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GraphExpo_ShowDaily_September_25_2016

How to Talk to a Print Hardware Vendor It is one of the biggest capital investments a print company or in-plant print operation makes—the devices that mark paper. From offset to digital, and all of the fl avors of digital, the investment represents trust in the company selling the hardware and faith that the sales teams will be able to sell the features the hardware provides. It impacts supply chain decisions and your capabilities. The decision to start the search for the next generation solution can be as simple as picking up the phone to call your current provider to see what’s on offer, or as complex as Requests for Information and Requests for Quotes before a decision happens. More often, the path starts somewhere in the middle and includes serious investigation of what is available in the market, as well as some analysis of the current workloads and types, and what the competition has in place. The great thing about GRAPH EXPO is the ability to use the show fl oor as a shopping center, starting with some window shopping and then coming back to talk about features and functions. Everyone has a great story to tell, so listen carefully. Whether you are a casual browser or a serious shopper, there are some things to keep in mind as you approach the purveyors of print hardware. First, take the time to talk to vendors of as many technologies as you can. Not all toner devices are created equal. In fact, no two inkjet devices are identical and the wide-format, label, and sign machines vary by vendor. Ask them all what makes their devices perfect for your business. Be prepared to tell them a bit about your customers and what you print today. Tell them what you want to be printing fi ve years from now. Ask how they handle color management. Do they have onboard spectrophotometers to manage calibration? Ask what happens if one color runs out during a production run. Who does the service and how often? Looking at inkjet? Ask about their inks and the weights and types of paper they can print on. Ask how long their heads last, and what happen when one fails. Do they recycle or refurbish their print heads? Ask if they have samples. And if they do, look at them carefully on a light table when you get home. Are the samples they were happy to hand you on a show fl oor acceptable quality for you to sell to a customer? Did they print only on high-end paper? Ask about the Digital Front End (DFE) that controls their printer. Will it map into your current workfl ow? How easy is it to move a job from your print queue to their machine? Do they make it or buy it from another vendor? Try to get a specifi cation for the DFE because you are going to want to understand if it works with the types of fi les your customers send to you. And fi nally, ask about the environmental considerations surrounding the device. Does it need venting? How is the power consumption? How much room does it need around it? How long is the paper transport designed to last? What is the upgrade path? It’s hard to work it all into a casual conversation, but make a list of what will be most important and use it to guide your conversations. Hardware vendors have heard every question, and they know the answers. They want you to make the best decision for your business, so ask them as many questions as you can! For some extra help, take a moment with the InfoTrends Ultimate Guides for hardware: Ultimate Guide to Cut-Sheet: ultimateguide. infotrends.com/Ultimate- Guides/cut.html Ultimate Guide to Roll-fed: ultimateguide. infotrends.com/UltimateGuides/ roll.html Master Magnetics Provides One Source for Magnetic Solutions Master Magnetics (Booth 818) is featuring their full line of magnets for the print industry, including their magnetic graphic system and newly expanded POP magnetic assemblies line, at GRAPH EXPO 16. The Magnet Source brand includes a wide range of fl exible magnetic sheeting and strip, magnetic receptive sheeting and strip, and magnetic assemblies for simple and cost-effective graphics display solutions. Celebrating 40 years of industry expertise and dependability, combined with their wide range of magnetic products, Master Magnetics provides one source for all your magnet needs. Magnetic graphic system Create easily interchangeable graphics with PrintMagnetVinyl and FlexIRON—the magnetic graphic system from Master Magnetics. Print directly on fl exible magnetic sheeting with PrintMagnetVinyl. Compatible with large format solvent, eco-solvent, UV, and latex inkjet printers, PrintMagnetVinyl delivers brilliant color and superior visual images to create high impact POP displays, vehicle graphics, way fi nding signs, and more. Layered with FlexIRON, a printable, magnetic receptive material, PrintMagnet- Vinyl becomes an interchangeable graphic system for a variety of uses from larger retail environments to smaller menu boards. Or fl ip the system around and print on FlexIRON and use plain magnetic sheeting with adhesive as the base (this is an ideal option when magnet can’t be used with a particular printer). The simplicity of the system combined with high-resolution, photo quality printing surfaces and comparatively low costs make Master Magnetics’ combination of FlexIRON and PrintMagnetVinyl a versatile and valuable graphics system. Both PrintMagnetVinyl and FlexIRON are HP Latex Certifi ed and are tested for compatibility with all major printer manufacturers. Neodymium magnets with adhesive Small, and the world’s strongest magnetic material, neodymium magnets with adhesive provide unique solutions and distinctive fi nishing to a variety of packaging and displays. Available in four sizes and with two different types of adhesives, these popular magnets are ideal for custom packaging, displays, cases, closures, clasps, cabinets, jewelry, and other POP and design projects. Magnets for sign-holding Newly expanded in the fi rst quarter of 2016, versatile magnetic bases and magnetic assemblies make the ideal fi ttings for a wide variety of POP uses. Because of their low cost, high holding power and compact design, magnetic bases are great for positioning, holding, posting, and hanging signs, fi xtures, or decorations. Just by attaching eyebolts, hooks, posts, car signs, lights, and other POP fi xtures, magnetic assemblies become easily repositionable displays and signs. Instead of fasteners that require drilling, gluing and other forms of mounting, magnetic assemblies are easy to apply, won’t damage the structure they’re attracting to, are easily portable and surprisingly strong. 36 | September 25, 2016 | GRAPH EXPO 16 Offi cial Show Daily | PrintingNews.com


GraphExpo_ShowDaily_September_25_2016
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