SALES TEAM: 020 7842 1555
EMAIL: sales@designsupply.co.uk
SALES TEAM: 020 7842 1555
EMAIL: sales@designsupply.co.uk
This week we’ve rounded up genuine large-format printing news from the past week or so, plus a practical look at building a print-and-cut workflow that actually holds up in production.
This new 64″ roll-to-roll solvent printer bundles Epson’s 4-colour UltraChrome GS3 ink set with a Summa S1 D140 cutter, aimed squarely at sign shops producing wraps, stickers and decals from a single integrated workflow. It’s a timely launch given the growing demand for in-house print-and-cut setups — more on that below.
The new polypropylene-based films are chlorine-free and compatible with both UV inkjet and latex printing, with the manufacturer claiming up to 35% higher surface yield than comparable PVC media — good news for print shops fielding more sustainability questions from clients.
William Smith (UK) has rolled out a re-engineered, more repositionable adhesive on this popular wrap film, which remains compatible with latex, UV and eco-solvent inks — a useful upgrade for anyone doing vehicle graphics who’s had to fight bubbling or misalignment on tricky panel shapes.
The hybrid UV-curable ink has been certified for low chemical emissions, making it a stronger option for print jobs destined for schools, healthcare settings or other emission-sensitive environments.
Fujifilm has just confirmed its production print showcase for the show (booth N6042) in Las Vegas, with exhibitor and attendee preview activity already under way.
With Epson’s new print-and-cut bundle in the news, it’s a good moment to look at what actually makes an in-house print-and-cut workflow pay off — because bolting a cutter onto your existing printer isn’t always as simple as it looks.
Registration marks matter more than people expect. Whether you’re running an integrated print-and-cut device or a separate printer-plus-plotter setup, your RIP software needs to lay down accurate crop or registration marks that your cutter can read optically. A printer that drifts even slightly on media feed will throw off contour cuts on longer runs, so it’s worth checking your RIP’s calibration settings before committing to a big job, not after.
Decide early whether you need in-line or near-line cutting. An integrated unit (print and cut in one pass) saves floor space and handling time, which suits shorter runs of decals or small-batch signage. A separate flatbed or roll cutter gives you more flexibility on media thickness and lets one operator queue up printing while another handles finishing — often the better choice once volume grows. There’s no universally right answer; it comes down to your typical job mix and how much floor space and staff time you have to work with.
Don’t overlook blade and strip material wear. A cutter working through vinyl and wrap films daily needs its blade depth and cutting strip checked regularly — a worn strip is a common, easily-missed cause of inconsistent cuts that gets blamed on the printer instead.
If you’re weighing up a print-and-cut upgrade, or just need to restock media, ink or cutting consumables, get in touch with the team and we’ll talk through what actually fits your workflow rather than just what’s newest on the market.
As a reminder, we’re now in our 36th year supplying large format printer solutions and have sold over 7,000 printers to architects, photographers and signage businesses across the UK — more about us here.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
