Canon Production Printing Australia has taken the wraps off its latest press – the Colorado 1630.

The new industrial grade printer represents a modular addition to Canon Production Printing Australia’s portfolio of 64-inch UVgel roll-to-roll printers.

The Colorado 1630 will available in Australia from Canon Production Printing Australia and Starleaton.

The printer is suitable for large format graphic providers including sign makers, PSPs and in-house printers producing smaller volumes as it provides access to the advantages of UVgel technology, at a lower investment level.

“Enabling our customers and partners to expand their application possibilities and grow their business is essential for us,” Canon Production Printing Oceania managing director Craig Nethercott said.

“In Australia, we have seen some of the highest utilisation rates and volumes per machine on a global scale, however, increasingly we’ve seen the demand for a 1.6m UVgel printer that can serve customers with lower volume requirements.

“We hope that with the introduction of the Colorado 1630, more print service providers can benefit from a highly automated, robust and stable printer with a modular architecture that offers remarkable flexibility at an attractive investment level.”

Canon Production Printing Australia says the Colorado 1630 delivers superior print quality of 1800 dpi and is highly durable, odourless and can produce instantly dry prints on a wide range of media.

In its fastest print mode, for applications such as outdoor banners and billboards, the Colorado 1630 can attain a maximum print speed of 111 m2/hour.

Modular architecture

The modular architecture of the Colorado 1630 allows customers to start with the base model, and depending on business needs, choose from a range of additional modules such as FLXfinish, easy-double sided printing or a second media roll.

This means if the printer is installed with one media roll but run lengths increase, a second media roll option can be added.

Nethercott said precise media handling ensures “near perfect registration for double-sided printing”.

A ‘print side in’ option also allows customers to print on both the inside and outside of the roll for maximum media versatility and all options can be enabled remotely, he said.

Matte or gloss flexibility

The optional FLXfinish module uses a unique LED curing technique to add visual impact to applications such as banners, wall coverings and point of sale materials without the need to change the inks or media. This technology also supports printing on porous substrates, such as uncoated papers and soft signage materials, further expanding new market opportunities.

The new printer also offers the same high productivity features, output quality and media versatility as the Colorado 1650. Using the same Canon UVgel 460 inks used by the Colorado 1650, the Colorado 1630 produces sharp prints with a wide colour gamut.

Nethercott said the press is extremely reliable and easy-to-use and is built for maximum uptime and quick turnarounds.

He added operating costs are also minimised thanks to the efficiency of the printer, combined with reduced waste consumption.

Other features of the press include on-the-fly ink replenishment which, combined with automation for features such as nozzle monitoring, printhead maintenance and media feed winding, allows users to avoid unnecessary downtime.

Available through Canon Production Printing Australia and Starleaton

Starleaton senior manager for industrial products, Dale Hawkins, told Sprinter the Colorado 1630 enables UVgel technology to be available at a lower price entry, resulting in a wider range of customer volumes.

“It allows customers to enter the Colorado market at a low entry price and doesn’t disadvantage them around futureproofing options as it has some of the specifications or features that are available on the Colorado 1650, which can be retrofitted at a later time,” he said.

“UVgel is an exciting technology and now with the 1630, it will be available to a broader marketplace.”

Hawkins also mentioned that the Colorado 1630 provides Starleaton with the “significant benefits of the Canon Colorado technology portfolio” from a UVgel approach and the innovations around automation.

“It allows us to take state-of-the-art technology to our customers and the broader Australian market, and it will truly provide those customers with significant benefits such as productivity and ease of use that Canon delivers with the Colorado range,” he added.

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