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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.

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in Promotions & Rebates
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New Instant Rebate Promo for the EPSON SureColor S30670 Printer

Video preview of Epson's new low solvent printerIn addition to Epson’s current round of mail-in and instant rebates on its Stylus Pro line of printers, Epson announced today that it is also offering a $700 instant rebate on the EPSON SureColor S30670 printer.

The 64-inch low-solvent wide-format inkjet printer, which is now available at LexJet, is a four-color (CMYK) printer with one printhead with a draft speed of 620 square feet per hour that lists for $16,995.

The new printer incorporates Epson’s latest technology and uses the EPSON MicroPiezo TFP printheads to deliver extremely small droplet sizes and four times the nozzles of Epson’s previous solvent printer for extremely fast print speeds.

To see a review of the Epson SureColor S30670, click here. For loading media and print options, click here, and for printer setup videos, click here. If you have any questions, or need more information, contact a LexJet customer specialist at 800-453-9538.

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in Technology & Products
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Epson Introduces Two New Low-Solvent S-Series Printers Due in Q4 2012

Low solvent printers for signs, vehicles and banners
The EPSON SureColor S70670, one of three new 64"-wide low-solvent printers from Epson, is an eight-color printer with optional white and metallic inks.

Epson America today introduced the latest printers in its 64-inch-wide low-solvent line: The EPSON SureColor S50670 and S70670. Both the EPSON SureColor S50670 and S70670 are expected to be available in the fall of 2012 at LexJet for a list price of $25,995 each.

To see a review of the first printer in the S-Series, the SureColor S30670, click here. The difference between the three printers is basically in the ink sets and the number of printheads, which also affects price, speed and print quality.

The SureColor S30670 is a four-color (CMYK) printer with one printhead with a draft speed of 620 square feet per hour that lists for $16,995. The SureColor S50670 has dual CMYK with an optional white and two printheads with a draft speed of 980 square feet per hour. The SureColor S70670 features CMYK, Lc, Lm, Lk and Or, plus an optional white and metallic ink with two printheads and a draft speed of 550 square feet per hour.

The new printers incorporate Epson’s latest technology and use the EPSON MicroPiezo TFP printheads to deliver extremely small droplet sizes and four times the nozzles of Epson’s previous solvent printer for extremely fast print speeds.

According to Epson, the printheads have been under development for over 20 years, and is the first time the dual array printhead is being used with a solvent ink technology. To match the capabilities of this new printhead, Epson developed new solvent-based inks. Featured on the SureColor S50670, EPSON UltraChrome GS2 ink delivers up to five colors with a new high density White ink to accommodate a broad range of indoor and outdoor signage applications.

The new EPSON UltraChrome GSX ink, featured on the SureColor S70670, delivers up to ten colors (a first for solvent printers, according to Epson), including an optional White and Silver Metallic, as well as a standard Light Black for improved grayscale and reduced metamerism.

The SureColor S-Series is built on an all new print engine and includes three new models offering varying performance and feature sets to accommodate a range of signage, vehicle graphics and fine art solvent printing needs.

Each model in the SureColor S-Series integrates an entirely new print engine and introduces new convenience features that help automate previously time-consuming processes such as nozzles checks, media feed adjustments and tensioning, and complicated media and printhead alignments. Additional features include:

Take-Up Reel System: Efficient take-up reel for unattended production of large print runs supporting both wind-in or wind-out; standard heavy roll support in rear for up to 90 pound roll with motorized take-in; optional high-capacity roll support for rolls up to 150 pounds.

Roll Media Loading: All new spindle-less design with manual Epson LiftAssist allows for easy loading and unloading of heavy roll media.

High-Capacity Ink System: Individual ink cartridges up to 700 mL enable users to avoid production downtimes and maximize profitability; the S50670 offers 1400 mL of installed ink per color for maximum productivity.  Each printer in the series is designed exclusively for use with EPSON ink cartridges for greater reliability.

Control Panel: Full color LCD panel provides easy access to menu items and controls.

Included ONYX RIP Software: Epson has partnered with Onyx Graphics, the leading manufacturer of signage RIP software, to include a customized, fully functional version of Onyx’s standard layout RIP, including the full Pantone color library with each S-Series printer. This layout RIP will also include over 100 media profiles for standard media.

Media Heater and High-Speed Dryer: Individually controlled pre, platen and post heaters for optimum media support all controlled via a front control panel or front-end RIP software; additional high-speed dryer (standard on the SureColor S50670 and optional on the S30670 and S70670) provides additional drying for fast print speeds.

The SureColor S-series offer a standard EPSON Preferred Limited Warranty, a one-year program that includes toll-free advanced telephone access Monday through Friday and usually next business-day on-site service in the unlikely event of any hardware failure. Epson Preferred Plus service plans are available that cover both the hardware and software for up to two additional years.

For more information, visit www.proimaging.epson.com, or call a LexJet customer specialist at 800-453-9538.

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in Technology & Products
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Epson SureColor S30670 Printer Review

Wide format inkjet printer reviewLexJet’s director of technical support, Adam Hannig, has been putting Epson’s new SureColor S30670 low-solvent inkjet printer through its paces over the past few months.

“With great image quality, better print speeds and improvements in media loading and the take-up reel system, Epson has taken a big step forward with its second generation of solvent printers,” says Hannig.

The new SureColor printer includes a variety of new features to aid in faster, more efficient and higher fidelity production printing, such as a take-up reel system designed for unattended production of large print runs, a LiftAssist that allows one operator to handle heavy roll media, a high-capacity ink system and print speeds of up to 619 square feet per hour in draft mode, and more.

Though there are improvements on the GS6000 found in the SureColor S30670, Epson’s Reed Hecht says the printer is not designed as a replacement. Rather, the GS6000 is geared toward applications for print shops that require a wider color gamut and need to hit specific spot colors, while the SureColor is geared more toward high-quality production at an entry-level price point.

You can hear more from Adam about the S30670, and its new features, in the video embedded below. If you have any questions about Epson’s newest printer technology, contact a LexJet customer specialist at 800-453-9538.

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in Promotions & Rebates
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This Month Only: Save $50 on a 54″ x 100′ Roll of Solvent Photo Tex

Printing wall murals on an adhesive backed fabricYou may remember Photo Tex from such LexJet Blog posts as: Solving a Maze with Inkjet Printing on a Ceiling, How to Apply Wall Graphics with Photo Tex, and Printing the Big Picture for Conferences and Trade Shows, among many others.

The point is, this extremely versatile, easy-to-work-with-apply-and-remove inkjet printable fabric has become one of the most popular inkjet materials in the market over the past few years for applications as wide ranging as die-cut wall graphics, full wall murals, window graphics and even temporary vehicle graphics.

And now, the solvent/low-solvent version of Photo Tex is on sale this month only, today through June 30. So, when you buy a 54″ x 100′ roll of Solvent Photo Tex you’ll get $50 off the regular price. If you buy online, use Promo Code PTSFR. We suggest you stock up with one order (the promotion is limited to one order only) as your savings will obviously increase with each roll purchased.

As a reminder, Photo Tex is an adhesive-backed fabric with a special adhesive that makes a cinch to apply and remove and leaves no residue behind. One of the lesser-known qualities is the ability to take it down and repeatedly re-use it. Photo Tex works well for life-size photographic cut-outs, wall murals, windows, doors, sign boards, backlits and other flat, non-porous surfaces.

For more information about Photo Tex, both Solvent and Aqueous versions, and this $50 off promotion, contact a LexJet customer specialist at 800-453-9538. And, see how easy Photo Tex is to work with and install in the video below…

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in Technology & Products
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CBS Outdoor and Titan Approved MetroMark Transit Vinyl Available in 62-Inch Widths

Transit advertising graphicsDesigned for outdoor transit applications and CBS Outdoor and Titan approved, MetroMark Transit Vinyl will be available in 62-inch widths at LexJet in mid-June, but you can pre-order the product now. This is good news since bus posters are typically 30 inches wide, so you’ll have less waste when you print two-up. Other sizes include 54″ x 150′, 54″ x 20′, 54″ x 300′, 64″ x 150′, 64″ x 300′, 64″ x 300′ (six-inch core) and 64″ x 750′.

“We love using MetroMark. It was easy to profile, prints consistent and reliable with great image quality, it applies quickly, and removes without heat. MetroMark has all the right features at a great price,” says Keith Bernard, owner of Road Signs Inc., Sarasota, Fla.

MetroMark Transit Vinyl is designed for outdoor transit applications like bus kings, queens and tail posters. It’s a 3.5-mil opaque, flexible vinyl with a matte finish, compatible with solvent, low-solvent, UV-curable and latex inks. The vinyl can also be layered if need be.

It can be used for temporary transit advertising programs. With a one-year removable adhesive it’s easy to take off and swap out at the end of the program. And, at around 22 cents per square foot, it’s an economical way to get your customer’s message across in transit.

For more information about MetroMark Transit Vinyl, as well as LexJet solutions for a variety of applications, contact a LexJet customer specialist at 800-453-9538.