The Printing Association of Florida's Graphics of the Americas Expo & Conference (GOA) is excited to announce that a highly anticipated show feature will take place again this year: the Wide Format Print Shop Live! Sponsored by Caldera, this in-depth series of free wide format-centric sessions - as well as live demonstrations at the Wide Format Print Shop Live! in booth #395 - will take place at GOA, March 1-3, 2012, at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Free seminars and live demonstrations

The Wide Format Print Shop Live! seminars are not to be missed by anyone in the wide format space. Visitors hear straight from the experts while engaging in free seminars that provide a solid framework for growing their business. The latest industry topics and how-to's being presented include: Evaluating Wide Format Inkjet Presses; Purchasing the Right Wide Format Equipment for the Right Job; and highlights about what's hottest in this growing part of the print landscape.

Caldera will also be holding demonstrations of its award-winning, production-orientated print and print-to-cut workflow programs for large- and grand-format peripherals, at the Wide Format Print Shop Live! booth.

"GOA has become the trusted resource for printers and industry professionals to hear about recent trends, and even more importantly, how they can realistically be implemented into real business scenarios," says George Ryan, GOA president. "Attendees and exhibitors appreciate the expert, first-hand knowledge that Wide Format Print Shop Live! speakers deliver. Visitors should be sure to mark this on their agendas."

Wide Format Print Shop Live! Seminar Schedule

In addition to the many free bonus sessions and exciting show floor features already on tap for the 37^th annual show, the following sessions will be hosted at the Wide Format Print Shop Live! exhibit:

How to Evaluate Wide Format Inkjet Press

Dr. Mark Bohan - Vice President of Research, Printing Industries of America

Fri., Mar. 2, 2012 - 3:30 - 4:30 pm
Sat., Mar. 3, 2012 - 10:30 - 11:30 pm 

Wide-format inkjet has many different print engines with various capabilities dependent on technology and application. Evaluating the inkjet device requires assessing both the mechanical performance as well as the RIP capabilities in combination with the printer. Evaluating the mechanical performance will include tests to evaluate the nozzle performance for blockages, the bleed created by the ink/substrate combinations, the resolution that can be achieved at particular press speeds, the text quality, and the full color gamut. To complement this, the RIP capabilities need to be assessed for several characteristics, including overprinting, font formats, transparency, RGB/CMYK conversion, spot color handling, and images containing device-independent colors. Learn how to carry out a complete evaluation of a press and the importance of the different characteristics.

Purchasing the Right Wide Format Equipment for the Right Job

Nicholas Hellmuth - Expert in Wide Format Digital Printing Technology

Thurs., Mar. 1, 2012 - 10:30 - 11:30 am
Fri., Mar. 2, 2012 - 10:30 - 11:30 am 

There are many wide format digital printing options on the market. This session will explore the benefits of the different technologies and substrates and help attendees decide which technology is the best for them. Learn about the applications that are best suited for UV curable printing, eco solvent inks, latex inks, and metallic inks. Understand the productivity considerations when buying roll to roll systems, UV Flatbed, and a combination UV flatbed and roll to roll digital printing systems.

Explore the wider opportunities with FESPA

Duncan MacOwan - Head of Events and New Media, FESPA

Thurs., Mar. 1, 2012 - 2:00 - 3:00 pm
Fri., Mar. 2, 2012 - 2:00 - 3:00 pm 

Drawing on FESPA's extensive body of research into the global wide format printing sector and the myriad market niches the sector serves, Duncan will highlight what's hottest in this growing part of the print landscape. Explore what products that have the greatest growth opportunities.

Registration

To register for GOA 2012, or for more information about show features like Wide Format Print Shop Live!, please visit: www.goa2012.com, or call +1 407-240-8009.