Color workflow opens wide to embrace grand format output on rolls, sheets and rigid board.

Graphic Arts Monthly - June 2006

Joann Whitcher
Eastern Regional Editor

It's easier than ever to become a wide-format print provider. Maybe that's why commercial printers are flocking to the market. More than 19,000 people attended the International Sign Show in April, many of them established screen printers. And the Graphic Arts Show Co. reports the Wide Format Pavilion has been the fastest growing section of Graph Expo since its inception four years ago.

Recent developments in wide-format digital inkjet printers are delivering lower operating costs, excellent image quality on a wider variety of substrates, faster print and processing speeds, and improved ease of use and reliability. These new capabilities, especially when combined with rigid substrate output and new generations of light-fast inks, are expanding the market, creating growing opportunities and product capabilities that move beyond posters—to architectural effects and signage, short-run fine art reproduction, vehicle wraps, short-run wallpaper and window coatings, among a host of other offerings as extensive as printers and their customers can dream up together.

Viewed from any perspective, the market is expanding—installation numbers, retail value, variety of machines available for purchase and applications—are all on the upswing. So, too, are the types of ink systems used by wide-format inkjet machines— significant in that the work output by these devices is typically defined by which system is employed.

The retail value of wide-format print in North America was $9 billion in 2004, and is expected to climb to nearly $13 billion by 2009—bigger than magazine advertising.

The three major forms of wide-format printing follow the inkjet technology on which they are principally based: UV-curable, solvent and aqueous. Old-line wide-format printers use jumbo-sized electrostatic printers—huge copier machines, essentially, with 3M a key supplier. (See related coverage on p.64.) The very durable UV-curable inkjet, which burst onto the market in 2004, boasts more than 20 vendors distributing some 30 different models.

A flurry of consolidations show the promise of this technology and, given the buyers, indicative of the natural and very close relationship between workflow/image processing and wide format print. Last year alone, VUTEk was acquired by EFI, Scitex Vision by HP, Inca by Screen, and wideformat ink source Sericol by Fujifilm. The potential in these workflow/wide format acquisitions was demonstrated when EFI introduced the Fiery XF RIP software for its VUTEk unit, shown at the Fespa wide format show in Europe last month. Using Bestcolor Technology it features a nesting function to allow ganging any number of files together in one single job, even if they have different color spaces. A preview window shows the nesting layout and supports moving, scaling, rotating, flipping and cropping. A step and repeat function allows output of tickets or labels and calculates whether images should be repeated horizontally, vertically or should be mirrored. A tiling feature allows users to divide documents that are larger than the printer's width into strips or tiles for individual printing with definable, overlapping crop marks and tile numbering, image reassembly for billboards, stage graphics, wall murals or bus wraps.

In the digital packaging arena, wide-format rigid print systems have seen investment by Sun Chemical, in its FastJet joint venture with Inca, and Agfa's ownership stake in Thieme, which recently saw the world's first installation of a combination screen print/digital wideformat print line in the U.K.

Wide-format systems are often integrated from readily available base components, and new models seem to spring forth daily. Among the recent announcements: Inca Digital Printers launched additional Spyder 320 models, its best-selling and most competitively priced line of UV digital flatbed printers. The Spyder 320+ offers a modular IncaPrint carriage with either white or six colors (light magenta and light cyan), in addition to the CMYK set for closer viewing output.

MacDermid ColorSpan unveiled its newest flatbed UV inkjet printer, the ColorSpan 9840UV for printing on rigid sheets or flexible roll stock up to 98" wide and 2¾" thick at speeds up to 811 sq.ft./hour.

VUTEk introduced a new 600-dpi mode PressVu UV 320/400 UVcuring flatbed printer, featuring improved text quality, giving customers the option of printing in either 400- or 600-dpi. The UV 320/400 accommodates rigid substrates up to 126" wide and offers output speeds up to 1,000 sq.ft./hour. It also features roll-to-roll capability, giving customers the flexibility to offer a full range of services.

Roland DGA's AdvancedJet AJ-1000 boasts a maximum production speed of 968 sq.ft./hour and a precision print mode of 484 sq.ft./hour The AJ-1000 produces 6-color CMYK+LcLm graphics on coated and uncoated media, offering superior ink bonding, scratch- and alcohol- resistance for outstanding outdoor durability. In addition, it features high-capacity, one-liter ink cartridges for seamless unattended printing.

Agfa Graphics newest inkjet engines and solutions include the :Anapurna L and XL for roll-to-roll and rigid applications, and the new :Grand Sherpa Universal AM (65 and 90), which prints at speeds up to 131 sq.ft/hour It features the new Agfa Bulk Ink Supply System, :ABISS. At 100% coverage, ink costs 21¢ to 27¢ per sq.ft. on the Grand Sherpa when running bulk, and 37¢ to 47¢ when running cartridge-based.

The growing market—along with accompanying interest—is also evident at trade shows. When the Graphic Arts Show Co. (GASC) launched the Wide Format Pavilion at the 2002 Graph Expo, there were six exhibitors occupying 1,500 sq.ft. At Graph Expo 06, the Wide Format Pavilion will feature 24 exhibitors occupying 20,000 sq.ft. And it's no wonder: They need the elbow room because these machines output some big prints.

"Wide-format is an opportunity for offset printers," says Sonia O'donnell, GASC business development manager for wide format, new technologies and markets. "They already know the front-end technology; they know how to capture images digitally. They have the color management expertise. They know how to RIP to an output device." What printers have begun to realize, she says, "is that they can sell by the square foot, and not the truckload, and make a much larger profit. Printers are still in that mindset that they need to sell bulk. The only way they know to make a profit may not be the most efficient."

Ink trends, substrates are key

Presently, several major trends are in play: flatbed printers for rigid and specialty stocks; hybrid for printing both; and shifts in ink types. "There is a move from water-based ink to solvent inks," says Tony Miller, Roland DGA product manager. "The forecasts show aqueous flattening out, and solvent and eco-solvent very much on the climb."

Aqueous inkjet still dominates in total number of installations and retail value. InfoTrends/CAP Ventures, whose numbers are cited throughout, expects its worldwide retail value to grow from just over $18 billion in 2004 to about $21 billion in 2009. It was the first inkjet to hit the market, and its steadfast popularity is also the result of extremely high-quality image output, ability to print both indoor and outdoor media, and a very attractive price point—an aqueous wideformat inkjet printer can be bought for less than $1,000. The less expensive models dominate in the corporate market, but print-for-pay providers also continue to purchase the higher-end, 42" to 60" models. Suppliers to this market include HP, Kodak/Encad, Canon, Epson and Xerox.

Solvent-based and mild-solvent-based inks, however, are catching on fast. InfoTrends is projecting their retail growth to increase from $9 billion in 2004 to $18 billion in 2009. Solvent-based inks offer durability for outdoor applications at a lower cost than aqueous. The inks and media used cost less, and solvent-based inks don't require lamination, increasing productivity as well. Solvent-based machines opened up the market for billboards, vehicle wraps and a whole host of graphics that weren't possible before.

The downside is the harmful emissions solvent inks release into the air when the ink is drying. To address this, ink manufacturers are now offering mild solvent or eco-solvent inks for use with specific printers. These inks are considered a good compromise; latest-generation versions offer the benefits of solvent inks without the associated environmental risks. Roland's Eco-Sol Max inks for its SolJet printers deliver durability, improved scratch resistance, a wider color gamut and quick drying speed, says Roland's Miller.

Sun Chemical launched the Streamline brand of solvent- and water-based, wide-format inkjet inks in North America in February. At Ipex in April, VUTEk announced BioVu, environmentally friendly solvent inks made from a renewable resource—corn—while still providing extreme durability, strong bonding to uncoated surfaces and resistance to UV light and mechanical wear. Intended for use on VUTEk's UltraVu II 3360 solvent printer, the plan is to expand BioVu inks to its other solvent models later in the year. Currently in worldwide beta testing, the inks should be available within the next few months.

Agfa's fourth-generation mild solvent inks are non-carcinogenic and don't require any hazardous labeling or special environmental equipment, says Stephen Cutler of Agfa's Screen, Sign and Display Group. :Aldura inks, developed for Agfa's Grand Sherpa Universal AM wide-format printers, "combine the expected vibrancy of indoor prints with outdoor image stability," he says.

In September 2005, Mutoh introduced the third-generation of its Eco-Solvent inks, called Eco-Solvent Ultra, providing a wider color gamut, faster drying time, improved ink fixation, better scratch- and chemical-resistance, higher print and wider media compatibility.

Just last month, the display graphics division of Océ rolled out the 65" CS9065, an inkjet printer that uses either low- or eco-solvent inks for outdoor-durable prints. Ideal for short runs, it outputs at true 720 x 720 dpi resolution and speeds up to 140 sq.ft./hour in four-pass mode. In high-speed (two-pass) mode, resolution is 360 x 720 dpi at 245 sq.ft./hour

Other suppliers of solvent-based inkjet printers include MacDermid ColorSpan, Gandinnovations, HP, Mimaki, Mutoh, Roland DGA, Seiko I InfoTech and VUTEk (EFI). Agfa, Gerber, Encad, Mutoh, Roland and VUTEk offer mild or eco-solvent printers.

A second shift

The migration is to systems that use UV-curable inks, which are the most environmentally friendly, due to the lack of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). The inks stay on the media surface rather than being absorbed into it—resulting in more consistent color from substrate to substrate. They cure instantaneously (0.1 second) to a hard surface, virtually eliminating curing time and the need for lamination.

UV inks print on nearly any substrate, including glass, wood, ceramic and metal. Improvements in UV ink chemistry provide longer shelf life, better color and better adhesion. UV-curable inkjet inks are less flexible— cracking when flexed too much—and the cost is higher than solvent-based inks. Incorporating curing systems, UV-curable inkjet printers also tend to be more expensive, ranging in price from $58,000 for Raster Printers' RP-720UVZ, capable of printing at speeds up to 300 sq.ft./hour, to $925,000 for Inca Digital Printing's Columbia Turbo UV inkjet, with an output speed of 1,720 sq.ft./ hour—the world's fastest full-size flatbed.

The higher-priced, extremely high-speed UV flatbed inkjets are not for the casual wideformat user. The Turbo is an alternative for short-run screen printing, says Terry Amerine, business manager at Fujifilm/Sericol. "Every piece can be different, and the graphics sell at a much higher unit price. Banner work is low-margin; rigid jobs are higher margin work," says Amerine.

Originally conceived and sold as flatbed models, UV-curable printers are now available as roll-to-roll or hybrids, which are capable of printing on rigid or flexible media. Roll-fed models can extend the applications offered by UV-curable inkjet printers to include outdoor advertising and grand-format printing.

UV curing, adhesion

The setting and subsequent adhesion of UV-curable inks is triggered when they are exposed to an ultraviolet light source during the printing process. A white paper by EFI's VUTEk notes that UV-curing variables include intensity and wavelength of the light and duration of exposure. Tweaking curing settings makes it possible to get inks to adhere to a broader range of materials. The four-, six- and eight-color ink sets typically run on flatbed inkjets that are matched to the printing equipment for performance and color-matching capabilities.

High-quality, UV-curing flatbed inkjet printers are capable of handling both rigid and flexible media up to 126" in width. They allow for fast automated and semi-automated changeovers to materials of different thicknesses and widths, and may also be electronically integrated with digital cutting plotters.

One of the most significant advantages of a UV-curing flatbed inkjet printer is the instant drying, which occurs in the ink curing step. This can occur in 0.2 seconds and is independent of the printing speed. UV-cured ink is extremely durable, often eliminating the need for a lamination step to protect the surface. They stay on the media surface and generally do not absorb into it. Print and color quality is more consistent from substrate to substrate.

With industrial grade systems printing at speeds in excess of 1,000 sq.ft./hr, and with resolutions up to 600 dpi, high-quality prints produced quickly make shorter runs feasible.

Suppliers of flatbed UV ink-curable printers include Inca Digital/Sericol, NUR Macroprinters, Raster Graphics, MacDermid ColorSpan, Scitex Vision (HP), Durst, VUTEk and Zund. Durst and NUR Macroprinters offer roll-to-roll printers. Hybrid inkjet printers are available from Agfa, ColorSpan, Gerber Scientific, Raster Graphics and VUTEk.

Over-capacity is becoming a concern for wide-format print providers. "Indoor graphics are more of a commodity at this point," says Tim Greene of InfoTrends/CAP Ventures. "Something that has to be mounted, laminated or finished can be charged a premium."

For commercial printers, the solution is to sell to current customers ancillary wide-format products. "Book printers are an excellent example," says Greene. "They can produce additional products to help sell the book, such as point-of-purchase graphics or signs that go in windows at bookstores."

P+R Group, Chicago, whose 8-color, 72" VUTEk PressVu is featured on this issue's cover, operates eight wide-format printers— from Epson, HP and EFI/VUTEk—from its 45,000-sq.ft. production facility. Its most recent addition is the 600-dpi, 8-color process hybrid machine that prints on both rigid and rolls.

Outputting widths to 72" on substrates up to 1" thick, P+R Group boasts the latest generation UV inks are durable, offer excellent adhesion, and will not fade in sunlight for two years. Printing on unusual materials (blinds, ceiling tiles, pegboard), the firm provides interior architectural components, as well as creative point-of-purchase offerings.

Big Ink, a digital printer in Eagan, MN, was one of the first owners of Gandinnovations' Jeti 3312 UV flatbed, which prints at speeds ranging from 345 to 645 sq.ft./hour.

Hanging from the side of a building within sight of the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, home of this year's Final Four NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, is a 120 x 60' sign produced by Big Ink. It is certainly one of the largest NCAA Tournament Brackets ever created, a full-color, 7,200-sq.ft. sign custom made for tournament sponsor Coca-Cola.