PRINTING United, held Oct. 17 to 19 in Las Vegas, boasted more than 700 exhibitors across about 1 million square feet of show floor. The show featured vendors in commercial printing; graphics/wide-format printing; mailing and fulfillment; packaging and labels; industrial and printed electronics; apparel decoration; textiles and décor; and promotional products.

Here’s a roundup of some of the decorating equipment featured at the show.

Epson Introduces New Dye-Sublimation Printers

The F6470 is one of the new wide-format dye-sublimation printers Epson introduced at PRINTING United.

Epson announced two new 44-inch wide-format dye-sublimation printers at the show – the SureColor F6470 and the SureColor F6470H. Designed to maximize productivity for print businesses, the printers generate fast output for quickly and efficiently producing high-quality transfer images. The new models replace the F6370.

The SureColor F6470 generates four-color output for use on promotional and personalized goods, apparel, home décor and soft signage. The SureColor F6470H prints six-color output and allows for multiple ink configurations to meet various color needs – CMYK plus either Light Cyan/Light Magenta, Fluorescent Pink/Fluorescent Yellow, or Orange/Violet. The expanded color options make it an ideal solution for producing photographic panels, flags and banners, with the ability to meet branding color requirements for corporate clients.

“These models are engineered to deliver the reliability and high image quality Epson is known for, with some of the fastest dye-sublimation printer speeds in the market,” said Tim Check, senior product manager for professional imaging at Epson America. “With the expansion of three ink configurations, the SureColor F6470H provides the ability to hit specific corporate colors, making it a unique offering, and one that will open up opportunities for print shops in the high-end dye-sublimation photo market.”

Roland DGA Shows Off New Belt-Driven UV Printers

Roland DGA recently released its VersaUV LEC2 S-Series belt-driven UV printers.

Roland DGA Corp. showed off its recently launched VersaUV LEC2 S-Series flatbeds and belt-driven hybrid models. The new 30-inch and 64-inch belt-drive hybrids use a conveyor belt to transport substrates along the bed to a stationary gantry, enabling them to print not only on flexible and rigid materials but also on roll media for maximum versatility.

Other equipment at the show included the manufacturer’s VersaUV LEC2 series printer/cutters – roll-to-roll inkjets with integrated contour cutting that optimize image quality, increase print speeds, decrease ink use and make user operation and maintenance easy.

Also during the show, Roland conducted live, in-booth vehicle-wrap demonstrations daily, featuring experts from Digital EFX Wraps, who used a TrueVIS VG3 series printer/cutter to wrap a new Ford Bronco.

Inkcups Offers Direct-to-Object Printing

The Helix digital cylinder printer was among the equipment Inkcups demonstrated at PRINTING United.

Global printing-industry leader Inkcups showcased a selection of direct-to-object printing machines. The manufacturer showed off its Helix digital cylinder printer, which is designed to print superior-quality full-color images on straight-walled and tapered cylinders. The machine’s software places 7-picoliter drops of ink precisely along a vessel at high speed. The Helix also minimizes setup time with an advanced quick-change tooling fixture that easily adjusts for straight or tapered parts, as well as a programmable tilt which stores the exact specifications for each cylinder position. The Double Helix is a UV cylindrical printer featuring two print fixtures for double the printing volume that can simultaneously print full-color graphics.

Also among the company’s offerings was the CobaltONE, a laser plate maker that uses fiber-laser technology to etch small dot sizes and sharp images. Using patented technology, the machine can etch images in fewer than five minutes.

Kornit Digital Enables On-Demand Production

The Atlas MAX, a high-volume direct-to-garment printer, was among the equipment Kornit displayed at the show.

Kornit Digital demonstrated its complete portfolio of high-volume digital production, which empowers the textile and fashion industry to meet the high-speed demands of e-commerce. On display at the show was the Kornit Atlas MAX, meant for mass customization; the Kornit Atlas MAX POLY, which allows for vibrant digital decoration on polyester and poly-blended sportswear; and the Kornit Presto MAX, which allows users to turn concepts into custom fabrics for fashion, home décor and other key applications. The company also demonstrated its KornitX workflow solution, which allows users to realize the promise of on-demand, end-to-end fulfillment and production.

“Across the industry, the laws of supply and demand are quickly reversing,” said Ronen Samuel, CEO. “No longer must retailers and brands try to sell what’s already been produced – carrying unnecessary inventory and relying on supply chains that are often damaged or broken. High-volume, on-demand production effectively addresses this challenge, all while providing the highest levels of quality, efficiency and sustainability.”

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