When a roll-type small cutting plotter was used, media setting was difficult and thus preparation was time-consuming. We also wanted to increase the cutting accuracy.

CFL-605RT has higher accuracy and easier setting than the roll-type counterpart, making the downtime very short. Since the cutting speed is also fast, time loss and media loss are significantly reduced. The sense of “quick creation and show” becomes effective in up-selling during proposal phase.

When cutting storefront POP items into odd shapes, a relatively large cutting plotter was used or manual cutting was performed, which made it difficult to achieve delicate cutting. With a conventional machine, small defects were found, such as visible cuts made on the back side, and the overflow of adhesives created on media with adhesives, which caused stains.

Introduction of CFL-605RT enables precise, perfect cutting, which increases technical and proposal skills of the company. More products are adopted at a sample creation phase. There is no failure due to manual cutting, which reduces wasted production costs.

Although the company already had a full-color 3D printer, the plaster-based type needed to go through processes that almost required artisan skills such as polishing and re-coloring for modeled objects before they become products.

3DUJ-553 has enabled more than 10-million color representation that is fine in details, in addition to real, delicate expression that needs no re-coloring. As the support material is water-soluble, we can remove it easily by soaking the object in water, which allows us to work on details to the last minute, enabling a wider range of expression than ever before.

Although we already had a plaster-based full-color 3D printer, we did not accept orders with colors because it was extremely difficult to finish the works with colors satisfactory to clients. However, our valued client requested us to deliver figures finished with colors.

3DUJ-553 is highly valued by clients for its excellent color reproducibility. Because there is no need to provide coloring experts and thus 3D-printed products can be delivered as finished items, the company has propelled the business a step ahead without making unnecessary investment.

We wanted opportunities to meet new clients of different types, such as those ordering large-size posters and signs, POP display for promotion.

We came to receive orders and sample requests from companies manufacturing souvenirs, amenities and original goods, resulting in acquisition of new clients.

We used to mainly create figures with a plaster-based 4-color printer that enables color printing, but came to want to challenge a full-color 3D print with a higher definition.

It is highly received by clients dealing in 3D modeling artworks as well. Mimaki's "3DUJ-553" enabled us to demonstrate what the advance 3D print is like. Introduction of "3DUJ-553" also had a positive impact on the overall company.

Owner James Tran, "We need to increase productivity, white printing is an important factor moving forward. Previously we had run a white solution in a Roland eco-solvent we had issues with reliability regarding white printing."

"Since we have had the UCJV300 running white we have had no problems. The white is vibrant and much better opacity then then eco-solvent solution."

Owner Garry Miller, "To be honest, I was never a big fan on Mimaki as we have always ran Rolands over the past 16 Years, when looking for a replacement machine for one of the Rolands, I investigated what was on the new market and was very disappointed. Even the LEJ was overpriced and under performed."

"Since we saw the first Demo (UCJV300-160) we started to get excited about what we could do with the Mimaki. So far it hasn’t let us down. We have done a few trials on the multi layer printing with great success and have also increased our trade printing to other sign shops."

Owner John Privitera says he initially wanted to replace one of the company’s eco-solvent machines with two of the same platform. But a must have was an increase in production output but not sacrificing print quality.

“I attended the ISA show in Orlando this year and the word on the floor was that this new UCJV300-160 was the must have. I couldn’t be happier with the decision to go with this machine. It gives us low power consumption with an economical ink cost. It produces prints with vibrant colours and the cutter is separate to the print head.”

“Quality is everything for us,” Tate says. “It’s what our clients expect from us and we simply have to deliver. That’s why we don’t rush into new technologies – we have to be sure that it will deliver the best results for our clients, in the turnaround times they need and at a price that represents real value for them – particular as they are ‘on-selling’ our service to their clients.

“Mimaki printers produce as close to offset quality as I’ve ever seen on an inkjet machine, and our customers were immediately delighted with the samples we showed them,” Tate says. “Since then, that quality together with the broad range of products we have been able to offer – which to date has included everything from sign and display, to POP and posters up to A1 in size, polypropylene diary covers and even short runs of ganged-up business cards – has seen this division of our business grow exponentially.”