Roland DG Australia Blog

It was a big week down in Melbourne for the biggest print industry trade show in Australia - here's a wrap up of PacPrint and Visual Impact 2013.

From all accounts the show started a little slow in terms of numbers, but each day the numbers and activity around the show picked up, so overall the show was definitely a success for the industry, and also for Roland DG.

Here's a few highlights:

PRO4 HOT PICK!

The new PRO4 XF-640 was certainly a highlight for Roland, attracting plently of attention from visitors and industry alike - so much so that it received an exclusive 'Hot Pick' product award from industry magazine Print21. On top of this, Creative Director of ProPrint magazine had a custom demo of the PRO4 with some of his own photo's printed out at the show. He was blown away by the quality of the photos delivered by the PRO4 compared to some previous prints he had run on other machines.



Showing off its amazing velocity, the XF-640 was printing at a variety of production speeds, 30, 60 and up to 102 m2/hr, throughout the show, and hence churned through hundreds of square meters of media. But fortunately this media was not wasted, but rather put to good use... Read More...

Speed, power and superb image quality are features that are required and sought after by all graphic professionals. The all new Roland SOLJET PRO4 XF-640 delivers all of that and more, providing unparalleled productivity. The PRO4 XF-640 is so advanced, it's been compared to rocket science…

Meeting a Demand

Roland DG’s last printer in the PRO-series, the XJ-640, was released in 2007 and in the six years that have passed, the market has become increasingly focused on superb image quality and fast delivery on orders.

To meet this increasing need for productivity, over 50 dedicated Roland DG employees have been working intensively to develop a printer that would meet the demands voiced by thousands of the company’s loyal customers.

“All surveys show that what print customers essentially want is speed, productivity and print quality. This meant that we needed to develop a printer that would set records and print faster than ever seen before, without compromising the renowned Roland print quality using our latest generation wide gamut ECO-SOL MAX 2™ inks. This way we would be able to help our customers increase their productivity and meet the demands in the market,” says Mr. Katsuo Ikehata (pictured right), General Manager of R&D at Roland DG Corporation. Read More...

Stickers. Decals. Lettering. It’s not something that an average person ponders on a regular basis, but if we had a means, I bet we’d all use custom stickers quite regularly. This thought occurred to me as I was looking through our list of owners for the STIKA portable vinyl cutters. What an assortment of small businesses, large businesses, schools and just regular people. The STIKA is being used for custom decals, t-shirt deco, personalized gifts, bakeries, realty signage and so much more.

Organized Kids

“I have the 15″ stika machine and I love it. It is perfect for our applications. It worked flawlessly since it came out of the box and I haven’t had one problem with it. I like the 15″ because vinyl is readily available in that width. The installation process was a snap and any issue I couldn’t figure out there was tech support to help. It is a great machine.” Stephen Johnson from Chandler Arizona Read More...

Welcome to a series of practical videos focusing on Roland Education solutions for your school or institution.

Roland TechSoft Education kits paired with Roland products add dimension to education programs by enabling students to apply their knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math toward the design and production of real-world products. In this series of 8 chapters, we'll review a few of our favorite classroom projects from the kits. Watch the introduction video first, and then watch the chapters below. Read More...

Visual Impact Image Expo (VIIE), held in Sydney on 24-26th September 2012, was a great success by all reports and it was no different for Roland DG as we had a dominant presence at the event, supported by many Authorised Roland dealers who displayed a range of wide format and signage solutions.

Nothing like a big trade show to launch a new product, so we used this major industry event to showcase the new SOLJET PRO4 XR-640 Printer/Cutter with the new ECO-SOL MAX 2™ ink. This next generation production printer, holding pride of place at the main entrance of the show, was a major attraction. A big draw card for the XR-640 was not only the excitement of a new release, but also the chance for anyone who purchases an XR-640 between now and PacPrint 2013, to win a Ford XR6 Ute or Sedan^. Read More...

Pantone recently released an update to the popular Plus Series, adding 336 new colours to their already amazing spectrum of colours! You might think, how do they just come up with 336 new colours? The world of colour is an amazing science which has captured the imagination of people for centuries and is used across a vast range of industries - essentially you can't escape colour as it is constantly all around us!

Pantone has a unique place in the colour industry with a rich history of creating and setting colour standards for many industries such as print, design, fashion, interiors and many more... check out this interesting video on how the latest Plus series is developed:

 Read More...

Welcome to a series of practical videos focusing on Roland Education solutions for your school or institution.

Roland TechSoft Education kits paired with Roland products add dimension to education programs by enabling students to apply their knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math toward the design and production of real-world products. In this series of 8 chapters, we'll review a few of our favorite classroom projects from the kits. Watch the introduction video first, and then watch the chapters below. Read More...

Welcome to a series of practical videos focusing on Roland Education solutions for your school or institution.

Roland TechSoft Education kits paired with Roland products add dimension to education programs by enabling students to apply their knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math toward the design and production of real-world products. In this series of 8 chapters, we'll review a few of our favorite classroom projects from the kits. Watch the introduction video first, and then watch the chapters below. Read More...

Here is a 're-blog' from Roland DGA R-Blog, showing off some inspiring samples and applications (see the original article) -

*****
One of the best parts about my job is interfacing with our customers and learning about their work. Just this week, we added over 10 new customer exhibits to the Roland Creative Center which lives in our lobby. Our customers’ work never ceases to amaze me. Here is a look at some of the new exhibits now on display in our lobby. If you are ever nearby our Irvine headquarters, I invite you to come by and see all of the exhibits. Or you can always view the lobby on our live lobby webcam. Read More...

Creating Personalized Photo Frames with a Roland MPX-90 Impact Printer

In these "How To:" posts we will share tips and give instructions on how to complete various tasks and operations using Roland devices. We hope you find these useful and perhaps learn something new that you can apply in your day to day workflows.   Read More...

In a follow up to our original post about the Roland Creative Awards trip to Japan - "And the grand prize winner is..." - here is an article written by our US partners with some interesting insights and experiences from the people who attended the salubrious event earlier this year. Read More...

Many of you are familiar with Roland inkjets, but you may not be aware of the “other” side of our business which is responsible for some pretty unique applications from 3D milling, scanning and impact printing technologies. The latest Roland innovation in this space is aimed at the dental market. That might surprise you, but actually, the benchtop milling machines Roland DWX-50 5-Axis Dental Milling Machine we’ve been perfecting over the last 30-years, primarily for engineers and product designers to prototype 3D models in wax, plastics, wood and a variety of other materials, transition beautifully into Digital Dental Mills, carving out dental prosthetics from a special ceramic called Zirconia (yes, a variant of Cubic Zirconia). Zirconia, a material biologically compatible with the human body and stronger (many times over) than our own teeth, is becoming very popular in the dental industry, however, it can’t be manufactured with their traditional methods (ei. precious metal & lost wax casting). Instead it requires a mill to shape the crown, bridge or coping.  Read More...

Have you ever wondered if there was a way to improve registration of printing and cutting when producing small decals? Well, it turns out that there is. It’s a bit hidden in VersaWorks™ , but with CustomCUT, you are able to setup segments between printing and cutting that improve registration, especially when dealing with small objects in high quantities. Read More...

Practical Benefits Of Soft Signage Textiles And Interiors To Your Business Read More...

Roland DG employees, affiliates, customers and friends from all over the world gathered last month at the company's headquarters in Hamamatsu, Japan to celebrate three decades of Roland innovation and creativity.


The week-long 30th anniversary event included a day of fun and festivities at the company's headquarters, followed by tours of Tokyo and Kyoto. Throughout the event, all eyes were on the 16 attending regional finalists in the company's recent Roland Creative Awards international contest, whose work was recognised as the world's most creative and innovative from 1,193 contest entries. Australian Regional winners, Ted Congdon and Tony Truong from Whites Law Bindery, were among the delegates who enjoyed the festivities and sightseeing and a exclusive tour of the Roland Headquarters including the manufacturing facilities. Read More...

DON'T MISS OUT ON THE DEBUT NEW PRODUCT AND ALL THE LATEST SOLUTIONS FROM ROLAND DG AT VISUAL IMPACT IMAGE EXPO - GOLD COAST CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE 19 - 21 APRIL 2012.

In the current economic climate you need to make smart decisions, think creativity, seek new opportunities, and develop efficiencies to make your business a success. When it comes to purchasing new equipment we are all looking for value - we need the best tools available for the lowest cost and with the quickest ROI. With the rate that technology changes these days the options can seem endless.

You need to review your options wisely. Read More...

In these "How To:" posts we will share tips and give instructions on how to complete various tasks and operations using Roland devices. We hope you find these useful and perhaps learn something new that you can apply in your day to day workflows.

This video shows how to troubleshoot print & cut files from Adobe Illustrator for Roland VersaWorks. The Print & Cut workflow is a good thing to master to get the most out of your Roland device. Here you will find useful tips and common mistakes or problems people can encounter when attempting to create a print & cut file from Illustrator. Read More...

New technology always brings new processes and with the advancement in printing and ink technology in recent years, the way T-shirts are produced is now being challenged. Not only is technology driving change in the industry, the designers, influencers and also the customers are changing what to expect in a T-shirt these days.

As part of the NEXT Exhibition, one of the biggest T-shirt exhibitions in the world that looks into the heart and soul of T-Shirt culture, curator Eddie Zammit asked over 50 of world’s leading T-shirt designers and influencers what they think is in store for the future of T-shirt industry. Many of the artists commented on the changing printing techniques, the move to more digital print, and also the imminent rise of customised and short-run T-shirts. Here are a few quotes from these designers:  Read More...

It was no easy task to pick 3 winners from over 100 entries in the South Pacific region of the Roland Creative Awards, but after several hours of judging it turned out that only 7 votes separated the top 5, and only 1 vote between the top 3! Going over each entry with a fine tooth comb, judges were particularly looking for creativity, innovation and execution. So what set the winners apart from the rest? Let's take a better look at each winning entry to see why they stood out...

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The December round of the Roland Creative Awards showcased another swag of nice car wraps, but most interest and votes were drawn to different types of entries this month. One of the most creative and unique entries to date, 'Doctor Who Lego Figurines', came in second on the People's Choice voting, but eventual the winner was an impressive wrap of a Camero Ski Boat. Congratulations to Get Displays of South Australia!

Some of the best news to come out of December was that the deadline for entering has been extended to 29th January, giving everyone an extra chance to get their entries in for their chance to win! Already January has seen some fantastic entries, making competition for the grand prizes even hotter! With only 9 days left to enter, we are looking forward to collating all entries from the past 5 months and deciding on the Honourable Mentions, who will each recieve and iPad2, and also a Regional winner who wins a trip to Japan and is in the running for the worldwide grand prize of a new Roland device. Read More...

With the Roland Creative Awards in full swing, now in it's 4th month (including half of September) and over 500 entries later, it has been interesting to observe the type of entries coming in both locally and across the globe. Without a doubt, vehicle wrapping has dominated the entries to date! All manner of vehicles have been submitted from vans, ute's, trucks, buses, cars, and even an off road buggy and a tank!! Add to this a range of creative boat wraps and a few motorbikes and you have an amazing collection of wraps!

The November People's Choice winner in Australia was no exception to this - congratulations to Zentarah Visual Creations for their 'Bob The Blindman' van entry which proved to be popular, taking out the November round with 104 votes, well ahead of the next entry.  Read More...

A hot topic of 2011 was undoubtedly 'Metallic Ink' with the introduction of ECO-SOL MAX Metallic ink, the world's first eco solvent metallic ink, and the printers that followed - the XC-540MT and the VS Series. While the attraction to this solution is obvious, there has certainly been some hesitations surrounding the cost and speed of printing with metallic. No doubt for this premium solution the cost is higher, and the print speed is definitely reduced to produce such a spectacular result...

So is there a real benefit to this solution or is it not really a viable business option? Based on the sales and success of the VS Series alone, we would have to argue 'Yes it is certainly a viable business solution', but to back this up with some hard evidence, our partners in the US have conducted a comprehensive survey of their customers who have 'metallic capable' devices. Check out the article below from the Roland DGA blog to get all the facts (note: all figures relate to the US):  Read More...

As part of Outpost Project, a first of its kind Street Art festival, NEXT is an exhibition that looks into the heart and soul of T-Shirt culture. Held on the famous Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour during November and December, the Outpost Project will see over 150 renowned international and local artists transform this industrial space into an "explosion of urban art".


As the official print partner of NEXT, Roland DG produced over 500sqm of print on the powerful AJ-1000i, to produce a 50 panel display of leading owners and artists in the T-Shirt culture from around the globe. Read More...

The colourful 'Kids Club' mini bus wrap has taken out the first South Pacific People's Choice Award for September/October in the Roland Creative Awards. Roland DG Australia would like to congratulate NR Signs who submitted the entry, gaining a total of 89 votes for it's vibrant colours, fun designs and no doubt popular with the kids!

 Read More...

In these "How To:" posts we will share tips and give instructions on how to complete various tasks and operations using Roland devices. We hope you find these useful and perhaps learn something new that you can apply in your day to day workflows.

This video demonstrates the VersaWorks Settings for Integrated Print/Cut with a Take-Up Reel - a feature that many people have requested and many others aren't even aware that Roland Printer/Cutters can perform this handy operation!  Read More...

Roland DG recently attended The Visual Impact Image Expo (VIIE), held at Melbourne Exhibition Centre from 13th – 15th September 2011. Here is a quick 'Wash Up" from what was the last major trade show for 2011 for the Signage and display market...

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In these "How To:" posts we will share tips and give instructions on how to complete various tasks and operations using Roland devices. We hope you find these useful and perhaps learn something new that you can apply in your day to day workflows.

This video demonstrates how to vectorize a raster graphic using Roland Engrave Studio to output to any of the Roland Engravers.  Read More...

'Word of mouth' is no doubt one of the most powerful factors in the purchasing decision and someone's opinion is always more valuable than even the best marketing campaign. While word of mouth still goes on, these days 'word of mouth' could be probably be called 'click of mouse' or perhaps even 'Facebook like'... as more people look for opinions and personal reviews for products and services online. This has been going on for many years now, but has really taken off in recent times with the rapid growth of social media.

Social media has transformed the way we now relate, so it is no surprise that people now go online and turn to Facebook, Twitter or the like to find out what people think about a certain product/service. You find that more & more consumer products now have the Facebook Like button attached to the listing and even a comments or review section where people can leave feedback. Read More...

While it's mid winter in Australia, each year a few DG Aus staff head to Japan, along with a host of international couterparts, for what is affectionately called, “Summer Camp.” The similarity it has with most summer camps is that it’s typically very hot & humid in Japan at this time of the year – about 29 degrees and 85% humidity! Read More...

In these "How To:" posts we will share tips and give instructions on how to complete various tasks and operations using Roland devices. We hope you find these useful and perhaps learn something new that you can apply in your day to day workflows.

In this video learn how to use Roland VersaWorks with CMYK, Metallic Silver and White in Single-Pass and Dual-Pass using Roland metallic printers such as the VS Series, the new VersaStudio BN-20, or the XC-50MT production machine.  Read More...

Last Friday Roland DG Australia held Open House events in both Sydney and Melbourne to celebrate the opening of the new Creative Centre. President of Roland DG Corporation Japan, Mr. Masahiro Tomioka flew in to officially cut the ribbon and open the recently expanded Sydney Creative Centre. Read More...

If you have been in the Australian Sign & Display industry for a few years, or you keep up with the industry news and magazines, then it's likely that you have heard of 'Roland DG Care'. Roland DG Australia launched Roland DG Care in 2008 as an official branding for our after sales program, symbolised by a pink heart shaped logo. Now for the average Australian Sigine or print production person, this name and logo could easily appear to be a fluffy marketing strategy that doesn't actually deliver anything but warm fuzzies for people...! Read More...

Welcome to the first "How To:"

In these "How To:" posts we will share tips and give instructions on how to complete various tasks and operations using Roland devices. We hope you find these useful and perhaps learn something new that you can apply in your day to day workflows. Read More...

PrintEx - VIIE 2011 brought more than 8500 people through the doors and hundreds of companies exhibiting during the three-day show and expo at the Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour Sydney. If you missed the show, or you want to recap on all the information and activity at the show, then keep reading and you'll get a firsthand look at all the action surrounding the latest inkjet technologies from Roland that made their debut at PrintEx - VIIE 2011.  Read More...

This week all the Roland DG executives and BDM's from around the world have converged in Sydney for the Trade show and various meetings. Day 2 at the show was another busy day with a hive of Roland DG execs roaming the stand and lots of interest in new products from customers. The new LEF-12 has been the suprise show stealer with a constant crowd of people looking on as we print directly to everything from iPad covers, sticky tape holders and even a stone from the pot plant! Read More...

Well after a big few weeks of preparation, the PrintEx and Visual Impact Image Expo (VIIE) trade show has finally kicked off! With some exciting new products, a host of important visitors dropping in and the whole of the industry looking on this show should be a big one.

Setup was in all honesty a bit like organised choas, but what's a trade show without a bit of choas! After a late night from a few hard working DG staff, it all came together and the stand is looking great - loaded with products and a range of creative samples and applications on display to demonstrate what the products can do. Read More...

Nothing like a bit of graffiti to brighten the room!
Through its LO-FI connections Roland DG has partnered with the renown graffiti artist 'Does' to feature an amazing graffiti mural in the Sydney Creative Centre. The custom mural is an adaptation of an existing piece by Does called 'Strawberry Swing'. Working closely with the Roland creative team, Does adapted the mural to include the text 'Imagine' to capture the  Roland Imagine branding concept. The spectacular colours and amazing detail in this piece encapsulates the 'Imagine' branding and was an easy choice to demonstrate what can be achieved with Roland printers and to encourage our users to do the same. Here is a sneak peek: Read More...

For the second half of 2010 and early 2011, Roland DG sponsored a unique arts project gallery space named LO-FI Collective. Showcasing the best of Australia’s burgeoning creative community, artists were invited to work onsite to conceptualise, create and then exhibit their work for public viewing on a weekly basis and as part of the agreement Roland produced fine art giclee prints for the shows. Read More...

In less than 2 weeks, Roland DG will be joining a vast majority of the print industry brands and suppliers at PrintEx and Visual Impact Image Expo (VIIE). There's no bigger show this year in Sydney for the print industry with the convergence of both the commercial print market (PrintEx), and the growing wide format/sign & display market (VIIE). Read More...

We've smashed a few walls down and doubled the size of our Creative Centre and Demo room in our Sydney offices! We have been hard at work over the past month or so planning, re-building and designing for the new space and we are looking forward to officially opening it on the 1st July 2011!

Our printers have been working overtime for the last week pumping out meters and meters of graphics to be applied to every surface we can cover from walls to floors to windows and even bathrooms! Using a range of technologies from advanced UV applications to metallic s and white inks, we have been working closely with media partners to test and demonstrate media and ink combinations.  Read More...

Welcome to the Roland DG Australia blog! "Finally", you may say. Or perhaps - "not ANOTHER blog...!". Yes, another blog, but we are aiming to provide some unique content that you may not find on other blogs, and as a result we hope to inspire and motivate your creativity! The blog will feature various posts on the latest Roland DG products, tips & tricks to get the most from your device, creative inspiration and samples from around the world and more... Read More...