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FLM Paravista Enhances Large Format Capability

Press release from the issuing company

Fairfield, NJ – FLM Paravista announced today that, with the addition of its new EFI VUTEk GS3250lx Pro printing system, it is once again pushing the envelope to meet the needs of its client partners. The new LED-based UV printing system was installed here at the company’s Trucolor™ large format and sign imaging service center. 

"The VUTEk GS Pro system is a triple-play for us," said FLM Paravista group president Frank M. Misischia in making the announcement. “First, it delivers higher levels of quality and productivity. Secondly, it offers eco-friendly sustainability improvements like we've never seen before for large format digital printing. And, last but not least, it offers unsurpassed versatility for printing on a broad range of substrates.”

The VUTEk GS Pro system uses an advanced LED printing technology, printing on a 126" wide hybrid print bed, which can accommodate roll-fed substrates or boards, and is capable of outputting on the full spectrum of materials for both indoor and outdoor applications. In comparison to the prior generation of printing systems, which utilized UV mercury lamp technology, the new system is more energy efficient, more environmentally friendly, contains no VOC’s, and prints large and grand format projects at the highest level of quality.

Trucolor president Peter Desbets is downright enthusiastic and expansive in talking about these latest imaging technology innovations. “The GS uses a 7 picoliter print head whereas the previous generation system used a 12 picoliter head. Simply put, the smaller the picoliter number, the finer the ink droplet or dot. To achieve the smaller dot, a thinner ink is  utilized which can be quickly set with reduced temperatures from an LED light system instead of the high temp UV lamps. And a nitrogen spray is also used to help set the ink, the results being brighter and more crisp colors and sharp, legible type down to sizes as small as 4-point, even type with a knockout.” 

“Our clients really don't care about all these technical details, though, nor should they,” acknowledges Desbets. “They just want to see results and understand what options exist for what they need to get printed, considering the specified size and quantity for a particular project, and also where and under what kind of conditions their signage and large format materials need to be displayed.” 

Desbets also described how FLM Paravista is currently partnering with one of its paper suppliers to develop roll-fed, paper based alternatives to the standard vinyl and other substrates customarily used for printing short-run large format materials on digital systems like the VUTEk GS3250lx Pro. "Being able to digitally print a limited run of, say, twenty 6-foot by 9-foot posters or signs of a design that includes high quality photographic images, large display type, and also four point text type that looks crisp and clear up close—and to print it using six or even eight colors plus white ink—and run the job on a fourteen or eighteen point paper stock…that is something that cannot be done cost-effectively on any commercial offset printing press," said Desbets. "However, now, it can be done on our new, LED-cured-ink-based printing system. Or, for that matter, on any flexible substrate or rigid board material!" 

“These days, technology makes significant progressive leaps in very little time,” said Desbets, explaining the business logic and value of making this investment. “After running our rigorous tests, however, we found that there's a compelling case for upgrading now to the new VUTEk GS Pro system in order to give our clients more options and even better quality, even though the previous generation of this printing technology was introduced and acquired by our company fairly recently.” In fact, in addition to the VUTEk GS, over the past few years the company has upgraded or replaced all of its digital printing systems, both large and small format. Currently, other systems in FLM Paravista’s digital print and imaging facilities include the HP Scitex LX 850, an array of 60" inkjet systems, multiple HP Indigo and Xerox iGen systems, and ancillary laminators, folders, mounting systems, and booklet makers, collectively offering optimal quality, flexibility, and productivity to clients. 

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