The Practical Printer

I sat down with Cody Martin from Nekoosa to prepare for the big ISA Sign Expo this week in Orlando. Listen in to hear about Nekoosa’s powerhouse duo for today’s fast-paced signage and graphics pros: Trifecta Pressure-Sensitive Textured Vinyl and NextBond Solvent-Free Adhesive. Trifecta is the ultimate one-media wonder—6 mil semi-rigid matte white vinyl in canvas, sand, or linen textures—that lets you print stunning floor graphics (UL 410 slip-resistant certified), wall murals, countertops, and windows in a single step with no overlaminate required, delivering clean removability for up to a year indoors and 3-year outdoor durability. Trifecta is the universal roll media. Not sure? Trifecta.

We also discuss NextBond’s revolutionary UV-cured, solvent-free adhesive technology—an eco-friendly, cost-effective upgrade over traditional solvent-based options—and you get bonds engineered to last up to 10 years while shrugging off humidity, UV rays, moisture, and chemicals for long-term outdoor and high-traffic applications. Stop by the 1818 booth to see the difference!

Josh Cormany and I go back decades. He's a big fish in the digital printing industry. He’s heading up the Dimense project over at Media One. I think the results on the Roland Dimense printers speak for themselves. Wow! Nothing like it. Visit booth 2441 at the ISA Sign Expo April 8-10 to see this remarkable technology in action and have Josh show you what it can do.

The new Roland DIMENSE DA-640 is a groundbreaking large-format dimensional surface printer that allows you to produce full-color prints with true, tactile texture and embossing up to 2 mm high. Instead of relying on heavy ink layering, it uses specialized media, structural ink, and precision heat to create impressive, premium 3D effects. You can use this for high-end applications like interior décor, wallpaper, signage, fine art, and other high-value jobs. Best of all, because the DA-640 is water-based, eco-friendly, and PVC-free, you can deliver on-demand creativity and profitability quickly, all in a single, efficient pass. Media One has set out to become the world-wide experts with this new technology.

Media One is North America’s top full-service provider for large-format digital textile printing. Headquartered in Garden Grove, California. And since 2001, the company has been serving wide-format and textile print shops by offering you a complete ecosystem: printers, proprietary digital fabrics, inks, substrates, finishing equipment, and expert technical support. Media One is your one-stop partner for everything related to digital textile printing: hardware, media, finishing equipment, and expertise.

Full interview here: http://www.youtube.com/
Media One here: https://www.mediaoneusa.com/ #

I am a big fan of Patrick Howell and Howell Studios, and I've finally had a chance to have him on The Practical Printer for an interview. Howell Studios has a remarkable suite of products tailor made for the printing industry in every vertical segment, whether you are a print shop or a manufacturer, they will meaningfully improve the way to market your business. And all seamlessly linked together.

Howell Studios is redefining how the digital printing industry connects with its audience. They don't just create content; they build the technical marketing infrastructure that helps print firms, packaging specialists, and sign shops turn complex capabilities into compelling stories. From immersive video production to high-impact brand strategy, Howell Studios offers the visual and digital tools necessary to stay competitive in an automated landscape.

As the industry pivots toward AI and more sophisticated lead generation, Howell helps businesses prepare their systems for the next generation of rapid growth. Their focus is on the "emotional why" behind every print project, ensuring that your technical precision is matched by a brand narrative that resonates. Stop chasing leads manually and start converting them through scalable, data-driven marketing stacks. Adapt or die.

I'm going to be partnering with Patrick and his team at this upcoming ISA International Sign Expo 2026 in Orlando! Visit the Howell Studios team at Booth 257 from April 8–10 to discuss how Patrick can elevate your digital marketing to another level--and register to win a free year of his services--a 10k value.

https://printing.howellstudios.com/

Full Interview: https://www.youtube.com/

I had Joseph Sciberres from CET onto Print Island a few weeks back and we had a long chat about CET, their philosophy, and their unique approach to building the ideal printer. It was a very insightful interview and I recommend you listen to the full interview here.

https://www.youtube.com//videos

Here is an excerpt from the full interview i had about CET's new Q2-100 flatbed printer, which they launched at Printing United, and I have to say—I think it's a little gem. It's a true 24×36-inch flatbed, compact and priced around $40,000, which makes it an accessible entry point for a lot of shops. What really stands out to me is the impressive 8-inch head height; very few machines in this class can handle substrates up to eight inches thick, so the versatility for promotional products, signage, custom direct-to-object work, and layered pieces is excellent. It uses Ricoh GH2220 (Gen 6) print heads, which I’ve always liked—they’re proven, reliable, durable, and deliver beautiful gradients with that fine 2.5-picoliter droplet size for really high-quality output. I’ve seen plenty of Ricoh Gen 5 machines, but these Gen 6 heads feel like a nice step up in consistency and detail.

The Q2-100 feels like CET took all the best parts from their higher-end flatbeds—the Dynasty series down through the Q6—and shrunk them into a smaller footprint without losing the ease of use, upgradability, or robustness I value in their bigger machines. It even offers the same optional rotary attachment I like for cylindrical items, plus an optional camera system that automatically locates material on the bed. That’s huge for shops that don’t want to rely on a ton of custom jigs; just place the piece and let the camera find it.

They’ve bundled the machine with Flexi software (Onyx is also an option), and I’m glad they did—Flexi handles textured printing and ADA/Braille signage really well, which is perfect for this size bed. Layered Braille signs, raised textures, and custom signage are exactly the kind of high-value work this printer seems built for. Overall, I see the Q2-100 striking a strong balance of price, print quality, speed, and reliability. For anyone looking for a versatile, no-nonsense flatbed without jumping into a much larger (and more expensive) industrial machine, this one checks a lot of boxes for me.

William Davis Jennifer Dupriest Alex Martins Darci Jeffrey-Andersen Greg Wise PRINTING United Expo