14 email: editor@signlink.co.uk Issue 263 - February | March 2026 printmonthly PrintMonthlyMagazine printmonthly_signlink UK trade supplier of materials, William Smith, has launched a new software platform that aims to help installers apply paint protection film (PPF) with greater ease and accuracy as well as providing access to precision-made kits for a wide range of vehicles. ClearCut allows installers to design and cut precision PPF kits for cars, vans, and fleets. Features of ClearCut include ‘super nesting,’ which can automatically arrange media to minimise material waste and control costs when working with premium films. A ‘mirror’ function also enables easy adjustment between left-hand and right-hand drive vehicles. In addition, a text tool allows custom branding or logos to be added directly into designs, opening opportunities for more personalised applications. William Smith says the software is available to customers purchasing PPF materials. To support the launch, William Smith’s in-house PPF specialists, Neil Manning and Michael Duffield, will be on hand to provide guidance on both the materials and the ClearCut software. William Smith has also recently introduced two major updates to its Chevron Kit website to simplify purchasing for trade customers, including visible pricing and redesigned product pages. As a tradeonly supplier, William Smith has previously kept pricing information available only on request. However, the company has recognised that as the industry continues to develop, customers now require and expect easier access to information and pricing. Fiery has announced the launch of Fiery XF 9, the latest release of Fiery’s software RIP, colour management, and workflow solution designed to streamline wide-format print production. Fiery XF 9 adds a set of new capabilities that the company says “unlock new levels of value out of your large-format print operations.” New features include integration with both Fiery’s FreeForm Create 2.0 variable data printing (VDP) software and its ColorGuard cloud-based colour control solution. The compatibility with FreeForm adds a range of personalised printing capabilities to the software, which means wide-format print providers can use a single, unified VDP creation process across all printers managed by a Fiery DFE, without additional tools or device-specific workflows. The aim is to simplify the creation of targeted and versioned materials with custom images, text, and barcodes that can drive stronger customer engagement, with more flexibility and fewer bottlenecks to production. Fiery FreeForm Create 2.0 is free to download from the Fiery website. The integration of Fiery ColorGuard, a solution designed to enable the production of consistent colour across all devices, brings tools to verify colour quality, correct deviations, and evaluate colour performance over time, as well as providing proof of colour compliance. Cologuard is available at no additional cost to XF users throughout 2026. In addition, XF 9 offers an AI-powered print bleed option, which can automatically generate ‘gallery-style’ canvas-wrap edges. The option also aims to avoid print quality issues caused by missing bleed content not created at the pre-press stage. Recently Fiery also announced the launch of Digital Factory 12, a new software workflow solution for direct-tofilm (DTF) and direct-to-garment (DTG) printing. Digital Factory 12 introduces a range of new advanced tools that aim to maximise print operations, with the ability to scale as print businesses grow. XF 9 was the winner of the 2025 Pinnacle Award for best large-format RIP software William Smith launches software for car wrap installers Technology companies, Sony and Ameria, have announced a new collaboration to create a ‘latency-free’ gesture control solution designed for immersive 3D visualisation. The new partnership brings together Sony’s Spatial Reality Display (SRD) technology with Ameria’s newly developed StarKit 3D interactive signage solution. Sony’s SRD provides 3D elements without the need for special glasses or other additional devices, aiming to deliver “ultra-realistic” visuals in any setting. The new system incorporates two integrated Intel RealSense sensors positioned within a purpose-built mount that aligns with Sony’s SRD, tracking hand movement in real time and allowing users to interact with 3D content without touching a screen. The solution, which has a range of possible applications including for out-of-home (OOH) display, combines this gesture control technology with a simplified and modular software platform. Fiery launches XF 9 RIP software Sony and Ameria debut touch-free 3D display solution The ClearCut software contains more than 400,000 vehicle patterns in its database By Jonathan Pert DIGITAL | NEWS The technology launched at this year’s ISE exhibition in Barcelona
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