Clevedon - Roland DG is a leading manufacturer of wide format inkjet printers, and if the experience at IPEX 2010 is any indicator, there's considerable interest in moving into wide format print among commercial printers.

Many IPEX visitors were drawn to Roland's stand and in particular to the new VersaCAMM VS-640. The VS-640's unique ability to print pure metallic ink came as a surprise to most and all were quick to spot the potential for metallic ink in wide format output. The printer can mix process colour metallic ink to produce colourful lustres too.

Also demonstrated was the VS-640's ability to contour-cut its printed output, provoking comments about the limitations of traditional processes for cutting with dies. Roland also showed visitors how the VS-640 could perform the entire output end of the workflow unattended.

The VersaCAMM VS-640 creates a big differentiation among its peers by muscling in with a seam dodging sixty four inch width and a low price. The printer includes Roland's VersaWorks RIP which effortlessly manages the workflow and optimises output costs and quality while dramatically speeding end-to-end production time. Roland On-Support, a telemetry based system that can, among other things, email the printer operator when an unattended job is complete comes in the box as well, making print work, especially short-run production, efficient and highly profitable.

Another star performer for Roland at IPEX was the remarkable VersaUV LEC-330. Characterised by one perceptive visitor to the stand as packing the most capability per square foot of any hardware at the show, the LEC-330 earned its keep with units being ordered off the stand and numerous follow-ups requested.

The LEC-330 does pack a lot of capability into a little space. It prints process colour and white ink, it spot varnishes in matt and gloss, it cuts, it creases, it embosses and it truly amazes all who see it demonstrated.

Perhaps the most compelling application Roland demonstrated for the LEC-330 was the production of ready-to-make packaging models. With its UV ink set able to resolve high resolution imagery upon virtually any stock or substrate, the full potency of the printer was realised as the sample emerged, cut, creased and ready to fold, featuring all print elements and even authentically embossed Braille and lettering.

When visitors eventually left the Roland DG stand, it was with a firm understanding that Roland not only offers all the hardware needed for a commercial printer to successfully enter and profit from the growing wide format market, but that it extends the education, support and aftermarket supplies that help the printer quickly establish his new offering on an upward trajectory.

Roland's next appearance on the exhibition circuit will be at FESPA in Munich, 22-26 June, Hall B2, stand 340.