A Roland VersaCamm SP-300i printer/cutter has proved crucial to the set demands of Coronation Street. The TV programme’s principle graphic designer Lynsey Shepard said installation of the machine two years ago has ensured the set’s printed materials are ready on demand.
“I’ve been really impressed with our Roland machine. The majority of the material we print is on vinyl as it’s far more practical to have waterproof labels and signage given the nature of this business. The print and cut function is excellent and saves so much time, and it’s very precise - even when cutting circles. We’ve had a couple of small teething problems along the way, but with the RolandCare warranty service we are able to call out an engineer to get us back on our feet again quickly.”
Shepard said the machine has already paid for itself many times over. “We used to outsource our print jobs to a local printing company. While the quality was good, it was more expensive and really restricted our flexibility on set as if we needed something last minute we would either have to wait or reschedule filming around this. Having the Roland on site means we are now able to quickly re-print material for extra takes and ensure we can always keep up with the schedule.”
She added: “I’ve been a graphic designer for nearly ten years and I’ve witnessed a great number of changes in the industry over this time, many as a result of the technological advances companies such as Roland have made in the development of printers and ink. Print quality is certainly one of the biggest improvements I’ve seen. The vibrancy of the print finish from today’s printers is astonishing and the quality of the Eco-Sol Max inks with the Roland is brilliant. What’s very impressive is there is really no compromise to bringing a machine in-house. With the Roland we have a print and cut device on-site that is of the highest production quality and flexible enough to handle whatever is required of it.”