Karl Sun, owner of Sydney Print Media, is an example of an entrepreneur who lets nothing stand in the way of his business’ growth path. If a problem needs a solution and one can not be found locally, he invents the answer. As his trade-only wide format sign and display business expanded, he found he needed die-cutting for boards up to 1600 x 2500mm in size. Finding nothing available commercially, he designed one himself and had it constructed in China.
The result is the ‘Eagle Press Cut’ – a hydraulically-driven cutter using locally-made knife formes and 150 tonnes of downward pressure. The heavily-engineered die-cutter has been so successful, the Australian company is considering commercialising it to the global market. It was such determination as this that brought Karl Sun into contact with Fujifilm and the Inca Onset S40i digital flatbed UV printer.
“We really needed to increase flatbed board production to cope with big orders in shorter time,” says Sun. “I looked around – at the top end there are not too many to choose from. We already had an Acuity flatbed UV – our first machine five years ago - and are very happy with it, so we know Fujifilm quite well. It was a chance conversation with our account manager Ashley Playford that caused us to look at an almost-new Inca Onset S40i that had become available out of Melbourne.”
As new installation
Following tests and a site visit, Sun bought the lightly-used machine but Fujifilm treated it is as a ‘brand new’ installation, fitting new printheads, providing a support agreement and both technical and engineering training.
As a trade-only printer, Sydney Print Media has to deal with very tight deadlines and razor-sharp pricing. “We needed to ensure that we meet client budgets and delivery expectations. We also needed capacity to take on a run of say, 1,000 corflute boards. Previously, this would have taken three days to produce; now with the Onset S40i we can do it all in one shift,” he smiles.
A fleet of printers and finishing
While Sydney Print Media’s S40i is capable of up to 560 sqm/hr for POP displays for POP, signs posters and banners, for quality reasons, Karl Sun is running ten-passes, 300 sqm/hr as standard production. “Our customers love the quality and productivity, many have commented on the improvement,” he says.
Visiting Sydney Print Media on a thriving industrial estate in South Granville presented an initial surprise. The company had moved into a new two-level unit with ample room for the Inca Onset, the aforementioned Press Cut die cutter, an Acuity flatbed, a JHF 3.2 metre UV device which is the first in Australia, a 3.2 metre HP Latex 850 plus two 1.62 metre HP Latex 360s and two Mimaki machines plus a third one being unpacked and installed at the time of visiting. More finishing equipment including flatbed cutters, a laser router and welding machine are housed on the two floors.
Colour right first time
Karl Sun has an interesting approach to colour management. “I take care of all the profiling myself using X-Rite i1s or a Barbieri spectrophotometer,” he says. “That way my staff do not have to worry about colour, they can concentrate on production. There are so many media we use, on different machines with different inks and printheads so I centralise all of the profiling and the colour instructions are already there for the operators. Ninety per cent of the time, we get colour right first time.”
This industrial-scale approach to sign, POP and display manufacturing has made Sydney Print Media a popular provider for the trade: “A lot of our work comes in by word-of-mouth recommendation,” says Sun. “Our growth rate is such that we are now looking for more account managers who can specialise in digital production sales.”
“Without the Inca Onset S40i, we would not have been able to accept the long-run trade orders in time, but now we can and at very high quality with the outstanding colour vibrancy of the Uvijet inks and Fujifilm Dimatix pritheads.
“It’s the pride of our fleet now,” concludes Karl Sun.
Sydney Print Media’s Inca Onset S40i* at a glance
Flatbed print area: 3220 x 1600mm, 25-vacuum zones
Max media thickness: 50mm, with automatic substrate height detection
Productivity: Up to 560 sq/m per hour
Automation: ¾ automation with Sick unloader/pallet stacker
Printheads: Fujifilm Dimatix Spectra, fixed 27 picolitre
Cleaning system: Automatic sensor warning when heads require cleaning
Resolution: 600 -1000 dpi
Inkset: Six - colour Fujifilm Uvijet Satin or High Gloss finish by adjusting UV level, Unique Micro-V dispersion formula
UV Curing: Full-width dual UV array for highest speed,
RIPs: Caldera or ColorGate
Media types: Foam PVC, PVC sheets, foam board, corrugated cardboard, display board/cardstock, compressed board, polystyrene, paper, synthetic paper, banner material, corrugated polypropylene and polycarbonate
Applications: POP, Backlight signs, Exhibition graphics, signage
Dimensions: 11.2M (L) x 4.4M (W) x 2.2M (H)
Weight: 6,500Kg approx.
(* The Inca Onset S40i is now incorporated under the field-upgradeable Onset ‘X’ series branding of X1, X2 and X3, capable of up to 900 sqm/hr production)