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Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in Case Studies & Profiles
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Proof Positive: How the Epson T5000 Helps Ensure Perfect Package Printing

Epson T5000 at Printed Specialties

Printed Specialties prints packaging for some of the most prominent brands in the world. Given that, and the complexities of the printing process, every step that brings package design to printed reality must be spot-on.

One of those steps is the positioning proof, which ensures that what goes to press is properly placed. This is the final step before the design goes to the plate for printing.

Printed Specialties recently added an Epson SureColor T5000 technical printer to bring additional speed and accuracy to this crucial step.

“We use the T5000 for position proofs (digital bluelines) because we do not want to find mistakes when we go to plate. We’ve already made a color contract proof on our Epson 9900, and this verifies what will be on the press,” explains Adam Van Horn, pre-media manager for Printed Specialties. “It’s fantastic. It’s super-fast and that’s the main goal. It’s far superior to the other inkjet printers we had. We can view small type and part numbers on the proof to verify one more time the gang of different items are accurate, and that’s critical for us. We use LexJet 46# Simple Bond WR paper and let it fly.”

For a video overview of Epson’s next-generation SureColor T-Series wide format inkjet printers, click here.

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in News & Trends, Technology & Products
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LexJet Now Supplies In-Line Primers for HP Indigo 20000 and 30000 Digital Presses

HP Indigo 30000
Michelman DigiPrime in-line primers for HP Indigo 20000 and 30000 digital presses are available exclusively through LexJet in the U.S. and Canada.

The first HP Indigo 20000 and 30000 digital presses are being installed, and LexJet now provides the premier in-line primers for those presses through LexJet’s North American Delivery Network to ensure shorter lead times, lower shipping costs, and less hassle with winter shipping.

The primers available exclusively through LexJet include Michelman DigiPrime 050 (DP050) for the HP Indigo 20000 and Michelman DigiPrime 060 (DP060) for the HP Indigo 30000.

“Our sole purpose is to ensure our HP Indigo customers maximize their print quality and production, and to ensure they have the latest and most technically-advanced products to meet their needs,” says Tom Hauenstein, LexJet technical sales representative, who provides sales, product application and technical support to digital press customers in North America.

DigiPrime 050 prepares film and metallized film for printing to improve the transfer and adhesion of HP Indigo Electroinks to the substrate, and is suitable for use in food packaging. DigiPrime 060 improves ink transfer and adhesion for paperboard and metallized paperboard used in folding box and carton printing with the HP Indigo 30000.

Additionally, LexJet offers an extensive line of in-line, off-line and custom primers, as well as over print varnishes for HP Indigo digital presses, including the HP Indigo ws6000 series, w7200 series and the w3250 series.

For more information about LexJet and its line of primers, coatings and over varnishes for digital presses, go to www.lexjet.com/primers or call 800-453-9538.

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in Case Studies & Profiles
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Video: Berea Printing Reviews Sunset Canvas

In the video above, Berea Printing’s production manager, Phil Crawford is “returning the favor,” something he does on a regular basis through his YouTube channel, The Promo Video.

Berea Printing Sunset Canvas“I’ve done several product reviews; it helps with our YouTube rankings and they’re informative. I spend a lot of time looking on YouTube looking for products and services. YouTube is a great resource. This is a way to give back and help someone else figure out something. It’s a way of returning the favor,” says Crawford.

Berea Printing, based in Berea, Ohio, just south of Cleveland, has been in business since 1967. Crawford joined the company in 1997 and has seen it transition from analog offset to a fully digital shop, both on the commercial side with three Konica 8000s, and the wide format side with the HP Latex 25500 Printer.

In addition to traditional commercial printing applications like catalogs and brochures, the company specializes in specialty printing for marketing and promotions. Wide format printing is an integral part of that specialty mix.

“We create a lot of marketing products. Wide format printing has come in handy for us to create specialty items and interesting products because our customers want something unique and eye-catching,” says Crawford. “Our dominant wide-format product is LexJet Simple Adhesive Vinyl SUV, which we use as a poster material on foam board. It’s the most consistent vinyl we’ve tried… hands-down.”

Regarding this review of Sunset Production Gloss Canvas SUV, Crawford says: “We’ve tried a lot of canvas materials, and the canvas Erin Krcmar [Crawford’s LexJet rep] sent me was clearly the best material. Most of the canvas material we’ve tried, if you rubbed it or looked at it wrong, the ink would fall off of it, and when you stapled the canvas, it would tear, which was a big problem. This stuff is great, and it’s inexpensive.”

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in News & Trends
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LexJet’s Tom Hauenstein Named to Technical Advisory Board

Tom Hauenstein Color Management Guru
A snapshot from Tom’s article on choosing inkjet media that maximizes color gamut.

LexJet’s own Tom Hauenstein was recently named to the Technical Advisory Board for Sign & Digital Graphics magazine. You may remember Tom from such nationwide color management seminar tours as the Great Output Tour, which ran from 2007-2009.

Tom is a technical sales specialist for LexJet’s line of primers and coatings for HP Indigo presses, and brings his expertise in the printing process and color management to commercial and large-format printing customers across the U.S.

Tom is not only one of the most knowledgeable resources in the printing industry, as acknowledged by his inclusion on the Technical Advisory Board, but is a valuable educational resource for everyone at LexJet. His willingness to help his LexJet teammates ultimately translates into a better experience for LexJet’s customers.

“Tom really knows his stuff, understands our readership, and is great at explaining complex technical ideas to non-technical people,” says Ken Mergentime, executive editor for Sign & Digital Graphics magazine. “If I get a technical color-related article from someone, I can count on Tom to fact-check it for me and ensure its accuracy.”

Tom has written three articles for Sign & Digital Graphics since October 2012. You can pick up some great information and tips as two of his articles are currently available online:

Understanding Metamerism (March 2013 issue)
http://sdgmag.com/article/printing-finishing/metameric-failure

More than just a RIP (July 2013)
http://sdgmag.com/article/printing-finishing/more-than-just-rip

Tom also penned an article about maximizing color gamut by choosing the
right print media in the October 2012 issue Sign & Digital Graphics
magazine, page 33, which you can read online at: http://read.uberflip.com/i/91176

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in News & Trends, Technology & Products
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LexJet Now Supplies Primers for HP Indigo Presses

LexJet, which has taken over sales and support of the full range of Michelman primers for HP Indigo digital presses and Utopia Digital Coatings products, brings its extensive background and expertise in the wide-format inkjet printing market, logistics and shipping power, and customer-oriented business model to HP Indigo users.

Michelman primers for Indigo at LexJet“Michelman enthusiastically welcomes LexJet as a channel partner for the United States and Canada for our digital product portfolio. Their complementary product lines, sales expertise and energy will help Michelman grow rapidly in this important market segment. I am excited to work with the LexJet organization toward servicing our digital customer’s needs,” says Ginger Cushing, Business Manager Americas, Flexible Packaging at Michelman.

Primers now sold and supported by LexJet include the Michelman DigiPrime and Utopia DigiLume lines, In-Line Primers, Sapphire 5% Primer, DigiGuard Over Print Varnish, Indicator Solutions, Levia Custom Digital Coatings and Topaz 17 Solvent Primer.

LexJet will also carry the new Avatrex Transportable Imaging technology, a 2012 InterTech Award recipient. Avatrex Transportable Imaging is a thin, multi-layer coating with built-in adhesive and protection properties that can be printed with a variety of print platforms and transported to practically any surface.

“We’re excited about the opportunity to serve the HP Indigo digital press market, not only with Michelman’s and Utopia’s world-class primers, but also by developing new products that give our customers an edge in their market,” says Tom Hauenstein, LexJet technical sales representative, who will provide sales, product application and technical support to customers.

LexJet provides its customers with free personal service and support right away; products stocked in additional warehouses to ensure shorter lead times, lower shipping costs and less hassle with winter shipping; and an online ordering system that will be based on customer needs and feedback.

For more information about LexJet and its line of Michelman primers and Utopia Digital Coatings for HP Indigo digital presses, go to www.lexjet.com, or call 800-453-9538.

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in News & Trends, Technology & Products
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Avatrex Transportable Imaging Receives 2012 InterTech Technology Award

Avatrex Transportable Imaging was named as a recipient of a 2012 InterTech Technology Award that judges selected for being truly innovative and for the significant impact the technology is expected to have on the graphic communications industry.

Award winning product for the graphic arts industryAvatrex Transportable Imaging is a thin, multi-layer coating with built-in adhesive and protection properties that can be printed with a variety of print platforms and transported to practically any surface.

Printing Industries of America recently selected 12 technologies to receive a 2012 InterTech Technology Award from a variety of technology nominations ranging from digital presses and related enhancements to a variety of mobile and Web-based software for the printing industry.

“The judges were impressed with Avatrex’s remarkable versatility – it can produce high quality images with most printing processes and bond to virtually any surface,” said Dr. Mark Bohan, vice president, Technology and Research, Printing Industries of America. “The coating technology that underlies Avatrex allows images to be used in ways previously not thought possible.”

Avatrex Transportable Imaging works across a variety of print platforms, including virtually all digital and traditional print methods: offset, flexo, screen printing, inkjet (aqueous, latex, solvent, low-solvent and UV-curable) HP Indigo and dry toner systems.

New technology for the sign and graphics market
Thomas Reprographics used LexJet Infinium, which is based on Avatrex Transportable Imaging technology, to produce these antinqued signs for a restaurant chain. Andrew McConnell of Thomas Reprographics says Infinium's ability to conform to the painted aluminum blanks made the signs look more authentic than a vinyl application.

Some of the commercial printing applications include book covers of all types, packaging and specialty labels. And, since Avatrex Transportable Imaging takes on the color and texture of the substrate, heavily textured or embossed surfaces can now be decorated with full-color, photographic images and graphics.

LexJet Infinium, which was introduced in December of 2011, is based on Avatrex Transportable Imaging technology, and is compatible with latex, solvent and low-solvent wide-format printers.

“Its significance lies in its avatar-like ability to take on the look, color and texture of whatever surface it is applied to, disappear into that surface and essentially become part of that surface, while at the same time be impervious to UV light, water, temperature and contaminants because of its inherent protective layer,” explains Ralph Giammarco, one of the developers of Avatrex Transportable Imaging. “Avatrex is the first technology to address the increasingly customized requirements of the printer.”

Beyond its application and print platform versatility, Avatrex Transportable Imaging is water-based, contains no VOCs, the carrier can be turned over and re-used as a white backer for many applications to minimize waste, and a separate laminate is not required, which cuts down on labor, time, materials and cost.

The InterTech star, a symbol of technological innovation and excellence, will be presented before an audience of industry leaders during the 2012 Premier Print Awards Gala featuring the InterTech Technology Awards and web2awards, Oct. 7, in Chicago, Illinois.

A technology review booklet showcasing all of the entries will be produced and distributed this fall at GRAPH EXPO 2012 and with the September issue of Printing Industries of America—The Magazine; the booklet will also be available at www.printing.org/InterTech.

For more information about Avatrex Transportable Imaging go to www.avatrex.com. And, to find out more about LexJet Infinium, contact a LexJet customer specialist at 800-453-9538.