Thursday, 01 Sep 2016 11:01 GMT

In case you missed it from August...

SignLink brings you a choice pick of all the quirky, fun, technical, and business news from August that proves just how creative and colorful our industry is

When Shelley discovered sublimation

Designer Shelley Fields of Pure and Simple Solutions was seeking a system to give her flexibility in the production of soft furnishings and textiles. Working from home she sewed pillows, bags and various personalised items for friends and family. Then she set up a website and a store on Etsy.com, but she knew she needed an edge over other entrepreneurs selling similar products.

I monitored social media a lot to keep up with current trends - what was hot and what was not”

Fields says: “If I was making something similar, I wanted to stand out a bit. I monitored social media a lot to keep up with current trends - what was hot and what was not. In doing so, I stumbled upon sublimation.”

Robin Kavanagh of the American firm Sawgrass, which manufacture integrated printers, ink and software for the sublimation process explains: “Sublimation ink isn’t really ink, but rather solid dye particles suspended in a carrier fluid. When it is printed onto transfer paper, the colours are muted and will remain so until the right amount of heat and pressure is applied in the press. When this happens, the dye solids turn into gas, the polymers on the substrate open up and the pressure pushes the gas into the polymer molecules. As the substrate cools, the polymers close and the gas solidifies, making the now vibrant colour a permanent part of the substrate’s surface.”   

He says that the process is quick, easy and above all cheap with a start-up system for a small business around £1,000.

Managing waste better

Waste management specialists, J and G Environmental, have been advising their clients of recent changes. Firstly, premises no longer need to register as hazardous waste producers with the Environment Agency, saving £18 and paperwork. However, businesses in Wales will still need to register with Natural Resources Wales.


Recent changes mean print businesses that produce hazardous waste no longer
have to register

Secondly, when hazardous waste is removed, the six figure code used to identify companies used to be their registration number. Now this will be taken from the first six letters of the organisation’s name; organisations with less than six letters will use ‘Q’ as a substitute.

EFI promises productivity spike

EFI has launched version 4.0 of its now much applauded Midmarket Print Productivity Suite, which it describes as a “rich collection of print specific components, which deliver certified, end-to-end business and production workflows.

This makes it faster and easier for printing companies to evolve to a streamlined, highly efficient mode of operation while enabling new sources of revenue.”

One of the first UK customer’s to the technology is Swindon-based ESP Colour, which chose the software, which has EFI Pace MIS at its core, because it augments the company's client-focused approach to production automation.

The reason we purchased the Midmarket Print Suite is to reduce touch points, enhance integration and transactions with clients in a completely automated fashion”

“The reason we purchased the Midmarket Print Suite is to reduce touch points, enhance integration and transactions with clients in a completely automated fashion,” says ESP Colour Group’s finance director Simon Smogur, he adds: “EFI will enhance our business capabilities and our customers’ journey.”

Interior design focus for film range

As a response to demand for textile decoration, APA has launched a new film range with a focus on interior design. Four categories of film have been created—cover, creative, printing, and window. These adapt to surfaces such as furniture, white goods, walls, floors, and glass panes.

The cover range provides a hard coat vinyl that offers high surface resistant, ideal for surfaces prone to scratches. The creative range has high conformability and softness, suitable for full-scale covering and wrapping.

The ‘printing’ range assembles self-adhesive film and paper specifically studied for the function, in the presence of a solvent-based, latex and UV inks. The ‘window’ range features coloured, frost, and sandblast transparent films for high quality graphics for surfaces such as windows.

More applications possible on Rotax

Azonprinter has released a new range of innovative technology designed for the personalisation and  promotional product market, including the Azon Razor Conti, Azon Mason, and Azon RIP software.


Azonprinter’s Rotax system has been updated to print on more challenging objects

The Azon Razor Conti is an A3 machine with a printing size of 290 x 800mm, while the Azon Mason wide-format UV LED machine has a maximum printing area of 590 x 750mm.

Its Rotax ‘plug and play’ system for bottle printing has been updated with a specially designed rotary adapter, making it possible to print more varied applications such as wine glasses, candles, vases, tubes, cans, awards, and more.

Dazzling performance from Holo-Gauze

3D display solution for hologram effects, Holo-Gauze, helped to make the Eurovision Song Contest that little bit more special with three 3 x 5m screens displaying stunning visuals.

Holo-Gauze is ideal for live events such as this, allowing live performers to be situated behind our near-invisible gauze while visually stunning holographic effects appear to float in front of them”

“I was thrilled to be asked to help out with what is sure to be seen as the most professional and most visually arresting Eurovision ever,” says Holo-Gauze inventor Stuart Warren-Hill, adding: “Holo-Gauze is ideal for live events such as this, allowing live performers to be situated behind our near-invisible gauze while visually stunning holographic effects appear to float in front of them.”