Technical Association of Graphic Arts (TAGA) is holding annual conference from 1949 every year. TAGA Technical conference is focussed on technology and research in print & Graphics industry. 2017 TAGA Technical conference was in Houston, Texas from March 19-22, 2017.
TAGA papers committee selected 37 papers and seven posters under categories such as Color, Print Process, Packaging, Printing, Workflow to name a few. The focus of technical focus session was more on color and 3D printing.
Larry Warter is the recipient of 2017 Michael H. Bruno TAGA Award for outstanding contributions to the graphic arts industry. Larry Warter has been in the graphic arts field for 50 years in various sales, marketing, technical, and research positions with DuPont, Coulter, and Fujifilm. A graduate of Princeton, he has received a number of lifetime achievement awards for his efforts in the industry.
Students participation and competitions play part in TAGA conference. Through student chapters, universities send groups of students who compete for the Helmut Kipphan Cup by creating their own journal publications that contains students’ research papers.
Seven universities – Appalachian State University, Cal Poly, Clemson, Grenoble, RIT, Ryerson, and W. Michigan participated in TAGA 2017. Congratulations to students of these universities for series of publications. The effort that went into producing them deserves appreciation. TAGA Student Chapter was established in 1985, student chapters have produced technical publications to showcase their student research, and starting in 1993, the TAGA Board of Directors has awarded a Grand Prize Award to recognize their efforts in producing their TAGA Student Publications. Renamed in 2006 as the Helmut Kipphan Cup (after Dr. Helmut Kipphan—for his time, support, and advocacy of the TAGA Student Chapters), the award is now a traveling trophy that is presented to the school that has produced a Student Publication that excels in technical content, print quality, and design. Cal Poly university won the Helmut Kipphan Cup this year.
Students of Cal Poly Univ with Helmut Kipphan Cup with their Asst. Professor Peter Schlosser.
InSoft Automation was invited to present their Award-Winning Technology Imp. Chief Technology Officer of InSoft Sashikanth G. presented the technology comprehensively explaining the versatility of Print Ready Layout Creation software, the automation and built-in intelligence. Sashikanth, an Aeronautical Engineer from IIT, Madras is instrumental in bringing the new methodology and setting new direction in layout creation for Print.
Entire gamut of people attended the conference – Scientists, Mathematicians, Professors, Top Management from printing Industry and Students from seven universities. The conference was focussed on technology & research. Head of Dept of Anna University, Rajeshwari also presented paper.
John Seymour, Anthony Thirlby, Steve Smiley, Gary Dispoto’s keynotes light up the first day. 3D printing was highlight of conference and Mark Bolon’s presentation was interesting. Dr. Habil Csaba from Hungary made presentation on Maintenance of modern Printing Machines with millions of hours of data was thoroughly researched and practical
There were many breakout sessions on wide range of subjects with interesting topics like Transmedia and subjects that matter in day to day working like Responsive Versus Adaptive Web Designs. Overall a very informative, interesting and knowledge enhancing event.