform module, HP Sure Start, Run-time intrusion detection7, HP Connection Inspector, and easy, policy-based fleet deployment with HP Security Manager.

Secure Printing at Home or In the Office

HP is introducing secure Internet Printing through HP Advance, an integrated platform for capture, print and output management. Internet Printing will enable organisations to offer employees the ability to seamlessly and securely print from either the office or at home. HP’s new Internet Printing offering features the latest encryption and authentication technologies, including OAuth 2.0 with OpenID connect for Azure AD. The solution also provides job accounting, ensuring companies can track activity both inside and outside the organisation.

HP also announced HP Secure Print compatibility with Universal Print from Microsoft, which adds a layer of security by requiring authentication before the document is printed. It will also provide analytics about all print activity.

Availability

HP Advance Internet Printing is expected to be available in June 2021.

The HP LaserJet Managed MFP E42540f and HP LaserJet Managed E40040dn are expected to be available as part of Flexworker by July 2021.

HP Secure Print compatibility with Universal Print is expected to be available in July 2021.

The visibility into up to 15 security settings are expected to be available as part of Flexworker by August 2021.

More information about HP Inc. is available at www.hp.com. 

HP introduces HP Durable Foldable Document Material, 3-in Core — a uniquely strong, yet flexible material that has amazing holding power. Once folded, documents lay flat and stay tightly folded with little expansion.

HP Durable Foldable Document Material, 3-in Core (DFDM) can be easily transported due to its thin, lightweight construction. This remarkably tough printing substrate was designed and tested to resist jamming in commercial folding machines. Engineered with DuPont Tyvek material, it produces tear- and water-resistant, lay-flat, foldable maps, banners, and posters that can be grommeted and stitched.

Compatible with HP PageWide XL and HP DesignJet printers, it is perfect for applications where durability and tear resistance are required. And this trouble-free material has the unique “Fold n’ Hold“ properties. 

hplfmedia.com

Digital ink manufacturer, NUtec reports an expanding water-based dye sublimation ink range with the latest addition of fluorescent options. Customers can now experience a wider, brighter colour palette in the company’s Aquamarine water-based offering with the addition of both fluorescent yellow and fluorescent pink.

The Aquamarine AQ10-DST-HC ink is a dye sublimation range developed for use on Epson DX4, DX5, DX6, DX7, 5113, PrecisionCore TFP, XP600 & EPS3200 printheads, and is optimised for transfer printing on coated and uncoated transfer paper.

High density colour leads to reduced ink consumption with faster print speeds for increased productivity and vibrant images, keeping costs down and output up. Recommended applications include activewear, interior décor textiles, graphic arts and soft signage using substrates with a minimum 60% polyester content.

NUtec sales and marketing director, Neil Green notes: “We are seeing an exponential increase in demand for digital textile printing as companies look for more sustainable and waste-reducing ways to do business into the future. The shift from traditional to digital printing in the textile industry allows for rapid small sample testing, short runs with quick turnaround times and less stock-piling at warehouses. This is preferred in the fashion and interior décor industries as it will result in general waste reduction, while time to market is improved. This trend is encouraging for NUtec as we choose to invest in new products and innovations for this sector, the latest being our fluorescent specialty inks offering.”

nutecdigital.com

FUJIFILM Dimatix(R) Inc., the world’s leading provider of inkjet printheads for commercial and industrial printing, is pleased to announce the release of the Samba cartridge for use with the Dimatix Materials Printer (DMP).

Based on state-of-the-art silicon micro-electro-mechanical systems (Si-MEMS) design and manufacturing of the Samba G3L printhead, the Samba cartridge is the most advanced technology in inkjet printing, now available for use with all DMP-2800 model printers.

The new Samba cartridge brings the most modern features, capabilities and function to an already popular and versatile printer. It provides a native drop volume of 2.4 pL which has the potential to create ultra-fine line widths from a single dot size of 30 μm. Accounting for smaller scale applications, the Samba cartridge offers use of a small capacity 1.5 mL cartridge, which requires considerably less fluid when screening fluid formulations for jettability and cured ink properties.

To enable a full-service solution from R&D applications to commercial production, the Samba cartridge offers the same internal jet design, jetting characteristics, and native drop volume as the Samba G3L printhead, which allows an easy transition from R&D applications to commercial production with the Samba G3L printhead.

The success of the DMP has been in expediting the fabrication of prototypes for a wide variety of inkjet applications including flexible electronic circuits, RFID antennas, 3D printed materials, and DNA arrays. The addition of the Samba cartridge for the DMP will enable developers to utilise this versatile printer for a smooth transition from small-scale feasibility design and testing stages, to industrial scale manufacturing for commercialisation.

“Today, we launch an innovative product that puts the large-scale Samba G3L printhead jet design into a small cartridge form factor. In unifying the jet design of the DMP Samba cartridge with that of the high-performance and scalable Samba G3L printhead, FUJIFILM Dimatix provides a path from R&D to full-scale production manufacturing, which will be invaluable to the growth of functional printing,” said Martin Schoeppler, President and CEO, FUJIFILM Dimatix, Inc. “We believe that the ability to analyse in-flight drop formation and jetting characteristics, joined with direct development on an industrial inkjet printhead jet design at a small scale, will facilitate R&D to transition to a production environment, and FUJIFILM Dimatix will help customers achieve this by starting with the Samba family of products.”

The Samba cartridge is available to order now.

For more information please visit http://dimatix-5352080.hs-sites.com/samba-how-to

The cloud-based XCS Pro 2.0 delivers every advantage of quality colour control – predictability, repeatability and profitability, the company says.

Xeikon has announced the launch of its brand new XCS Pro 2.0, a fully automated suite of colour management tools. The cloud-based XCS Pro 2.0 delivers every advantage of quality colour control – predictability, repeatability and profitability, the company says.

The current high levels of e-commerce continue to drive the need for colour consistency across the whole print process for brand owners and retailers. The new colour package includes training courses plus ongoing consultancy and is offered as a "pay as you go" subscription model, making it simple and easy to adopt and utilise.

The new XCS Pro 2.0 is available immediately for demonstration.

“Historically colour management software has needed an expert to deliver results,” says Bruce Dransfield, Xeikon’s color management expert. “And this takes time. Xeikon has developed its XCS Pro 2.0 as a ‘no waste,’ ‘no expert’ fully automated colour system. Xeikon now has the first digital dry toner, web press solution which embraces self-fixing colour control, quality control and ICC profiling plus Pantone/brand colour generation to meet all industry standards. Xeikon has built its new colour management system’s architecture to enable it to remotely analyse, target and fix any colour problem in minutes. Xeikon’s cloud-based analytical tools can diagnose any color issue, and the issue is remedied with no delays, adding to significant time savings in production.”

Xeikon wants to instil a lean approach to colour management and make it practical for all their customers and users, which offers a host of advantages:

• The quality control tools can be set to industry standards – either theoretical, process corrected or house standards, and results are measured and traced using the new analytics in Xeikon’s cloud-based system.
• It is also possible for the operator to fix and re-verify the colour quality of the print on the fly.
• Xeikon’s dry toner engines are all fitted with inline spectrophotometers to automatically make this possible during production, saving on waste and rejected jobs.
• For packaging and label printers, accurate brand colours are vitally important.
• Xeikon’s new suite of colour management software contains tools that can copy and paste from a pre-printed sample to optimise the brand colour for the selected substrate.
• Xeikon uses .CxF (colour exchange format) in order to communicate with tools found in the analog world such as Flint Group’s VIVO or Pantone LIVE as well as proofing systems.

Avery Dennison Graphics Solutions today marks the launch of the newly upgraded Supreme Wrapping Film with twelve new colours in its Rugged Range and Sleek Satin collections.

The company’s premium range of vehicle wraps, Supreme Wrapping Film, has undergone significant development to its formulation and construction. After rigorous testing and evaluation for the Australian and New Zealand environmental conditions, Avery Dennison is announcing its enhanced performance with greater environmental resistance and enhanced durability. The warranty on gloss, satin and extreme textures films are increased by up to 300 per cent to reflect their durability.

To mark the upgrade, Avery Dennison has launched the Rugged Range and Sleek Satin collections featuring 12 on-trend colour options for vehicle owners to customise their car according to their personal preferences or styles.

The Rugged Range comprises four unique films that will give a distinctive tough textured finish to vehicles without the permanent application. The new colours are Rugged Bedrock Grey, Rugged Combat Green, Rugged Marsh Green and Rugged Onyx Black.

The Sleek Satin collection comprises eight new additions to the company’s already extensive range of satin finishes, six of which are matched to popular matte versions. The matches are Satin Charcoal Metallic, Satin Gunmetal Metallic, Satin Blue Metallic, Satin Dark Grey, Satin Anthracite Metallic, and Satin Olive Green. Two completely new additions are Satin White Snow Pearlescent and Satin Dark Grey Metallic.

“Today’s announcement of product enhancements and new collections speaks of our strength as a materials science company,” said Chris Sherry, Senior Product Manager for Avery Dennison Graphics Solutions in Australia and New Zealand. “Our team is constantly pushing the frontiers of technology to set the industry’s highest standards for performance, durability and style options. We are confident of our supercharged durability and are excited to extend the warranty for selected Supreme Wrapping Film finishes.”

Esko has unveiled a major new release of its market-leading Automation Engine workflow solution, packed with new capabilities and for the first time available as a Software-as-a-Service (‘SaaS’).

“Designed and built by packaging experts, for packaging experts, Automation Engine has established itself over many years as the benchmark for optimised prepress workflow automation,” said Jan De Roeck, Esko Director of Marketing, Strategy and Industry Relations. “This latest release represents a major step forward for Automation Engine. It introduces a cloud-based deployment option and an intuitive new web-based user experience that ensures even the most casual user will be able to initiate, communicate and work across teams effectively.

“This new Automation Engine will make prepress automation more accessible and easier to use for both long-time customers and for companies that are just starting out on their automation journey,” said Jan. “Users can access their personalised, secure, workspace at any time, from anywhere, in the new My WorkSpace application. For customers looking for even more flexibility, we are proud to introduce our new cloud-based offering, which takes the prepress experience to a new level in terms of quality, productivity and connectivity.

“With Automation Engine SaaS, we are giving customers the opportunity to enjoy the operational benefits of standardised automated workflows while embracing the freedom of cloud-based computing,” he said. “Not only does Automation Engine SaaS reduce IT infrastructure overheads and headaches – such as flexible up-and-downscaling of server capacity, security, backup, guaranteed uptime and availability - but it also helps to boost operational productivity and cross-site working.”

Esko Automation Engine is the automated workflow solution that automates prepress tasks and integrates with business systems, which speeds up the process, and more importantly reduces the error rate and need for operator intervention. “Flexible to fit with individual business needs, scalable and customised to optimise individual workflows, Automation Engine has become the beating heart of the prepress process,” said Esko Product Manager Paul Land. “With this new release, the heart of the prepress is beating stronger than ever.”

On top of the My WorkSpace application and next generation user experience, the newest release of Automation Engine includes a new ‘drop zone’ feature, which makes launching workflows quicker and easier by enabling users to search and select workflows, drag and drop files to it, edit parameters and initiate - all from one location.

“Quick and easy viewing of files for detailed quality checks is now made easy with a browser-based viewing tool,” added Paul, “while new Jobs and Products views grant users the ability to efficiently search jobs and assets, access files, view their status and launch workflows from one workspace.

“With Automation Engine SaaS, we enable easy access and fast deployment, reducing the need for IT support or additional operational costs,” said Paul. “SaaS users simply access the software online using the new subscription-based model, which enables businesses to significantly reduce IT maintenance overheads. Utilising common software across locations is made easy and the SaaS model means there’s no longer any need to download and manually install the latest software versions onto individual computers whenever a new update or release is issued.”

Being a subscription service, a simple, flexible and transparent tier-based pricing model offers a predictable cost to help with IT budgeting and management. “With the price including a storage allowance and no bandwidth charges, the SaaS model guarantees a low step-in price and faster ROI for customers,” said Paul. “With IT and licensing costs now reduced through automation and outsourcing, this delivers a flexible pricing model that scales with the needs, size and growth of a business.”

Esko developed Automation Engine SaaS in response to the ongoing challenges faced by its customers, and feedback from early adopters has been very positive.

"With Automation Engine SaaS we can centralise resources in terms of expertise, software and hardware, delivering cost and time savings and reducing operational risks,” said Mark King, Technical Manager – Division, Essentra Packaging. “Therefore, this is great timing and exactly in line with Essentra’s strategy for 2021 and beyond.”

Meanwhile, Marybeth Foss, Senior Enterprise Prepress Architect, Fortis Solutions Group, praised the SaaS solution’s reduced IT requirements. “The biggest benefit for us has been the hands-off IT deployment and maintenance,” said Marybeth. “The simplicity of the cloud-based offer means that we have the ability to build and grow, but without the traditional infrastructure considerations and challenges. It keeps us operationally agile and ideally prepared for the future.”

Introducing the new CorelDRAW 2021 product lineup featuring professional graphic design software, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2021. Available for Windows and Mac, the new suite doubles down on collaboration with access to next-generation tools that streamline the design and review process. Boost productivity with a flexible design space that empowers users to take control of projects and assets. Advanced illustration and photo editing capabilities make it faster than ever for designers to achieve their unique creative vision. And as our definition of workplaces is continuously redefined, CorelDRAW.app is now touch-optimised and available as an all-new iPad app, giving graphics pros new options to be creative anywhere, from virtually any device.

“The way we work has changed faster than anyone could imagine, and CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2021 is meeting this need head on. At a time when it’s never been more challenging and important to stay connected, our collaboration tools enable teams to share inspiration and feedback in real time, whether they’re across town or across the globe,” said John Falsetto, Senior Director of Products, Graphics and Productivity. “By re-examining users’ workflows and making extensive enhancements across the suite, we’re helping designers take their projects from ideation to final output, faster.”

Offering vector illustration, layout and typography, photo editing and more, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2021 simplifies complex workflows and gives designers total control over how they create their best work – on Windows, Mac, web and mobile. Focusing on collaboration, productivity, and flawless results, new highlights include:

Time saving, next-generation collaboration makes it possible to connect, keep projects on track, and work together from anywhere – in real time.

• NEW! Dashboard: The dashboard in both CorelDRAW 2021 and CorelDRAW.app acts as a collaboration hub containing all design files in the cloud, and in a click, displays a preview, the number of comments and team members, and project status. Share designs directly from CorelDRAW 2021 without having to open each file.
• NEW! Live Comments: Reviewers and approvers can now comment on and annotate a document in CorelDRAW.app, with instant feedback appearing in the designer’s working file in the CorelDRAW 2021 application on their Windows or Mac system. Sharing notes and comments in real time eliminates slowdowns and accelerates approvals.
• NEW! Microsoft Teams Integration: Enterprise customers can view and edit design files using CorelDRAW.app for Teams. Sign in with a Microsoft 365 corporate user account to create new designs, and collaboratively review designs with team members right inside Teams channels.

All-new, flexible design space allows users to work more efficiently and with greater control over their projects and assets.

• NEW! Multipage View: View, manage, and edit all of your project’s digital assets in one view. Move and copy objects across pages, compare designs side-by-side, and freely move pages around to arrange them as you wish.
• NEW! Pages docker/inspector: The Pages docker/inspector lists all pages in a design with a new thumbnail grid view, making it easier to manage and sort your pages. Navigate your projects, add, delete, and rename pages, and with a click, switch display modes to either focus on a single page or use the new Multipage View.
• NEW! Multi-asset Export: Save time with a flexible range of options for outputting pages and objects, plus create a customised list of assets to export with one click. Simultaneously export the same design element at different sizes, resolutions, and file formats – ideal for web and mobile app design tasks – or easily export several items using identical settings. Send pages or objects to multiple industry-standard formats, including PDF.

Advanced illustration features deliver stunning results in record time with precise layout capabilities and innovative tools that simplify complicated workflows.

• NEW! Perspective Drawing: Draw objects or illustrated scenes in perspective, faster and easier than ever. Choose from 1, 2, or 3- point perspective, draw or add an existing group of objects on a shared perspective plane, and move and edit objects freely without losing perspective.
• ENHANCED! Guidelines & NEW Snap to Self: Manage custom guidelines and switch views from world scale to page dimensions with one click. Plus, with Snap to Self, quickly and precisely move and transform design elements with the new ability to turn snapping behaviours on and off.

With progressive photo editing, Corel PHOTO-PAINT 2021 delivers a faster, easier route to flawless images that exceed client expectations.

• NEW! Adjustments docker/inspector: Get instant access to the most critical and frequently used filters to work non-destructively, in real time, and in context. Quickly isolate objects and areas within your images using the new Local Adjustments Mode. Plus, save settings for reuse and customise favourite filters to get started right away.
• NEW! Replace Colors: Available in the new Adjustments docker/inspector, Replace Colors allows you to make targeted and polished edits to an image’s hue, saturation, and lightness. With this improved colour workflow, designers can achieve more natural photo editing results, dramatically faster than before.
• NEW! HEIF support: Take advantage of photos captured on iPhones with High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF) support, now in both Corel PHOTO-PAINT and CorelDRAW 2021.

CorelDRAW is everywhere! Say hello to a true cross-platform experience on Windows, Mac, web, iPad, and other mobile devices.

• NEW! Native support for Apple silicon: CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2021 for Mac is built to take advantage of the exceptional power and performance of the Apple M1 chip. Plus, enjoy menus, windows and views, fields and labels, buttons, and other UI elements that reflect the latest in macOS Big Sur.
• ENHANCED! Touch-optimised CorelDRAW.app: With a new touch-optimised user experience, the CorelDRAW.app web application expands what’s possible on mobile and tablets.
• NEW! CorelDRAW.app for iPad: A new iPad app makes it even easier to design on the go while also letting you review and annotate shared design files from anywhere.
• ENHANCED! Display performance on Windows 10: CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2021 is optimised to fully leverage your Windows system’s GPU to deliver up to 14.6 times smoother panning and 4.4 times smoother zooming.

The CorelDRAW 2021 product lineup offers graphics solutions to meet a full range of creative needs. Corel also introduces the new CorelDRAW Essentials 2021 and CorelDRAW Standard 2021, offering creative consumers and home businesses powerful, cost-effective solutions tailored specifically to their needs.

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2021 Availability and Pricing

Available for Windows and Mac, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2021 extends its language support with a new Swedish version, in addition to suites available in English, German, Italian, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Dutch, Polish, Czech, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Turkish, and Japanese. Subscription is $249 USD / €349 / £299 per year. Perpetual licenses are available at the suggested retail price of $499 USD / €719 / £599. EUR and GBP prices include VAT.

CorelDRAW.app collaboration features are available exclusively with a CorelDRAW Graphics Suite subscription, licensing with maintenance, or an additional CorelDRAW.app Pro subscription for perpetual license customers. CorelDRAW.app for Microsoft Teams is available exclusively with CorelDRAW.app Enterprise, part of the CorelDRAW Business & Enterprise offering and requires a Microsoft 365 account.

coreldraw.com

The new Maintenance Manager by Heidelberg almost completely digitises the maintenance process, reducing stoppages and significantly boosting machine uptime.

• Maintenance Manager supports fully automatic planning, creation, and management of maintenance orders based on machine data
• Seamless and readily accessible documentation of maintenance history
• Cloud application forms part of Heidelberg contract model
• Developed in collaboration with DOCUFY GmbH

The rapid progress of digitisation is transforming the print media industry. Print shops are facing the challenge of dealing with all kinds of different jobs ever faster and, above all, more flexibly, while still producing top-quality results. Machine stoppages and/or damage due to inadequate maintenance or the absence of a maintenance strategy can quickly jeopardise the competitiveness of print shops. For a number of years now, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) has therefore been digitising service operations by equipping machine systems with ever smarter preventive functions such as eCall and Predictive Monitoring. The aim in all cases is to maximise machine uptime.

Maintenance Manager for fully automatic planning, creation, and management of maintenance orders

The company is now taking the next step in digitising its service portfolio and transferring smart, preventive maintenance to the cloud with the new Maintenance Manager. Most machine maintenance has to date been based on hard copies of lists and a maintenance schedule specified by Heidelberg that customers adhere to with varying degrees of precision.

In the new web application, maintenance operations that are due can be planned and managed using machine data in an automated process, in line with maintenance intervals and machine usage. Heidelberg service engineers receive orders via an app on their mobile devices and deal with these on customer premises. The app helps by providing detailed descriptions of specific steps in the form of texts, graphics, and videos. The customer’s maintenance staff also have access to the Maintenance Manager app, which enables customers themselves to handle maintenance tasks for which they are responsible. Prioritisation based on urgency is combined in an intelligent way with the time required and the IoT data generated by the press to show staff exactly what needs to be done when.

Seamless and readily accessible documentation of maintenance history

On completion of the work, all the relevant information is saved in the Maintenance Manager. This ensures access to the complete maintenance history and seamless documentation – in the case of audits, for example, and as proof for particularly exacting customers from the packaging or pharmaceuticals industry. The digital maintenance process makes planning service operations and machine downtimes far easier. It also significantly improves machine availability. On a Speedmaster XL 106, for instance, unscheduled downtimes can be reduced by up to 20 percent.

Customers can obtain Maintenance Manager as part of a volume/usage-based Print Site Contract.

The Maintenance Manager was developed in collaboration with the Heidelberg-owned software company DOCUFY, whose contribution focused primarily on its technical documentation expertise.

“The new Maintenance Manager was developed in close cooperation with customers’ users and now enables fully digital maintenance management,” says Klaus Kohl, Head of Product Management Service, Parts & Consulting at Heidelberg. “With this digitisation drive, our customers are benefiting from far higher machine availability, reduced downtimes, and seamless documentation.”