Tech guide: Wide format digital

AGFA ANAPURNA M2500I

Agfa has launched its latest Anapurna, the M2500i, a six- colour plus white UV printing device.

The hybrid printing platform has a printing width of 2,500mm and is able to handle boards up to 3,200mm in length. Roll to roll capabilities provide this inkjet device with extra versatility.

The new Konica 1024i heads deliver print speeds up to 115m2 per hour, and can achieve photorealistic quality on many challenging substrates such as coreflute, ally composite, foam PVC, display card and roll materials such as SAV and PVC banner.

New multi-layer facilities enable the user to print sandwich white and high density colours. A re-engineered belt and shuttle beam enables heavy substrates to be transported while dot placement becomes more accurate.

Agfa’s improved ink system now offers new true bulk feed four-litre tanks, which means less time filling and more time printing. White ink circulation and the latest pulsating heads reduce white ink issues. Two new iron-doped UV lamps enable gradual curing onto heat sensitive substrates, which in turn lengthens the expected bulb life.

The Anapurna’s new device interface enables on-the-fly print adjustments, while offering more print modes and quality enhancements through masking algorithms. The operator also has the flexibility to control the device from the front or rear of the machine.

Health and safety are important factors, so the M2500i has the latest perimeter and head crash sensors which, when activated, stop the print shuttle immediately.

Michael Culver, inkjet sales manager, Oceania, at Agfa, says, “Our new offerings have reached another level of productivity and ease of use. The M2500i is an affordable device that is built to last for many years. Integrated with Agfa’s own RIP software, Asanti, the platform’s usability and colour output have reached new levels for this growing market.”

SPECS AT A GLANCE:

Print technology: hybrid UV inkjet

Inks: Anapurna M G2 UV-curable inks

Number of colours: C,M,Y,K,Lc,Lm, white

Print heads: 6 Konica Minolta KM1024i-heads – 1024 nozzles/head – droplet volume12pl; 2 Konica Minolta KM1024i-heads – droplet volume 30pl (white in line)

Print speeds: High definition – 16m2/hr to Express – 115m2/hr.

Max media size: 2,500mm x 2,500mm.

 

CANON OCÉ COLORWAVE 700

Imagine streamlining the bulk of your wide format printing requirements to a single footprint device. Now consider if you could then open up possibilities for new applications and higher margins. The Océ ColorWave 700 can deliver on this possibility in a way that no other printer on the market can.

Canon has just released the Océ ColorWave 700 print-copy-scan system, which it describes as an all-in-one productive workhorse for colour graphics, signage as well as the occasional plans and maps. Canon says the patented Océ CrystalPoint technology ensures robust, waterfast prints with sharp lines, high readability of fine details and smooth, even area fills. According to Canon the high-quality prints, which are consistent over time and on different machines, have a silk-shine look and feel, independent of the type of media used. The optional Onyx workflow helps print staff achieve brighter, more vibrant colour images, and predictable colour to meet customers’ demands. The Océ TonerPearls ensure there is no fine dust, no odour and minimal waste disposal. It can print on recycled and carbon neutral media and has good de-inking properties.

Companies can expand their services cost-effectively with Océ MediaSense technology, which lets them print on thicker media (up to 0.8 mm). The system prints up to 640 high quality posters per eight-hour working day. It can print on low-cost uncoated media or high-end specialties to meet customer demands. The Océ ColorWave 700 is constructed of durable, hard-wearing parts and is supported by Remote Service to ensure high uptime with fewer jams, less downtime and fewer service calls.

To help save valuable production time, the Automatic Print Assistant selects the print mode, image position and media roll automatically. Six media rolls with 1,200m capacity ensure uninterrupted production. Media rolls can be quickly changed with the built-in roll loading station. The optional Onyx workflow also helps to match specific production needs.

There is no need to train print staff on a complicated system, thanks to the Océ ClearConnect multi-touch user panel. It works like a tablet so there is a zero learning curve. Colorwave can receive jobs from customers direct from USB. The simple layout, smart kick-starts and detailed preview functions help print staff get their prints faster, without errors, even when they are stored in the cloud or have just arrived in an email on their mobile phone.

SPECS AT A GLANCE:

Speed Poster: 80 A1 per hour

Speed CAD: 225 A1 per hour

Media Rolls: Six

Media Roll Capacity: 120metres

Media Max Thickness: 0.8mm

 

DURST RHOTEX 322

The Rhotex 322 is one of the series of printers Durst has developed to

service the rapidly growing soft signage market. It is distributed in Australia by Photo Electric Services.

The Rhotex 322 is capable of printing up to 140m2 per hour. This is due to the latest three-level greyscale print head technology with a drop size of only 7 to 21 picolitres. This provides maximum productivity without compromising quality, with a resolution up to 1,200dpi at 7 picolitres.

In contrast to many other devices which use solvent-based inks or only handle short print runs, the Rhotex 322 is designed for rugged industrial use.

The Rhotex 322 offers environmental protection with water-based dye inks. Polyester fabrics printed with Rhotex water-based dispersed dye inks are entirely environmentally friendly, recyclable and disposable. The dyes are harmless to the skin, completely odour free and produce no VOCs. Rhotex dispersed dyes followed by calendering also provide bright, vibrant colours.

The Rhotex 322 prints textiles for use in the home, wall coverings, domestic textiles and interior design, as well as fashion applications.

The Durst Rhotex 322 is fully supported and maintained in Australia and New Zealand by PES.

SPECS AT A GLANCE:

Max printing width: 3,200mm

Max resolution: 1,200dpi

Colours: CMYK (optional: Light Cyan, Light Magenta, Light Black and spot

colours)

Inks: odour-free, recyclable, water-based, VOC free dispersed dye inks

Max print speed: Up to 140m2/hr.

 

EFI H2000 PRO

The two-metre EFI VUTEk H2000 Pro printer provides wide-format signage and graphics companies with a more affordable entry point into high-end production printing while giving them the option to add features – including white ink, clear varnish and roll-to-roll media handling – as they grow their business.

The printer brings EFI’s UltraDrop greyscale imaging to the mid-volume inkjet graphics production segment. UltraDrop Technology combines 7-picolitre drop sizes with greyscale imaging and more precise control. It provides true multi-drop addressability in each dot position, giving high apparent resolution and high-definition quality with four-level greyscale and two ink density levels. UltraDrop Technology also produces outstanding smoothness in shadows, gradients and transitions, as well as superb text quality with four-point text, fewer satellites and more clarity in all print modes.

VUTEk H2000 Pro users can run rigid, sheet and flexible media up to 5.08cm thick on the printer, and it offers standard multi-queue functionality for continuous production. Enhanced hybrid vacuum belt technology on the new two-metre UV inkjet printer optimises substrate feeding.

The six-colour printer features EFI’s Orion operating system and is available with Fiery proServer or Fiery XF digital front ends, as well as JDF integration to EFI web2print and MIS/ERP software.

SPECS AT A GLANCE:

Number of colours: Six plus single-pass, multilayer print capability

Max resolution: true 600dpi or 1,000dpi

Ink technology: Greyscale 7pL UltraDrop Technology

Max print speed: Up to 14 4’ x 8’ boards p/h, or 66m2 p/h

Media handling: Rigid and sheet media handling up to 2m wide; 5.08cm thick

 

EPSON SURECOLOR SC-F7100

According to Epson the SureColor SC-F7100 represents a new dawn in the dye sub printing world coming as a full, turnkey solution complete with hardware, software, ink and (optional) media. As a 64” large format dye sublimation printer, the SC-F7100 has been designed for high-speed – up to 59sqm/hr – roll-to-roll production, and incorporates the latest in inkjet technology – Epson’s new PrecisionCore Thin Film Print (TFP) head.

The PrecisionCore TFP head consists of micro-fine nozzles that provide high resolution imaging with pinpoint positional accuracy and uniformity. The head also supports resolutions up to 720×1440 dpi with Variable Sized Dot Technology for superior colour, finer detail and minimised ink consumption.

Opportunities afforded by the SC-F7100 include fabric and soft signage with the printer at home in the realm of transfer imaging onto a range of materials including PVC and poly film. With the assistance of coatings and polyester sprays, images can even be transferred to ceramic, glass, metal, coated plywood, fiberglass and certain polycarbonates.

Epson says the SC-F7100 also has operational efficiencies squarely in its sights and easily copes with medium to high volume soft signage and fabric production despite requiring minimum labour and oversight. Clever design means the SC-F7100 supports roll based media up to 64” wide and 40kg in weight with a loading system that can be managed by a single operator. Its roll-to-roll printing also enjoys remote status notification and management. According to Epson this combined with Auto Tension Control (ATC) and an Auto Take Up (ATU) with precision alignment all ensure the highest quality finished products.

The ink is Epson’s advanced UltraChrome DS ink which has been specifically designed to produce output with superior brightness and an enhanced gamut from a four colour set. When applied to fabric with a 50 per cent or higher polyester content the resulting product meets the Oeko 100 standard for safe use by adults, children and babies up to 36 months of age.

SPECS AT A GLANCE:

Type: Roll to roll

Output: 59sqm hour

Roll width: 64”

Resolution: 720 x 1440dpi

 

FUJIFILM ACUITY ADVANCE SELECT

Distributed in Australia by Fuji Xerox Australia, the Acuity Advance Select UV inkjet flatbed printer brings a broad range of print formats and substrates together for extensive graphics applications.

According to Fuji Xerox the Acuity Advance Select is particularly useful for sign and screen printers, display printers, packagers and digital printers. It will print both small and large banners, retail advertising and window graphics, backlit displays, pop- and roll-up displays, custom wall coverings, transit graphics, posters, exhibition and event signage, and much more.

These can be done on both flexible and rigid media such as PVC, polycarbonate, styrene, acrylic, paper and board, wood, aluminium composite and many other materials.

The Acuity Advance Select is available with four to eight colour channels, including white and clear options, with Fujifilm’s Uvijet UV inks. These inks use Fujifilm’s Micro-V ultrafine dispersion technology to maximise pigment loading, while the variable drop-size print heads lay down a thin ink film to minimise production costs.

A zoned vacuum flatbed handles rigid media by holding material flat for printing, and can do so repeatedly for printing the same sheet more than once. It also enables edge to edge printing, and by using six dedicated vacuum zones tailored to common media sizes, it reduces the amount of bed masking required. It also offers adjustable vacuum strength to allow for different media.

The X2 model of the Acuity Advance Select uses a double-sized print flatbed with dual registration points, so that users can print at one end while setting up at the other, for uninterrupted production. It also enables printing of large images up to 2.5 x 3.05 metres.

Fuji Xerox Australia’s customer support centre offers comprehensive assistance to users 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with service representatives trying to answer service calls within 20 seconds. Support tools include comprehensive training on both hardware and software, interactive user guides and step-by-step instructions on the operation and maintenance of the equipment so printers can troubleshoot issues. Service agreements that give customers guaranteed response times are also offered.

There is a wide range of finance packages available from Fuji Xerox Finance, which the company says can be tailored to meet specific customer needs. The company can provide one-stop shopping for equipment, consumables, service and finance.

SPECS AT A GLANCE:

Printer type: Inkjet flatbed

Printheads: Toshiba Tec CE-2 greyscale, variable drop 6-42pl

Inks: Fujifilm Uvijet UV inks

Number of colours: 6, including clear, white

Number of colour channels: 8

Max print speed: 35m2/hr; HS model 64.5m2/hr (6-colour only)

Media: roll and rigid

Max print area: 2.51m x 1.26m; HS model 2.51m x 3.06m

 

HP PAGEWIDE

Hewlett-Packard has just announced the release of the new PageWide high-speed inkjet printer.

The primary markets for the HP PageWide will include high volume CAD markets, GIS, maps and POS. The HP PageWide will also appeal to customers who are looking to remove toner-based black-and-white solutions and move into a full-colour, high-speed inkjet solution.

The HP PageWide will cater to a wide variety of applications. Apart from CAD in mono and colour, PWA will produce very good GIS output thanks to its colour vibrancy and its ability to print very fine detail. Both these applications will also benefit from HP PageWide’s pigment inks that can produce moisture- and smudge-resistant output.

The HP PageWide will also allow customers to expand to applications they cannot cover with traditional inkjet devices, like retail POP/POS with colour content. This application can drive incremental volume coming from analogue offset presses and is enabled by the combination of productivity and low running costs that are offered by HP PageWide.

It can print on a variety of media, from bond paper to polypropelyne, and printers can expect high quality from line drawings to POS at 30ppm for A1 size.

  • HP is overcoming three key barriers in the market with its Pagewide technology:
  • delivering colour speeds at the same or higher level than monochrome is today;
  • delivering overall colour costs that are at no premium against monochrome;
  • making the overall workflow more productive by consolidating what today are two separate processes, printing monochrome and printing colour, into one single process.

Printers who purchase a new HP PageWide solution from HP will have a complete end-to-end solution from HP and its partners. Pricing will be available from selected authorised HP technical production partners.

SPECS AT A GLANCE:

Print technology: HP thermal inkjet

Max print width: 129mm print swath

Number of colours: four (CMYK)

Inks: HP PageWide water-based pigment inks

Print heads: 1,200 nozzles per inch native resolution; 25,344 nozzles per printhead; 6,336 nozzles per colour

 

MIMAKI CJV150

Mimaki Australia has announced the CJV150 series of cut-and-print devices. These models broaden the CJV series family to bring platform capabilities to print service providers demanding high quality, versatility and reliability but in smaller volumes.

Based on the recently introduced CJV300 series models, the CJV150 series printers add cut-and-print capability for signage or textile applications. CJV150 models feature piezo head technology and can print at speeds of up to 56m2 per hour. These cut-and-print devices can use either SS21 eco-solvent inks or Sb53 dye-sublimation inks and are available in four sizes: the 32-inch CJV150-75, the 43-inch CJV150-107, the 54-inch CJV150-130 and the 64-inch CJV150- 160.

SS21 eco-solvent inks for the CJV150 series are available in ten colours, including white and silver, packaged in 220ml cartridges, and cyan, magenta, yellow, black, light cyan, light magenta, light black and orange, packaged in 440ml cartridges.

Sb53 dye-sublimation inks are available in magenta, blue, yellow, black, light magenta and light blue, packaged in 440ml cartridges.

The integrated cut function enables short-run or custom production of labels, decals, T-shirt transfers, vehicle markings, package prototypes and more in a single unit.

SS21 silver ink, available for the CJV150 series, can be used to create metallic colour effects, which are in high demand for label, decal and package prototyping applications. This silver formulation delivers mirror-effect results that are not diminished even when film overlaminate is applied. RasterLink6 RIP software – standard with CJV150 series units – includes a swatch palette of 648 metallic colours that are selectable from Illustrator, and can be utilised in a near endless combination of custom colours.

The CJV150 series offers the same cutting functions included in the CJV300 series models, including continuous registration mark detection to enable cutting of an entire roll of media without interruption. Over-cut and corner-cut functions reduce waste by ensuring clearly cut edges with no uncut fragments. The segment correction function allows cutting over long-length prints, even if the image is distorted.

Also included is a cut-and-print function for pre-cutting before printing, which prevents common problems such as film separation and other issues related to post-cutting on thin materials.

SPECS AT A GLANCE:

Print technology: Piezo inkjet

Print head: On-demand Piezo head

Print resolutions: 360, 540, 720, 1,080, 1,440dpi

Max print speed: 56m2/hr

Max print width: 800-1,610mm (model dependent)

Inks: eco-solvent in C, M, Y, K, Lc, Lm, Lk, Or, W, Si; sublimation in Bl, M, Y, K, Lbl, Lm

Media thickness: 1.0mm or less

 

MUTOH VALUEJET 1617H

According to Mutoh, the ValueJet 1617H is the most affordable hybrid printer on the market. It prints on both rigid substrates and roll media for packaging prototypes, trade show graphics, POP displays, indoor and outdoor signage and vehicle wraps.

The ValueJet 1617H reaches board printing speeds up to 10m2 per hour in production mode, but also prints directly onto substrates up to 15mm thick, including corrugated plastics, polystyrene, PVC, acrylic, polycarbonate, foam board, aluminium composite, banner material, vinyl, wall coverings and more.

A UV alternative, Mutoh’s new MP Ink utilises resin chemistry and is about 60 per cent BIO based with no heavy metals. MP is the only ink that prints to match the surface characteristics of the substrate. The ValueJet 1617H can print using white ink on materials like plexi, cardboard, glass and black foamboard.

According to Mutoh, the ValueJet 1617H is the first printer in its class to include an optional spectrophotometer. Regular use of the SpectroVue VM-10 helps to ensure optimum colour reproduction and enhances image quality by using the full colour gamut of the printer. It uses a blower heater system with an air curtain for faster drying.

Mutoh was a winner seven years in a row at SGIA and Fespa for most outstanding printer for the VJ2638X and VJ1638X printers.

SPECS AT A GLANCE:

Print method: Variable dot, drop-on-demand Piezo

Number of nozzles: 180 nozzles x 8 lines x 1 Head

Ink: Mutoh MP Ink (KCMY+W)

Number of colours: 4 (KCMY) or 5 (KCMYWh)

Print Modes: 6–1,440/1,080/720/540/360dpi

Head height: 1-15mm

Max media width: 1,625mm roll & rigid

Take-up system: Optional take-up/flatbed table

 

ROLAND VERSAEXPRESS RF-640

Roland DG says the VersaExpress RF-640 was designed to meet the demands of the competitive global marketplace by providing performance and value at a low price. Sign shops and printers worldwide require affordable volume production solutions offering high speed printing, high image quality, competitively low running costs and ease of use, and the RF-640, says Roland DG, is the ideal production tool for many shops.

The RF-640 uses Roland’s print control technology for quality imaging and colour consistency. It is supported by a take-up system which stabilises production at print speeds up to 48.5m2 per hour, with real, day-to-day production speeds of 13-18m2 per hour.

Equipped with the new Roland Ink Switching System, the RF-640 increases productivity by supporting unattended continuous printing. This unique system allows users to load a back-up cartridge that automatically discharges ink to the printer when the primary cartridge is empty.

Other features include an industrial high-performance print head, Greenguard Gold certified, low-VOC Eco-Sol Max 2 inks, and new optimised profiles which together deliver rich colours with ink savings of up to 20 per cent when compared to previous models.

The RF-640 is easy to operate with the new Roland Printer Assist system, which allows users to manage printer functions remotely from the printer. With this intuitive new app, users can also monitor the printer status and manage jobs comfortably from an iPad for convenience and efficiency. A redesigned front-loading ink cartridge unit provides easy access to cartridges while minimising the printer’s footprint.

Other key features include media loading levers positioned at both the front and back, and special media brackets that support even the heaviest media rolls as they are loaded into place.

The RF-640 can be financed from as low as $440 per week through Roland Rental, including the bundled VersaWorks rip programme, plus a comprehensive three-year warranty.

Training courses are available across Australia, and all Roland products are backed by a nationwide authorised service agent network.

SPECS AT A GLANCE:

Print method: Piezoelectric inkjet

Media take-up: max outer diameter 210mm

Max printing width: 1,615mm

Max print speed: 49m2/hr at 360 x 360dpi

Ink type: Roland ECO-SOL MAX 2

Number of colours: 4 (C,M,Y,K,K,Y,M,C)

Max resolution: 1,440dpi

 

SCREEN TRUEPRESS JET W3200UV HS

Screen’s 150m2/hr Truepress Jet W3200UV-HS flatbed UV got off to a flying start with the installation at Flash Graphics, Sydney, last November. A second machine is in the country and will be demonstrated live at PrintEx from May 13-15, by exclusive dealer Graphic Art Mart in the Visual Impact area, stand VC12.

Initially released as an 85m2/hr flatbed UV, the HS version is available as both a new-build and an upgrade to existing non-HS customers. Shortly after PrintEx, at Fespa in Germany, Screen will show a new roll-feed option, making the W3200UV-HS the ultimate near-photographic quality combined flatbed/roll-to-roll printer.

“We don’t call it a hybrid machine,” said Screen managing director Peter Scott, “it is a precision engineered flatbed with a precision roll option. Many ‘hybrid’ machines are basically roll feed, belt-driven printers with feed and delivery tables added and adjustable height printhead carriages. They are slow and, in flatbed mode, mostly cope with materials in the 12-25mm range. The Truepress Jet W3200UV-HS with roll option prints on up to 50mm thick substrate plus roll media with speed, accuracy, flexibility and colour gamut often not found even on purely rollfed machines.”

Truepress Jet W3200UVs are supplied as standard with the Caldera GrandRip+, with the EasyMedia option for ICC profiles. It prints in six colours plus white, with excellent ink adhesion to all popular substrates. Truepress inks are noted for their ability to flex without cracking, which means excellent resistance to bending and cutting on a variety of substrates.

The multi-layer function enables sophisticated front/back overprinting of up to eight layers, producing quality backlit and variable day/night graphics. The same multi-layer function enables lenticular advertising panels to be printed at 50m2/hr, where the 3D-like image appears to move as the viewer passes by.

With its nozzle mapping, auto print head cleaning and collision prevention sensors the W3200UV-HS delivers productivity and uptime far in excess of the stated ‘headline speed’, and frees operators to attend to other matters while printing in automatic mode.

SPECS AT A GLANCE:

Print system: UV-cured flatbed inkjet

Print head: Piezo on-demand

Max media size: 3,200mm x 1,600mm

Max media thickness: 50mm

Inks: Screen Truepress inks

Ink colours: CMYK standard; Lc/Lm, white

Print modes: W3200UV – 4; W3200UV HS – 6

Max print speed: W3200UV HS – 150m2/hr; W3200UV – 85m2/hr

 

SWISSQPRINT NYALA 2

The Nyala 2 is a UV flatbed printer for printing on both flexible and rigid media. An extra large print bed measuring 3.2 by 2.03 metres accommodates all standard sheets, and the board option allows for printing even larger sizes.

The Nyala 2 prints up to nine colour channels, and can process material at a rate of up to 206m2 per hour.

The large-format Nyala 2 also offers modularity. Graphics and industrial printers alike can configure the machine to suit their needs so it fits perfectly with both mid- and high-volume environments for advertising, signage, graphics and industrial applications.

In addition to CMYK, the swissQprint family of UV flatbed printers is capable of handling white, light/special colours, effect varnish and even primer for printing on glass.

The Impala 2 and Oryx 2 will be joining the swissQprint line-up at Fespa this year. Both of these machines are smaller in footprint but have comparable speeds to the Nyala 2, and offer a stepping stone for businesses wanting to enter the UV flatbed market, or to increase production in an existing business.

Support and training is offered by swissQprint’s Australian distributor, Pozitive Sign and Graphic Supplies, experts with more than 20 years in the printing, signage and display industry.

Affordable and competitive finance is available to approved purchasers.

SPECS AT A GLANCE:

Print technology: Piezoelectric inkjet technology (DOD)

Addressable resolution: 360–1,080dpi

Visual resolution: up to 2,160dpi

Inks: Low-odour UV-curable inks

Number colour channels: 4-9

Print heads: max 18

Flatbed size: 3,200 x 2,030mm

Max print area: 3200 x 1,015mm

Comment below to have your say on this story.

If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.  

Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter

Leave a comment:

Your email address will not be published. All fields are required

Advertisement

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.
Advertisement