Using an EFITM Pro 30f UV LED flatbed printer from Electronics for Imaging, Inc., printing company Linemark is expanding its display graphics offerings and providing its customers with a wider range of substrate and product options. The new flatbed printer allows the print industry in the Washington, D.C., metro area to produce new applications, shorten cycle times, and make up for revenue losses brought on by the pandemic thanks to its high-quality output, opaque white ink, and adaptable "cool cure" UV LED curing technology.
David Ashton, a partner at Linemark in charge of business development, stated that there is momentum to support growth in large format.
"Overall demand for large format decreased in 2020, primarily as a result of conferences and events being postponed or cancelled. But since we anticipate a return of the volume in 2021, we wanted to be ready.
The printer, which Linemark purchased from authorized EFI distributor Nazdar SourceOne®, offers high productivity and image quality at an affordable price. It also has the ability to print in four colors, two channels of white, and multiple layers. The best processing speed and color quality are provided by an EFI Fiery® proServer Core digital front end.
The printer uses EFI's UltraDropTM Technology with variable grayscale drop sizes ranging from 7 to 21 picoliters to produce excellent color gradients and smoothing capabilities on media up to 4 inches (10 cm) thick. With bleed printing and a maximum express mode speed of 2,130 square feet (198 square meters) per hour at resolutions of up to 1,200 dots per inch, it can print on surfaces up to 120 x 80 inches (3.05 x 2.04 m) in size.
Outstanding Versatility for Premium Wall Art
While Linemark has experienced the effects of the pandemic in work for trade shows and events, the company is expanding its capabilities with the EFI Pro 30f flatbed printer, recovering a significant amount of lost business by fulfilling wall art orders that come to Linemark online through partnerships with well-known online craft marketplaces. Ashton said, "Our print-on-demand wall art business has exploded.
"People are redecorating and nesting at home. They desire something different as they observe the four walls of their homes.
Acrylic, foam board, and Dibond® are just a few of the many substrates that Linemark can print on. According to Linemark president Steve Bearden, "The Dibond aluminum composite sheet, specially optimized for display, makes stunning wall art. Being able to print on that, including with white ink, has been a big boost to our wall art business."
The vast majority of our direct mail clients also use our Pro 30f for printing, Bearden continued. "In addition to producing direct mail to advertise meetings and events, we also create clients' conference booth signage. Our EFI Pro 30f has made it possible to take a comprehensive approach. And our customers have undoubtedly noticed the improvement in quality.
‘The Quality and Productivity Are Phenomenal’
Prior to this, Linemark worked on wide format flatbed projects with a printer that lacked the productivity and white ink that the business required to take on more work. In a phone call, Bearden's Nazdar sales representative brought samples of various flatbed and hybrid printers. The EFI Pro 30f was an easy decision. The output and quality are extraordinary.
Before this, Linemark utilized a printer for wide format flatbed projects that was inefficient and lacked the white ink the company needed to handle more work. A sales representative for Bearden's Nazdar company called and brought samples of different flatbed and hybrid printers. The choice of the EFI Pro 30f was simple. The results and quality are exceptional.
In addition, the printer requires less heat for curing or drying compared to conventional UV inkjet or latex printers, making it ideal for Linemark to print on corrugated boards that would otherwise warp under high heat and result in harmful head strikes during the printing process. The printer's six-zone, user-selectable vacuum system ensures efficient hold down for no unintended media movement. Clients in the nonprofit sector particularly profit from the corrugated capability because Linemark uses the Pro 30f printer to help those clients stand out by producing gift boxes of the highest caliber for their valuable donors.
Source: https://www.efi.com/library/efi/documents/2707/linemark_pro_30f_release_final_en_us.pdf