By Digital Output Staff
The International Sign Association’s (ISA’s) ISA International Sign Expo 2017 takes place April 20 to 22 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. As of February, the show was set to play host to nearly 600 exhibitors in a 193,000 square foot venue. Similar to years past, ISA continues to keep its marketing fresh and trendy, encouraging attendees to “get graphic.”
At the ISA Sign Expo
Here, we include a roundup of vendors exhibiting at the show. Our April issue includes content profiling additional companies planning on attending the event. Visit us at booth 5368 and pick up copies of both issues.
3M, booth 1345, re-energizes its flagship IJ180 Print Wrap Film with the incorporation of Comply Adhesive with Micro Technology. Featuring advanced slideability and initial tack optimized for wraps, improved liner release, the ability to stretch 130 percent without primer, and a non-visible comply pattern, 3M Print Wrap Film IJ180mC products provide installers with go-to films that move effortlessly across any surface and ensure smooth, bubble-free finishes on any completed wrap.
AGL, booth 2750, displays its Patriot and Compadre laminators. This is augmented with AGL’s Digital Imaging Division’s array of Cover-Rite, Mount-Smart, Shadow-Block, and Print-Smart Media private label brands of wide format finishing films and media. AGL partners with OKI and its ColorPainter to showcase workflow between printing and finishing in wide format.
Argotec LLC, booth 5567, showcases its Polyurethane Graphic Film System. It combines ArgoGraph-White, a premium white printable TPU film with ArgoGraph-Clear, a tough TPU overlaminate film for protecting graphics printed on ArgoGraph-White or cast vinyl films. These durable, UV resistant films are highly conformable, abrasion resistant, non-yellowing, and self-healing; contain no PVC, halogens, or phthalates; and are ideal for outdoor applications, especially automotive advertising wraps, exterior signage, fleet graphics, and building wraps.
Britten Studios, booth 2868, highlights BannerSaver, a wind-spilling light pole banner bracket, shown to spill 87 percent of the wind compared to less than 25 percent for standard brackets. It is now specified in six continents. BannerSaver is made in the U.S.
Catalina, booth 1975, demonstrates two products compatible with offset, screen, eco-solvent, solvent, latex, UV-curable printing, and other emerging inkjet technologies. Permovable is a 2-mil 100 percent biodegradable, non-PVC pressure-sensitive film, developed for short-term, outdoor advertising used for street and concrete graphics in under used, promotional spaces. Augusta Wall Graphics is a 6-mil white, embossed vinyl, coated with clear acrylic pressure-activated, ultra-removable adhesive intended for high-quality interior wall applications requiring durability, flexibility, low shrinkage, and reduced edge curl.
CET Color, booth 5992, invites attendees to come see its new 5×10-foot flatbed UV printer. It features Kyocera printhead technology with 2,656 nozzles per printhead and ultra-fine dots from as small as five to ten and 15 picoliters. The printer is configurable from two to six printheads and achieves speeds of up to 1,000 square feet per hour. An optional static suppression kit reduces static on the substrate.
Chemica US, booth 753, manufactures heat transfer films for both plotters and printers. For plotters, it offers HotMark Revolution, a thin and stretchy HTV that is applied to cotton, polyester, or nylon. Additionally, Galaxy glitter is layerable and stretchy. For printers, it has EasyPrint and HotMarkPrint, the company’s thinnest, stretchiest, and softest opaque printable film.
Continental Grafix USA, booth 353, displays Innova Clear—an insidemount clear self-adhesive vinyl film with 80/20 perforation pattern. With only 20 percent open area users get the ultimate color pop, maximum privacy, and sunscreen while maintaining an excellent see-through level. Inside-mount graphics are easier to install and remove. It is ideal for printers with white ink. Reverse print the image, then flood white and flood black.
Digital Graphics Incorporation (DGI), booth 2782, exhibits the 1.6-meter dye-sublimation (dye-sub) textile printer FT-1608, 1.9-meter high-speed dye-sub textile printer HS FTII, 3.2-meter hybrid textile printer FT-3204X, and 1.9-meter direct textile printer FD-1904. Th e FT-1608 and FT-3204X are powered by eight Panasonic printheads, while HS FTII and FD-1904 are powered by four Kyocera printheads.
Drytac, booth 3998, encourages attendees to stop by and pick up a free sample of the company’s unique media, including SpotOn, ReTac, and ViziPrint printable films. Designed specifically for window, wall, and other specialty applications, they make graphic application and removal effortless. Watch how easy they are to install, ask questions of Drytac product experts, and take advantage of solutions that can resolve pressing graphic challenges.
Epson, booth 724, showcases the 64-inch SureColor S80600 solvent production printer. Touting fourth-generation Epson UltraChrome GS3 ten-cartridge solvent ink chemistry, the SureColor S80600 also incorporates new GS3 Red ink to provide an expansive color gamut. Leveraging a new precision media feed system and high-performance Dual-Array PrecisionCore TFP printhead, the SureColor S80600 allows for same-day lamination to provide productivity and image quality to signage, vehicle graphics, and fine art reproduction.
FDC Graphic Films, Inc., booth 1050, features its service package. Attendees can stop by the booth, have a cup of coffee, and speak with an FDC team member about FDC’s quick ship times, wide selection, and reliable offering of brands. FDC is a master distributor and converter of wide format digital media, digital overlaminating films, digital banner, textile media, sign films, and heat transfer films. The company sells 3M, Aslan, FDC, HEYtex, and RTape branded products exclusively through U.S. and Canadian sign and graphics distribution.
Foster, booth 1757, shows On-a-Roll Lifter to handle rolls of print media, fabric, flooring, or any other roll material. Lifters can simplify workflow and make a shop a safer place for employees. Also on display, a complete line of precision cutters and trimmers for wide format, signmaking, and display graphics production.
Gandy Digital, booth 344, grows its portfolio with the Fascin8tor UV RTR printer, which delivers superwide format graphics with very low ink consumption and outputs exceptional quality regardless of speed. With high-speed quality prints at 2,583 square feet per hour, crash sensors, and up to 16.5-foot wide, the company guarantees print makers will be impressed.
ImageOne Impact, booth 1980, exhibits its P.O.D. Pressure On Demand Steamer—the ultimate tool for both application and removal of all vehicle films including wrap films, window tint, PPF, sign vinyl, and transit films. Th ere is no safer or easier way to install and remove vehicle films of all types without damaging the vehicle/substrate a film is applied to. The seamer is safe enough that even a beginner can unwrap a vehicle without risk of damage to any part of the vehicle itself.
LexJet, booth 4493, invites attendees to discover its newest products including the innovative Print-N-Stick Fabric, Gloss Blockout ThriftyBanner, Simple Grip Backlit, and EnduraFab digitally printable textiles, designed specifically for latex inks. Th e company also features the latest in thermal laminates as well as wide format printers from partners at Canon, Epson, and HP. Learn about LexJet Blue, its annual shipping membership program and more.
Mohawk, booth 5161, expands it Wide Format Inkjet portfolio to include media from Aurora Textiles—true canvas products, wall covers/murals, backlit, and indoor/outdoor banners. With over 150 substrates optimized for latex, eco-solvent, solvent, UV-cured, aqueous dye/pigment, and aqueous single-pass inkjet print applications, there is something for everyone—textiles, canvas, backlit, light block, adhesives, films, and unique substrates such as DuPont Tyvek, lightweight tear-resistant fabric, silver gloss film, textured black film, clear film, and magnetics.
Mutoh America, Inc., booth 3980, launches the ValueJet 1948WX 75-inch dye-sublimation printer. With its staggered four-head design, the VJ1948WX prints at speeds up to 2,199 square feet per hour. Th e printer features a heavy-duty take-up system and one or two liter—with optional bulk in case—ink options. Mutoh also displays the never-before-seen ValueJet 626UH flatbed printer in its booth.
Onyx Graphics, Inc., booth 2375, demonstrates ONYX 12.1 software, the latest version of the company’s wide
format print workflow and RIP products. ONYX 12.1 software features accelerated speed and performance, a simplified user interface, enhanced automation, and advanced finishing tools to do more in less time. Users can process more files in less time with a full 64-bit platform for RIP and applications, with speeds that can improve a service provider’s profit margin by as much as 30 percent.
ORAFOL Americas, booth 1168, encourages attendees to check out recently launched graphic solutions. Have
unwanted glare on your wall graphics? Try one of 20 new matte ORACAL 631 Exhibition Cal colors. Or, if overlaminate silvering of UV printed graphics is what ails you, ask about ORAGUARD 215DU Laminating Film. Come on by and watch daily vehicle wrap demonstrations of ORACAL 970RA UNIQUE Colors by Will Castro Designs. Three new colors add a little pizazz to your ride.
Orbus, booth 750, showcases Embrace stacking and inline configurations, and Modulate mix-and-match and reconfigurable fabric banner systems. Also in the booth, learn more about Orbus’ extensive state-of-the-art production, graphic finishing and printing services, and how you can build your business with the help of Orbus.
Royal Sovereign International, booth 4168, celebrates over 30 years of being a leader in the manufacturing and distribution of narrow and wide format laminators and pressure-sensitive film. In recent years, Royal Sovereign responded to the needs of the print industry by introducing wide format trimmers, banner welders, dye-sublimation calenders and transfer paper, and flatbed multi-applicators.
swissQprint, booth 5175, highlights the flagship Nyala 2 showing a large variety of applications. Come look at the new 1,080×1,080 dpi print mode, which is ideal for fine art and backlit applications as well as for droptix, the swissQprint threedimensional eff ect. Th is mode offers the best quality ever created on a swissQprint UV inkjet system.
Top Value Fabrics, booth 4764, debuts the latest in media especially for the retail market. Its new DigiPanorama is a frontlit fabric optimized for HP Latex Technology. DigiCompetition is a lightweight fabric with the performance of traditional heavier weight fabrics. Supernova is featured on backlit displays at the show. Th e company delivers a wide selection of frontlit, backlit, blockout, PET, mesh, and textiles engineered for printing excellence.
Vision Engraving & Routing System, booth 1320, exhibits the affordable, 2525 industrial grade CNC router. Made in America for over 34 years, the 2525’s graphically advanced software and many available options allows for a variety of custom signs to be expertly manufactured in house, such as ADA compliant braille signs, dimensional letters, and print-to-cut.
Mar2017, Digital Output
