Sun Print Solutions Boosts Automation and Color Consistency with Sentinel iPro System

Commercial and packaging printer Sun Print Solutions has integrated the Sentinel iPro Ink Management System with its new eight-color Komori Lithrone GL840P advance LED-UV perfecting press. The automated ink delivery system helps the company streamline shop-floor operations, eliminate manual intervention, and maintain precise color stability across high-volume production runs.

Based in West Valley City, Utah, Sun Print Solutions has operated since 1941, producing direct mail, books, magazines, posters, and folding-carton packaging. Acquired in 2019 by CEO Jennifer Pettinger and CFO Sara Deneau, the 100% woman-owned business has continually modernized its operations through targeted equipment upgrades, replacing older offset equipment with state-of-the-art machinery.

The addition of the Sentinel iPro system directly targets a long-standing pressroom challenge: the manual monitoring and refilling of ink fountains.

According to Chief Operating Officer Stefan McTee, press operators previously had to manually scoop ink from tubs—a demanding task during high-speed production runs on heavy stock. "The operator had to watch the feeder and ink fountains at the same time, and it was very hard to keep up," McTee noted.

The Sentinel iPro system automates ink delivery on demand and incorporates low-ink alarms, enabling press operators to swap cartridges in as little as 10 seconds. Beyond saving labor, continuous ink distribution creates a stable ink film, preventing the color fluctuations and ink surges common with manual refills.

The technology also boosts material efficiency. Utilizing sealed, air-pressurized plunger cartridges, the system dispenses approximately 98% of the ink in each container, significantly reducing waste, spoilage, and cleanup time.

David Doucette, Director of Sales at Sentinel, emphasized the broader benefits of automating routine pressroom tasks: “iPro is designed to give operators one less thing to constantly monitor while helping maintain the ink conditions needed for stable color throughout a run. That combination of automation and consistency is especially valuable on high-volume production.”

The upgrade has proven popular on the plant floor. Following positive feedback from press operators, Sun Print Solutions is currently evaluating plans to retrofit its remaining older offset equipment with the Sentinel system.