More than 650 companies showed up in Dallas for PRINTING United, the annual convention put on by the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA). Check out some of the latest decoration innovations showcased during the expo.

Epson SureColor F570 24-inch desktop dye-sublimation printer

Epson introduced three new SureColor F-Series dye-sublimation printers. The SureColor F570, Epson’s first 24-inch desktop dye-sub printer, is ideal for promotional products and apparel decoration, according to the company.

“This printer meets a market need for small-size businesses wanting to enter the textile printer business,” said Tim Check, Epson’s product manager, professional imaging, “with a low investment, easy-to-use dye-sublimation printer that will allow them to create personalized promotional products, fashion apparel and home décor and furnishings.”

The F9740 and F9470H are ideal for roll-to-roll textile, home décor, promotional product and soft signage markets. The 9470H allows users to print with two fluorescent inks – yellow and pink. Check noted that the addition of fluorescent ink allows printers to expand into “bold color applications, creating eye-catching output and providing greater versatility for customers.”

Roland DGA debuted an array of new equipment, including its first DTG printer.

Roland DGA showcased 10 never-seen-before products at the event. Among the lineup were wide-format printer/cutters, engraving machines and flatbed UV printers. The company also showed off a dye-sublimation printer and its first DTG machine.

The Texart RT-640M multifunction dye-sub printer includes a direct-to-textile option for printing on soft signage, but also allows users to print onto transfer paper to create sublimated apparel, décor, rigid signage and hard goods.

The VersaSTUDIO BT-12, Roland’s first DTG printer, makes printing directly on cotton apparel and accessories simple, efficient and cost-effective, according to the company.

“With our expanded line of products, Roland now offer an even broader selection of tools to help [printers and other professionals] build their respective businesses,” said Andrew Oransky, Roland DGA president.

The Coloreel works with industrial embroidery machines, instantly coloring a white base thread any shade during production.

Coloreel has partnered with apparel-decorating equipment distributor Hirsch Solutions to debut its embroidery thread-coloring unit in the U.S. The unit works with any existing industrial embroidery machine, instantly coloring a white base thread during production. The technology enables embroiderers to create unique designs without limiting the use of colors.

“This is an important step into an important market where the Coloreel unit can be used to the fullest extent,” Magnus Hellström, vice president of sales and marketing at Coloreel, said of the machine’s U.S. debut.

The Mutoh VJ-628MP from Graphics One

Graphics One showed off the Mutoh VJ-628MP with Mutoh MP31 ink for wall covering and packaging. A specialized version of the VJ-628, this machine includes advanced hot-air directional heating from above and platen heating from below the substrate, enhancing ink adhesion and curing on both coated and uncoated materials.

AnaJet’s ARTprint custom canvas printing bundle makes it easy to create professional canvas prints using DTG technology.

AnaJet (asi/16000) was giving demonstrations of its ARTprint custom canvas printing bundle, which makes it easy to create modern, gallery-wrapped canvas prints using DTG technology. The $750 bundle provides all the tools needed to stretch the canvas, assemble a frame and finish the print with either a matte or semi-gloss acrylic coating. The process takes only a few minutes to complete, according to the company.

Kornit Digital, a maker of high-end DTG machines, debuted its Konnect software to the North American market. Konnect is a cloud-based analytics platform that provides users with a single, comprehensive interface to monitor and manage productivity. The software gives users real-time data about operations and allows them to prioritize, assess costs, troubleshoot and set goals from a laptop, tablet or smartphone.

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