Encad, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eastman Kodak Company, has expanded its portfolio of inkjet media for wide-format aqueous inkjets with seven new Kodak media, including products for tear-resistant P-O-P signage, short- and long-term outdoor displays, and day/night backlit graphics. Like other Kodak-branded media sold by Encad, the new products have been tested on Encad NovaJet and Hewlett-Packard Designjet thermal-transfer printers and Epson Stylus Pro piezo inkjet printers.
Kodak media undergoes a 42-point testing process, developed by researchers from a corporation with decades of experience in making continuous improvements in the quality and permanence of images. Data from thee tests enable Encad to offer a media-replacement guarantee if graphics output on the media exhibit any noticeable fading, cracking, yellowing, or bleeding when the print is viewed from its intended viewing distance.
The seven new media are as follows:
Poly Poster (Glossy and Satin): This versatile, 7-mil polypropylene-based media can be used with dye inks to produce scratch- and tear-resistant graphics for short-term indoor displays or pop-up trade-show or retail displays. It can also be used for eye-catching backlit prints or grommeted for use as a banner.
Reverse Print Backlit Film VS: The “VS” designation on this easy-to-handle, high-gloss, 5-mil backlit film stands for “Vivid Saturation.” The coating was formulated to accept heavy loads of dye inks, while providing productive dry times. The scratch-resistant base protects printed images from damage and UV fading.
Water-Resistant Poly Poster Matte (With and without Self-Adhesive): This 9-mil media combines a tear-resistant polypropylene base with a water-resistant ink-receptive coating that works with dye or pigmented inks. Graphics produced on this substrate are guaranteed to last for up to six months outdoors without lamination, and from 9 to 18 months with lamination, depending on whether the prints are output with specified pigmented inksets from HP, Encad, or Epson. The adhesive-backed form of Poly Poster can be used with an appropriate laminate to create floor graphics. It can also be used for outdoor street banners or shop-front displays. The non-adhesive-backed form of Poly Poster is suggested for medium-term day/night displays and outdoor banners.
Water-Resistant Backlit Film: This 8-mil, direct-print outdoor backlit film can be used with pigmented inks on many types of thermal and piezo inkjet printers to produce graphics for bus shelters, outdoor lightboxes, external cinema posters, and other backlit displays. The coating helps the graphics maintain their impact whether the lightbox is turned on or off.
Water-Resistant Reinforced Flex Banner: This durable, 15-mil scrim-layered, semi-opaque vinyl banner material has a water-resistant matte coating and can be used with either dye or pigmented inks. According to Encad, it drapes well and is easy to grommet or sew.
These seven additional media expand Encad's portfolio of Kodak wide-format media line to include 36 different options for producing indoor or outdoor graphics. This expansion also extends the Performance Guarantee originally established for indoor graphics on Kodak media to encompass outdoor graphics on Kodak media as well.
“There has been tremendous growth in the outdoor printing market, and with the addition of our new outdoor products, Kodak has one of the broadest portfolios of outdoor media available,” says Gerry Forman, Encad's vice-president for media.
Full details on the product compatibility and performance guarantees for each type of media can be downloaded from Encad's web-site. (Encad: www.encad.com)