What to Watch

What are manufacturers doing about roboticised machine handling, and will PSPs get a good ROI from their investment in more automation?

The Widthwise 2019 poll shows that when it comes to software investment, PSPs are channelling their spend towards design packages. So what’s waiting to grab your attention? Simon Creasey investigates.

Today’s UV inkjet technologies offer all sorts of niche applications and it seems there’s a growing demand for Braille - and other tactile print. So is it something you should be investigating?

You’ve seen the figures - textile print is having a heyday. Printer manufacturers are pouring R+D funds into the sector as Simon Creasy discovers. But are the new machines ones for your purchasing list?

Roll-to-roll, flatbed and hybrid large-format inkjet printers – we bring you up to speed with the latest offerings and ask manufacturers what’s in the development pipeline.

As we look towards 2019, Simon Creasy asks: what are the benefits of i4.0, what are the chances of it gaining greater traction in 2019, and what are the other key technology trends to look out for over the next 12 months?

Autonomous vehicles - will their development and adoption impact how you do business? Walter Hale considers the issues.

As PSPs seek to wow clients, Simon Creasy asks kit manufacturers about special effects possibilities.

Remember all the publicity LifeArt received by making coffins out of a patented composite material that can be buried but is designed to burn effectively too, so you can really personalise your last journey? Well, there are plenty of other attention grabbing materials out there. Here’s a round-up of the newest.

If you’re not automating your finishing you’re one of a swiftly decreasing number - at least according to the manufacturers/suppliers of the kit and ‘solutions’ they want to sell you. Here’s an update on their latest offerings to the large-format psp.

Talking about printing inks? Then you’re probably complaining about their rising price. But, as Simon Creasy explains, it’s not all bad - there are plenty of developments that should actually help you make money.

Couldn’t make Sign and Digital or Fespa 2018? Simon Creasy rounds-up the key hardware previews and launches for an armchair update.

Ok, so products shown at the major trade shows of 2018 so far highlight where manufacturers have been concentrating their development spend, but where next? We asked a cross section of kit and consumables developers and suppliers for their considerations.

Software development is where it’s at in large-format. So who’s doing what? Simon Creasy investigates.