Advancing Digital Printing Knowledge SGI DUBAI 2018flaar-reports.org/.../2018/01/SGI-Dubai-2018-looking-forward-to_the_N… · Dubai is a peaceful location, where people from the

SGI DUBAI 2018

Looking forward to 2018Advancing Digital Printing Knowledge

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Looking forward to 2018

SGI DUBAI 2018Advancing Digital Printing Knowledge

Dr. Nicholas Hellmuth

January 2018

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Industrial printing, décor (decoration of homes, offices), and packaging printing (both prototype (printing samples) and short-run packaging printing): these are among the upcoming trends in the world of digital inkjet printing.

Textile printing is still growing and we look forward to all the textile printer brands at SGI 2018. But we will also be keeping an eye out on any and every kind of décor, industrial printing, and packaging prototypes (even basic print-and-cut systems can make packaging concept prototypes, as can CO2 laser cutters).

An excellent example of decor at a “signage” trade show. This is precisely the trend: printing anything and everything, more than signage.

Let’s be Innovative in 2018

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Décor can be printed with textile inks, latex inks, and UV-curing inks. Décor can also be printed with pigmented ink for fine art giclee (so Canon, HP, and Epson photo and giclee printers). For locations where residual odor is not an issue, solvent printing is also possible though obviously in many parts of the world the preference is to move to at least theoretically less eco-unfriendly inks.

Ceramic floor and wall tiles, glass, and architectural wall panels can all be printed with UV-curing printers or with special ceramic tile or special glass printers with specific inks and curing for slippery surfaces.

But even with the easier to print décor applications, we feel that wide-format inkjet printer expos should also be announced to architects and interior decorators. Since my Hellmuth family background is architecture (including the HOK office in Dubai), I recognize how much of digital printing could help architects if there was a manner of introducing them to these printers, such as a conference “Wide Format Inkjet for Architects & Interior Designers.” This conference should literally travel the world.

The goal is to help architects and interior designers understand which digital workflow can assist them, and to help distributors and factory brands of printers, inks, laminators, media, cutters, etc. to understand the potential of décor if architects knew more about their printers, inks, finishing, cutters, etc.

It is crucial to attract more architects to “sign” expos, and to suggest that “sign” expos should feature décor in their web pages and gradually in their expo brand name. But first, a traveling conference, continent by continent, is a crucial initial step.

Decor by AGFA at barberan booth

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T-shirts can be printed with screen, toner, direct-to-fabric, and dye sub ink via transfer paper. So we will be not only looking at these at year 2018 expos, but also testing our FLAAR T-shirt designs.

On the subject of print-and-cut, at SIGN EXPO ASIA co-located with APPPEXPO 2017 last month we noticed that over 90% of printer booths showed a print-and-cut solution in their booth. So we look forward to seeing print-and-cut solutions at SGI 2018. Nowadays even HP latex ink printers have a print-and-cut solution (with a cutter partner).

Brother T-shirt printer GT-3 series at Signtrade booth

T-shirt printed sample

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Another trend we noticed in the last month was the over 90% of printer booths at an expo were featuring backlit: either with backlit displays or just putting lighting under the printer (so the print sample could be understood to be suitable for backlit). Thus it helps to learn which media companies offer the printable materials which look great in a backlit setting.

Although signage is appropriately a focus of a sign expo, the trend worldwide is to offer other applications beyond just signs. Even 3D is a lot more than signage: 3D is also useful for museums and displays of comic book heroes, etc.

But of course all signage aspects are still strong at SGI 2018: car wrap, billboard printing, POP for stores, airports, etc. Plus, all this takes more than just a printer: so cutters, laminators: finishing equipment is essential to learn about. And on the subject of signs, LCD and especially LED lighting is crucial. LED is both for traditional signage and for dynamic digital signage.

Screen printing is still a viable workflow, especially for mass production of T-shirts.

SLA 3D printer Prismalab, Model Rapid400

Backlit samples at StarFlex booth.Backlit sample at Veralite booth.

LPFLEX booth with LED aplications.

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Toner printing is also a subject we enjoy writing about: articles all over the Internet still think that only inkjet in a desktop printer provides good color. Yet we at FLAAR Reports are now testing desktop toner printers and the colors were great. Plus, all the surface banding/blurring/ etc of toner printers of 20 years ago were no longer noticeable. So I look forward to doing test prints on desktop toner printers and on short-run digital presses. We bring out own designs (MayanToons.org shows the samples we print to review quality of toner printer brands and models).

Dr Nicholas will be a judge for the annual Wall of Fame, plus on one of the panels for discussion of wide-format inkjet printing.

Dubai is a peaceful location, where people from the Middle East and Africa and Europe can experience both the city, the UAE, and all the equipment and software and solutions available to study at SGI, Sign Middle East, Dubai 2018.

We look forward to seeing the entries for the Wall of Fame 2018; here is the winner from 2017.

Until our airplane lands at Dubai in one week we can’t show you a photo of the year 2018 entrance, but we show you the logos from the Sign Middle East web site.

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Dubai will soon beat Orlando and Florida in general for family attractions, so when you fly to Dubai, consider bringing your family. Dubai Garden Glow can be seen on their handsome web site: www.dubaigardenglow.com. We at FLAAR feel proud that we introduced the initial aspect of this family attraction three years ago. Although Dr Nicholas is best known for wide-format inkjet printer FLAAR Reports, he also writes children’s books about his experiences with awesome plants and fascinating birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects of Central America (visible on www.MayanToons.org).

Two of us from FLAAR Reports will attend SGI every day from January 14th to 16th, 2018, in Halls 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. We look forward to seeing you here in friendly Dubai, UAE.

SGI is organized by the experienced team of IEC (International Expo Consults). They also organize the important international expo DEAL (Dubai Entertainment Amusement & Leisure Show). And they organize the Dubai Garden Glow family destination.

www.SignMiddleEast.comwww.IECdubai.com

Marcelo and Dr Nicholas will attend SGI 2018 in Dubai. They are backed by the FLAAR Reports team you see here.

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We look forward to seeing, experiencing, learning about, and writing FLAAR Reports on lots of topics

As the first international level of printer trade show for 2018, it helps to have a list of what we will be looking for:

• Digital PRINTERS• Water-based printers• Textile printers• T-shirt printers• UV-curing printers (both roll-to-roll and

flatbed)• solvent printers• Latex printers• Short run digital presses• Office copiers-printers

FINISHING EQUIPMENT

• Cutters• Flatbed cutters• CO2 laser cutters• CNC routers• XY digital flatbed cutters• Roll-to-roll cutters• Laminators and Coaters

SOFTWARE

• RIP software• Color management tools

and software• Web to print software• Software to keep track of

your business

As the first international level of printer trade show for 2018, it helps to have a list of what we will be looking for:

• Digital PRINTERS• Water-based printers• Textile printers• T-shirt printers• UV-curing printers (both roll-to-roll and flatbed)• solvent printers• Latex printers• Short run digital presses• Office copiers-printers

INKS

• All kinds of inks for all kinds of applications

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Traditional Signage

Signs all over the world are still made with traditional equipment and materials. LED lights may be inside, but the structure and concept are traditional (which is a compliment).

LED Dynamic Digital Signage

Other signs worldwide are using LED and fed with dynamic digital graphic design and/or video.

3D

We look forward to seeing a lot more than only 3D printers. 3D printers are getting better every year (especially as new materials can be extruded or laid down by printheads). But there are so many other ways to make a 3D sign, or a 3D display: we look forward to exploring SGI 2018 in Dubai to learn every option.

In summary:

the goal is to show the world all the diverse ways to communicate visually. So we look forward to a diversity of visual communication concepts, equipment, workflow from the manufacturers, distributors, and visitors to SGI Dubai 2018

Traditional signage sample 3D sample

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Advancing Digital Printing Knowledge SGI DUBAI 2018flaar-reports.org/.../2018/01/SGI-Dubai-2018-looking-forward-to_the_N… · Dubai is a peaceful location, where people from the