Getting the right double-act

Sophie Matthews-Paul takes you through the plethora of combination flatbed/roll-fed printers now available.

Rigid reasons for buying a flatbed

Sophie Matthews-Paul looks at the latest developments in flatbed printers.

A jewel of a printer

Sophie Matthews-Paul visits Roland DG's UK headquarters and puts the company's new metallic ink option through its paces.

Nearly every wide-format printer has a dedicated roll-fed unit making them the bread-and-butter machines of the industry. With the huge range of inks and technical specifications now available, Sophie Matthews-Paul says it's easy to see why.

Giant strides made by superwides

This year has seen important additions to the 5m-wide printer offering. The added versatility of these big beasts now makes them a worthwhile investment argues Sophie Matthews-Paul.

Where green becomes grey

Are we using greener materials or is cost preventing us? Sophie Matthews-Paul considers the views of manufacturers and suppliers of roll-fed substrates.

Mix and match

Do you have accurate colour matching across your wide-format printers? David Radtke, head of product management at colour specialist GMG, explains why it's easier than ever to get it right and make a difference to your business.

Great expectations

Are you getting a gold rated service from your suppliers? If not, is it all their fault or are you expecting too much?

Screen shows off Truepress Jet1600UV-F

Making its debut at Print 09 is the Truepress Jet1600UV-F from Screen. Aimed at those wanting to produce backlit graphics, posters, POP displays, commercial furniture and construction signage, the flatbed printer uses UV-LED curing to extend the range of media it can handle while consuming fairly low levels of energy. The UV-LED light source used by the Truepress Jet1600UV-F generates very low heat during imaging, meaning it can accommodate heat-sensitive materials such as foam and channel boards, PVC, acrylic and styrene panels without warping or distortion.

GPT adds Z?nd cutters to portfolio

Graphic Printing Technologies (GPT) has added the Z?nd G3 range of digital flatbed cutters to its portfolio. Developed specifically for 24/7 operation, the Z?nd G3 is available in nine models, all of which can accommodate Z?nd tools and material-handling features.