Technical Feature

Keeping it all running

While an older machine might still be the perfect tool for a particular job, they are more prone to breakdown, and finding parts will only get harder and harder.

The great leaps forward

The technology of communication has been a vital element of humankind’s development, and for (perhaps) thousands of years, that has meant print kit.

Small things lead to big business

Christmas is coming and a lot of kids will be lucky enough to be given a model railway, still a popular hobby even in these days of PlayStations and smartphones. Big kids like model railways too, and...

Secondhand in big demand

Since the last recession secondhand equipment has become a popular option for many printers. Buying secondhand minimises investment risks and enables printers to buy kit at a price that might...

Only connect: pulling all the pieces together

It is the nature of a management information system that it has to connect with various other systems within a printing business from all sorts of vendors and across disciplines, from pre-press to...

Heidelberg Cylinder: still in use at many print businesses

Built to last

In the old days, printing machines were made to last. They were cleaved from solid chunks of metal and essentially built like brick outhouses. Despite technological advances making many of these old...

Opportunity in the bag

Digitally-printed pouches offer label printers a way to diversify into packaging with minimal investment.

Forklifts: essential tool needs careful handling

Lift trucks of various kinds are necessary for the smooth running of printing firms of all sizes. Safe operation must be a top priority to prevent accidents.

HP Latex 3100 printer uses HP’s thermal inkjet printheads with the water-based latex inks

Milestones in inkjet

Of all the different print technologies currently in use, inkjet is probably the most interesting for its sheer versatility, working across documents and wide-format, labels and packaging and even 3D...

A spectrophotometer is needed to measure colour charts and make profiles

Taming colour’s Wild West

Most wide-format printers are capable of producing a very wide colour gamut so that it’s relatively easy to print a pleasing image with vibrant colours that appear to be just what the client ordered....