Roland DG proudly announces they will demonstrate the largest range of advanced print & cut, UV-LED and dye-sublimation solutions at FESPA Global Print Expo 2018. Europe’s leading exhibition for the wide-format print industry takes place in Berlin, Germany, from 15 - 18 May 2018.

Roland DG Corporation is a leading supplier of digital print technologies with more than 35 years’ manufacturing expertise. The company is recognised across the industry for its high quality and reliable solutions and is the number 1 print & cut brand*1 with more than 116,000 devices sold worldwide*2.

The Roland booth at FESPA (Hall 2.2 Booth B20) will accommodate the widest range of solutions across six areas:

- Print & Cut, demonstrating Roland’s latest generation TrueVIS eco-solvent wide-format printer/cutters;

- Print then Cut, highlighting Roland’s SOLJET and VersaEXPRESS eco-solvent wide-format printers and CAMM-1 GR series cutters;

- Personalisation & Retail, displaying the Roland VersaUV LEF desktop UV-LED series;

- Roland’s VersaUV industrial flatbed and hybrid devices;

- Dye-sublimation, featuring the Roland Texart XT-640;

- Small device zone with desktop printers and cutters, and engraving systems.

At the hospitality area a broad range of inspirational ‘real-life’ applications will showcase the versatility and quality output produced on Roland DG systems.

Gillian Montanaro, Head of Marketing at Roland DG EMEA, comments: “Our main theme for FESPA will be ‘What matters to you, inspires what we do’. This underpins our on-going customer commitment and dedication. Our local teams work very closely together with customers and partners, to drive our technology developments and product offering. We want to acknowledge and reward them at FESPA for their loyalty and to inspire and inform those who are currently unfamiliar with our technology as to its incredible potential.”

The following key solutions will be demonstrated at FESPA on the Roland DG stand:

TrueVIS. Print & cut eco-solvent wide-format solutions

Having introduced eco-solvent wide-format printer/cutters more than 20 years ago, Roland DG continues to be the number one choice for durable graphics worldwide*1. Recognising the need to continuously move the market forward, the company introduced the TrueVIS range. Roland’s current ‘no compromise’ campaign demonstrates the key ways in which TrueVIS delivers ‘true print & cut without compromise’ in terms of quality, versatility, productivity, reliability and return on investment.

Roland TrueVIS VG-640/540 (1625 mm and 1371 mm) and SG-540/300 (1371 mm and 762 mm) printer/cutters are equipped with newly-developed Roland DG FlexFire printheads, which allow better control of the ink chamber plate, for a higher firing frequency. The FlexFire printheads also deliver precision droplet placement in three sizes, and an approximately 25% wider print pass compared to previous Roland DG models. The combination of the FlexFire heads and TrueVIS INK delivers stunning fine details and vibrant colours at a production speed of 10.6m2 per hour in High Quality mode on vinyl and up to 34.7m2 per hour on banner in dual CMYK ink configuration*3.

Print then cut solutions

Roland has a range of options for Print Service Providers looking for a separate print and cut solution, including the award-winning Roland SOLJET EJ-640 eco-solvent printer. The EJ-640 has been recognised for its outstanding performance and delivers productivity and quality output, at low operating costs. Advanced features include an integrated tri-heater system, excellent media compatibility, precise media transit, Roland VersaWorks Dual PDF-based RIP, and Roland OnSupport remote monitoring software which means unattended printing is easier than ever.

Also on the booth will be Roland’s advanced yet affordable VersaEXPRESS RF-640 eco-solvent printer. The EJ-640 or RF-640 can be configured either as stand-alone devices or paired with a cutter, such as a Roland GR series, as an integral part of an efficient print then cut workflow.

New generation professional vinyl cutters

Only last year, Roland DG introduced a new generation of professional vinyl cutters to its CAMM-1 series, the Roland GR-640/540/420. The GR series has been totally redesigned to deliver best-in-class cutting quality and productivity due to increased accuracy, speed, media versatility and additional state-of-the-art cutting features. The new ergonomic L-shaped design of the integrated stand and machine ensures stability and precision cutting, even at high speed, and for difficult media with a single cut. Models are available in 1651mm, 1397mm and 1075mm cutting widths to allow users to pair them with the inkjet printers they are currently using.

Montanaro adds: “The cutting industry has become increasingly diverse. In addition to sign making, cutting now includes the production of window and vehicle graphics, window tinting and car protection film for automotive restyling, personalised apparel, labels and decals, packaging prototypes, paint/sandblast stencils and more. The breadth of applications demands the ability to handle a wide range of materials of varying thicknesses, such as window tint, reflective film, heat transfer materials including flock and glitter, cardboard, and sandblast mask. The GR series makes all this possible.”

Dye-sublimation with fluorescent inks for fashion and sports apparel

In the fashion apparel field, trend cycles are becoming shorter with a growing need for personalisation that reflects individual preferences and lifestyles. In the field of sports apparel, highly functional polyester materials such as sweat-absorbing, quick-drying and dry-touch features have become increasingly popular.

Digital printers such as the Roland Texart XT-640 can quickly provide custom one-off and small-lot production. The Roland Texart XT-640 is a dye-sublimation transfer printer designed especially for the production of textile decoration, sports and fashion apparel, soft signs, polyester banners and flags, curtains and other interior décor as well as promotional goods and personalised gifts. The Roland Texart XT-640 features dual printheads to achieve high-speed performance at a usable print speed of 41m2/h. The rail and frame structure has been reinforced to enable highly detailed printing with precise ink droplet placement.

Optimised for dye-sublimation transfer printing, Roland Texart inks deliver bold and vibrant colours and deep, rich blacks. Orange, Violet, Fluorescent Pink and Fluorescent Yellow combine with Roland DG’s Texart process ink colours to produce hundreds of vivid fluorescent hues. The proprietary Roland DG Fluor Color Library swatch palette can be installed in Adobe? Illustrator? and CorelDRAW? for unmatched ease of use and colour customisation. Simply clicking the desired colours in the swatch palette allows for quick and easy incorporation of pastel colours and eye-catching fluorescents into the dye-sublimation output.

UV-LED flatbed printer which takes productivity to a higher level

The trend for highly personalised items is growing and customers are using Roland’s VersaUV LEF printers to build profitable businesses by providing on-demand custom printing services for a range of personalised products via e-commerce sites, retail kiosks or as an addition to their existing print shops. The Roland LEF-300 model brings the VersaUV series into the mass production environment with a number of features to facilitate the customisation and decoration of items in high volumes.

At FESPA Roland will demonstrate the VersaUV LEF-300 and LEF-12i, from the series of UV-LED flatbed inkjet printers. Exciting production-boosting features on the Roland LEF-300 include an enlarged printing area of 770mm wide by 330mm long. With the Roland LEF-300 it is possible to print on a wide variety of substrates including acrylic, wood, board, plastic, metal, glass plus fabrics and soft materials such as leather and eco-leather*4.

A vacuum table makes it easy to hold thin and soft materials in place. The device directly prints onto a huge range of items including pens, mobile phone cases, customised corporate merchandise, signs, personalised awards, giftware, industrial goods, product prototypes and much more.

Gregory Bilsen, recently appointed President of Roland DG EMEA, concludes: “The past few years Roland DG has introduced quite a number of innovative solutions to the market. We are very pleased this now crystallises at FESPA into an amazingly broad and versatile product offering, fitting every possible need and application. Our motivated European team will substantiate the theme ‘What matters to you, inspires what we do’, reflecting the Roland values of respect and partnership. We all very much look forward to welcoming existing and new customers and partners to our booth.”