HP has used the SGIA show in the US to announce upgrades, certifications and workflow solutions for its large-format sign and display portfolio.
“Large-format PSPs are working in a changing marketplace, challenging them to step outside of their application comfort zone to meet client demand,” said Xavier Garcia, vice president and general manager, Large-Format Sign and Display Division, HP. “HP is introducing a variety of new offerings at SGIA to help them meet production demands, while also empowering them to confidently move into high-value markets, such as retail, interior décor and fleet graphics.”
The HP FB225 Scitex Varnish Ink is the latest ink option introduced for the HP Scitex FB7500/7600 Enhanced Color Pack. It allows users of the printers to add spot or full varnish, create embossed text and images, as well as expand the colour gamut. The varnish ink is expected to be available worldwide on 1 November.
New to the HP WallArt Solution is a feature to create canvas projects. The cloud-based Web service provides print-ready files and step-by-step installation instructions, allowing PSPs to design themselves or work with customers through the cloud to produce customised interior décor applications, including mounted canvas prints and wallcoverings.
Another announcement concerns the 3 MCS Warranty, which is now available for HP Latex 881 Inks and the HP Latex 3000 printer when using approved 3M films.
Additionally, HP is introducing two new canvas substrates, HP Premium Satin Canvas and HP Everyday Satin Canvas. For retail signage and backlit displays, there is a new heavyweight HP Backlit Polyester Film for more vibrant colours and denser blacks with better scratch resistance, as well as improved durability. Designed for HP Latex printers, these expanded media options are now available worldwide through licensing partner Brand Management Group.
And increasing production efficiencies, the HP SmartStream Production Analyzer 2.0 for HP Scitex industrial presses includes improvements to the job dashboard and job summary report, as well as the ability to set productivity targets. With a more detailed dashboard interface, operators can record notes, giving production managers a complete picture of job production. Additionally, the job report summary groups all related projects together to be viewed and exported to management information systems software for further analysis.
Compatible with HP Latex and Scitex printers and presses, the HP Scitex Caldera GrandRip+ Software solution now includes EasyMedia Module, Caldera’s integrated International Color Consortium (ICC) profile builder based on Xrite i1Prism V2 technology. Caldera EasyMedia allows users to create ICC profiles, creating a smoother workflow with enhanced colour consistency across output.