Dye sub and aqueous applications push this segment forward
Wide format continues to be a desirable, value-added market area that both new and established print service providers appear to be keen to enter and to grow. The 2017 Printing Forecast, prepared by whattheythink.com, reports that wide format printing, and the related area of specialty printing, are the two leading options for printers looking to add new capabilities.
In the same report, survey respondents identified the SGIA (Specialty Printing & Imaging Technology) Expo as the second leading tradeshow they planned to attend in 2017 (Print 17 in Chicago was the leading one).
New wide format equipment, combined with new ink technologies, are being used to create a sweeping array of products with high visual impact, including banners, posters, interior and exterior signage, exhibition and event show graphics, retail and POP (point of purchase) displays, window graphics and clings, floor and wall graphics, vehicle wraps, and interior décor pieces.
Wide format equipment is also successfully being used to help produce consumer product packaging prototypes, as well as limited runs and specialty promotional items. Collectively, these higher value-added products are creating new opportunities for printers to expand their current markets.
Wide, or large, format printers are generally considered to be those that support a maximum width between 18 and 96 – 100 inches. Devices with capacity over 100” are considered ‘super wide’ or ‘grand format’.
Today’s wide format devices are digital printers that are either roll fed or flatbed – built with a table where the substrate is loaded and the table then moves under the printhead array. Hybrid printers, which can handle either format, are gaining attention from printers looking for maximum flexibility, with reduced capital costs.
The inkjet roundup: from dyesub to UV LED
Today, inkjet technologies are the primary ones used to image wide format jobs. This generally, but not exclusively, means the use of electricity and pressure to control delivering ink onto the substrate, using piezoelectric printheads. This approach is more popular, across a broader range of end uses, because it supports a wider use of inks compared to thermal (heat) inkjet technologies. Thermal technology, however, can be more economical, and easier for a shop to maintain.
InfoTrends / KeyPoint Intelligence, a market research firm for digital imaging, predicts that the two main areas of wide format growth in North America will be dye sublimation and aqueous inkjet (2015-2020 compound annual growth rates of 32% and 26%, respectively). Other areas of wide format predicted to see measurable growth are UV- and latex-based technologies.
Similarly, an industry report earlier this year from the International Data Corporation (IDC), a global provider of market intelligence for the technology and communications industries, predicts that ink sales through 2021 will increase most for UV, followed by latex, and then dye sublimation. Aqueous and eco-solvent will be flat, or decrease slightly.
Solvents
Solvent ink-based wide format inkjet printers are very popular – they offer durable inks that can be applied to the greatest variety of substrates. These inks use pigments suspended in solvents, and as a result are ‘hazardous’, and require facilities with proper ventilation. However, they can successfully be applied to lower cost substrates, and therefore offer an economical approach.
Suppliers continue to develop more eco-friendly solvent-based inks, for example Epson’s UltraChrome GSX solvent inks were designed for use in their 64-inch solvent inkjet printers. They offer a larger colour gamut, including the use of white and silver for additional effects, and do not contain nickel or fluorine compounds. Epson claims they are ‘virtually’ odorless.
Dye Sublimation
Dye-sublimation for wide format is growing in popularity due to its ability to image textiles, which is gaining popularity with applications for ‘soft’ signage, interior décor, and clothing. These can be produced using either transfer dye-sublimation, direct-to-fabric dye-sublimation.
Dye Sublimation works by transferring the image to a special carrier (paper), the solid colour particles are then changed into a gas (sublimation), using heat and pressure, and the colour then embeds into the fabric (synthetic textiles such as polyester tend to work best).
Newer developments offer a direct-to-fabric printing approach, bypassing the transfer paper. Mimaki recently released their new TX300P-1800B direct to textile printer, a 74” wide format printer. They have also developed a new series of propriety inks, both dye sublimation as well as pigment based, designed to enable a larger gamut, on a wider variety of textiles (natural and synthetic). Costs start at US$ 99, 995. As well, Dupont released their Artistri PK2600 Digital Textile Pigment Ink last year, aimed at the direct to textile market.
Future developments for textiles will likely include more support for ‘disperse dye’ type inks, where the pigment adheres to the fabric, as they can be more economical and require fewer steps in production.
Aqueous
Aqueous-based wide format devices are popular choices for both the large format AEC (architecture/engineering/construction) and CAD (computer assisted design) as well as sign and display markets. Generally more expensive than solvent based systems, these devices offer high quality resolution and speeds, and are relatively easy to use and maintain. The water-based ink dries primarily by absorption into the substrate. Both dye-based and pigment-based inks exist, with pigment-based ones being more durable. Laminations, however, can be applied to extend end uses and longevity.
As Peter Dulis outlined in a Graphic Arts drupa recap, both Canon and Epson highlighted new aqueous based systems at drupa 2016, ranging in sizes from 24” through 60”. Focused on the photo, signage, and display markets, these economical devices range in price from CDN$ 5,000 up to $ 10, 500.
Ultraviolet (UV)
UV-based inks offer many benefits for different end uses in wide format markets. Once imaged onto a substrate, the ink is exposed to UV light that immediately dries it, to form a durable polymer film. This allows the inks to be applied to both flexible and rigid materials, at higher speeds than other options. The inks are generally less expensive than aqueous, and the resulting prints can be used outdoors without lamination or coating.
Many UV systems are set up for flatbed printing, and can therefore print on a wider variety of substrates with different thicknesses, curves and textures (think ceramic, glass, metal, wood….) UV can also be used to add textured finish effects to prints.
The prices for these devices have been coming down for the past two years, and new devices, such as Roland’s VersaUV LEF series offer full colour, plus white and gloss with sizes from 12” to 64”, and prices ranging from US$ 18, 000 to $90, 000.
UV LED
Conventional UV inkjet printers use metal vapour (metal halide) lighting to cure the inks. As an alternative,
Mimaki introduced the use of LEDs, starting in 2008, and today many different UV LED printers are now available. These systems use less power, emit less heat, and generally last longer. The tradeoff is that they generally run at slower speeds, however new LED devices are catching up.
Agfa Graphics presented their new UV LED Jeti Ceres RTR3200 for the first time in North America at this year’s Graphics Canada show in April. This ultra-wide roll-to-roll printer (10.5 feet) offers six colors, plus an optional white and/or primer. It is designed for high volumes and has the ability to print directly onto mesh and porous substrates, without the need for a liner.
Some manufactures, such as EFI, produce hybrid devices (VUTEk HS100) that leverage a combination of LED and mercury lamps, to meet higher volume production needs.
Latex
Originally developed by HP in the mid 2000s, latex-based ink systems today are gaining traction in the marketplace. Latex can create prints on a variety of substrates, including textiles, that are very durable – they can be used outdoors, or for indoor window displays, for years. The inks use a water-based carrier, with additives, and latex polymer and pigment particles. Once applied, radiant heat is used which creates a strong latex polymer film.
Nicola Kidd is the owner of ‘re-surfaced’ , a custom print provider in Toronto. She also teaches at Ryerson University’s School of Graphic Communications Management (where I work). Nicola explains that a significant benefit for latex is that “it has no fumes or odour,” which can be important for signage used in high pedestrian traffic areas, such as malls or hospitals.
Another part of the appeal of latex inks is that they can adhere to a wider variety of substrates than aqueous inks can, and they are often marketed as a competitor technology to UV inks, as well as a replacement for
solvent-based inks.
Last year HP added the thermal inkjet-based 500 Printer series and super-wide HP Latex 1500 Printer (126 inch). These devices can be economically attractive options for companies wishing to explore signage markets – the HP Latex 560 is US$ 18,000, the HP 570 is US$ 26,000.
Colour Challenges
Certain colours can pose challenges in wide format inkjet printing; Nicola explains that while historically bright reds could be a challenge, vendors are producing new inks which better achieve these colours. For example, Epson designed new red solvent based inks for their 64-inch SureColor S80600.
Nicola continues, “whites can also be a challenge for producing window clings, backlit displays, or for packaging”. White inks generally use titanium dioxide pigments, and the particles are usually larger to provide coverage. This also means they tend to clog the inkjet heads, and also need to have the cartridges agitated more often, to prevent settling. They can also slow down throughput. A variety of alternatives are becoming available, including HP’s latex and Epson’s UltraChrome® HDR Ink with White.
Toner
Toner based systems can be an option for some wide format uses. While toner equipment costs more, the toner itself is more economical than ink.
Primarily for higher volume AEC industries, solutions such the 24 x 36 inch Océ PlotWave 450 / 550 offer options for approx. US$ 20,000. KIP, distributed by Konica Minolta, is another leading supplier of toner-based wide format equipment. Their newer 940 is a roll fed machine, capable of producing full colour work on a variety of media, for indoor and outdoor use.
Substrates
Advances are also being made with substrates – synthetics can be designed that are stronger than paper. Made from a base of polypropylene, the stock is heated and extruded (pushed into shape), and run through a calendering process to provide a smooth surface. For wide format signage, this creates a substrate that is resistant to water, chemicals, abrasion and aging.
Zodia is widely available in Canada, and offers stocks for a variety of end uses. Canon has also recently released a new water resist banner media which is claimed to provide excellent short term outdoor durability, without the need for lamination.
Adhesives
Jeff Uzbalis, a wide format graphics specialist with 3M, recently presented a workshop on vehicle wrapping at the Graphic Communications Education Association (GCEA) conference this July at Ryerson University. He explained to the group that the developments in ‘getting ink onto a substrate’ were a part of signage and display, but there has been significant development in adhesives, making it easier to install – and remove – signage, to a wider range of materials.
3M continuously develops their trademarked Comply
Different films are available depending on the duration – from permanent for wayfinding or the like, to temporary for advertising and events. Read more details about advances in adhesives in Jeff’s June 15 article in SignMedia.
Finishing
Technologies for faster imaging – inkjet applications and drying – get a fair bit of attention, however the prints will need to be prepared for the end use. Finishing – cutting and routing – can present a bottleneck in production with improvements in throughput, especially with ultra-wide. Finishing speeds can be improved through automated cutting, and larger devices.
Two major vendors in this market, Esko with their Kongsberg tables and Zünd with their series of cutting tables, now offer modular devices. These can have additional features added, such as roll feeders, or even robotic arms for faster and more accurate loading and unloading of rigid substrates.
Laser cutting is getting attention in wide format, offering high quality across a wider range of substrates, along with ’blades’ that don’t need replacing, with a variety of new equipment entering the market. Prices vary widely depending on size and end use. Techno CNC Systems recently released a new line of large format computer numerical control (CNC) systems, which are designed to be compatible with graphic programs, such as Adobe Illustrator.
Automation for Wide Format
As with the rest of the industry, automation can play a key part in keeping internal costs competitive for high volume wide format printers.
Maximizing boards has become easier, with solutions such as the ‘Nesting Optimization’ in Ultimate Technographics’ Impostrip imposition software. This feature helps automate the ganging of jobs onto a sheet.
Caldera is a software vendor specializing in the wide format market. Earlier this year they were acquired by Dover, an international manufacturer with products that include software and digital solutions for textile printing.
Caldera’s ‘Version 11’ launched at SGIA in Las Vegas last year. Important updates for workflow include a new feature called True Bleed, which lets you quickly add pixels to the edge of any shaped image, to provide a better edge for finishing. The new version also supports v4, the latest version of Adobe’s PDF Print Engine. Benefits in this version for wide format include support for Parallel Processing (TPP). Large images can be broken into tiles, which the software can process concurrently, reducing processing times.
For further efficiencies, Caldera had also previously developed their ‘Nexio’ connector, which uses JDF/JMF protocols to automate processing tasks through Switch, Enfocus software’s popular automation tool. They also offer ‘Webshop’, a web-to-print solution developed specifically for wide format printers.
From an enterprise level perspective, Toronto’s Avanti Software won a Graph Expo ’15 ‘Must See Em’ award for their Grand Format Estimating module, which runs with their popular Avanti Slingshot Management Information System. Their solution supports the range of materials, and measurements as well as finishing and fulfillment options that printers offering wide format can leverage for further efficiencies.
Variable presents a specialized opportunity for wide format printers. It can be used for versioning point of purchase signage (languages, price points, different product images), producing customized pieces using wide format equipment which are then processed to individual promotional items. ONYX offers a variety of workflow solutions for wide format, which also support variable printing. These include ONYX ProductionHouse, a RIP that can be used to support the automatic output of wide format jobs from online creation and ordering. They also offer ONYX Thrive workflow software as well a large format Textile Edition.
Wasatch SoftRIP is another vendor focused on variable for wide format versioning.
Internally, variable can help support a degree of automation with unique barcodes created that can be added to jobs to support process control and tracking through manufacturing and finishing. These can be a very useful support for companies kitting and shipping a comprehensive project (for example, marketing campaign signage combined with POP materials for multiple retail store locations).
Fulfillment & Kitting
Nicola explains that kitting – the process of organizing different parts of a printed project into individual shipping packages (think retail stores) is a “big value add” for clients. If a printer can keep this in-house, by contracting “temporary space and workers” it provides the client with an important “one stop shop” for fulfillment.
Wide format offers unique benefits for print service providers. From one perspective, they offer opportunities for entrepreneurs to enter the market, and help craft individual solutions for their local customers. From another perspective, wide format offers larger shops the ability to further engage national customers. Overall, the ongoing product developments ensure that wide format will continue to be a big part of the overall future of print – the growing ability to ‘print on anything’.
