EFI exhibited the new 3.2-metre EFI VUTEk® GS3250lxr Pro, the first dedicated roll-to-roll printer to use EFI’s highly successful LED ‘cool cure’ technology, and the workflow software and MIS/ERP products at SGIA Expo.
Scott Schinlever, senior vice president and general manager of EFI’s Inkjet Solutions comments, ‘Our SGIA exhibit highlights the new opportunities customers have to expand their media options, remove process steps, reduce operating costs and produce higher-margin jobs. With the new VUTEk GS3250lxr Pro, we are extending the benefits they get with our LED curing technology — a proven, green technology that saves many of our customers money by reducing their consumables waste and energy consumption. This technology also provides higher uptime with greater reliability because it uses no traditional heat in the curing process.’
VUTEk LED printers are also part of the industry’s broadest portfolio of digital inkjet and print workflow products. EFI’s portfolio is a collective offering that features narrow web, wide format and super wide format printers, MIS/ERP, web-to-print systems, together with the EFI Fiery®.
At the SGIA Expo, EFI also announced commercial availability for its VUTEk GS Pro-TF thermoforming system, a UV printer and ink combination that advances the industry’s analogue-to-digital transformation by bringing inkjet printing to the thermoformed product decoration market. Printing firm Interstate Graphics Inc., Machesney Park, Ill., is the first business to use the technology, following the October installation of a 2-metre VUTEk GS2000 Pro-TF printer operating VUTEk GS-TF inks.
‘Today, we do screenprinting for customers who want thermoformed work. Our new EFI VUTEk GS2000 Pro-TF is an option for them to go digital,’ said Interstate Graphics President John Norwood.
Additional EFI technologies on display at the SGIA Expo included:
• The EFIVUTEk HS100 Pro, a high-end, high-speed 3.2-metre inkjet press with new, full-automation material handling options that provide greater efficiency in the transition from analogue to digital printing.
• The EFI VUTEk GS3250lx Pro, a 3.2-meter, premium-quality printer that offers LED’s green, energy-saving benefits in a hybrid roll/flatbed format.
• The EFI VUTEk QS2 Pro, a 2-metre, UV hybrid printer that combines variable-drop grayscale printing and white ink print capabilities with VUTEk production speeds.
• A pair of EFI Wide Format high-value, entry-level products — the EFI R3225 UV roll-to-roll printer and the EFI H652 UV hybrid roll/flatbed printer.
• The EFI Fiery proServer, a high-performance digital front end and colour management workflow offering for VUTEk printers.
• EFI Metrix planning and impositioning software, a product EFI obtained in its recent acquisition of Metrix Software.
• Industry-leading workflow products, including EFI PrintSmith™ Vision and Pace™ print MIS software, and EFI Digital StoreFront® web-to-print software.
• EFI SmartSign Analytics, a powerful new tool that gives users the ability to analyze the effectiveness of their signage engagements.
There are now more than 115 production-class EFI VUTEk LED printers installed worldwide, and a growing number of printing companies are winning in the marketplace by using the technology to produce new applications and create high-value revenue streams. The roll-to-roll format of the newest VUTEk LED printer addresses print buyers’ emerging needs for greener production and lighter media options that can reduce their carbon footprint.
With EFI’s LED technology, printing companies can obtain excellent quality on lightweight and thin roll substrates that cannot withstand the heat of traditional drying or UV curing processes. An optional chiller for the printer extends the range of compatible media even further for users looking to develop entirely new digital printing applications.
The six-colour VUTEk GS3250lxr Pro is ideal for the production of fleet and vehicle graphics that withstand stretching and pre and post-heating without cracking on rivets and convex curves. EFI and 3M are collaborating on testing and evaluation to formalize a 3M™ MCS™ Warranty offering for output from the printer using certified media and new EFI VUTEk GSlxr 3M™ SuperFlex UV Ink.
EFI’s Schinlever said, ‘The expanded capabilities customers gain with LED, and the range of innovation we are showing across our portfolio, reflect EFI’s commitment to fueling our customers’ success. The print and workflow innovations EFI is bringing to the SGIA Expo can create high-ROI opportunities for printing companies while giving them more power to streamline production and win new business.’
EFI PINKJET CAMPAIGN
To help raise awareness and support for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, EFI has created a “Pinkjet” campaign supporting cancer charities for the SGIA Expo. During the tradeshow, EFI donated R10 ($1) for every Twitter retweet, Facebook like or share associated with the campaign, and R100 ($10) for every photo shared with EFI via Twitter or Facebook using both the #EFIeverywhere and #Pinkjet hashtags. Additionally, EFI will donate R10.000 ($1,000) for printers signed at SGIA and shipped by November 30, for a total donation of up to R250.000 ($25,000) towards breast cancer research.
