Signs of success for students and staff at Southbank

The wide-format printer is supplied and installed by Roland DG Australia at the Morningside campus. At $30,000 the latest equipment was greeted with enthusiasm and excitement by staff and students.

“This new printer/cutter is great,” said 21-year-old apprentice Ricky Gent from Townsville. “Training with this technology will certainly benefit my career.”

Sign writing teacher Kelsey Duncan said he couldn’t believe the quality of the printing when he first looked at a print of an oil painting reproduced by the printer. “I could have sworn it was real, an actual painting that is, because the paper had the quality of canvas and the colours were so brilliant and lifelike,” Duncan said. “It wasn’t until I touched the paper that I realised it was a print. I couldn’t feel any brushstrokes.”



Education manager for Roland DG, Russell Cooper praised Southbank Institute of Technology for embracing the new technology. “We wouldn’t have a sign writing industry in this country if it wasn’t for educators and trainers like those at Southbank,” Cooper said. “They are sowing the seeds with equipment like this and a new generation of sign writers will reap the rewards of this technology.”



Southbank institute director Craig Sherrin said sign writing apprentices attending the Morningside campus would benefit from having access to this equipment. “The Roland SP-540V, is worth almost $30,000 and represents a great investment in the future of the sign writing and printing industries and the future of our apprentices,” he said. “This printer-cutter streamlines and speeds up the production process and from what I’m told it’s one of the most versatile tools ever created for the sign writing industry.”

Pictured: Ricky Gent and Kelsey Duncan with the new printer.


Got a view on this story? Drop us a line and let us know