Author: Jennifer Corn

Posted on by Jennifer Corn Posted in Technology & Products
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Four-Part Series: HP Latex 700 W & 800 W. Why Does the “W” Matter?

Previously in this series, Timothy Mitchell discussed how the 800 series differs from the 700 and how the ink and printheads differ compared to previous generations of HP Latex printers. Now, he takes a closer look at the new white ink in the Latex 700 W and 800 W printers.

White ink technology differs from CMYK because it is made from crushed titanium rather than color pigments. If not properly maintained, the white ink can clog. The new HP printers have a system that keeps the white ink continuously circulating. “White ink cannot sit idle so what we have is constant circulation,” says Mitchell. “The whole process [microcirculation] is designed to get white on demand and have no waste or very little waste. The white printheads stay in their rotational chamber until you’re ready to print again.”

It’s not just the microcirculation that makes the HP white ink so popular; it’s also the versatility and vibrance of the output. According to Mitchell, there’s nothing as simple or bright on the market right now. “The white ink is incredibly easy to use; the brilliance is so outrageous. They are flexible and elastic,” he says.

There are several options for printing with white ink. In the video above, Mitchell details over- and under-flood coats, spot color, and 3- and 5-layer printing. He also discusses how to lay down different amounts of white ink depending on what type of graphics you are printing. One of his favorite products for W series printers is HP Matte Polymeric Overlaminate. “HP has the Matte Polymeric Overlaminate as well as the Gloss. You can use them as a laminate, or you can print on them,” says Mitchell. “They both work beautifully and are an absolute ‘go to’ for me on this printer.”

Now that you’ve learned about the white ink in the HP Latex 700 W and 800 W printers, you can take a closer look at them in The LexJet Experience. If you have questions, contact a LexJet printer specialist at 800-453-9538.

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Prepare for Print Season with These February Rebates
Posted on by Jennifer Corn Posted in Promotions & Rebates, Technology & Products
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Prepare for Print Season with These February Rebates

Whether you’re preparing for pre-wedding season or post-football season, if a new printer is in your future, check out these savings from HP, Epson, and Canon:

HP:

Cash In & Trade Up and get up to $1,500 back when you purchase a qualified DesignJet printer, including the NEW HP DesignJet Z9+ Pro 64-in Printer.

To see all available Latex and DesignJet rebates, visit the HP rebates resource page HERE.

Epson:

Epson has a versatile line-up to fit your project from signage to canvas. Instantly save up to $5,000 when you purchase a new Epson printer. Choose from photo, solvent, and resin printers.

To find your new Epson, visit the Epson rebates resource page HERE.

Canon:

Right now, you can instantly save $470 on the PRO-Series 4100S or $575 on the PRO-Series 4100. Looking to add some POP to your prints? Get $650 instant savings when purchasing a PRO-Series GP-4000 with fluorescent ink.

Visit your Canon rebates resource page HERE.

For complete rebate information, visit our rebate resource pages. If you have questions about solutions, applications, or image durability, check out the printers in The LexJet Experience or contact a LexJet printer specialist at 800-453-9538.

Posted on by Jennifer Corn Posted in Technology & Products
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Four-Part Series: Temperature, Printhead, and Ink Improvements in the HP Latex 700 and 800 Series

In the first part of our four-part series, Latex expert Timothy Mitchell discussed the differences between the Latex 700 and 800 Series. In part two, he talks about some improvements over previous generations of latex printers.

In the video above, Mitchell takes you deeper into the technology improvements in these four new printers. These improvements can decrease your turn-around time and enhance your output from curing temperature to printheads to modular ink.

Curing Temperature:

With previous generations of latex printers, it was nearly impossible to use heat-sensitive media like polyester, polypropylene, or even paper. Printing on these media was possible by reducing the temperature and amount of ink and slowing the speed. But in doing so, the colors lost vibrancy, and the graphics took longer to produce.

With the curing temperatures lower – from 230° F to 195° F – you don’t have to decrease speed or ink levels, resulting in better saturation and warp-free graphics. “These printers, because they are running at such a lower temperature, it’s like an entire shift,” says Mitchell. “Everything I run is now going through the printer faster and at a lower temperature. As a result, I can put more ink down, and there’s no sacrifice in quality.”

Printheads:

HP made several improvements to the new printheads. There are now 3000 nozzles instead of 2112, meaning if there are clogs or low-performing nozzles, other nozzles will pick up the slack. The size of the drop is now 10 picolitres rather than 12. That means better dot placement for fine text and shading. Mitchell explains that other improvements include an elliptical shape nozzle and microcirculation to improve the performance of the ink.

“It’s a smaller drop, better drop accuracy with the elliptical nozzle, the printhead is user-replaceable, inexpensive, durable, and water-based,” he says. “The printheads are completely new, and they complement this new printer wonderfully.”

Modular Ink:

The new modular ink system has three components: the optimizer, increased pigments, and the overcoat. The optimizer – which keeps everything fixed to the media – has always been an essential part of HP’s ink and has not changed. The increased pigment gives this generation of printers an extensive color gamut.

The third component is the overcoat. The overcoat was part of the ink with the 300/500 series printers. But now, the overcoat has its own printhead and can be turned on or off, depending on the application. As Mitchell explains, “If you’re using a laminate workflow – cold lam or liquid lam – you turn the overcoat off. It will give you a better bond between the laminate and material.”

Now that you’ve learned some of the HP Latex 700 and 800 Series improvements, take a closer look at the printers in The LexJet Experience or contact a LexJet printer specialist at 800-453-9538. And, stay tuned for the final two installments of our four-part series. And, stay tuned for the final two installments of our four-part series.

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Posted on by Jennifer Corn Posted in Technology & Products
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Four-Part Series: Differences Between HP Latex 700 and 800 Series

Recently, we asked Timothy Mitchell to take a closer look at the new HP Latex 700 and 800 Series printers. In this four-part series, he will walk you through the differences between the two series, the innovative ink and printhead system, the new white ink, and he will walk you through the general printer information for all four printers.

Here is a quick overview of the technology behind the new printers. According to Mitchell, this generation is not about making modifications and changing the name. These printers are continuing to build on HP’s success with latex technology. “Almost every part of the printer has been adjusted, improved, updated, and innovated. It’s a new latex introduction,” says Mitchell. “But it still retains the hallmarks of latex: water-based ink, environmentally friendly, and safe for the user.”

Ink Cartridges:

The 800/800 W have 3-liter boxes and a reservoir tank, while the 700/700 W have 1-liter boxes with no reserve. Why does this matter? You get a lower cost per liter and a longer run time. “If you run out of ink in the box, it [the printer] will automatically switch over to the reserve tank,” says Mitchell. “It’s virtually impossible for you to run out of ink while unattended.”

The 1-liter inks in the 700/700 W series is an upgrade over the 775 mL of previous generations, but without the reservoir tank, it is possible to run out of ink if you are doing extended or unattended runs.

Speed:

While both series are faster than previous models, the 800/800 W is about 15% faster than its counterpart. So why are these printers faster than other generations? According to Mitchell, it’s due to the lower curing temperature. “Instead of printing at 230° F or 240° F, I’m going to be printing at 200° F or less, with more speed,” he says. “So, the prints are coming through quicker and at a lower temperature. More speed and more impact with less thermal deformation.”

Status Beacon:

One very noticeable difference between these two series is the flashing status beacon, a green/yellow/red light on the 800/800 W. Much like a traffic light, this multi-colored light will let you know if the printer is idle (solid green), working (flashing green), needs attention (flashing yellow), or completely stopped and something is wrong (flashing red). The beacon is an excellent way for production managers to run several printers and quickly identify any troubles with the fleet.

These are just a few of the differences. Be sure to click on the video above to learn more about the Latex 800 and 800 W from the 700 and 700 W and check out the HP printers in The LexJet Experience. Check back over the next few days to catch the rest of our four-part series.

 

If you still have questions, give us a call at 800-453-9538, and our printer specialists will be happy to help.

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Posted on by Jennifer Corn Posted in Case Studies & Profiles
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Working with LexJet is a “Win-Win” for Arrow Photo

In 1943, renowned American photographer Wynn Bullock started Arrow Photo, a small commercial photo lab in Santa Maria, Calif. As the business grew, so did the product offering. In the 1950s, then-owner Hank Datter added film processing. In 1979, Margrit Holmes joined the Arrow Photo family. About 11 years ago, Holmes purchased the company where she has dedicated much of her life.

When she bought Arrow Photo, Holmes made the difficult decision to split off the camera store to focus on offering the best output for her clients. “I realized that the only way I can be successful in these challenging times is by offering customer service, connecting with my clients, producing high-end products, and most of all, giving quality,” she says. “The only way you can give quality is to use quality products.”

Holmes works with both aqueous and dye-sublimation printers. She uses LexJet Sunset Reserve Gloss on her two EPSON P6000 printers for her canvas prints. Recently, she added a SureColor F6370 and Geo Knight Maxi Press Air to improve her ChromaLuxe process.

Holmes’ decision to bring in the heat press ChromaLuxe prints to her clients was easy. The unique look of the aluminum panels creates durable and eye-popping images. “We offer the high gloss and the matte because not everybody likes the high gloss,” she says. “The colors are punchier with the gloss, but we have a lot of customers who prefer the matte, and we have no re-dos.”

The desire to provide high-quality products and customer service to her clients is one of Holmes’ main reasons almost exclusively with LexJet. She enjoys the wide variety of products, fast delivery, and friendly service from LexJet. “In the beginning, I was only ordering canvas, and then I realized how many products you carry, now I order from LexJet,” she says. “It’s because of the service and the fast delivery time. Often, we have the product the next day or two days later.”

With her diverse clientele – anything from customers ordering family photos to large canvas or ChromaLuxe prints for hotels and hospitals – Holmes knows the importance of getting what she needs when she needs it. “For us to fulfill everybody’s needs and do it successfully, we must use quality products and have the material available when I need it,” she says. “And we have LexJet to back us up and support us.”

Knowing she can get products she loves and trusts on time is not the only reason Holmes has partnered with LexJet. Perhaps, more importantly, is knowing that when she needs help, she can call and get her personal sales manager, Terry Brown, on the phone. “I know Terry will be there for me if I need him. It’s about having that human connection, and that’s important”, she says. “I always appreciate companies that recognize that customer service is important, and there are so many companies getting away from that.”

With her long and storied history with a long and storied company, Margrit Holmes knows what it takes to make customers happy, and she values the partnership she has with Terry Brown and LexJet. “Perhaps if it weren’t for LexJet, we wouldn’t be so successful, so really it is a win-win,” she says.

We’d love to see how we can positively impact your business, too. Reach out to a LexJet sales specialist at 800-453-9538 or browse our wide variety of products at The LexJet Experience, a virtual world with everything LexJet has to offer.

Posted on by Jennifer Corn Posted in Technology & Products
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Floors, Walls, and Windows. Oh My!

There’s been a lot of talk about floor, wall, and window graphics lately, so we decided to go to Michael Clementi, LexJet’s in-house solutions expert, to discuss some of the most popular and easiest products to use for floor, wall, and window applications.

Clementi talks about several products in LexJet’s portfolio in the video above. Here are some of the highlights:

Floors –

When it comes to floor graphics, there are two options: a one-step solution or a two-step solution. Clementi suggests the one-step method for short-term graphics, and the two-step application will be down for an extended time.

“A product like LexJet Textured Indoor Floor and Wall has a slip-rated surface so you can print it and put it directly on the floor,” he says. “The two-step process requires you to have a printable product and a laminate. This solution is for medium to longer-term floors graphics.”

Walls –

Wall graphics offer everything from short-term needs (up to two years), to intermediate-term (up to five years), to long-term (7+ years). LexJet Solvent Print-N-Stick Fabric has been a favorite among LexJet clients for the past few years for many reasons. It images well and will last up to two years, but it is also easy to install for just about anyone, from kids to adults.

“The difference between Solvent Print-N-Stick and a regular calendered wall film is that Print-N-Stick is a fabric so airflow can go right through the product [reducing air bubbles],” says Clementi. “Also, there’s no overstretching it. If adhesive vinyl gets overstretched, it might not match the panel next to it.”

Windows –

For window solutions, there are several options: some visibility, total coverage, or privacy. Simple Low-Tack Clear and White are quick and easy options for minimal or full coverage and are great alternatives to static cling. LexJet Simple Perforated Window Vinyl 60/40 is the perfect “go-to” solution for privacy.

“Low Tack Clear and White have the same adhesive. It’s a very low tack microsphere adhesive that doesn’t have problems sticking to the release liner, and it won’t come up and ribbon on you at the edges when you are contour cutting like static cling can,” says Clementi. “The last alternative is window perf. It has 60% vinyl and 40% perforation, excellent for retail environments. The liner is super thick and holds the product extremely well, all the way through the print process and on to the install.”

For additional solutions, visit The LexJet Experience or contact a LexJet Applications Expert at 800-453-9538. And don’t forget to check out the video above to hear more from solutions expert Michael Clementi.