SGIA Expo 2009

The 2009 SGIA Expo welcomed thousands of visitors at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, October 7-9. At the annual convention and exhibition of the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association, equipment and material suppliers introduced their latest innovations in graphics, garment, industrial, and specialty printing applications. This article highlights some of the products shown to the North American marketplace during this Expo.

The 2009 SGIA Expo welcomed thousands of visitors at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, October 7-9. At the annual convention and exhibition of the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association, equipment and material suppliers introduced their latest innovations in graphics, garment, industrial, and specialty printing applications. This article highlights some of the products shown to the North American marketplace during this Expo.

AGFA Graphics showcased the Anapurna M2 and the Anapurna Mw (white), the two newest additions to the line of UV inkjet systems. The Anapurna M2 has automatic features that drive printing speeds up to 247 sq ft/hr. It uses six Konica Minolta print heads with 1024 nozzles each and automated media-registration bars and head-height adjustment for roll-to-roll and rigid media. The Anapurna Mw adds single-pass pre-white and multipass post-white.

Alcan Composites USA Inc. offered an assortment of substrates for the graphic-display market. All are designed to be mounted or direct printed. Choices range from paper-faced foam boards to expanded plastic boards, aluminum composites, and polystyrene foam boards with wood-fiber veneers. Industry brands include Fome-Cor , Sintra, Gator, Dibond, and Alucobond.

American Ultraviolet Co. showed air-cooled, UV-conveyorized drying systems from 4-100 in. All units supply 300 w/in. with tri-power switching (300, 200, 125). Optional units used 400-600 w/in. iron-doped systems. Units included an exhaust/vacuum system, UV-resistant conveyor belt, focused lamp assemblies, digital speed indicator, and more.

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AnaJet debuted its Sprint garment inkjet printer, capable of printing images up to 12.5 x 16 in. on light and dark garments. It uses AnaBright (CMYK+White) or PolyBright (CMYK) inks. The printer supports imaging resolutions up to 1440 dpi and features closed-loop ink delivery via bulk-ink cartridges. Anatol centered on its Horizon, billed as an entry-level automatic garment-printing press. It’s available in four-, six-, eight-, and ten-color models and features digital control, tool-free adjustments, quick-release systems, two options for platen mounting, and two choices for flash curing. Options include individual off-contact, squeegee-pressure regulators, and a servo indexer.
Autoroll Print Technologies, distributor for Marabu pad-printing inks, exhibited the MCDµ color-mixing system designed for use with Marabu solvent-based pad inks, solvent screen inks, and UV screen inks. The MCDµ works with standard MCM software and uses an 18-station ink-canister system.

Avery Graphics introduced four films: MPI 2105 Easy Apply RS and MPI 2105 high- or low-gloss finish, MPI 2102 and 2103 high-gloss finish, and 2120 and 2122 matte finish. The company also supplied sample swatch books for Greenline GP promotional films, MPI 6121 street graphics, digital overlaminates, and MPT white opaque films.
Bayer MaterialScience highlighted Makrofol 3D metallic film in gloss and matte finishes. Combined with FARIA film-injection-molding technology, Makrofol adds special effects or mirror finishes. The chrome-colored polycarbonate film, which can be cold-formed, is designed to provide an alternative to traditional screen-printed mirror finishes for films and the electroplating of plastic moldings.

Bienfang put the spotlight on its MightyPrint Expressions line, including the MightyPrint Canvas with textured surface for portraits and artistic images, MightyPrint Glossy for producing graphics without spot varnishing, and MightyPrint Premier Kraft with a softened kraft surface for specialty graphics.

Chemical Consultants, Inc. revealed the C series of automatic coaters. Screens can be coated wet-on-wet, and from both sides or individually coated on each side. The company also showed a mechanical screen stretcher, designed to stretch any type of mesh, that support a maximum screen size of 55 x 70 in.

Chemque presented the E-Dome 3100 System, which includes one XYZ dispensing robot with a UV-curing unit and is designed for use with E-Dome one-component, polyurethane doming resin. E-Dome 1K resins are designed to eliminate issues related to slow cure, moisture sensitivity, mixing, solvent flushing, and waste.
Clear Focus Imaging Inc. showed PosterVue, a perforated non-adhesive one-way-vision film for retail and commercial window graphics. It has a 65/35 perforation pattern (35% open) and 1.5-mm holes. PosterVue is available in 54 x 100-in. rolls and is compatible with solvent, eco-solvent, mild solvent, and UV-curable inkjet inks, as well as screen printing and thermal transfer.

Clearstar Corp. displayed ClearShield water-based liquid laminates for UV protection, chemical resistance, abrasion resistance, and flexibility. The laminates are available in gloss, semi-gloss, satin, and matte finishes.

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ConVerd showcased its Enviroboard MR, designed to be a moisture-resistant, 100%-recyclable alternative to traditional foam core and corrugated-plastic boards. The board is printable on both sides for indoor and short-term outdoor POP, trade-show displays, and other applications.

Coroplast, Inc. presented Plasticor White Cap, a 4-mm-thick, corona-treated substrate that comes in 48 x 96-in. sheets. It’s composed of at least 50% recycled content.
CRC emphasized Nucleus, software designed to provide the tools and information to maximize business profitability. It supports customizable dashboards, label estimating and other industry-specific estimating solutions, management reports, accounting tools, drag-and-drop production scheduling, inventory management, and an e-commerce suite.

D&K Group showed its new Expression 65, a laminator that features a working width of 67 in. and can be used to encapsulate, mount, or laminate media. It features a digital control panel, silicone rollers, integrated take-up roll, and swinging feed table.
DGI filled floor space with its Polajet series of wide-format inkjet printers, including the new PS-3208D, a 3.2-m solvent system that prints eight colors (CMYKLcLmLyLk) and supports speeds up to 1396 sq ft/hr. DGI also showed the new Orionjet, capable of imaging at resolutions up to 1440 dpi, and the new SG-1608DS, an eight-color (CMYKLcLmOrBr) inkjet printer for textile applications.

Direct Color Systems showed its Direct Jet 1324, a flatbed inkjet printer that’s designed to image directly onto tiles, PVC, aluminum, wood, acrylic, crystal, electrical components, CDs and DVDs, and more. It uses an eight-color (CMYK+2xWhite+2xClear) and accommodates substrates up to 6 in. thick. The company also displayed its Freejet TX, an eight-color (2xCMYK or CYMK+4xWhite) direct-to-garment inkjet printer.

Douthitt Corp. debuted its new computer-to-screen imaging system, made in cooperation with OLEC Technologies. The DSI series uses phase-change inkjet-head technology, and its front-end workstation is compatible with MAC, PC, and Unix platforms. Imaging software uses a PostScript file format. It supports resolutions up to 110 lines/in. or 1000 dpi.

Drytac displayed a line of coating systems for wide-format, fine art, fleet marking, banner, on-demand, and photography printing. Its line of display products included banner stands, portable displays, specialty exhibits, and the Bamboo Panda literature stand. Drytac also showed Des 4Foam Edge Finishing System, specifically designed to work with heat-sensitive foam display boards.

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DTG put the spotlight on its Raptor, a direct-to-garment inkjet printer that supports uni- or bi-directional printing, a maximum image size of 13 x 32 in., and resolutions up to 2880 dpi. It features a micro-servomotor-driven conveyor, built-in self-diagnostics, and more.

DuPont unveiled its Tyvek Vivia media for UV screen and inkjet printing.
It combines Tyvek with a proprietary coating formulated to improve print qual-
ity. It’s available in rolls up to 116 in. wide.

Durst Image Technology drew in visitors with the Rho 1000 continuous inkjet production system. The unit is design to print 200 4 x 8-ft boards/hr, 24/7. It supports setups without masking. Also promoted was the Rho 500R, a 5-m UV roll-to-roll printer that combines 600 dpi six-color printing, speeds up to 4300 sq ft/hr, and Durst Quadro 30D Array technology.

Easiway Systems focused on its EasiSolv 701 Screen Wash, formulated to dissolve screen inks, adhesives, coatings, and stains; EasiSolv 500 Stencil Remover Concentrate, designed to remove direct emulsions, capillary films, and high-density films; EasiSolv 120 Solvent Cleaner, formulated for fast drying; and EasiSolv 140 Solvent Cleaner, designed to simplify on-press color changes and screen openings.

EFI highlighted printing and workflow solutions including VUTEk and Rastek printers software systems. The VUTEk GS3200 is a 3.2-meter hybrid UV inkjet printer that offers 600- and 1000-dpi out-put and speeds up to 2400 sq ft/hr. The Rastek T660 flatbed UV inkjet printer can print on an assortment of flexible and rig-id media, including glass and aluminum. A partnership with HumanEyes has enabled the Rastek T660 to use Producer3D software to create lenticular graphics.

Esko Artwork showcased the i-cut vision control system and i-script workflow for die-less cutting. The i-cut vision registration system uses a camera to measure dimensions and positions. The camera locates registration marks and compensated for media distortion.

Fisher Textiles introduced fabrics for digital printing, including the 110-in. Silver Flag liner and the GF 4915 Pro Knit, described as a less expensive version of the GF 4417 Soft Knit for dye-sub and UV printing. Fisher also showed its Poly Board, a foam board constructed from polyester and post-consumer and industrial waste, designed as a sustainable alternative to polystyrene foam boards.

Fletcher-Terry Co. debuted its Titan, an edge cutter that offers dual cutting positions for cutting/trimming, through-cutting for semi-rigid materials, and a trimming feature for vinyls, photo paper, and canvas. It’s available in five sizes, up to 120 in.

FLEXcon highlighted an assortment films and overlaminates. BUSart OV5055 is backed with a polyester release liner and offers up to seven years of outdoor durability. FLEXmark floor art 4652 and 4655 VBS are 3.4-mil flexible, white, vinyl base films with removable, pressure-sensitive acrylic adhesives that bond to commercial PVC tile, ceramic tile sealed con-crete, and linoleum. WALLdeco 6770 textured fabric is a 6.0-mil material with a re-movable adhesive for use in display apps.

Franmar Chemical promoted One Step Clear, an ink and emulsion remover supplied in concentrate form. It’s designed for use at a 6:1 water/concentrate dilution in dip tanks.
Fujifilm Sericol promoted its Uvistar UVR 5032 and 3532 roll-fed UV inkjet printers. The 5-m UVR 5032 print at speeds up to 3800 sq ft/hr; the UVR 3532 prints at speeds up to 3000 sq ft/hr. Both image at resolutions up to 600 dpi (1200 dpi apparent) and use
Fujifilm Sericol Uvijet QK inks (CMYK), formulated specially for the UVR series of printers. A hybrid flatbed configuration is optional.

Gandinnovations displayed its Jeti digital wide-format printers, including the Jeti 1224, Jeti Nanojet with FTR, Jeti 3150X-2 and 2030X-2 flatbeds, Jeti 3348 Jetspeed, Jeti 3348 Galaxy UVRTR, Jeti 3312/24 Solvent RTR, and the EDP/DPI 2008 award-winning 3324 Aquajet direct-to-fabric aqueous printer.

General Formulations highlighted EcoMark, a matte white, biodegradable vinyl with a permanent, biodegradable adhesive on an 8-pt board liner. EcoMark was designed for use as interior and exterior decals, name plates and photo-related graphics, and P-O-P displays. It’s said to degrade in a landfill after 20 years. The adhesive is formulated to biodegrade in up to two and a half years.

Geo Knight & Co. displayed its line of Digital Knight heat presses. They are outfitted with digital microprocessor controls and LCD displays, and they offer user-programmable presets, automatic timing, finished-cycle recording, selectable alarms, and more. Digital Knight presses are available in more than a dozen configurations.

Gerber Scientific Products presented the M Series flatbed cutting table for digital finishing. Its T3 cutting head carries and works with up to three tools at once. The material hold-down system has five individually controlled vacuum zones for optimal configuration of the cutting area. Its MVision-Cut laser system automatically compensates for image or material distortion.

Graphic Screen Fashion displayed its customer aluminum screen frames, available in solid-bar, standard-extrusion, channel, and angle-iron profiles. GSF also promoted ScreenBoss, a screen-frame sealant designed as an alternative to taping screens.

Grunig highlighted its solutions for screenmaking, including the line of G-Stretch screen-stretching systems, G-Coat screen-coating devices, G-Wash screen-cleaning machine, and G-Dry screen-drying cabinets and modules.

Hirsch Int’l showcased the MHM Matrix, a modular oval screen-printing press that’s designed to offer numerous configuration options and an unlimited number of stations. It comes standard in three printing formats (up to 31.5 x 39.4 in.), and custom sizes are available. Features include instant platen release, modular drive at each station, independent squeegee-arm lift, and more.

HIX Corp. displayed heat-transfer machines, mug wraps for applying sublimation transfers, and the HIX Verticure drying cabinet for curing direct-to-garment inkjet prints.
Hopkins Screen Printing Machinery promoted accessories for its Aero Series six- and seven-color manual presses, Hopkins registration upgrade kits, pin-registration systems, ergonomic squeegees, and more.

HP unveiled the HP Designjet L25500 inkjet printer with HP Latex inks, as well as six new HP printing materials, including recyclable and PVC-free substrates designed for compatibility with HP Latex inks. The Designjet L25500 comes in 42- and 60-in. models, supports print speeds up to 228 and 246 sq ft/hr, respectively, and offers imaging resolutions up to 1200 dpi.

Huntsman showed off its Lyosperse GP water-based pigment inks for digital printing on textiles. Color range includes yellow, golden yellow, orange, red, magenta, cyan, green, and black.

i-cut Inc. promoted its new i-hs High-Speed Sheet Feeder System and i-hs High-Speed Part Stacker System. The i-hs feeder is designed for small-format, screen- and inkjet-printed materials. It’s sized for Kongsberg i-XE10 series cutters and comes with a built-in guide system with air-knife separation. The i-hs stacker also is sized for Kongsberg i-XE10 series cutters. It picks up cut-outs or entire sheets from the cutter conveyor and stacks them on a lift table.

Image Technology highlighted its Super Strength Waterbase Pigments (available in 11 colors), IT Color Matching System Pigments (available in 12 colors), WB-1 discharge inks, and WB-9 white discharge ink.

Imprintables Warehouse showed CAD-materials needed to print on a variety of apparel, including nylon and leather. The SPECTRA line of heat-applied materials and the environmentally friendly SPECTRA Eco-Film were both on display.

Infiniti Digital Equipment, Inc. added the Infiniti FY3360A digital printer equipped with eight Spectra Nova 256 LQ printheads. It supports imaging resoltions up to 720 dpi, offers pre-heating and drying, and offers a maximum printing width of 125 in.
Inkcups Now demonstrated its new Harmony ink dispenser. It features hermetically sealable, solvent-resistant canisters that hold up to 2.5 l of ink or thinner, as well as ink-flow adjustment, motorized mixing, self-sealing nozzles, a digital scale, and more. Models are available for 12 or 16 canisters.

Insta Graphic Systems promoted its lines of digitally controlled manual clamshell and automatic swing-away heat presses, as well as heat systems for caps, a label-placement solution, and machine parts and accessories.

Interchange promoted the brands it distributes, including Kornit Digital and Kornit’s 931DS and 932DS, and Dane pre-press equipment, including screen-washing/coating equipment.

International Coatings focused on its new Sentri line of soft-hand reducers. The product group includes 3816 Sentri Clear, which can be mixed with finished colors or color concentrates (phthalate-free version available); 3817 PF Sentri Black, a phthalate-free reducer that’s formulated to look and feel like a water-based print and work with fine mesh counts; and 3818 PF Sentri Curable Reducer, a viscosity modifier designed to extend yield when used as an additive and improve hand.

ITW Trans Tech emphasized its InDecs SPM Modules, billed as an industrial inkjet printer that images at resolutions up to 360 dpi (900 dpi apparent), uses ColorBond UV inks (CMYK+White+Clear), and prints at speeds of 10 in./sec or more. It features an inline UV curing system and accepts an optional QuickFix tooling tray, vacuum table, or custom add-ons.

KIWO Inc. gave visitors a look at its two-step water-reducible reclamation system. Step one uses Dual Strip to remove ink (Plastisol and UV) and stencil simultaneously, and step two uses KIWOCLEAN concentrated ink wash to remove ink stains. Dual Strip is designed without solvents, and both products are in concentrated formats.

Kornit Digital unveiled the Kornit 921 Breeze, billed as an entry-level printer for direct-to-garment printing light and dark apparel. An automatic pre-treatment system is integrated into the machine. The printer uses a proprietary pigmented ink and the Kornit QuickP RIP.

LEDCO focused on its digital laminators. They come in three sizes (42, 44, and 60 in.) and support laminating films up to 10 mil. Features include silicone rollers, adjustable supply-roll tension, variable speed, independent temperature controls, swing-away heaters, and more.

MACtac North America designed the REBEL series for screen and digital printing. The 4-mil vinyl film features 99.5% opacity and comes in a variety of finishes, including gloss and matte white and gloss clear. The company also promoted its MACmark 8300 line of marking films, now available in 52 stock color options for intermediate vinyls.

Magnum Magnetics displayed flexible magnetic sheeting in rolls and cut sheets. Materials ranged from 7-60 mil, magnetized or non-magnetic. The company also highlighted direct-printable magnetic sheeting options for off-set, flexo, Indigo, inkjet, Xerox iGen3, or screen printing.

MagX showed their flexible magnetic sheeting in thicknesses from 0.006-0.045in. and in widths from 24-40 in. XTRUmag material for general usage was displayed in white matte, white gloss and six different colors. SOLVmag, for solvent-based printing, also was displayed.

Matsui showcased its 301 Eco Series inks, including formulations for white fabrics and printing on white underbases, binder base, binder for light garments, high-opacity white base and ink, bade binder for stretch fabrics, undercoat binder to prevent dye migration on polyester, and metallic shimmer base.

Meech Static Eliminators, USA offered its Pulsed DC System, designed to immediately neutralize static charges generated from the printing process and prevent problems related to ink adhesion and substrate contamination. Meech also emphasized its Ionizing Sheet Separation System, engineered to increase press speeds and prevent double feeding.

Mimaki USA promoted its CJV30-160, a 63-in. print/cut solution for signage specialists, as well as the new UVJ-160, a hybrid UV inkjet printer that uses two UV LED lamps to cure inks. The five-color (CMYK+White) printer features Mimaki’s new Rigid Media Feeding Mechanism, designed to enhance printing precision on media such as aluminum-composite board and acrylic board.

Mutoh America Inc. displayed the ValueJet 1618, a dual-headed, eight-channel inkjet printer that supports print speeds up to 480 sq ft/hr. The printer is said to be easy to use and compact. Other units shown include the ValueJet 1608 64-in. hybrid printer for P-O-P business, the ValuJet 1304 54-in. eco-solvent printer with speeds up to 145 sq ft/hr, and more.

Nazdar SourceOne promoted its solutions for graphics screen and digital printing and its newly designed Website, www.sourceoneonline.com. The company offers supplies from 3M, Autotype, Brother Int’l, CCI, Epson, Kiwo, M&R, MACtac, Nazdar, PolyOne/Wilflex, UltraFlex, Roland DGA, Sefar, Teckwin, Ulano, and EFI/VUTEk. The company also highlighted Nazdar Consulting Services’ CATZper Color Tolerance System, designed for custom color matching on any digital printer.

Neschen Americas highlighted film- and liquid-laminating equipment and materials, pressure-sensitive vinyl, foam boards, and other products manufactured under the Seal and Neschen brand names.

Norcote debuted Screen-Cote DC1, a violet, diazo sensitized, dual-cure emulsion; and Norcon UV inks (NVP-free), which are formulated for wide range of adhesion and improved curing speeds.

ONYX introduced the PrepEdge Pro software, designed to streamline job preparation for large-format-print production. It works on Mac OS and Windows platforms and is compatible with a variety of large-format RIP software.

Oracal USA Inc. let attendees touch and see the new Series 3174 Eco Digital Media, a 3.5-mil-thick, PVC-free, polyolefin-based material that’s designed for compatibility with latex ink or solvent inkjet printing. It offers one year of outdoor durability.
OYO Instruments debuted its Goblin thermal direct-to-screen system. Billed as a baby brother to the Diablo DTS, the Goblin accepts screen sizes up to 23 x 31 in. and supports resolutions up to 600 dpi and 75-line/in. screen rulings.

Pace Industries promoted its BIOGRAPH.ics, a sheet and roll product engineered with an agricultural-based extruded polymer. It comes in thicknesses ranging from 0.010-0.060 in. and in standard sheet sizes of 20 x 20 in. and 50 x 96 in. It’s compatible with screen, digital, and litho printing, as well as forming processes.

Pad Print Machinery of Vermont showed off the new Series KP Pad Printers with integral pad cleaners, as well as the monochrome digital and the XE series servo system machine with full digital control.

Permovable Graphic Films demonstrated its GF40 and GF50 films. They’re supplied in 54-in.-wide rolls and are designed for promotional graphics and application to asphalt, concrete, wood, and ceramic surfaces. The films are compatible with eco-solvent, mild-solvent, and solvent inkjet inks, as well as solvent screen inks.

PMI highlighted its Split Tape, designed with an adhesive-free area to keep frames clean and free of residue. It comes standard in 2-, 3-, and 4-in.-wide rolls. The company also showed a stainless-steel tape gun designed for 4-in. rolls of Split Tape.

Pregis highlighted Hexacomb Falconboard, a display board made from reusable and 100%-recyclable honeycomb kraft paper. It is produced with up to 20% recycled paper and is available in thicknesses ranging from 0.25-4 in., standard sheet sizes from 48 x 96 in. to 60 x 120 in., and custom sizes from 24-144 in.

Proell showcased its IMD inks, formulated for film-insert molding. Products in the line include Noriphan HTR for PC films, Noriphan N2K for PC films (<125µm), Noricryl for PMMA films, and NoriPET for PET films. IMD inks are suitable for single-layer constructions and are back-moldable with appropriate resins.

Röchling Engineering Plastics Ltd. unveiled the PE2PRINT Digital, a white, corona- treated, cut sheet designed for use on most flatbed UV inkjet printers. The substrate is said to be recyclable and offer an environmentally friendly alternative to polystyrene and rigid vinyl.

Roland DGA Corp. put the spotlight on several products. Among them were the VersaCAMM SP-I series of inkjet printer/cutters (30- and 54-in. units), the 54-in. SOLJET PRO III XC-540MT, which prints CMYK + White + Metallic Silver, and the VersaUV LEC-330, a 30-in. roll-to-roll UV-LED inkjet system for packaging prototypes and short-run labels.

R Tape Corp. showed its Claritex polycarbonate eco-solvent-printable films in two formats: 10-mil clear velvet/polish, printable on the polish side; and a 10-mil white velvet/matte, printable on the matte side. The inkjet-receptive films are available in formats of 30, 54, and 60 in., wound with the print side out.

SAATIchem promoted its Remove ER1, 1, 2, 4, 5, and 10 stencil removers;
Remove HR6 stain remover and degreas-er; Textil PV pure photopolymer direct emulsion; and Grafic HU42 dual-cure direct emulsion.

Sabic Polymershapes emphasized its new ECO-Shapes, designed for enhanced sustainability and energy conservation. The plastic features additives for biodegradability and is billed as better for recycling and recovery processes.

SA Int’l showed its Flexi 8 software for signmaking applications. Version 8.6 includes new features such as SO Diffusion for smoother gradients and faster processing speeds, improved linearization, customizable ink-split curves, soft proofing added to the toolbar, more than 80 new device drivers, and more.

Sakurai emphasized its Maestro Series and SC-AII Series screen presses. Maestro, an automatic rotary, stop-cylinder press, comes in three models and supports a maximum image size of 41.5 x 28.8 in. SC-AII cylinder presses come in three sizes and support a maximum image size of 44.6 x 30.75 in. Both systems are billed as high-speed, high-precision solutions for graphics screen printing.

Sawgrass Technologies put its emphasis on Sublim sublimation ink and M Ink. Sublim is formulated for vibrant color and fast drying. M Ink is billed as a UV-, water-, and scratch-resistant formulation that’s compatible with a variety of applications.
Seiko Instruments highlighted its new ColorPainter V-64s, a 64-in. inkjet printer that uses low-solvent inks and prints at speeds up to 322 sq ft/hr. The six-color printer (CMYKLcLm) features three-way, independently controlled heat.

SignTronic promoted its StencilMaster computer-to-screen system. It features automated frame loading and unloading to support inline screen production, automatically adjusting frame-clamping bar, 100/1000-Mb Ethernet interface to any RIP for 1-bit TIFF, color-separated files, and a UV exposure bar that exposes the screens at resolutions up to 1270 dpi and at shuttle speeds up to 20 in./sec.

Sihl displayed a variety of films for aqueous inkjet printers. Sihl 3172 is a 10-mil, co-extruded, white polyester film with a 100%-light-block layer on the reverse side to eliminate image washout caused by light diffusion. Sihl 3170 is a 7-mil, white, opaque polyester film with a glossy finish. Vision clear film 3162 is designed without a side stripe and has a 4-mil polyester base. The 3488 matte PVC-free scrim banner is a 17-mil product for outdoor banners.

Spartanics centered on its M-500 punching and diecutting system, 400 Series Stak-Kounter, Finecut laser cutting system, Spartanics/Systec sheet and web contact dryer, and Spartanics/Systec Fineprint flatbed screen-printing line.

Stahls’ ID Direct focused on CAD-PRINTZ digital transfers, the Hotronix MAXX heat press, CAD-CUT heat-applied materials, and pre-spaced graphics and transfer papers.

Sun Chemical highlighted SunSpray UVSPG UV spray coating for industrial and decorative glass applications. It’s formulated for water and mechanical resistance. A range of colors are available, including SunSpray UVSPG-Frost, which simulates an acid-etched appearance.

Sustainable Green Printing Partnership shared its mission of raising awareness of green practices in the graphics-printing industry. The company also described its requirements for certification as an SGP Printer.

Tapematic unveiled the IPrint mini, a UV inkjet printer designed to print onto three-dimensional objects and to produce flat graphics. Items are loaded into trays before printing, enabling the system to decorate optical discs, labels, pharmaceutical products, badges and cards, pens, and more. It supports a maximum print area of 24 x 16 in. and up to 12 piezo printheads.

TMI Screenprinting Equipment showcased its UV dryers and stackers, screen-printing presses, and exposure systems. TMI Serpent UV dryers and stackers ranged from the Mini 12 x 12 x 39-in. dryer to the 60 x 60 x 118-in. UV unit. Jaguar screen presses come in clamshell, parallel spring lift, and parallel air lift units. The TMI Eagle exposing units come in fluorescent vacuum table arrangements, PAPI vacuum frames for floor or wall mount, and more.

Tullis Russell showed off its newest product, Textiran ECO, a transfer paper for textile-decorating applications that uses a metal-free coating and is compatible with plastisol, solvent, water-based, and special-effects inks used in the screen-printing process. It’s designed for warm and cold peel and can be used in offset litho.

TW Graphics centered on their water-based, solvent-based, sublimation, and UV screen-printing inks. Manoukian-argon sublimation inks were introduced SGIA Expo. The company also included a full range of screen-printing supplies, Mimaki inkjet equipment, and Manoukian sublimation ink and paper.

Ulano featured its EZ-Film, a capillary film designed for imprinted sportswear; QLT, an SBQ photopolymer emulsion for imprinted sportswear; QT THIX, a high-viscosity emulsion for high-density printing; Q-TRT, formulated for CTS thermal-ribbon transfers; and more.

Ultraflex introduced Limelight, a substrate produced from a combination of calcium carbonate and HDPE. It’s compatible with screen, offset litho, and UV and aqueous inkjet. The company also showed Descor, a material designed for digital printing of jointless ceiling- and wall-covering panels.

Universal Laser Systems emphasized its line of VeraLaser devices. They’re available in three sizes (up to 32 x 18-in. work area, 37 x 23-in. table size, 37 x 23 x 9-in. part size), feature 360° rotary travel, and accommodate options such as high-power-density focusing optics, downdraft honeycomb cutting table, rotary fixture attachments, and more.

Value Vinyls highlighted its new EcoLogic recyclable banner media. It’s made with a polypropylene base fabric and coated with thermoplastic olefin. EcoLogic is compatible with solvent and UV inks and offers two years of outdoor durability.

Vastex introduced an entry-level line of presses for start-up operations, in-cluding on-site training. When an operation grows, presses can be upgraded to as many as 10 colors/10 stations, and dryers can be expanded to match production needs.

Vycom showed its Celtec line of foam PVC sheets. Available in formats from 1-30 mm, Celtec contains no heavy metals and is RoHs compliant. Celtec is compatible with screen and inkjet printing. The company also presented Ultra White, a PVC sheet designed to resist UV degradation.

Wasatch Computer Technology presented its family of RIP software solutions, including SoftRIP, which offers as part of v6.6 an updated Contour Cutting option and Wasatch Tracer, an option for jobs that arrive unprepared for printing
and cutting.

Zund America, Inc. displayed the Zund G3 digital cutter, which can be configured with up to two Universal Modules and the 1-kW Router Module. The hot-swappable modules are designed to allow for cutting and/or routing a variety of materials common to the printing industry without giving up the benefits of speed and cut quality.
 

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