pf sept oct 2014 e version

Vol. XVI • No. 95 • OCTOBER 2014

Rs. 20

September - October 2014 / Vol. XVI, No. 95 / Print Forum 1

From President’s Desk

P [email protected]

Dear Members,

I begin this note by paying homage to our Founder Mr.V.S.Krishnamurthy, who left for us his heavenly abode on October 5th a decade ago. It is his vision and initiative that created this forum. Another print maestro who breathed his last recently is Mr.P.B.Kulkarni, one of the greatest “Print Academicians”. A heart warming message from one of his students, our distinguished member Mr.Rajendrakumar Anayath, reminded me of my gurus both academically and professionally and the lasting impressions that they have left on me. Remembering such personalities truly inspires us.

In continuance with the series of technical lectures, we had two lectures one each in September and October. The talk on ‘LEAN’ as a process in the printing industry shed light on highly relevant but rarely discussed issues in the printing industry. In such a rapidly growing industry it becomes extremely simple to obsess over the latest developments in technology and lose track of the basics, this Japanese 5 point LEAN manufacturing process attempts to stabilize this trend.

In our well attended October session we discussed a new innovation that highly intrigues many of us - 3D printing. What is interesting is that this technology is being used across a wide spectrum. From industrial prototyping to high tech bio-medical applications. in my opinion this technology is capable of completely revolutionizing several industries.

Apart from developments in the print machinery scenario and the usual happenings in the print industry, this month’s journal touches upon several interesting and innovative applications of print like the Raman Sensor that can help you spot pesticide free fruits and vegetables and the E-cards (Visiting cards with QR Codes) and the release of Navaratri Stamps by Niger, a small West African country. I am sure it will make interesting reading to our members.

As put forth in our plan for this term, we are planning to conduct a full day paid workshop on ‘PRESS ROOM PRACTICES’ with lectures and sessions by eminent personalities, the details of which will be sent to you by mail in both the physical and electronic form. Kindly attend this seminar and pass on the information to interested persons to make it a grand success.

I would like to sign off by reminding our members about our upcoming Founding Day function on December 10. The chief guest of the evening would be Mr. Meenakshisundaram, an IAS officer of the Karnataka Cadre who has served three Indian Prime Ministers. During this function we will also be distributing the PTF Achievements Awards to the Top ranking students of the Printing Technology department of Anna University and the Institute of Printing Technology. I request our members to make a note of it and attend the Founding Day function.

As always, apart from your comments, suggestions to improve the quality of our journal, your articles are also welcome.

The PrintingTechnologistsForumREGISTERED No. 149/1989

2, Venu Reddy Street, GuindyChennai 600 032

e.mail:[email protected]

Office-bearers P. Chellappan, PresidentMobile 93810 01810Rm. Senthilnathan, Vice-President IMobile 98410 41997Dr. B. Kumar, Vice-President II Mobile 94440 51707M. Venkatesan, Hony. General SecretaryMobile 98842 74908K.B.S.Shanmugasundram, Hony. Jt Secretary Mobile 9884274912 R. K. Sridharan, Hony. TreasurerMobile 98416 47690

Committee Members V. S. Raman, 99403 19704R. Venkatasubramanian, 98402 60413S. Giridharan. 9884030519 V. Vaidyalingam, 9382867972Nitin Shroff, 98400 22652K.R.S.S. Mahendran 86953 29444 N. R. Kumar, 99401 72067Alan Baretto, 9841721406Murugavel, 95001 22075

Copted MembersT.E. Srinivasan, 98403 55284L. Ramanathan, 87540 16030Nizam Appas, 99625 28890

Advisory Committee (Past Presidents of THE FORUM)

M. S. NagarajanV. SubramanianVipin SachdevDr. N. SankaranarayananR. NarayananD. RamalingamR. JayaramanR.S.Bakshi

n

All communications about THE FORUM and the Journal are to be addressed to Hony. General Secretary The Printing Technologists Forum 25, Peters Road, Royapettah, Chennai 600 014.

2 Print Forum / Vol. XVI, No. 95 / September - October 2014

Print ForumRegd. with RNI Under No. 71818/99

September - Octoberh 2014Vol. XVI / No. 94The Official Journal ofThe Printing Technologists ForumChennai

In this issue . . .

Rs. 120 per annum (Six issues)

FORUM’s upcoming Technical Seminar 3

FORUM’s Technical Lecture on Lean Six Sigma in Printing 4

FORUM’s Technical Lecture on 3D Object Printing 7

Sir Speedy in India 11

Navarathri stamps released in West Africa 12

Move over Flexo 13

E Cards from ETI 15

New test for organic food 16

Career in Advertising 17

Story of a sucessful entrepreneur 19

Prepress beyond 2011 20

Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 75 Anicolor 23

Labelexpo 2014 25

News from Avinashilingam College 27

Pragati & ESKO 28

SPE 2014 inauguration 29

Members Page 30

n Copyright for all materials published in print forum remain with the authors/editors/publishers of the respective magazines books/newspapers from which materials are reproduced.

n the facts set out in print forum are from various sources which we believe to be reliable and true to the best of our knowledge. However, we cannot accept no legal liability of any kind for the publication contents, nor for the information contained therein, nor conclusion drawn by any party from it.1

n FurtheritisnotifiedthatneithertheEditor,PublisherorthePrinter,orthePresidentandhisTeamofTheForumwillberesponsibleforanydamageorlosstoanybodyarisingoutof any error or omission in print forum. members/readers are advised to satisfy themselves about the merits and details of each before taking any decision.

n Articles and materials appearing in the pages of print forum are drawn from a number of sources : books, journals, newspapers and internet - current as well as very old. to many editors of various technical journals and newspapers, the accomplished authors and business leaders who have shared their wisdoms and their words whose articles published in thesejournals,andtheirpublishers,weoweourdebtsandgratitudewhichisdifficulttoassessoracknowledge.Wealwaysacknowledgethesourcesofeveryarticleandmaterialspublished in every issue of print forum at the end of the articles, with our courtesy.

n Oursisamembersupportednon-profitorganisationandourmainobjectiveistospreadprint-knowledgetoallwithinourlimitationsandconstraints.

Publisher B. G. Kukillaya Ph: 4228 7300

Editor P. Chellappan M : 2454 1893

Designer R.Venkatasubramanian M : 98402 60413

Our Supporters . . .Suba Solutions

Hiedelberg India Pvt. Ltd

A Tribute to the Founder of THE FORUM

Mr. VSKIn memory of everlasting Guru, our respectful homage to THE FORUM’s reverred Founder who attained the

Lotus feet of the Lord on 05-10-2004

P B Kulkarni: A real master

Dr Rajendrakumar Anayath who is the director at the Technological Institute of Textile & Sciences, Bhiwani (Haryana), remembers his print guru.

A prodigy known as “Pa Bha” our beloved Professor, P B Kulkarni is no more ...

Prof Dr P B Kulkarni, people fondly called him “Pa Bha” is one among the greatest "print academicians" of post independence India. He was instrumental in making each one of us successful in the chosen field. My last meeting with him was a couple of years ago and let me share that memory photograph for you.

On 5 September, on teacher’s day, I meticulously called him in the early morning to take his blessings. However, last year he was unable to recognise my voice and I realised that the times have changed.

It was certainly a shocking day for all of us from PVG to hear about the sad demise

of our beloved teacher Pa Bha Saab. But it is a reality now that we lost this great master of printing. These are the moments we search for words to express and share our feelings. I am aware that none of the scribbles in this letter can compensate our loss.

The print community is really shocked and grief stricken to learn about our beloved teacher's sad demise. Let me express our full reverence, profound sorrow, deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences for the family. Our prayers are there for the departed soul to rest in peace in heaven.

Let us cherish his fine memories abides with us, more potent, nay, more present than the living man. Once again my heartfelt tribute to my teacher, who created a benchmark in the history of modern “Indian Print Education”.

A real master to be remembered, always!

Pranaam Sir!

Courtesy : www.printweek.in


THE FORUM’s One Day Seminar on

PRESS ROOM PRACTICESto be held on Saturday, 29th November 2014

at Hall of Guiness’68, College of Engineering, Guindy, Anna University, Chennai - 600025.

Sponsored by:Kapoor Imaging Pvt. Ltd.

No.3, Masilamani Road, Balaji Nagar, Royapettah, Chennai - 600014.

PROgRAMME

Session 1 :09.30 - 09.40 Welcome Note - Mr. P. Chellappan,

President, The Printing Technologists Forum

09.40 - 10.00 Special Note - Mr. Sharan Kapoor, ED, Kapoor Imaging INTRODUCTION & PRODUCT PRESENTATION

10.00 - 11.00 Presentation by Mr. Giridharan, CEO, Kapoor Imaging BASIC ON PlATES & FOUNTAIN SOlUTION AND IMPORTANCE

IN OFFSET

11.00 - 11.15 TEA BREAK

11.15 - 12.00 Mr. Narayanan, GM Dinamalar PRESS ROOM PRACTICES IN NEWSPAPER

12.00 - 1.00 Mr. Vipendran, Associate Professor - Printing, Anna University

QUAlITy IS FOR FREE

1.00 - 1.45 lUNCH

Session 2 :13.45 - 14.30 Hanna Meter Demo by Mr. Sree Hari Reddy,

RSM, Hanna

14.30 - 15.00 DEMO on JUG TEST, by Mr. H. Sadiq Basha, Kapoor Imaging

15.00 - 15.15 TEA BREAK

15.15 - 16.00 Dr. B. Kumar, Asst. Professor - Printing, Anna University

PRESS ROOM PRACTICES IN SHEETFED PRESS

16.00 - 17.00 CAllIBRATION AND MAINTENANCE OF METERS by Hanna Team & Mr. H. Sadiq Basha, Kapoor Imaging

Group Discussion & QA : Panel Members

Wrap-up

Vote of thanks

ReGiSTRATioN FoRMName : ........................................................................................................................................................................................

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Registration Fee Details (Tick the appropriate box)

Non Member ( ` 2000) c Forum Member (` 1500) c Student Member (` 500) cCheque / DD No. : ......................................................... Dated : ................................................Drawn on .....................................................................................................................................(To be drawn in favour of “The Printing Technologists Forum”, Chennai)Please send the completed registration form along with Cheque/DD to:Rm. Senthilnathan, Dot Line Data, New No.3, Old No.2, 21st Avenue, Ashok Nagar,Chennai - 600 083.

Bank details providedfor ONLINE Payment :Name : The Printing Technologists ForumBank : State Bank of India | Branch : Commercial Branch, Guindy, Chennai - 600 032 | Account No. : 10565626087IFS Code : SBIN0004327Please mail the scanned version of this registration form along with online receipt to : [email protected] anyfurther information, please contact : Rm. Senthilnathan, Ph.: 9841041997, Email: [email protected] M. Venkatesan, Ph.: 9884274908, Email: [email protected]


FORUM’s Technical Lecture on

Follow Lean, Grow Fat; Lean Six Sigma in PrintingA lecture on the above subject was held on Friday, 12th September 2014 evening at Hall of Guines’68, Anna University, by Mr. Pradeep Chellakani, Vice President - Quality, Take Solutions, was intense and at the same time interactive.

Pradeep C, Vice President – Quality, Take Solutions, seemed to evoke audience to ‘take’ LEAN as a solution for improvement of their business operations.

Taking an every day example of buying vegetables in a market, he started his presentation with a question, ‘Who decides a Value?’ which put the audience immediately into action. Getting different answers, he zeroed on, the customer decides’. Value is the one what a customer decides. Here he cautioned about : We as shoppers overpurchasing in say a vegetable or super market. Don’t go for shopping when you are hungry. Odd it may seem, normally you end up buying things when you are in a market more than your Requirements. Nicely put by him (even for the printing industry),

It is NOT cheaper to buy in bulk if you don’t use it So, How much of money do we lock inside, that is Work-in-Progress Inventory?

This way, the well proven method of FIFO (First In First Out) would be difficult to follow when you have a huge stock.

There comes in handy the LEAN MANUFACTURING. He quoted the originator of the System Taiichi Ohno, “ i feel strongly that the word ‘work’ refers to the production of perfect goods only. if a machine is not producing perfect goods, it is not ‘working’.

On these, are evolved the LEAN Manufacturing Principles:--

1 Specify Value 2 Work on a Value Stream 3 Make Value Flow Without

Interruption

4 Push versus Pull 5 Strive for Perfection

SPeCiFY VALUeWho can specify Value? The Customer. It can be for a Service or for a Product.

What is Value? An idea put into implementation.

Normally, a customer is willing to pay when it is done Right First Time.

Having an idea is NOT Value (as stated above), it must be transferred into a product or service.

Here, one must be careful about Muda (activities that don’t add value), Mura (unevenness in work flow that is not balanced) and Muri ( work that overburdens the team members or processes)

VALUe STReAMThe product l ines and Process S t a n d a r d i s a t i o n s h o u l d b e

Mr. N. R. Kumar, Executive Committee Member giving a brief of THE FORUM

Mr. R.S.Bakshi, Immediate Past President, introducing the Chief Guest.

Mr. Pradeep Chellakani, Vice President - Quality, Take Solutions seen presenting his lecture.


Strive for Perfection..

• Do produce as per customer needs with fair price with zero waste, zero inventory and zero defects..

• Follow the sun rule..

LEAN & 6σ……lean on each other

Manufacturing Best Practices Improved Process Flow (Mura and Muri) Removing Constraints, Mudas & NVA’s LEAN is a thinking, Philosophy Design focused

Improve processes by eliminating defects Reduce Process Variation (Z & SD improvement) Improving existing Process performance Has tools to measure & validate improvements Problem focused

Think like a man of action, and act like a man of thought.

LEAN thinking…………………………

IS NOT IT IS Don’t ask Questions.. Do it Questions help to understand

Defects indicate failures Analyze defect for Improvement

Immediate / Direct Reward Long-term / Indirect reward

Short term – Problem & Solns Long term – removal by design

Defect come from the system You go to the system & eliminate

WORK HARDER WORK SMARTER

• Involve the team and the practice the lean culture • Improves business process flow • Remove constraints in the business processes • Remove inventory and buffers • Strive in perfection

Decide as Late as Possible… Deliver as Fast as Possible…

WHAT IS LEAN Manufacturing??

• LEAN – “Respect the People” • It is a way of thinking about how you should

run your business - it is NOT A TOOL. • Focuses on the customer and what the

customer feels is 'value' . • ELIMINATING WASTE <>ELIMINATING PEOPLE • Apply tools, but address the culture ..

LEAN MEANS…

• LEAN thinking requires a cultural change • Mentoring and Leadership change • LEAN requires a framework change • Change at the root level…. takes time • Employee involvement and Empowerment • Rewards and Recognition • Measurement, Feedback and Improvements

streamlined. Please remember the customer requirements here. Distinguish between VA (Value Act can be, for example, Processing Paper (VA) and Carrying Paper with delay and waiting time (NVA). Like this, you can classify QC Inspection of finished goods, Machine Set Up, Maintenance and Ordering Ink.

VALUe FLoWMake the Flow without interruption keeping in mind the Flow and Balance with customer needs. Flow of Raw Materials, Work in Process and Finished Goods are to be looked into carefully. In all these cases, waste has to be removed.

STRiVe FoR PeRFeCTioNDo produce as per customer needs with fair price, with zero waste, zero inventory and zero defect. Improve process by eliminating defects. Reduce Process Variation Improve existing process performance. Procure tools to measure and validate improvements.

Think Like a Man of Action and Act Like a Man of Thought

The speaker summed up LEAN THINKING as follows:--

• Involve the Team and practise the LEAN culture

• Improve business process flow• Remove constraints in the

business process• Remove Inventory and buffer• Strive for perfection. To make LEAN operational, his suggestions• Retain Core Value• Have Integrity• Maintain Excellence • Develop Custom Orientation• Stress on Team Work• Be a smart entrepreneur• And Communicate.

The speaker concludes with a smile, You want to rethink buying vegetables in bulk?!

The session proved to be very interactive continuously. n

Report by Mr. D. Ramalingam

Don’t go for shopping when you are Hungry

• It is NOT cheaper to buy in bulk if you don’t use it. • HOW Much of money do we lock inside (WIP Inventory) • FIFO… difficult to follow when you have a huge stock stuffed

inside your refrigerator. • More load on Refrigerator – (More wear since over capacity) • When you’re run out of stock/low, write it down. • SALE!! Might get announced when there is a supply to

demand offset or lower shelf life. • Freshness, Vitamins, try and cook and eat more to avoid

waste when we know it is likely to be wasted… health issues…. Hidden waste.

• Plan your needs daily and make it a habit to buy fresh and consume … HAVE a Budget

Mura and Muri

1. Transport Need to move the prints to a finished good and once again to the stock and then to the vehicle for dispatch.

2. Inventory Keep stock of paper, inks for two months.

3. Motion Maximize bending, repetitive strain type movements and manual lifting of heavy objects from high places. Frequent loading of paper or movement of trolys with goods/finished goods

4. Waiting Waiting for supplier deliveries, for someone to finish their tea break, for people to turn up to meetings, or for the next shift to set-up the next job so that they avoid doing this themselves.

5. Over-Processing

Over-engineer designs and make work as unnecessarily complicated as possible to ensure confusion of workforce. This also serves to make engineers feel important and ensure that their specialist knowledge is always needed.

6. Over-Production

Ensure machines are kept running, even if they are making poor quality or something that will be put into storage for several months to several years.

7. Defects Defects are to be expected given the large process variation and should be allowed to pass undetected until the end of the process in order to create a constant rework loop and ensure the workforce or expensive machinery is kept busy on something

8. Skills Ensure that highest skilled employees are used with a minimum of flexibility and on a non-bottleneck resource.


An attentive audience seen listening to Mr. Pradeep Chellakani’s lecture.

Mr. Vaidyalingam, EC Member proposed Vote of Thanks

Mr. P. Chellappan, President THE FORUM, sharing his thoughts

Interactive QA session

Interactive QA session

Mr. D. Ramalingam presenting appreciation memento


FORUM’s Technical Lecture on

3D Object PrintingA lecture on the above subject was held on Friday, 10th October 2014 evening at Dept. of Ocean and Coastal Management, Anna University, Guindy, Chennai- 600 025, by Mr. Santosh M Nair, Senior General Manager, Cadensworth India Limited.

The Kudal Hall, Department of Ocean and Coastal Management, Anna University, had an overflowing ‘kudal’ (gathering) on 10th October evening to hear Santosh M. Nair, Senior General Manager, Cadensworth India Limited about 3D Object Printing.

Cadensworth, a Redington subsidiary, Santosh of HP fame was no stranger to the printing fraternity. He told first thing in his presentation that it was not about lenticular printing but about 3D ‘object’ printing.

3D printing or additive manufacturing (AM) refers to any of the various processes for printing a three-dimensional object. Primarily additive processes are used, in which successive layers of material are laid down under computer control. These objects can be of almost any shape or geometry, and are produced from a 3D model or other electronic data source. A 3D printer is a type of industrial robot.

According to Wohlers Associates, a consultancy, the market for 3D printers and services was worth $2.2 billion worldwide in 2012, up 29% from 2011 and is expected to grow at a much higher rate in the years to come.

Technologies in 3D PrintingThere are major technologies in the 3D printing industry are Polyjet, Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), SLA and SLS.

Polyjet3D printers powered by PolyJet technology create 16-micron layers with a accuracy as high as 0.1 mm for smooth surfaces, thin walls and complex geometries. PolyJet technology supports the highest range of materials with a wide array of properties from rubber to rigid and

transparent to opaque. With Objet Connex 3D Printers, multiple materials can even be printed simultaneously in the same model or part. Stratasys have recently announced a 3D Colour printer, which can mix 2 different colors of resins into a 3rd colour like it is done in the traditional printing.

FUSeD DePoSiTioN MoDeLLiNG (FDM)FDM works on an “additive” principle by laying down material in layers; a plastic filament or metal wire is unwound from a coil and supplies material to produce a part. The parts produced by FDM are known for their strength and predominantly used in direct Digital manufacturing.

SLAStereol ithography (SLA or SL; also known as optical fabrication, photo-solidification, solid free-form fabrication solid imaging and Resin printing) is an additive manufacturing or 3D printing technology used for producing models, prototypes, patterns, and production parts up one layer at a time by curing a photo-reactive resin with a UV laser or another similar power source.

SLS- Selective Laser Sintering.Selective laser sintering (SLS) is an additive manufacturing technique that uses a laser as the power source to sinter powdered material (typically metal), aiming the laser automatically at points in space defined by a 3D model, binding the material together to create a solid structure. It is similar to direct metal laser sintering (DMLS); the two are instantiations of the same concept but differ in technical details. Selective laser melting (SLM) uses a comparable concept, but in SLM the

material is fully melted rather than sintered, allowing different properties (crystal structure, porosity, and so on). SLS (as well as the other mentioned AM techniques) is a relatively new technology that so far has mainly been used for rapid prototyping and for low-volume production of component parts. Production roles are expanding as the commercialization of AM technology improves.

APPLiCATioNS oF 3D PrintingThere are many applications for AM technologies, including architecture, construction (AEC), industrial design, automotive, aerospace, military, engineering, dental and medical industries, biotech (human tissue replacement), fashion, footwear, j e w e l r y , e y e w e a r , e d u c a t i o n , geographic information systems, food, and many other fields.

A rapidly expanding hobbyist and home-use market was established with the inauguration of many entry level printers which are now available from 2000 USD on wards. In distributed manufacturing, one study has found that 3D printing could become a mass market product enabling consumers to save money associated with purchasing common household objects. For example, instead of going to a store to buy an object made in a factory by injection molding (such as a measuring cup

Mr. Santosh M Nair, Senior General Manager, Cadensworth India Limited, seen presenting

his lecture.


or a funnel), a person might instead print it at home from a downloaded 3D model.

Distributed manufacturingA d d i t i v e m a n u f a c t u r i n g i n combination with cloud computing technologies allows decentralized and geographically independent distributed production. Distributed manufacturing as such is carried out by some enterprises; there is also a service to put people needing 3D printing in contact with owners of printers.

Some companies offer on-line 3D printing services to both commercial and private customers, working from 3D designs uploaded to the company website. 3D-printed designs are either shipped to the customer or picked up from the service provider.

Mass customizationCompanies have created services where consumers can customise objects using simplified web based customization software, and order the resulting items as 3D printed unique objects. This now allows consumers to create custom cases for their mobile phones. Nokia and many other mobile manufacturers’ has released the 3D designs for its case so that owners can customize their own case and have it 3D printed.

Rapid manufacturingAdvances in RP technology have introduced mater ia ls that are appropriate for final manufacture, which has in turn introduced the possibility of directly manufacturing finished components. One advantage of 3D printing for rapid manufacturing lies in the relatively inexpensive production of small numbers of parts.

Rapid manufacturing is a new method of manufacturing and many of its processes remain unproven. 3D printing is now entering the field of rapid manufacturing and was identified as a “next level” technology by many experts. One of the most promising processes looks to be the adaptation of selective laser sintering

(SLS), or direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) some of the better-established rapid prototyping methods.

Rapid prototypingIndustrial 3D printers have existed since the early 1980s and have been used extensively for rapid prototyping and research purposes. These are generally larger machines that use proprietary powdered metals, casting media (e.g. sand), plastics, paper or cartridges, and are used for rapid prototyping by universities and commercial companies.

industrial applications

Apparel3D printing has spread into the world of clothing with fashion designers experimenting with 3D-printed bikinis, shoes, and dresses. In commercial production Nike is using 3D printing to prototype and manufacture the 2012 Vapor Laser Talon football shoe for players of American football, and New Balance is 3D manufacturing custom-fit shoes for athletes.

3D printing has come to the point where companies are printing consumer grade eyewear with on demand custom fit and styling (although they cannot print the lenses). The on demand customization market for glasses is something that has been deemed possible with rapid prototyping.

AutomobilesIn early 2014, the Swedish supercar m a n u f a c t u r e r , K o e n i g s e g g , announced the One:1, a supercar that utilises many components that were 3D printed. In the limited run of vehicles Koenigsegg produces, the One:1 has side-mirror internals, air ducts, titanium exhaust components, and even complete turbocharger assembles that have been 3D printed as part of the manufacturing process.

A n A m e r i c a n c o m p a n y , L o c a l Motors is working with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Cincinnati Incorporated to develop large-scale additive manufacturing processes suitable for printing an entire car

body. The company plans to print the vehicle live in front of an audience in September 2014 at the International Manufacturing Technology Show. “Produced from a new fiber-reinforced thermoplastic strong enough for use in an automotive application, the chassis and body without drivetrain, wheels and brakes weighs a scant 450 pounds and the completed car is comprised of just 40 components, a number that gets smaller with every revision.”

ConstructionAn additional use being developed is building printing, or using 3D printing to build buildings. This could allow faster construction for lower costs, and has been investigated for construction of off-Earth habitats. For example, the Sinterhab project is researching a lunar base constructed by 3D printing using lunar regolith as a base material. Instead of adding a binding agent to the regolith, researchers are experimenting with microwave sintering to create solid blocks from the raw material.

electric motors and generatorsThe magnetic cores of electric machines (motors and generators) require thin laminations of special preprocessed electrical steel, insulated from each other to reduce core iron losses. 3D printing of any product that requires core materials with special properties or forms that must be preserved during the manufacturing process, such as the material density, non-crystalline or nano-crystalline atomic structures, etc., may only be compatible with a hybrid 3D printing method which does not use core material-altering methods, such as sintering, fusing, deposition.

FirearmsIn 2012, the US-based group Defense Distr ibuted disclosed plans to “[design] a working plastic gun that could be downloaded and reproduced by anybody with a 3D printer. Defense Distributed has also designed a 3D printable AR-15 type rifle lower receiver (capable of lasting more than 650 rounds) and a 30 round M16 magazine.


Mr. Santosh M Nair presenting his lecture. Few specimens of 3D Object printing

An attentive audience

QA Session in progress

Mr. P. Chellappan, President THE FORUM, sharing his thoughts

Mr. R.S. Bakshi, Imm. Past President, THE FORUM presenting appreciation memento


The AR-15 has multiple receivers (both an upper and lower receiver), but the legally controlled part is the one that is serialised (the lower, in the AR-15’s case). Soon after Defense Distributed succeeded in designing the first working blueprint to produce a plastic gun with a 3D printer in May 2013, the United States Department of State demanded that they remove the instructions from their website. After Defense Distributed released their plans, questions were raised regarding the effects that 3D printing and widespread consumer-level CNC machining may have on gun control effectiveness.

In 2014, a man from Japan became the first person in the world to be imprisoned for making 3D printed firearms. Yoshitomo Imura posted videos and blueprints of the gun online and was sentenced to jail for two years. Police found at least two guns in his household that were capable of firing bullets.

Medical3D printing has been used to print patient specific implant and device for medical use. Successful operations include a titanium pelvis implanted into a British patient, titanium lower jaw transplanted to a Dutch patient, and a plastic tracheal splint for an American infant. The hearing aid and dental industries are expected to be the biggest area of future development using the custom 3D printing technology. In March 2014, surgeons in Swansea used 3D printed parts to rebuild the face of a motorcyclist who had been seriously injured in a road accident. Research is also being conducted on methods to bio-print replacements for lost tissue due to arthritis and cancer.

In October 2014, a five-year-old girl born without fully formed fingers on her left hand became the first child in the UK to have a prosthetic hand made with 3D printing technology. Her hand was designed by US-based E-nable, an open source design organisation which uses a network of volunteers to design and make prosthetics mainly

for children. The prosthetic hand was based on a plaster cast made by her parents.

Bio PrintingAs of 2012, 3D bio-printing technology has been studied by biotechnology firms and academia for possible use in tissue engineering applications in which organs and body parts are built using inkjet techniques. In this process, layers of living cells are deposited onto a gel medium or sugar matrix and slowly built up to form three-dimensional structures including vascular systems. The first production system for 3D tissue printing was delivered in 2009, based on NovoGen bioprinting technology. Several terms have been used to refer to this field of research: organ printing, bio-printing, body part printing, and computer-aided tissue engineering, among others. The possibility of using 3D tissue printing to create soft tissue architectures for reconstructive surgery is also being explored.

China has committed almost $500 million towards the establishment of 10 national 3-D printing development institutes. In 2013, Chinese scientists began printing ears, livers and kidneys, with living tissue. Researchers in China have been able to successfully print human organs using specialised 3D bio printers that use living cells instead of plastic.

Researchers at Hangzhou Dianzi University actually went as far as inventing their own 3D printer for the complex task, dubbed the “Regenovo” which is a “3D bio printer.” Xu Mingen, Regenovo’s developer, said that it takes the printer under an hour to produce either a mini liver sample or a four to five inch ear cartilage sample. Xu also predicted that fully functional printed organs may be possible within the next ten to twenty years. In the same year, researchers at the University of Hasselt, in Belgium had successfully printed a new jawbone for an 83-year-old Belgian woman. The woman is now able to chew, speak and breathe normally again after a machine printed her a new jawbone.

ArtIn 2005, academic journals had begun to report on the possible artistic applications of 3D printing technology. By 2007 the mass media followed with an article in the Wall Street Journal and Time Magazine, listing a 3D printed design among their 100 most influential designs of the year. During the 2011 London Design Festival, an installation, curated by Murray Moss and focused on 3D Printing, was held in the Victoria and Albert Museum (the V&A). The installation was called Industrial Revolution

An evening well spent with the knowledgeable discussion spreading through the dinner. n

Report by Mr. D. Ramalingam

Amazon introduces online 3D printing store

Amazon.com is well known abroad for their shopping website. The online e-commerce giant has taken its shopping website to a further level by allowing customers to get stuff 3D printed.

Articles like jewellery and cases, objects like figurines, etc can be printed in 3D and shipped to your doorstep.

To enable customisation, Amazon has also added a custom interface to allow normal products to be tweaked and customized by the buyer.

At present, there are a plethora of products on display and more shall be added soon. Amazon might take this step further to introduce self designed files being uploaded and printed by Amazon. We hope the service starts in India too. n

Courtesy : www. deccanchronicle.com


New outlet is the 5th store in India and first in North Central & Western region of India

Sir Speedy, Inc., a worldwide network of printing, signs and marketing services franchises announced the opening of a new store in Indore! This is the first store in the North, Central & Western region of India. The new franchise store is located on AB Road, Indore & is owned & operated by Mr. Annal Jain. It is the 5th Sir Speedy center in India in addition to stores already operational in Hyderabad and Bengaluru markets.

Sir Speedy Indore aims to cater to the marketing communication, digital marketing and printing needs of medium to large businesses across all segments. Strategically located in main business district, Sir Speedy Indore is equipped with the latest digital printing equipment, systems and processes from Xerox. Managed by a well-trained team of seasoned professionals alongside the business acumen of local promoters coupled with global experience and vision of Sir Speedy; the store is expected to add a new dimension to the unorganized local printing industry with greater customer delight.

Sir Speedy India had entered into an agreement with Xerox India to drive strategic initiatives in the Indian market earlier this year. Xerox has been globally associated with Sir Speedy since 30 years and helped them meet printing demands in the most efficient and cost controlled manner. On the launch of the new store, Mr. Chandrajit Narra, Managing Director, Sir Speedy India said, “We are glad to open the 5th store in India. We have seen huge opportunities evolving from the western market and hence the conscious decision to

move into this part of the country. Our association with Xerox has been great and with their support we want to further strengthen our presence in the country. We are glad to be associated with Xerox and their countrywide partner network has certainly helped us reach out to a much larger audience in the country. We hope to further build on this association and with Xerox’s expertise in printing, deliver true value to our customers.”

Commenting on the store launch, Mr. Pankaj Kalra, Head, Production Systems Group, Xerox India said, “Our partnership with Sir Speedy has been unique and it is great to see how they are strengthening their foothold in India. They have a strong global team, focused on delivering good services to their clients. We are glad to continue our partnership with Sir Speedy and wish them success on their future endeavours.”

Indore is the largest and most populous city in Madhya Pradesh. Some of the growing industries here that serve as prime markets for Sir Speedy’s printing services include information technology, healthcare, pharmaceutical, oil processing, textile manufacturing, transportation, and real estate. The city also has a large number of IT/ ITES companies and BPO’s. It is soon also going to host large campuses of global giants- TCS and Infosys.

About Sir Speedy Printing and Marketing ServicesSir Speedy is locally owned and operated and is part of a worldwide network of franchise brands and affil iates that spans more than 400 locations in 12 countries. Sir Speedy specializes in the creation and execution of growth-oriented

printing and marketing solutions for small- to medium-sized businesses. Offerings include robust digital and offset printing, integrated marketing campaigns, data and mailing services, signage, promotional products, graphic design, and online services that help companies advance their Web presence. Whether the client objective is branding, lead generation, customer retention, reactivation, cross-sel l , upsell , or campaign measurement, Sir Speedy offers more ways for businesses to grow.

About XeroxSince the invention of Xerography 75 years ago, the people of Xerox (NYSE: XRX) have helped businesses simplify the way work gets done. Today, we are the global leader in business process and document management, helping organizations of any size be more efficient so they can focus on their real business. Headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., more than 140,000 Xerox employees serve clients in 160 countries, providing business services, printing equipment and software for commercial and government organizations. Learn more at www.xerox.com.

ContactsXerox IndiaTel: +91-124-3371000Email: [email protected]

Sir Speedy indiaChandrajit NarraaE: [email protected] Speedy IndoreB-8, Industry House, 15, AB Road, Indore 452 018 India. Tel: +91 731 405 6060.Email: [email protected]

Media Contacts:Debaman Guin, Text 100, +91 8527424017, [email protected] n

Sir Speedy Expands its Footprint in India, Opens New Store in Indore


West African country releases special Navaratri stamps

Niger, a small West African country, too is celebrating the Indian festival of Navarathri with special, dazzling stamps. On Thursday, the Niger government released two stamps of Ganesha and Lakshmi Ganesha with golden foil in India, exclusively for the Navarathri festival. The stamps are sold online with a limited edition of 1,500 stamps for Indian collectors.

Within seven hours of launching the sale, Alok K Goyal, authorised dealer for the special Niger stamps in India, received 42 orders from Chennai. He has sold 140 stamps across India on the launch day alone.

“The highest number of orders is from Chennai and the next is Bengaluru with 12 orders.

The sale will be open till stock is available,” he said.

Speaking to DC over phone from Kolkata, Alok K Goyal said that the Niger government had produced these special stamps to mark Navarathri and earn revenue. “The growing popularity of Indian art and culture internationally has initiated the government of Niger to issue these two special stamps during the current festive season in India.”

T h e G a n e s h a s t a m p w h i c h i s hexagonal in shape and is made of

gold foil, is priced at Rs 1001,” he said. The other stamp in the shape of a lotus has Lakshmi and Ganesha decorated with a Swarovski stone and is priced at Rs 1, 111. Goyal said that he wanted to launch these stamps for Ganesh Chathurthi but got delayed because of the special printing with gold foil. Goyal’s site, www.stamps-n-stamps.com has the images of stamps and the facility to order them. n

Courtesy : www.deccanchronicle.com

Time to experience third dimension of printingInnovation Council showcases advantages of additive technology to young minds

Chief executive officer of Grey Sim Vishal JC demonstrates the 3D printing to students at Birla Institute of Technology, Patna

Students were exposed to 3D printing on Monday, thanks to a state innovation council initiative.

The council, which aims at promoting innovation at the grassroots level, had organised an exhibition to showcase the new variant of printing technology. Under the new method, according to design specifications fed into the computer, three-dimensional objects are created when materials are fed into the machine.

Part ic ipants were given a l ive demonstration where the finished products were plastic objects like switches, fruits basket, bangles etc.

The 3D printing process is called additive manufacturing — in which material is added bit by bit to make a finished product as opposed to traditional method of taking some material and whittling it away to get finished product. The latter causes a lot of wastage.

A l s o , i n t r a d i t i o n a l m e t h o d , construction of a model can take from several hours to several days, depending on the method used and the size and complexity of the model. Additive system can typically reduce this time to a few hours, although it varies widely on type of machine used and the size and number of models being produced simultaneously.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar heads the state innovation council while principal secretary, planning and development, Vijoy Prakash is member secretary. “For the first time, the council put a daylong exhibition on 3D printing where college, school students and even representatives from business and industry houses participated,” Prakash said.

Vishal JC, CEO of Grey Sim, a firm engaged in manufacture of 3D objects, said: “When any thermoplastic such as PLA (polylactic acid) or ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) grain issubjected to 230° Celsius heat and given shape, 3D objects result.” Vishal said 3D printable models can be created through printers attached to a computer with computer-aided design (CAD). Any shape can be created through CAD. The new technology is in vogue in China and US for engineering students. n

Courtesy : www.thetelegraphindia.com


Move over flexoDigital label printing has thrown down the gauntlet to flexography and other conventional processes for short to medium runs.

Advertising campaign cycles are shrinking as marketers seek to hold fleeting attention spans and restless eyes. But the rapid response approach to retaining aisle appeal has some upsides for printers that demonstrate the flexibility needed to sustain variety more than volume.

Today’s Austral ian retai l ing is a world of high segmentation, focused demographics and short shelf life. Label power has always been a blend of sassy graphic design and quality print and finish, but nowadays it is also about how ‘intelligent’ a label can be – we have moved through onboard labelling technologies from barcoding to Radio Frequency ID (RFID) to Quick Response (QR) coding and on to Near Field Communication (NFC); all printable comms technologies.

Chances are the print companies that can fill niches are doing it digitally, with the kind of micro-run label production that seems beyond the giant grasp and long-haul acumen of traditional label printing processes like film-based flexo.

Within the next five years, vendors expect all label producers will have some sort of digital capability. In 2009 around 30 per cent of all label presses sold were digital, whereas now the tables have turned, with 70 per cent now digital.

According to IT Strategies, digital label printing is primarily targeted at the Australian pressure sensitive market which as of 2013 converted approximately 18.5 billlion sqm of label stock. Of this market, digital presses converted about two per cent, and this is expected to grow to a seven per cent share by 2018.

As a proportion of total labels printed, digital is still tiny due to the huge run lengths of major brand goods and private label products. In Asia, wet-gum applied labels still outstrip self-adhesive. However, in dollar terms, digital labels printed in small batches command higher prices and its share of the approximately $80bn world label market is around 4-5 per cent, according to Mike Fairley of international label association Finat.

Rapid responseFor Mike Ellis, managing director of Sydney general label print house Avonlea Labels, investing in Memjet technology from Rapid Machinery has been the latest chapter in a drive towards digital that began when the present owners acquired 50-yearold Avonlea 10 years ago.

Avonlea’s configuration – a Rapid X2 press with a D2 finisher – makes quick work of gloss stock in micro-runs down to single labels for proof purposes and up to around 5000, says Ellis. The D2 diecutter’s versatility allows the use of existing dies, so that dies from the company’s Alpha 250 five-colour flexo press can be used – cutting out the need for costly investment in extra dies. (The Alpha is used for single-to five-colour work in greater volumes, typically more than 3000 linear metres).

Ellis says: “When we looked at the Rapid, the 1600dpi, the faster speed and the entry-level cost attracted us to it, and it provided us with an introduction to semi-rotary diecutting.”

For digital label runs above the 5000 mark, mainly on matte stock, Avonlea’s HP Indigo WS4500 seven-colour press is the choice, handling CMYK plus two colours, and featuring digital white.

The two digital presses have added an extra dimension to the 12-staff operation located in new premises in Castle Hill (Avonlea shifted there recently from a smaller site in the same suburb). Ellis says new customers have come on board and the company has also been able to fulfil a wide range of orders for existing customers, with productivity high on smaller runs without the cost margin of plates.

Since Avonlea’s investment in the Rapid X2 and D2, the Australian manufacturer

has rolled out its XL220, a semi-rotary line that configures printing and diecutting in one pass, but Ellis says the advantage of the separate X2 and D2 machines is wider choice – a roll can be sent to the D2 for a magnetic die, but also to a digital cutter.

Ellis is confident of strong growth in the intelligent labels sector. “We began printing barcodes in flexo, but the VDP aspect of digital label printing has enabled us to move into numbering and QR work, with RFID work also looking promising,” he says.

Digital core businessAC Labels in Wetherill Park, NSW started as a family business more than 40 years ago and is still successfully operating today. The company, now a part of the Hally Group, first installed digital technology back in 2004, and was one of the early entries into the world of digital and Indigo technology, according to managing director Frank Gavrilos.

Since then, AC has installed three HP Indigo presses in the past ten years, with a W6000 arriving two years ago. Today, AC has grown digital into a core business on its own, as well as leveraging the technology to complement higher-volume business still printed on its fleet of flexographic presses.

Gavrilos is an industry veteran with nearly 25 years in the self-adhesive industry globally, and the last 11 years at the helm of AC Labels. He is also a past president of the Label and Tag Makers Association (LATMA) and still serves on its board.

Speaking generally, Gavrilos says while it has come a long way, digital label printing still has challenges. Certain PMS colours are difficult to match with four-colour process, although more printers are using five and six colour matching to compensate.

But he says those are minor issues and overall, in terms of quality, the WS6000 in particular continues to impress.

“Digital quality was an eye opener when it was first launched and was always pretty good, but today’s quality is no comparison – and the presses still continue to evolve,” he says. “Each version runs faster and better than previous versions. So our current 6000


was yet another step change from our earlier presses and works well for us in our markets – for now. But you can never stand still, so I wonder what’s next?”

What the vendors sayWith the first Truepress Jet L350UV rolled out at the new Jet Technologies showroom in Sydney, the vendor staged an open house for the new arrival on July 25. Jet Technologies marketing manager Lisa Moussa tells ProPrint the inkjet press offers opportunities that are obvious in label printing as well as many outside of labels, making it an optimal choice for sheetfed contenders looking to broaden their services into vertical label markets.

“Narrow-web packaging is growing dramatically – areas such as shrink sleeves, printing onto aluminium and so forth are interesting fields to consider. The L350UV can do all of that and we are seeing very strong interest from sheetfed printers looking for opportunities,” she says.

Screen’s Peter Scott describes the Truepress Jet L350UV as “the fastest digital label press currently installed in Australia.”

“At almost 1000sqm of finished labels per hour, it is a very productive solution. Being inkjet, it differs from the liquid and powder toner models that have been around for many years,” he says. “It is also a UV curing press, with a white ink option that opens up many wider applications.”

The newly released HP Indigo WS6800 rollfed narrow-web press generates labels in faster turnarounds, using automated colour management, a wide frame and new inking, making it available for a broader range of applications. HP claims the press delivers the industry’s highest crossover point in narrow-web production versus analogue for the vast majority of pressuresensitive label work.

At the muscle end of label printing, the HP Indigo 20000 is the manufacturer’s latest contribution to wide format, packaging and label production, traditionally the preserve of flexography. The 20000 is a 30-inch wide, roll-to-roll solution, with an unwinder and water-based inline primer, and produces diverse digital applications, including

flexible packaging, labels, and shrink sleeves on film or paper from 0.4 to 10pt. With seven on-press ink stations, the company claims the results are of gravure-like quality, enabling converters to meet stringent corporate branding briefs.

In a fine example of Australian genius, local manufacturer Rapid Machinery has integrated Memjet, a technology that uses Systems (MEMS). Each 1600dpi printhead generates millions of ink droplets a second at speeds as high as 18 metres a minute.

“Rapid was the first true digital label press to use inkjet effectively,” Rapid general manager Nigel Mansell says. “In 2010 when we launched at Ipex, virtually 100 percent of the digital market was toner-based. Liquid and powder toner still holds the lion’s share of the market because these processes have been around for much longer, but inkjet is the big gainer. Memjet print engine technology and inks remain the highest resolution available, at up to 1600x1600 dpi and 1.2 picolitre droplet size. Our big advantage is 35 years in manufacturing web handling and converting equipment and the evidence of this can be found in the latest Rapid XL220.”

Grish Rewal, director of Xeikon agency Absolute Electronics, sees the Xeikon label press as competitive in digitally produced labels. “Certainly with quality and cheapest cost of print but also flexibility of substrates and the fact that our customers can use the same stock as their conventional press without a need to prime most substrates, making it one of the most productive digital press on the market,” he says.

“Xeikon, with their field upgradable presses, also have an excellent entry point for customers wishing to enter the digital market at a lower price point and upgrading the same machine in speed or width of their press as the business growth demands the productivity.”

Epson Australia marketing manager Jennifer Soros says its SurePress L-40033A inkjet digital label press enables exceptional colour matching and the ability to print on a diversity of standard labels stocks using Epson’s aqueous six-colour ink set. “Aside from the quality and cost efficiencies it brings, the SurePress also presents

itself as the ideal platform for existing label converters or any printer wishing to enter the label market, and who are looking for a platform that can print labels of a standard that is industry leading but at a lower capital and consumable cost,” she says.

“We have seen examples of traditional sheetfed printers either using analogue or digital sheetfed presses looking at the label space as an excellent opportunity to broaden their business and add another revenue stream. The label sector continues to be one of the strongest growing areas of the print industry. The choice for many of these commercial printers is made easier as they may very well already service accounts that have a need for labels.”

Deciding on digitalLabelForce, a five-year-old 22-staff operation in Bassendean, Western Australia, adding a digital channel to its flexographic label printing abilities is currently under active consideration.

The company offers offset, flexographic and Screen printing, hot foil stamping, cold foil, embossing, and texturing. With these processes, LabelForce can produce anything from the most complex wine label to the most basic one-colour identification label, managing director Ernie Cooley says.

But as Cooley tells ProPrint, the decision on whether and how to go digital will be made carefully. “If we commit roughly a million dollars to invest in an HP Indigo machine, we believe we would have to write it off sooner in our books than we possibly could at the moment, in order to get it on what could be the next phase of digital label production, so we’re hesitating on digital,” he says.

Cooley, who has had two decades in label printing, initially partnering with an ex-ad agency owner, says LabelForce, which counts Coles among its major customers, prints mainly for food-and-beverage, but also has a 20 per cent sideline in wines.

Starting strongly out of the gate, LabelForce won two WA Picas for its rollfed work in 2010, reflecting its first year of operation. It prints most of its labels in a 24-hour operation on its two Mark Andy rotary presses. According to Cooley runs are typically


around 300,000, a fraction of east coast volumes more in the area of five million. “But when you have runs of say 300,000, in five varieties, the bigger presses can’t compete with us,” he says.

The company is keen to find a machine that can fulfil stopgap orders without pil ing these onto its main label converting lines and jamming workflow with long makereadies.

It has been researching how digital technology could help the company, with an eye to inkjet. “Obviously not having plates is a big saving, as are digital set-up times” Cooley says. “But then on the other hand, how much calibrating do you have to do if you’re running, say, 30,000 labels where a background or corporate colour is paramount? Can you run the whole job through or do you have to stop at 10,000 or 20,000 to make sure of the colour? These are the things we need to know.” n

Courtesy : www.proprint.com.au

E-cards from CTI Colour Print

Paper business cards meet smartphone technology.Bridging the gap between paper business cards and the digital world, Sydney trade outfit CTI Colour Print is set to offer e-business cards that download contact details direct to your smartphone.

The application can also link to a website, creating an easy path to purchase for customers.

CTI chief executive Tim Lu says the new venture is a diversification for the business, which he hopes will boost sales for his clients as the digital world encroaches on print.

He says the popularity of smartphones is unlikely to go away, and believes bringing paper business cards into the 21st century is one strategy to future-proof print.

He says, “I believe the whole industry needs to support each other. We have seen the print market reduce and companies go out of business. CTI is looking for long term partnerships, we want to support the industry and help these businesses to make a living, so we are expanding our services to include new products that suit today’s market.”

The product works via a printed QR code on the front or back of the card, which is linked to a profile page that can be accessed on a smartphone or tablet. The profile includes all the regular contact information as well as digital links, so customers can easily access further information if they please.

Lu says the technology means users will no longer have to take the extra step of typing contact information

into their phone, they can transfer it to their contacts with a QR reader app, while still keeping the physical card.

He says , “This i s an exc i t ing opportunity for us, the chance to link new technology with our printing industry, to benefit print. Everyone is working hard to find a way to sell print. For our generation printed business cards are still preferred, but with the e-cards you can have the best of both worlds.”

CTI customers will generate their own designs through a portal linked to an independent e-card app developer, with CTI fronting the cost of the design. An e-card will therefore cost no more to print than regular business cards.

The trade customer’s logo and url can also be included at the bottom of the digital profile, to encourage repeat business. Lu says this is another way for CTI to support its customers.

He says, “We look after the small guys, providing small quantities, with different product ideas, at a reasonable price. We are not looking for large volumes, which makes us a flexible business.

“Our team has worked together for many years, looking after our customers, who are mostly SMEs. We also try to use local suppliers as much as possible, to support the local industry.

“Our customer base is stable and growing all the time, with a 10 to 20 per cent increase every year.”

The QR codes will be available in several colours. CTI offers standard, double and round corner business cards in a range of sizes, produced at its Fairfield facility in NSW.

Lu says he will offer a free three month e-card membership for customers who order 500 business cards, and six months for orders of 1000. The e-card service will be available from October n

Courtesy : www.proprint.com.au

SGPC To Inaugurate Guru Granth Sahib Printing Facilities In CaliforniaAn SGPC delegation will be visiting California next week to inaugurate Sri Guru Granth Sahib printing facilities. Sikh24 has learned from its sources that the inauguration will be part of the annual Sikh Parade events that takes place in Yuba City.SGPC President Avtar Makkar, Raghujeet Singh Virk, Sukhdev Singh Bhaur and Rajinder Singh Mehta will be part of the SGPC team that will travel to California in the coming days. We have also learned that the SGPC President, Avtar Makkar, will be accompanied by some relatives, including his son Inderjit Makkar. The inauguration will take place on the 13 acres of land donated by California based millionaire Didar Singh Bains. He plans to build a printing facility for Guru Granth Sahib Saroops, along with a charter school and a museum. We have been told that although the inauguration function will take place next week, the actual setup of the printing press can take some time. SGPC has requested Didar Singh Bains to manage fundraising for the press. More details about the SGPC visit will be shared as they become available. n

Courtesy :http://www.sikh24.com/


A new test for organic foodMarrying the technologies of black-and-white photography and inkjet printing has lead to the development of a Raman sensor that can help you spot pesticide-free fruits and vegetables

How often have you wondered whether the organic food stacked on supermarket shelves really is organically grown? It would be nice if we had a device that would be able to tell us whether the fruits and vegetables we are buying are really pesticide free or whether the supposedly organic meat carries traces of antibiotics.

A simple technique that a researcher at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore has developed has brought that wish closer to reality. Venugopal Santhanam, assistant professor at the IISc’s chemical e n g i n e e r i n g d e p a r t m e n t , h a s devised this technique by marrying the technology of black-and-white photography and inkjet printing.

Santhanam and his student, Shravan Kumar Parmar, have devised an inexpensive but effective technique of etching silver nanowire circuits on normal paper using an ordinary inkjet printer. The printer’s cartridges are filled with solutions containing two chemicals — potassium bromide

and silver nitrate — which react to produce circuits of silver bromide on the paper when dipped in a solution and exposed to light, just like it is done in the old“salt printing” photography.

“This is very similar to the old black and white, or silver bromide, photography, where gelatin films are used to make negatives and positives are printed on photographic paper,” says Santhanam.

T h e n e w p r o c e s s b e l o n g s t o an emerging field called paper electronics, which is less than a decade old. What is even more interesting is that unlike researchers working on paper electronics elsewhere (who work with special types of paper), the Bangalore scientists are using regular paper which is normally used for printing. “It is as cheap as it can get,” says Santhanam.

Their paper appeared in the latest issue of the Current Science journal.

This method of printing si lver nanowire networks on paper can find applications in many fields, says

Santhanam. It can be used to detect gas leaks in factories, make-use-andthrow diagnostic kits similar to the strips used for measuring blood sugar levels and also to make Raman sensors (so named because it is based on a phenomenon called Raman spectroscopy discovered by C.V. Raman) that can decipher unique chemical fingerprints of different chemicals, including pesticides.

“There is certainly some novelty here,” says K. Vijayamohanan Pillai, director of the Central Electro-Chemical Research Institute in Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu. “I do not know whether a sophisticated Raman sensor could be made out of it. But, it certainly can have applications in diverse fields. One such application that comes immediately to mind is in the packaging industry. Silver nanowire has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. Such silver nanowire etched paper could be used to pack fruits and vegetables that are transported long distances so that they can remain fresh for a longer period of time,” says Pillai.

The IISc scientists are currently developing a sensor that can detect leaks in pipes that carry l iquid hydrogen — a highly volatile gas — for the Indian Space Research Organisation. “It is at a very early stage. In principle, the paper on which the silver nanowire circuits is printed can be wrapped around the entire length of the pipe so that any leak, however minute it may be, is detected as soon as it occurs,” Santhanam told KnowHow.

Another exciting possibility being explored by Santhanam’s team is a Raman sensor. “Raman sensors can have applications in many areas, including checking whether the vegetable or fruit you buy from the market is pesticide free,” the IISc scientist says.

Just l ike the weighing balance superstores have for customers to verify the quantity of articles they buy, Raman sensors can be used by customers for checking whether food articles are really organic or not. A piece of paper on which silver


nanostructures are printed could be used as a swab. Rubbing it on the skin of the vegetable or fruit can actually transfer a few pesticide molecules onto the swab, which when put under an ultraviolet light can help establish the presence of toxic chemicals. “We have developed a Raman sensor already. But we are yet to calibrate its sensitivity,” Santhanam says.

The processes currently used for detecting the presence of pesticides in vegetables are quite cumbersome as the vegetable has first to be pulped before a test can be run.

Santhanam says they are not working on any diagnostic right now as they are yet to identify biologists who are interested in working with them to develop such disposable kits. n

Courtesy : www.telegraphindia.com

Career in Advertisingintroductionmany a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising. – Mark Twain

Advertising is the art of conveying a m e s s a g e t o t h e m a s s e s . Advertisements generally persuade people about commercial products, services and even draw attention towards social issues. Advertising is one of the chief divisions of any industry that ensures the industry’s competitiveness in the corporate milieu. Indian advertising industry is on a roll and is all set to provide quality job to thousands of individuals in next few years.

A career in advertising is a lucrative employment option that one can choose in the rapidly growing Indian economy. Advertising agencies generally prefer highly creative and talented individuals who can think independently and at the same time work as excellent team players. If you are interested in pursuing a career in advertising, you must be highly target oriented and willing to work in a pressure cooker like environment. Since this industry is very competitive, you must be willing to give your best at all times to make a successful career.

Step-by-stepAdvertising firms employ people with different educational backgrounds in various departments at various levels. Possessing a professional Degree or Diploma in a particular field of study can give you a head start in this industry. Further, flair for language and excellent communication skills are other factors essential for breaking into the realm of the advertising business. To get into a specific department of an advertisement agency, you could choose from the following courses:

1. Client Servicing: A post graduatdiploma or an MBA in marketing

2. Studio: Course in commercial art or fine arts (BFA or MFA)

3. Media: Journalism, Mass Communication or an MBA

4. Finance: CA, ICWA, MBA (Finance)

5. Films: Specialisation in audio visuals

6. Production: A course in printing and pre – press processes.

The best way to get into this field after a course is to get on- the- job training. All good institutions offer internship as part of the curriculum.

Start earlyThe first and the foremost requisite to take up a position in advertising world is to have a creative spark in one’s life. This creativity can be in any form, be it in language, communication skills, drawing, innovative thinking, and so on.

Eligibility for most of the advertising postgraduate courses is graduation in any discipline with a minimum of 50 percent marks. Admission to most of these courses is based on an entrance exam and/or interview. Some institutions also offer graduate level courses in advertising, for which they admit students who have cleared class XII.

is it the right career for me?If you are enthusiastic, naturally driven, creative, optimistic, and have the ability to multi task then advertising is the best career option for you. People skills are a vital requirement for this career as it makes one understand what a client needs and also helps in effective decision making. An institution running advertising related courses can help train and develop students to pick up traits such as:

1. Effective communication2. Presentation and management3. Team and leadership skills4. Stress and pressure management5. Persuasiveness6. Confidence7. Competitiveness

LMAI award winners announcedAny Graphics celebrated 10 wins out of the 20 on offer at the LMAI label awards night, held at the LeMeridien hotel in Delhi on the third night of Labelexpo India 2014.

The Noida-based converter dominated the four combination printing categories and won outright the two digital categories, two letterpress awards (Color Process and Wine/Spirits), the Screen Printing Wine & Spirit category and the Judges’ Choice award.

Update Prints had the second biggest medal haul, with three wins in the Offset Color & Process, Offset Wine & Spirits and Offset categories. Update was closely followed by Ajanta Packaging, which scored in the Innovation and Offset Line & Screen categories.

Other successful award winners included Webtech (Flexo Line), Holostik India (Flexo Line & Screen), Pragati Pack India (Flexo Colour Process), Zodiac Reprography (Flexo Wine/Spirit), Monarch Graphic India (Letterpress Line), Kumar Labels (Letterpress Line & Screen), and Syndicate Labels (Booklets & Coupons).

The LMAI awards were sponsored by Nilpeter, UPM Raflatac, Rotatek, Xeikon, Avery Dennison and Gallus. n

Courtesy : www.labelsandlabelling.com


Various domestic and multinational companies in India certainly need highly qualified and experienced manpower for advertising. However, individual creativity and capability for innovation any day counts more than academic degrees in this fast paced business.

What would it cost meStudying at institutes such as the MICA (Mudra Institute of Communication, Ahmedabad) could cost you up to Rs.1 lakh per year. But at government and some other private institutions, the fee is much lower.

Funding/ScholarshipEarning a scholarship may be a difficult task. In most cases, scholarships are awarded to applicants on the basis of excellent academic performances.

Job prospectJob opportunities in advertising include openings in private advertising agencies; advertising departments o f p r i v a t e a n d p u b l i c s e c t o r companies. Job seekers can also find openings in newspapers, journals, magazines; commercial section of radio or television; market research organizations and so on. One can also work as a freelancer.

Advertising manager, sales manager, public relations director, creative director, copy writer, and marketing communications manager are some of the major job opportunities in this field.

Pay packetPay Structure can vary from one agency to another depending on the size and turnover. Accredited agencies have a large set up while small agencies may have just a handful of employees looking after all the various jobs.

Salary is generally not a constraint for the suitable candidate in this industry. This will, of course, depend on the individual's merit, qualifications, and experience. As a beginner, you get to do the basic stuff but experience enables you to negotiate deals.

You can easily get into an agency at the lowest levels but sheer quality is demanded as you move up the ladder. However, the pay packets get heavier and heavier as the workload and level of experience rises. A beginner in the creative department usually starts with an average monthly salary of 8 to 15 thousand rupees.

Demand and supplyThere is ample scope for talented individuals in the advertising industry in India. Those who are qualified in commercia l art have great opportunities. MBAs can also play a significant role in client servicing. The advertising industry always has a perennial demand for creative talent. In order to succeed in the advertising arena, one has to have proficiency that is accompanied with varied talents.

Market watchThe Indian economy is on the move in spite of the global financial meltdown and the ad market is on a continuous trail of expansion. Growth in businesses has lead to a consecutive boom in the advertising industry as well.

Advertising in India is quite superior and the local talent boasts of high production values with interesting ideas and concepts. All this has made India a desirable hub for recruiters within the country as wel l as internationally.

international focusThe global impact of the Indian aptitude with respect to the advertising industry is not only being noticed but appreciated worldwide. Indian agencies today handle both national and international assignments. This is primarily because of the reason that the industry offers a host of functions to its clients. Some of the offerings include end-to-end solutions that consist of client media planning, servicing, media buying, pre and post campaign analysis, creative conceptualization, market research, marketing, public relation services, and branding. With all these services, there is definitely no looking back for

the Indian advertising industry that is all set to win accolades worldwide.

Positives/Negatives

+ives• Challenging and satisfying job• Hefty growth prospects that are one of the best in the country• Heavy pay packets with dollops of project related incentives• Chances of meeting the legends of advertising

-ives• An industry that is known for its extremely long working hours• High pressure and stress inducing work environment

Different roles, different namesAdvertising field offers a range of lucrative and interesting careers. The job in this field is categorised into two broad categories, namely, Executive and Creative.

• Executive: The executive side includes: Client Servicing, Market Research and Media Research.

T h e e x e c u t i v e d e p a r t m e n t understands client requirements, seeks new business opportunities and retains exist ing business. This department also selects the appropriate media, analyses timing and placement of advertisements, and negotiates the financial aspects of a business deal.

• Creative: The creative team c o m p r i s e s o f c o p y w r i t e r s , scriptwriters, visualizers, creative d i r e c t o r s , p h o t o g r a p h e r s , typographers, animators, and so on. The creative department creates the actual advertisement in different media formats. They verbalize and visualize the specific need of the client.

Since ads are of different kinds depending on the media- print ( n e w s p a p e r s , m a g a z i n e s , billboards,etc) and broadcast(radio, television and the internet), you can choose the area of specialisation depending on your interest.


Top companiesSome of the giants in advertising and media planning that most students dream of working with are as follows:

Hindustan Thomson Associates (HTA), McCann Erickson, Leo Burnett, Grey, R K Swamy - BBDO, Bates, Redifussion Dy and R, Lintas India Ltd., Ogilvy & Mather Ltd., and Mudra Communications Ltd..

Tips for getting hired

1. For many people interested in a career in advertising or public relations, internships are the key to unlocking the door to the industry.

2. The advertising industry has a voracious appetite for creativity and innovative thinking. Though the industry is said to be in its infant stage as compared to the western world it has been receptive to the changing times.

3. Excellent communication skills along with a specialisation in your field of study from a reputed institution give you a cutting edge over fellow job seekers in this industry.

Institutes to watch out for

1. Indian Institute Of Mass Communication, Aruna Asaf Marg, JNU, New Campus, New Delhi - 110 067 URL : www.iimc.nic.in

2. Mudra Institute Of Communications (MICA), Shela, Ahmedabad - 380 007, Gujarat URL: www.mica-india.net

3. Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, V.L.Mehta Road, Vile Parle(West), Mumbai - 400 056, Maharashtra URL: www.nmims.edu

4. Xavier's Institute Of Communication, St. Xavier's College, 5, Mahapalika Marg, Mumbai - 400 001, Maharashtra URL: www.xaviercomm.org

5. Symbiosis Institiute of Media and Communication, Pune URL: www.simc.edu n

Courtesy : www.jagranjosh.com

NEEDS and innovation make him successful entrepreneur

G. Thanigaivel Murugan of Bodi at his industry.

His plastic and polyester printing unit is a hit

Innovation and conversion of ideas into action transform even an employee into a successful entrepreneur.

As a proof of this, G. Thanigaivel Murugan of Bodi, former coordinator for ‘108’ ambulance service, has become a young entrepreneur and his product is a simple one, but one wonders why nobody could think of it before.

He set up a plastic and polyester printing unit and markets the products – printed rolls and pouches – tapping the ever-growing needs of food-processing industry with the help of the Department of Industries. A sum of Rs.65 lakh was given to him for capital investment under New Entrepreneurship-cum-Enterprise Development Scheme (NEEDS).

Theni district is one of the biggest trading and manufacturing centres of spices, masala items, snacks, agricultural and food items. Moreover, a majority of the food-processing and food item manufacturing units are small and cottage industries. Attractive and multi-coloured packing materials are their prime tool to market their products and attract customers.

Earlier, they had to go to Sivakasi or Hyderabad to buy pr inted pouches for packing food items, because Theni district had no such industries. With no time to visit Sivakasi or Hyderabad to place orders, many industries depended o n m i d d l e m e n for printing their packing materials. D i s t a n c e a n d t ime made their

packaging costs high. “I see a vast business potential in this area,” says Thanigaivel Murugan, who has completed B. Pharm and MBA. “Now, they get packaging materials at affordable costs locally,” adds.

Of the Rs.1-crore investment, loan component was Rs.65 lakh and the rest was his contribution. His contacts as coordinator in Theni, Madurai, Dindigul, Pudukotti, Sivaganga and Virudhunagar helped him expand his business activities.

Now, he prints pouches for spices, chocolates, dhal, flour, masala powder, milk, snacks and cashew. His business activities spread up to Kerala, a highly potential market. Gravure printing cannot be done in Kerala owing to the cool climate. Rapid drying is necessary for this printing, he adds.

Briefing on NEEDS, Collector K.S. Palanisamy said the main aim of NEEDS was to help prospective unemployed graduates become employers. “We offer funds and impart administrative training to them. Beneficiaries can avail themselves of loan from Rs.5 lakh to Rs.1 crore under NEEDS, with 25 per cent investment subsidy and three per cent interest subvention,” he said. n

Courtesy : www.thehindu.com


PREPRESS: 2011 and beyondCan quick printers expect business as usual in the prepress department in the coming years? As the print industry tries to find its footing after being hammered by the economy the past two years, now would be a good time to take a look at trends in that department and how they will affect your printing company’s future.

The recession has unveiled a couple of cruel facts. The business community no longer sees printing as its primary tool to communicate and collection information. Internet services, email, mobile marketing, and other media are now used to push information out to various audiences. Printing used for collecting information is shrinking because that is now done with computers. Originals that once had to be printed and stored are now kept on computers and printed on personal printers, a few at a time. The way businesses communicate is changing, so the printing industry is going to have to change to survive.

Printers will have to evolve and offer new services to capture new customers. There isn’t going to be as much printing, but customers are still going to have to get their message out to their customers in some form.

The New Prepress PersonThe trend in hiring prepress employees is for printers to move away from finding someone with design skills and concentrate on a different skill set. A prepress person must be a technician. Creating the original for a customer is only a small portion of the tasks a prepress employee must do each day. The prepress person’s primary job is to just get the customer’s file to print properly on the various output devices.

For digital presses, the prepress person will check and prepare the file using standard production tools.

Much of the file manipulation is done on the device’s RIP. The standard file format for output is PDF. The file then sits on the RIP until the

digital operator releases the job. The digital operator sends the job to the digital printer, which outputs the job based on the way it was set up by the prepress person.

The output process is similar for offset printing and going direct-to-plate. A number of software tools let the prepress person make corrections to the file and many tasks can be automated. The ready-to-output files reside on the RIP until the press operator makes the plate.

Another trend is for the prepress person to set up standards and procedures for an automated PDF workflow in which a CSR can accept a customer’s file and place it directly into production. It bypasses the prepress department completely because the prepress person has already established the parameters for the file. The prepress person then spends time maintaining the automated system and handling jobs that fall outside of the standard procedures.

New hires in the prepress department have more database management and Web skills than design talent.

Most prepress people need a strong working knowledge of Excel and HTML if they are going to help owners take advantage of the new services. Variable data printing, direct mail marketing, and email marketing require database skills. The design might be wonderful, but if the printed piece goes to the wrong person, its value is lost.

Who is going to do design work for the printer? Freelance designers and outside vendors can now provide low cost, high quality design work. Companies such as Affinity Express (www.affinityexpress.com) can give printers access to quick turnaround typesetting and design services over the Internet. There are a number of websites that are dedicated to linking printers with professional designers. Printers no longer need a full time designer on staff to get fast service.

PDF FilesPDF files aren’t new, but printers are getting more of them from their customers. Customer created files still make up the majority of originals printed by quick printers. Since customers are seeing more PDF files on the Web, they have begun to learn that PDFs are the easiest way to submit a file.

If printers expect to take advantage of the automation offered by the new digital presses and RIPs, they will have to become experts in PDF files.

Every new piece of output equipment is optimized to work best with PDF files. The PDF workflows have built-in scripts that automatically correct common PDF file problems and allow printers to push work through the output machines faster.

One trend you can expect to see is for printers to require certified PDF files from their customers, especially if the files are printed offset in color. Larger commercial printers have trained their customers to provide certified PDF files, and smaller printers are benefiting as customers make certified PDFs the standard.

Most pr int ing website service providers offer low cost PDF creation tools that printers can give to their customers to make PDF file creation easier.

Technical ServicesVariable data printing, online ordering, and Web-to-print (W2P) solutions continue to be a hot topic with many printers, but the services aren’t having the impact that many predicted.

VDP is getting easier and the price for the software has dropped. Page layout programs such as InDesign offer built-in VDP solutions. Other vendors, such as Printable provide low cost software add-ons to make handling variable data easy. Many of the RIP packages driving digital presses either include a VDP package or offer a low cost solution that can easily be added. VDP isn’t rocket science any more. The drawback for printers has been getting good database information from the customer. Printers will have


to understand how to manage data for customers if VDP is going to work. You would think that W2P services and online ordering would be common in most print shops, but they aren’t. Every printer-specific Web service offers document libraries and they all can be integrated with services that allow customers to add custom text to online templates. There is so much ecommerce on the Web that you would think most printers would try to get a piece of the action.

The trend here is for printers to complain about the aggressive online print companies cutting prices and taking business from local printers instead of doing something about it. Much of the commodity work that is disappearing from local print shops is being bought on the Web at very low prices.

The only Web-based printing most printers see is the increased use of customers submitting files through FTP sites or as email attachments. Printers with websites and email addresses report that customer Web submissions are rising. The surprising fact is, in my experience, only about 50% of the quick and small commercial printers have a website. The failure to have a Web presence will become another nail in a printer’s coffin as competition continues to heat up.

A positive trend is that the number of vendors who can provide Web-based services is growing. Plug-andplay solutions for almost every online print scenario are available at a reasonable price. Websites, W2P services, document libraries, online shopping carts, and more can easily be assembled to make a print shop look bigger than it is.

Web DevelopmentAs printers scramble to offer more revenue generating services, several companies are betting that a number of quick printers will add Web development services.

Adobe is offering Adobe Business Catalyst. It is a hosted application for building and managing online businesses printers can resell to

customers. Using Adobe’s unified platform, and without back-end coding, a printer can build everything from websites to online stores, brochure-ware s ites, and lead generation mini-sites. Visit http://businesscatalyst.com/ for more information.

Net Solutions North America is signing on printers as dealers for its Profusion Products Dealer Network. This lets printers sell easy to design and edit websites to small business customers. For more information, visit www.Netsolutionsna.com.

e M A G C i s a n o t h e r w e b s i t e development company that has introduced a reseller program for printing companies seeking to increase revenues through website sales. The easy to use system allows traditional prepress staff to quickly design and launch powerful and feature rich websites for their clients. For more information, visit the eMAGC reseller website at www.ABetterWayToWeb.com.

Each of these companies gives printers another service to sell to their customers. If providing Webbased services becomes a trend for quick printers, this will add another task the prepress department will be responsible for each day. In addition to using page layout, photo, and illustration software, prepress people will have to have experience in Web programs such as Dreamweaver. They will have to know HTML and become familiar what colors and images work best on a website.

In addition to Web services, quick printers are also adding email marketing services using software such as Constant Contact, Vertical Response, and Benchmark Email. Printers can now help a customer touch his customers and prospects with printed pieces, emails, and Web-based messages.

Experts also expect to see printers offering support services for Twitter, Linkedin, and Facebook. A printer will work with a customer to develop a series of messages for the social media outlets and then broadcast

those messages on a regular basis. It helps the customer make sure that he is broadcasting a timely, consistent message on a regular basis. He is just paying the printer to do it for him and coordinate the message with his printed pieces and website message.

A new trend that printers can take advantage of now is the use of mobile marketing and combining Internet services with printed material. Quick Response (QR) codes are quickly becoming a part of marketing plans because print customers want to link their printed materials to their online message. This simple tool will soon be a standard addition to any printed marketing piece, but now it is new and gives printers a reason to talk to their customers. Watch for QR codes to help generate more printed material in the coming year.

Pricing TrendsSales in prepress have never been strong. Most companies who break out prepress sales usually find the numbers between 7-10% of total sales. With today’s product mix, that figure can be misleading since it seems that almost every job is now touched by the prepress department in some way. If a company is doing $500,000 in sales, then prepress sales will range from $35,000 to $50,000 a year. A shop doing $1 million in sales will have prepress sales in the range of $70,000 to $100,000 a year. The sales levels make it hard for a small company to afford a full-time prepress operator. After wages and benefits, most companies can barely afford to keep the software updated and the equipment in good running condition.

The price in most print shops for most prepress work is based on time rather than value. If it takes 30 minutes to do a job, printers charge for 30 minutes of production time. Many printers have built in standard times for most production tasks, yet they fail to monitor the actual time spent on the task. This means that many prepress departments are working hard, but the customer is never charged for the actual work that is performed.


Printers continue to ignore the actual work performed and not charge for it. They rationalize this by defining that uncharged portion as added value to the customer. What it really is for the printer is a loss leader used to get the print job. Sadly, the money left on the table by not charging properly for prepress usually isn’t recouped by press and bindery charges. Money lost is money lost.This decades old trend of giving away prepress charges will just help push more print shops toward failure as competitive margins become narrower. With everything from desktop publishing and design to website management, variable data, and W2P being performed by the prepress staff, it is hard to image why printers continue to generate the low amount of sales recorded on the balance sheet.Printers still face the challenge of pricing value added work, such as design, differently from production work, such as file correction and output. They have the opportunity to set the value price of Web services, database services, communication services, etc., at a profitable level. Customers will be willing to pay a higher rate for these new services because they don’t know how to do them or don’t have the time.

Tomorrow is HereThe prepress department is rapidly changing. The prepress person is a more computer-centric employee, able to handle the technical aspects rather than the artistic design needs of the company. The new services quick printers will be adding to their product line are computer-related rather than output-related. The printer will need someone who understands how the equipment works and how to take advantage of the efficiencies in the software applications.Services that have been sold by large commercial printers are now available to small printing companies at reasonable rates. Printers can outsource many of the highly technical services or buy packaged programs that don’t require high front end

costs to get a service up and running. Any size printing company can offer sophisticated services without busting its budget.The final piece of the puzzle for taking advantage of the latest trends in products and services is to get out in front of customers and sell. Printers can no longer wait for their customers to ask for a given service. If they are talking to their customers and making sales calls, printers should be learning what customers need and what they might buy.The reason that W2P, document libraries, PDF workflows, and other services haven’t had a dramatic impact on the entire print industry is that most printers aren’t out selling those services. The customer doesn’t know about them. The reason printers haven’t been successful in becoming market service providers is that they don’t know how to market themselves. The trend that is needed is for printers to stop waiting for the customer—stop being an order taker. If printers are going to survive, they need to increase contact with their customers, get in front of new customers and ask for business, and demonstrate how the new technologies will help their customers make money.John Giles is the author of “12 Secrets for Digital Success” and “The DTP PriceList.” He is the technology director and a consultant for CPrint International. Contact him at 954/224-1942 or [email protected] can also find John on Twitter.com/JohnG247 and Linkedin.com. Read his blog at www.quickprinting.com/interactive. You can also find out more by visiting www.johngiles.com. n

Courtesy : www.myprintresource.com

Your attitude is like a box of crayons that color your world. Constantly color your picture gray, and your picture will always be bleak. Try adding some bright colors to the picture by including humor, and your picture begins to lighten up.

Allen Klein

Ricoh launches 100,000 image an hour Printer

Ricoh the latest to announce offset replacement production printer.

Ricoh has launched its second digital production printer in two weeks, this time with a high-spec reel-fed inkjet machine it says produces near-offset quality.

The company says the Pro VC60000 will help printers transition from offset to digital faster, producing more than 100,000 A4 images an hour and supports resolutions of up to 1200 x 1200dpi using variable drop inkheads. Ricoh managing director John Hall says it will help the offset printing community become more efficient as the print quality allows printers to shift jobs to digital that haven’t been profitable on offset.

“It will help commercial printers, in-plants and print service providers to compress run lengths and operate more costeffect ively, while maintaining high quality at a throughput that wasn’t viable until today,” he says.

“The Pro VC60000 complements our current portfolio and leads the way into the future of production print in Australia.” The printer comes with an undercoat unit, a variety of offset coated gloss stocks, and an inline protector-coating unit with scratch and scuff resistance. n

Courtesy : www. proprint.com.au

You cannot have a positive life and a negative mind.

Joyce Meyer


Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 75 Anicolor

At drupa 2012 Heidelberg gave its new B2 sheetfed Speedmaster XL 75 Anicolor pride of place in the cavernous halls of the Messe. The five colour machine with coater was billed as a totally unique piece of kit by the German manufacturer, with Heidelberg’s then chairman and chief executive Bernhard Schreier declaring that the company had hit upon a revolutionary new formula for the printing industry – “90:50:50” (more of which later).

With Heidelberg racking up more than 1,000 sales of its B3 format Speedmaster 52 Anicolor predecessor it’s clear that it had high hopes for the new machine, which entered series production earlier this year, and is now available to order in Australia, after extensive beta testing at undisclosed sites in mainland Europe.

The thinking behind the launch of a B2 version was relatively straight forward, according to Richard Timson, managing director of Heidelberg Australia and New Zealand. “The demand for shorter runs in both commercial B2 format signatures, as well as packaging for proof runs and boutique short run packaging products, represents a growing market opportunity for printers who

avail themselves of the lower waste sheets, faster makeready and higher consistency that they can achieve with the XL 75 Anicolor,” says Timson.

Target marketInit ia l ly the machine has only been made available in straight configurations and is targeted predominantly at packaging printers – some of the original beta sites were packaging companies – although perfecting versions are expected to begin shipping later this year along with an eagerly-awaited UV option.

The XL 75 Anicolor has been particularly positioned to help packaging printers take advantage of the current drive towards short run packaging. With packaging printers expected to deliver the twin demands of absolute colour consistency and a variation of coating effects, the combination of the anilox inking and coating unit on the XL 75 Anicolor means that users are “guaranteed” to meet these expectations, says Timson.

“There is minimum colour variation as the anilox system applies a metered exact amount of ink on every revolution,” he explains. “The coating unit also offers various possibilities for coatings, which is a demand for the

The Anicolor is now available in B2 format.

packaging segment. Many printers also wish to produce sample runs for larger clients – sometimes up to 1,000 copies. They need an exact offset reproduction that cannot be achieved with digital presses. With the size of the press in F format 60x75cm, low makeready waste sheets and speed of the makeready – approximately five minutes for a 6+L – this is easily achieved with the XL 75 Anicolor.”

Packaging isn’t the only target market of course. Heidelberg believes that the XL 75 Anicolor will also appeal to commercial printers who are increasingly handling shorter run lengths and whose costs are constantly being put under pressure. To this end, Heidelberg claims that the machine offers a 90% reduction in makeready sheets compared to a standard offset press, which immediately helps to improve a printer’s profitability.

“With production speeds of up to 15,000sph we can also effectively address longer runs as there is no click charge,” says Timson. “This segment also requires substrate flexibility for brochures, inserts and folders with a stock range of 0.04-0.8mm –the XL 75 Anicolor offers maximum flexibility.”

The last, but by no means least, target market is web-to-print. As Timson explains: “In this market segment it is all about printed sheets on the floor. The XL 75 Anicolor helps printers do just that thanks to its speed and reduced makeready times, as well as the coating effects and format size. Gang printing jobs with various inking levels can also easily be handled.”

TechnologyThe XL 75 Anicolor is the “next step” in Heidelberg’s development of the Anicolor technology that it initially premiered at Ipex 2006. This was subsequently introduced to the SX/SM 52 platform in 2008, with significant changes made to adapt it to the B2 platform.

Fundamentally the Anicolor consists of a zoneless short inking unit with a format sized engraved screen roller, a format size inking form roller and


inking unit temperature control for rapid inking up and stable ink feed. According to the manufacturer the engraved screen roller ensures reproducible quality time after time.

“The principle is to use an anilox inking system with a chamber doctor blade instead of a conventional roller train,” explains Timson. “This allows the exact transfer of ink in every press revolution, resulting in consistent inking from sheet 20 onwards.

The cylinders are all the same diameter meaning there is no ink fade on the printed sheet. Any minor changes to density can be made by variances in the temperature of the inking unit.”

PerformanceThe XL 75 Anicolor is quick, with a top speed of 15,000sph and rapid makeready times of around six minutes on a five colour press. It’s also incredibly flexible when you consider that it can compete with digital in the run length segment of 200 sheets and above (without personalisation), according to Heidelberg . At the same time it’s also cost effective on longer runs and easy to operate, says Timson.

“With full preset and automation in terms of a fully automatic simultaneous plate change and format presetting, it’s basically push button technology,” he adds. “It just needs to be backed up with a well-tuned pre-press with PCM and high-volume plate output capacity.”

As for quality Timson says it’s the “same as offset. Very consistent solids and vastly reduced colour variation. Thanks to the inking unit technology there is no colour change from the twentieth sheet to the ten thousandth.”

Development of Anicolor is continuing, LED and low energy UV version B2 Anicolor presses will be available later this year.

USPQuite simply the unique selling point of the XL 75 Anicolor is that it’s

unique – there is nothing else quite like this out there on the market (see alternatives for evidence). And that’s thanks largely to Heidelberg’s new ‘90:50:50’ formula, says Timson.

“This simply means 90 per cent less waste sheets with XL 75 and Anicolor technology. A 50 per cent reduction in makeready time compared to conventional offset presses, due to the anilox inking system and no requirement for ink density adjustment – even with colour and register inline adjustment tools. Finally this means 50 per cent higher productivity when both factors are considered.”

The numbers are compelling and make you wonder where this technology might best be employed in the future. Timson offers up one potential scenario: “Imagine the potential of a B2 press – say a 10 colour perfector – that can produce 8pp-A4 with 10 to 20 waste sheets with makeready times of five minutes. This is as close to digital makeready as it gets.”

AlternativesIt’s rare that this happens, but as Heidelberg claims the SM XL 75 Anicolor really is an exclusive beast. There isn’t a direct B2 sheetfed equivalent to the XL 75 Anicolor as none of Heidelberg’s competitors are currently using this technology.

Some B2 litho press manufacturer’s claim that their machines offer fast makereadies, but as one print industry stalwart says “with as few as 20 waste sheets on the XL 75 Anicolor, no one else can get close”.

For those printers who are keen to explore alternatives one possible option is the KBA Genius, which uses anilox inking, although unlike the XL 75 this is a B3 not a B2 press. Another potential option is the B2 HP Indigo 10000, which has the added benefit of allowing users to run variable data printing jobs. However, this digital machine is slower than the XL 75 Anicolor and it carries a significantly higher price tag. n

Courtesy : www. proprint.com.au

Parksons Packaging orders two further Rapida 106sParksons Packaging, a renowned Indian packaging manufacturer, recently ordered two additional high-performance Rapida 106 sheetfed offset presses. In the last two years the company has installed four medium-format Rapidas and is extremely satisfied with their performance. The order is for an eight-colour press and a seven- colour press, both with coater. The first is scheduled to arrive at around the turn of the year and the second in the first quarter of 2015, expanding the firm’s capacity significantly.After signing the contract at the KBA customer centre for two long Rapidas with a total of 17 printing and finishing units l-r: Adiya Surana, managing director of KBA sales partner IPM; Ramesh Kejriwal, CEO of Parksons Packaging; sales director Dietmar Heyduck, sales manager Bhupinder Sethi and key account manager Jürgen Veil (all three from KBA)Over the last 50 years Parksons Packaging has become one of India’s key packaging manufacturers. At its three sites in Daman, Rudrapur und Pune the company predominantly produces packaging for food and beverages, but also for pharmaceutical products and the electronic industry.The eight-colour Rapida is planned to go live at the plant in Pantnagar. It will join an existing six-colour Rapida 105 with coater and a six-colour Rapida 106 with twin coaters already in operation. The new Rapida 106 features board and film-handling kit and is configured for UV mixed operation. It will be typically equipped for packaging printing with automatic nonstop systems and pile logistics, and the press will be raised by 450mm (17.7in). Automatic plate changers, CleanTronic Multi combined blanket, impression cylinder and roller washing systems for ink changes as well as CleanTronic UV all ensure production efficiency. Furthermore, ErgoTronic ColorDrive and ErgoTronic ACR monitor and control print quality online. Essential preset data is transferred to the press via LogoTronic CIPLinkX.The almost identically configured seven-colour press will be installed at the plant in Daman next to an existing six-colour Rapida. An additional six-colour Rapida is in operation at the company’s site in Pune.Parksons Packaging places great importance on the high quality of its print products and relies on innovation and cutting-edge technology at its production sites. With these requirements in mind it easy to see why the firm opted once again for two high-tech Rapida 106 presses. n

Courtesy : www. graphicrepro.co.za


Labelexpo India 2014 show highlightsLabelexpo India, the biggest label and package printing show in South Asia, will see new technology from many local manufacturers as well as some of the major international players. There will be an array of new launches of flexo and digital presses, pre-press innovations, a range of ancillary equipment suppliers amongst other displays.

HP Indigo will launch its WS6800 in India and Xeikon shows the 3030 digital press. Multitec, Nilpeter and Omet are some prominent names that will be running UV flexo presses live through the four days of the expo. Brand Innovation Summit is being organized at the show floor on October 30 and the LMAI Awards are being hosted at Hotel Le Meridien on October 31.

Flexo powers onThe show will see prominent Indian and multinational players bring new flexo technology to the show. From high performance presses of Nilpeter and Omet to new launches from Multitec and Alliance Printech, there will be a wide gamut of equipment for everyone who visits Labelexpo India.

Nilpeter will showcase the FB-3300S, an 8-color servo flexo press with short web path that features a value-adding gravure unit for metallic inks, solids, and coatings. It is equipped with corona treater, web cleaner, chill drums on all units, movable cold foil, and a 100 percent print defect inspection system.

Italian label press manufacturer, Omet, will display its new label press, the OMET XFlex X4, an 8-color all servo press with advanced controls.

Rotatek will unveil Smart flex, an advance modular UV flexo machine with shaftless technology, in the

Indian market. The press will be displayed at the company's India agent, Provin Technos stand. It is a full servo shaftless flexo press with shortest linear path offering flexibility of operation and lesser wastage.

Global Graphics and Weigang Machinery will together display two printing presses, ZX-320 intermittent offset and ZBS-320G flexographic print presses. Other off-line converting and finishing equipment demonstrated will be a slitter rewinder with camera system for 100 percent inspection of labels and an off-line label punching machine.

Multitec, a leading Indian flexo press manufacturer, will display three presses at the show floor – Ecoflex, Ecoflex VSi ELS and Ecosmart. Ecoflex VSi ELS and Ecosmart are two new launches from the company. There will be live demontrations of both the new presses. While Ecoflex VSi ELS is the full servo version of Ecoflex VSi and runs on an electronic line shaft and incorporates pre-register capability, Ecosmart will feature open access design, servo infeed and out-feed and short web path.

Alliance Printech will launch its new modular flexo label press with features like top loading print and anilox cylinders, quick job change, shorter web length, servo drive controls for in-feed and out-feed, digital tension controls for unwind

and rewind, foiling, web cleaning, delam relam, coating, embossing, lamination, variable data printing and rotary die-cutting.

Digital arena Some of the digital and inkjet players on the show floor will include names such as Technova, Vinsak, Epson, HP and Xeikon. While Epson will display its SurePress L-4033AW, Technova will launch its SmartJet LP112, a new inkjet label press built on the Memjet waterfall technology.

HP will give live demonstrations of its new HP Indigo WS6800 digital press, the third generation of HP Indigo WS6000 digital press series. An expanded frame with increased width from 317 mm to 320 mm, compared to print width of the HP Indigo WS6600 digital press, allows for higher press output and reduced costs.

Xeikon will display a Xeikon 3030 digital press, a narrow web entry level press of the Xeikon 3000 series, in roll2roll configuration. The press will be live printing a range of label applications for several vertical markets. With the variable web width ranging from 200 mm up to 330 mm, it runs at a top speed of 9.6 m/min and can handle production volumes of up to 190 m²/hour.

Vinsak will display the LVPI 250/330 variable data printing and inspection system. The design of this equipment includes a quick make ready rotary scissor sl itt ing unit with knife separation and lateral adjustment. It also features a color touch screen HMI operator interface, control of the various counting facilities, automatic web advance, taper tension control and end of roll features, and automatic splicing for 100 percent error free production. The system has maximum unwind and rewind diameter of


700mm and comes with a maximum transport speed of 150 mtrs/min.

Ancillary equipment and raw materialThemed on ‘Inspiring Innovations. Sustainable Growth’, Avery Dennison will reflect its dedication to providing the best products for customers and the environment. The company will showcase numerous innovations that will expand opportunities and drive growth for label converters in new market segments and new product areas. UPM Raflatach will demonstrate the company’s latest developments in pressure-sensitive technology with a particular emphasis on sustainability solutions.

Armor, a French company and Re Controlli Industriali, an Italian company will be amongst the first time exhibitors at Labelexpo India. Armor will showcase APX®FH+, a new wax/resin ribbon dedicated to flat head printers. A division of the company designs and manufactures inked films used in thermal transfer technology.

Re Controlli Industriali will showcase SmartMotion web guide system and the WLigo remote controller. Planned for small and medium size web guide systems, SmartMotion is the new control unit fusing the stepper motor and the drive technologies into a single device. WLigo remote controller is designed to manage multiple hardware devices with a unique keypad that allows the control of more web guide systems connected in series. Other products on display designed for the narrow web sector will include the new Extreme XT7 pneumatic brake and the CPF sensor roller.

Weldon Celloplast will re-create the Technology Bar that will feature technology from names such as Omet, ETI Converting Equipment, Delta Industrial, Martin Automatic, Link Label Machinery, Berhalter, FAES, Nikka, Lartec, Lundberg Tech and Vetaphone. Weldon Celloplast is an exclusive agent in India for most of these companies.

UV systems manufacturer GEW announced the start of ser ia l production of Rhino power electronics for use with its range of arc lamp and solid-state UV light sources. Displayed at the show floor, its embedded service technology continuously monitors the system, guarding against out-of-specification parameters that could result in an unplanned stoppage. The operating centre automatically advises of any maintenance needed before a fault can develop.

U V Graphic Technologies, based out of Okhla Industrial Area in New Delhi, will launch its all new LED UV curing systems that will be offered for flexo, offset, gravure and letterpress. The company now has an option to upgrade existing conventional mercury UV lamp systems that are powered with the EPS to an LED UV system. It will launch advanced flexo presses later this year. At Labelexpo India, a glimpse of two stations of this press is offered. On display will also be a new web video inspection system that supports colour distinguishing features with high speed reading capabilities of RGB / CMYK values at the substrate with real time values displayed. The visitors will also see the new Combi Plate Mounter which works with a wide variety of cylinders to go on conventional machines as well as the latest machines.

Precise Graphic from Aurangabad will launch high speed slitter rewinder SR330 D. The basic model comes with the manual tension control but pnuematic and auto tension controls are also available. The single slitting station is equipped with shear knife as well as razor blade slitting options. On display will also be an inline hot foil stamping system that can be retrofitted on most of the narrow web flexo printing machines. The process is controlled by PLC and an interactive HMI. The company is also showcasing semi rotary die cutting machine designed for digital and narrow-web label industry.

Monotech Systems will launch a new VSRI range of solutions under its brand Jetsci. To be run live for demonstrations at the show floor,

it offers solution for track and trace consisting of roll to roll slitter and rewinder with variable data inkjet printing and online camera inspection for 100 percent inspection and verification at high speeds. The company will also launch range of low cost label slitters and rewinders for the label printing industry. On display would also be samples from Scodix, Highcon and EFI range of products as well targeting to niche segment in label printing industry.

RotoMetrics will introduce anodized print cylinder, which is positioned as an economic alternative between Standard and Hardcase grades, offers the same precise tolerances as the Standard but has added surface protection for improved scratch resistance and protection from corrosion. The company will also showcase the new through-hardened, machine-finished RD300 for cutting disposable medical substrates, dust-sensitive labels and tags, in-mold labels, synthetic gasket materials, Velcro, Tyvek and electronic components. Another product at the show floor will be Pin Eject solution that offers a method of preventing build-up of small die-cut slugs. It was designed for challenging cavity sizes as small as 0.0625 inch (1.6 mm).

In pre-press arena, Esko shall be showcasing CDI 2530 that is said to achieve results that before were only achievable in offset or gravure.

Kodak will display its commercially released new extensions to Kodak Flexcel NX system for post-print and pre-print corrugated markets. The new Kodak Flexcel NX Wide 5080 system includes a newly designed imaging platform and laminator that enables plate making in formats up to 50 x 80 inches. The new Kodak Flexcel NXC plates are formulated for post-print applications delivering improved ink coverage, reduced fluting, better highlight reproduction and cost-effective on-press performance. Kodak Flexcel NXH plates, available in 50 x 80 inch format, are available for high quality pre-print applications.


Apex Group of Companies wil l showcase its patented GTT anilox technology which uses an alternative engraving system to standard cell designs. Kaygee Loparex will display its new range of Glassine, CCK and SCK release liners. The range includes prime grade as well as cost-effective grades and includes 50 gsm Glassine C1S release liner, 55 gsm CCK C1S release liner and 67 gsm SCK C1S release liner. Univacco Stamping Foils will launch hot stamping foils for rough-surface substrates, overprinting and embossing applications. Dhana Impex is an exclusive distributor for Univacco stamping foils in India.

Brand innovation Summit

In midst of latest technology announcements, running machineries, new launches and networking, Labelexpo India and HP will co-host a session for brand managers. To be held on October 30 at the HP stand from 13.45 hours onwards, the session is meant for a meaningful discussion on new and cost effective labeling methods for brands. An invitation-only session will start with a brief overview of the FMCG market in India. Christian Menegon of HP will then present an overview of the labels and packaging industry while supporting it with case studies from the world over. This will be followed by a panel discussion on the challenges faced by brands and the solution for getting the branding right each time. Discussions wil include topics such as hitting the right color and achieving consistent end results, cost reduction and security printing.

C o n f i r m e d p a n e l i s t s i n c l u d e prominent names such as Hitesh Shenoy, head of technical packaging ISC, China and AP, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare; Biswajit Basu, head of packaging development, Reckitt Benckiser Health and Personal Care; Deepak Manchanda, associate director of business development, Firstouch Solutions and Christian Menegon, business development manager, HP. n

Courtesy : www.labelsandlabeling.com

A Report on Mr. Kiran Prayagi’s visit

Mr. Kiran Prayagi, Chairman, Graphic Arts Technology & Education, Mumbai, visited the Department of Printing Technology on 9.9.14 along with Mr.Gopal Iyer, Retd. Marketing Consultant.

Mr. Kiran Prayagi and Mr. Gopal Iyer, upon arrival, were accompanied to the Department of Printing Technology, where they interacted with the Head, Dr. TKS Lakshmi Priya and Asst. Prof. Mrs.S.Ambika.During the interaction, Mr.Kiran appreciated the initiatives made by the department in promoting the Printing Technology. He shared the details of a few persons in the Graphic art industry, who may be contacted for establishing an Industry-University relationship.

Mr.Kiran then addressed the students of the department and also gave a short talk on the ‘Fundamentals of Color for Printing’.

We presented the guest with a copy of The Sacred Touch and a Ceramic Mug, printed in the department using Dye Sublimation Printer. n

Report by T.K.S.Lakshmi Priya, Prof. & Head, Dept. of Printing

Technology, Avinashilingam University for Women, Coimbatore.

News from Department of Printing Technology, Avanashilingam University, Cbe

A Report on Mr. Kamal Chopra’s VisitMr. Kamal Chopra, Chairman, International Relations, AIFMA, visited the Department of Printing Technology on 8.9.14 along with Mr.Kumaravel, Gen. Sec, AIFMP and President COMPRIA.

Mr. Kamal Chopra and Mr. C.D. Kumaravel, upon arr ival , were accompanied to the Board Room where they interacted with the Dean, Dr.S.Maragatham and the Heads of various departments in the Faculty of Engineering.

Mr.Chopra relished the garden-fresh tender coconut that was served to him and complimented that the campus resembled ‘Shathiniketan’.

The Proud-to-be-a-Printer slogan f a m o u s , K a m a l j i , b e g a n h i s motivational talk to the students of Printing Technology, by first congratulating them for having chosen this specialization. He gave them an insight of the trends in Printing Industry, the new Technologies like 3D printing, Printed Electronics and W2P (Web to Print). He highlighted the areas that are more apt for girls and which they must focus on, throughout their education period.

During his speech he posted technical questions to the students on Colour Technology. For a specific question on CMYK, to his surprise, three of the IV B.E students gave right answer. He had not anticipated students to have awareness to this extent and in appreciation, he immediately handed over Rs.1000/- to the three of them.

At the department Mr.Chopra interacted with the staff members

and viewed the projects done by the students. He suggested that the department can train the students on Variable Data Printing (VDP). He volunteered to offer support in setting up a Quality Control Laboratory with consultancy services.


Pragati Pioneers Expanded Gamut Printing with Esko

Esko has announced the successful implementation of its Esko Equinox extended gamut solution by Pragati Offset, India’s pioneering print innovator based in Hyderabad. Equinox is Esko’s solution for the implementation of extended gamut – or fixed inkset – printing, and a recipient of the prestigious 2014 InterTech™ Technology Awards.

Esko Equinox Expanded Color Gamut (ECG) is a patented technology for converting packaging graphics from CMYK and spot color to a seven-color process. It is applied in the prepress department when preparing jobs for press. Converting entire files results in extremely close matches to spot colors, improved pictorial images, and the ability to print more colors than available ink stations on the press, resulting in improved image quality and brand impact. The major benefit, however, is realized in the pressroom as jobs print more economically and more consistently.

Mr. Harsha Paruchuri, Director of Pragati Offset, speaks about his early interest in Equinox: “I saw this solution in an early beta stage at the EskoWorld Conference in Tampa, Florida, about four years ago. It struck me as highly interesting, even at that stage. Taking a large seven-color gamut and having the software convert an artwork with any number of PANTONE or RGB images to those seven colors (or six or five, depending on what you want) sounded interesting.”

Since the CMYK color space lacks in the green, orange and blue-violet areas, adding these three inks to expand the color space makes sense. A seven-color strategy is made after

measurement of the test forms. The set-up and maintenance of the profiles and strategies are the main work. Equinox conversion can be done in Esko’s prepress editors with the ability to manually interact and change some of the conversions, or it can be set up in the ticket and done automatically by the RIP during the normalization. There is also an Adobe® Photoshop® plug-in for interactively converting images to seven colors.

Mr. Paruchuri explains how Pragati Offset uses Equinox: “Once the profiles are made, it’s almost a ‘push of the button’ solution as far as spot colors are concerned as the images are processed automatically to create a seven-color separation set. And since we have a complete Esko workflow, Equinox fits in seamlessly.”

Mr. Paruchuri also shares the thought process that went into installing two new seven-color plus coater offset presses at the end of 2013: “We believed an additional unit would give us more flexibility as we already print a lot of six-color jobs and there were times when we felt an additional color would improve the quality and consistency. Equinox certainly played a role in our decision to order these new seven-color presses.”

Benefits of expanded color gamut reproduction

The ability to create an infinite number of colors from seven process colors promotes “gang” press runs – and the economic savings can surpass a million dollars per press each year. Customers using Equinox ECG technology report that they use seven-color process profitably in a production environment for offset cartons as well as for flexible packaging and labels. This has enabled many of the world’s largest consumer product companies to convert entire product lines to expanded gamut.

In the past 17 years, Pragati Offset has become one of the leading packaging and label printers in India, winning many national and international awards. While the company sees the use of Equinox as hugely advantageous for offset printed cartons and label printing on its 8 color flexographic presses, it feels that Equinox is the right solution for any project with high gamut requirements from garment catalogues, coffee table and paint swatch books, and even calendars and diaries. “We’ve also recently used it for a wedding card that included a reproduction of an MF Husain painting that contained rich oranges and blues,” says Mr. Paruchuri.

Pragati Offset is very clear about the benefits of using this innovation to match a wide variety of brand and spot colors including many PANTONE shades with a fixed set of 7 inks and without having to wash up a press for every job. “A lot of time and money can be saved by not having to wash a million dollar press for 15 to 20 minutes to get the correct shade. The productivity gains by not having to wash-up and change inks are significant, especially if there are a lot of shorter run jobs,” states Mr. Paruchuri.

Shrihari Rao, Esko’s Sales Director for India, is pleased that Equinox has found resonance with one of the world’s most innovative printers. “It is only fitting that Esko Equinox is in the capable hands of a printer who continues to win awards and gain enormous global recognition for its quality and innovation,” Mr. Rao concludes. n

Courtesy : www.packagingeurope.com


Anna University News

SPE INAUGURATION 2014

The offset of the Society of Printing E n g i n e e r s 2 0 1 4 i n a u g u r a t i o n commenced at the Department of Printing Technology, College of Engineering, Guindy, Anna University, Chennai on 22nd September, 2014 at 3.00 pm. The ceremony started up with the devotional song rendered by the students. Dr.N.Rajeswari,Head of the Department, Department of Printing Technology, CEG, Anna University delivered the welcome address and introduced the dignitaries to the gathering.

The Chief Guest of the function, Mr. Sunil Kapoor, Managing Director,

Kapoor Imaging Pvt. Ltd., Chennai went off to an annual turnover of 100 Crores from a startup of 700 sqft office. They represent some top brands in the printing industry along with Kinyosha, RBP, FUJI, 2FF, Sakata, Dainippon Screen etc,.Recently, they have tied up with RBP (US based Chemical manufacturer) to manufacture press room chemicals and expect the first supply to roll out from their Chennai plant from January 2015.

M r . P r a s h a n t K u m a r , G e n e r a l Secretary, SPE, Department of Printing Technology, CEG, Anna

University shared his upcoming plans for IMPRINT 2015, the National level technical symposium.

Dr.P.Narayanasamy, Dean, CEG, Anna University, Chennai delivered the Presidential Address. He appreciated the activities of the department during the NAAC visit,a part of UGC programme.He also wished the final year students to get placed in their dream companies.The traditional lighting of the auspicious lamp by the dignitaries radiated an aura in the gathering.

The promo of IMPRINT 2015 designed by Mr.G.Jeevasurya, the final year student, Department of Printing Technology, CEG was presented before the gathering which shot up the anticipation for IMPRINT 2015.

The Chief Guest of the day, Mr. Sunil Kapoor, Managing Director, Kapoor Imaging Pvt. Ltd., Chennai, delivered a short and simple speech. He inspired the young buds to be persistent. He elaborated on the necessity of being updated with the technology and the determination to face failures before the sight of success.

The Vote of thanks was proposed by Mr.K.Vipinendran, Vice President, SPE, Department of Printing Technology, CEG, Anna Univers ity and the ceremony ceased with our National Anthem. n

Mr. Sunil Kapoor, Managing Director, Kapoor Imaging Pvt. Ltd.,


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