By Melissa Donovan
As print shops look to become more efficient, one area to consider is hardware—specifically roll-to-roll (R2R) printers. The newest models address the efficiency of the entire print workflow, enhancing practices like quick media changeovers with automated methods, employing larger ink systems to minimize downtime, and running intelligent software programs that monitor the print process in real time. This is for printers poised at the higher end of the production spectrum, measuring up to five meters in width down to 44- and 60-inch models.
These advancements are seen across all ink segments, from UV and its sub-categories to resin/latex, aqueous, and solvents. Further updates are inevitable as demand for efficiency grows. Print service providers (PSPs) are pushed to rely on efficient, productive R2R devices because of a dynamic market that is ever-shifting as customers request fast turnarounds and versatility in media offerings.
Above: swissQprint Karibu 2 wide format printer.
Offering Efficiency
R2R printers incorporate efficiency in multiple ways. Three segments to note are operational, energy, and software.
Operational
One advancement is operational efficiency. John Ingraham, senior product marketing specialist, Canon U.S.A., Inc., defines operational efficiency as “maximizing running the printer without having to stop to maintain the printer.”
Physical examples are mechanisms that enable quick changeovers between different materials and automated media take-up systems, as well as more efficient ink containers—bags versus cartridges. In all cases, the features are designed to eliminate manual error and create continuous efficient practices on the shop floor.
According to Lewis Jones, segment specialist, sign and graphics, Mimaki USA, Inc., “today’s roll-based printers are designed to deliver higher productivity and help PSPs streamline operations and lower costs. Higher productivity is enabled through improvements such as the ability to achieve high image quality at faster print speeds. On-board technologies such as automatic nozzle check and recovery systems, as well as larger ink supplies also help to significantly reduce downtime.”
“Efficiency is important to PSPs as a smooth, efficient workflow contributes greatly to overall productivity and profitability,” explains Daniel Valade, product manager of digital print, Roland DGA Corporation. The Roland TrueVIS VG3 eco-solvent printer series includes automatic media gap adjustment, “which makes printer setup fast and easy. This advancement eliminates the need for manual calculations when setting up—media gap and feed compensation can now be adjusted automatically with the push of a button saving the user time and effort.”
Sohil Singh, president, StratoJet, notes R2R printers incorporating quick-change systems as an example of efficiency. The StratoJet Falcon XL has two media feed rollers and two take-up systems, facilitating swift transitions between media and printing materials. A new air shaft system allows for smooth and controlled winding, reducing the risk of jams during long print runs.
When it comes to R2R printers, Larry D’Amico, director of sales, NA, Durst Image Technology US, LLC, says you can’t overlook unattended printing. “This is one of the key attributes when compared to board printing. However, to accomplish this you need a system that accurately controls the movement of the roll through the printer. If you stop to readjust the roll it can defeat the benefit of roll printing. One of Durst’s core competencies is moving roll material through a printer. This may sound simple, but there are a lot of nuances to doing this in a way that allows for unattended operation.”
“Operational efficiency, including reliability, remains a key driver in productivity and satisfaction, and all swissQprint models have many features built-in to ensure a high degree of operational efficiency,” notes Michael Voight, application specialist, swissQprint America.
These features include “light indicators that make proper material loading and alignment faster, resume print capabilities that reduce material loss, mesh kits for improved mesh printing, improved visual indicators that show when the printer has finished or when an error occurred while operating, features creating a cost advantage on material costs, and printer reliability limiting downtime,” continues Voight.
Another example of operational efficiency, “built-in light boxes in R2R printers provide backlit controls, allowing users to inspect colors without multiple samples,” shares Singh.
Mutoh America, Inc. has made a great effort over the last five years to maximize efficiency with new systems and features, according to Tony Simmering, product manager, Mutoh. One example is switching from 220mL ink cartridges to 1L ink bags, “not only driving costs down but also requiring less planning on the PSP’s end for inventory.”
Energy
Efficiency is also related to energy savings, which contributes to lower costs. “As we all continue to grow in the industry, energy efficiency is something that everyone needs to consider. All Epson products achieve Energy Star ratings. Our priority is to provide customers with the finest products that produce high-quality results and are sustainable and efficient,” shares David Lopez, product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America.
“Energy savings is of growing importance not only from a cost perspective but more importantly sustainability. Using approximately 2.4kw/hour, swissQprint devices deliver one of the most energy efficient solutions,” shares Voight.
Software
While the hardware itself offers efficiency, this is enhanced significantly by software solutions. “The software makes it easier to queue jobs to print in the correct order for more efficient downstream work. Software and workflow automation saves time and money for any print shop,” shares Adam Tourville, channel manager, Fluid Color.
“We see improvements in nesting software and RIP advancements increasingly helping operator and prepress efficiencies,” admits Voight.
Also “remote monitoring and control capabilities allow operators to oversee the printing process, make adjustments, and troubleshoot issues remotely, reducing the need for physical presence. Integration with workflow automation software streamlines the entire printing process, minimizing errors and expediting job processing,” notes Singh.
“While looking at the gains from a R2R printer itself is important, to realize maximum efficiencies PSPs should look at their entire wide format workflow including file preparation, color management, RIP, print MIS, finishing, and so forth to examine where bottlenecks can be addressed,” suggests Andrew Vecci, director, portfolio and product management, Ricoh Graphic Communications, Ricoh USA.
Attractive Efficiency
R2R printers with efficient features are attractive to print shops. When implemented correctly they can save on costs, boost employee morale, and increase application offerings to customers.
“PSPs biggest expenses are most commonly equipment/shop space, labor, and material (waste); a print shop may have to sacrifice one or more of these things in order to achieve acceptable conditions in the others. Allowing access to more efficient equipment helps carry some of the burden to be able to do more in the other areas, such as hiring more staff or increasing wages, setting a higher threshold for waste percentage, or even just keeping the lights on longer,” shares Simmering.
Operator satisfaction is another reason efficiency is attractive and Voight says this is “key because we believe the most productive devices are the ones printer providers really enjoy operating.”
And those operators’ minutes are precious. “Efficiency allows PSPs to do more with less. The operator’s billable hours are limited, so maximizing the operator’s time is essential for a successful business. If an operator can print rolls of substrate without having to monitor the printer they are free to work on other jobs while the printer is operating,” explains Tourville.
“Efficiency is essential to the life of the PSP’s success. The lack of skilled labor means you need to run printers with less staff and rely more on the printer to handle maintenance and print monitoring,” admits Ingraham.
Efficient R2R printers provide versatility, which is also attractive to PSPs. “The versatility and adaptability of efficient R2R printers are crucial advantages, enabling them to handle various materials and print jobs. This versatility empowers PSPs to diversify service offerings and cater to a broader range of customer needs, thereby expanding their market reach. In the competitive printing industry speed and reliability are paramount and efficiency in printing operations contributes to a competitive edge,” explains Singh.
“The ability to consistently produce a number of applications on a range of media, quickly and with minimal touch points is the holy grail of digital production. This enables the production staff to be focused on tasks that require human interaction while being assured the digital components are productive,” agrees Jones.
Scalability is also top of mind. “The scalability of efficient R2R printers allows PSPs to expand their operations effectively as demand grows. This scalability permits increased production without a proportional rise in operational complexities, fostering sustainable business growth,” adds Signh.
“Increasing efficiency has a positive impact on the bottom line in many respects—whether that is managing costs down by time to produce a job and/or eliminating rework, realizing lower costs due to greater energy efficiency, ensuring that employees’ time is focused on the highest value creating activities, or getting more customer jobs out the door through increased productivity,” shares Vecci.
Demanding Efficiency
The need for efficiency isn’t new, but it is heightened. This is for both industry-specific reasons as well as macro influences.
Specific to the graphic arts, “the diversification of printing materials beyond traditional paper, including fabrics, films, and specialty substrates, has become a trend among PSPs. Efficient R2R printers capable of handling diverse materials play a vital role in meeting the industry’s evolving customer demands,” shares Singh.
Customer demand and expectation is at all time high. “Lead times on projects keep getting smaller, customer expectations continue to rise—all while the complexity of projects grow with multi-layer printing, neon colors, embellishments with varnish inks, and trends toward using more unique substrates,” explains Voight.
“PSPs need risk assessment plans in place to survive and thrive. Efficiency becomes integral in these plans to ensure shops can react quickly to change in the economy and adopt new ways to reduce costs while providing innovative and impactful graphics to their clients,” advises Ingraham.
Outside of the industry, higher energy prices and their effect on the economy have influenced demand. “Increasing energy prices can directly lead to lower profits and loss of price competitiveness in corporate activities. Roll-based printers that use less energy are becoming more popular for this reason. Efficient energy use reduces CO2 emissions and can contribute to lower power costs. Consumers are increasingly concerned about the environment and are more supportive of environmentally friendly products and services,” says Jones.
Achieving efficiency is a PSP priority and hasn’t changed over the years, believes Valade. “What has changed, however, is that today’s customers are asking print operations to produce greater quantities of prints and complete complex jobs within shorter periods of time. That means the PSP needs to be equipped with an advanced, efficient R2R printer or printer/cutter.”
“I don’t think the demand for increased efficiency has ever changed, the ability to do so is traditionally limited by the technology of the times relative to implementation costs. For instance, it’s much less cost prohibitive to add a sensor designed for automatic alignments like in our XpertJet series now than it was ten years ago. On top of that, the sensors are much better at doing their job,” admits Simmering.
Future demand is all but confirmed. “The demand for efficiency is going to continue to increase in the same way the demand for new technology increases. In the last ten years we’ve seen four-color signage printers that were the industry standard be replaced by ten-color options for the expanded color gamut. Similarly, it used to be expected that a printer could print for a few hours straight, and now print shops are stepping up expectations and looking for unattended overnight printing. That’s efficiency. The standard changes as time and technology advances,” says Lopez.
Finding Value
With all the features to make R2R printers efficient, a PSP might be weary of upgrading their device—cost is an important consideration. However, the total cost of ownership (TCO) should be taken into consideration.
Voight admits that “building in new features to improve efficiency can add cost to production, which in turn influences price. Each manufacturer has its own approach to price; however, there is a correlation between higher priced systems and improved efficiency, versatility, and reliability.”
More efficiency does not necessarily mean more cost. “At Epson, we strive to maintain our price point. We know the customers, we know the market, and we know where our products fit within the industry. We’re competitive—both with our products and any accessories or enhancements—and to do so, we manufacture more efficiently to be able to maintain the price point,” says Lopez.
Think beyond the initial investment. “Consideration of the TCO is essential, taking into account not just the initial purchase price but also factors such as reduced labor costs, lower downtime, energy savings, and reduced waste. More efficient R2R printers may have a higher upfront cost, but their operational efficiency can lead to significant long-term cost savings,” shares Signh.
Costs are comparable, with the important distinction value, according to Jones. “If a PSP can produce 30 percent more sellable product for a unit that costs ten percent more—and they can realize lower labor and energy costs—the return on investment still pencils out in their favor.”
“As speed and quality improve, I think you get more value in printers today. The prices are similar but with the ability to run more overall square footage at a higher quality level, the cost is less,” adds D’Amico.
Competitive Edge
R2R printers with efficient capabilities enable PSPs to push quality work out of their shop with minimal staff. They are an exquisite fit for any print shop looking to meet the fast pace of today’s order cycles.
“Efficiency offers benefits such as cost savings, increased throughput, versatility, competitive edge, quick turnaround times, customer satisfaction, adaptation to market trends, resource optimization, scalability, and environmental considerations. These factors collectively contribute to the success and sustainability of print businesses in the dynamic and competitive printing industry,” comments Singh.
For more on wide format R2R printers, visit digitaloutput.net to view a recent webinar on the topic. Also online, a Target Chart listing specifications for various roll devices categorized by ink type.
Mar2024, Digital Output
