Hardware

Fujifilm is pleased to announce the introduction of the new Acuity Advance HS X2 wide format UV inkjet printer, the latest development in the highly successful Acuity HS series, at FESPA 2010 (Hall B1, Stand 220). Meeting the demands for a cost effective, high quality printer with great productivity, it is the ideal device for printers who produce POP and exhibition graphics.

The Acuity Advance HS X2 maintains many of the leading features of the other Acuity platforms, but offers double the printing area of the Advance HS, which was launched in March 2010.

It is capable of printing onto substrates up to 3.05m x 2.5m and up to 48mm thick with minimal heat output through its highly efficient UV curing system.

Proprietary greyscale inkjet printheads ensure that Acuity Advance HS X2 achieves near-photographic quality images at typical production speeds of 43m2/hr. In addition, its ‘express’ mode for images viewed from a greater distance operates at 66m2/hr.

An optional roll-to-roll module allows for greater flexibility, whilst achieving print speeds of 30m2/hr in production mode and 50m2/hr in express mode.

The print bed has a dual zoning system with independent vacuum control which holds all types of media, including irregularly shaped substrates with uneven surfaces, ensuring accurate registration on multiple passes. As the substrate can be prepared in one zone while an image is printed in the second, or while the roll media unit is printing, downtime is minimised, increasing throughput.

The Acuity Advance HS X2 also offers the possibility of an additional white ink option to complement the standard CMYK set. Using Fujifilm’s uniquely formulated Uvijet KI ink series, it offers fantastic post print finishing properties. Fujifilm’s proprietary Micro-V dispersion technology is incorporated in the ink providing strong vibrant colours, with wide adhesion range and print durability.

The Acuity Advance HS X2 will debut at FESPA 2010 in Munich, Germany, and commercial shipments will commence in July.

Fujifilm today announces the launch of the latest material handling system for the Inca Onset family of flatbed inkjet printers. Designed for the Onset S20 device and with the ability to increase output to 275m2/hour, the handling system offers users even more flexibility for wide format UV flatbed printing.

One of the biggest factors in the success of UV flatbed technology has been its versatility; users enjoy the freedom to print onto a wide variety of media, thicknesses and sizes. Naturally, as the speed and quality for UV flatbed has improved so has the desire to add a material handling system, but often, once a handling system is attached to a printer there is a tendency to limit the flexibility the printer offers by impeding direct access to the print bed. Consequently, rather than increasing efficiency the performance productivity ratio declines.

Fujifilm and Inca, with their heritage in screen printing, know from experience that the vast majority of screen print machines are still manually loaded, and have invested in making sure that this Onset system is designed around the customer, and does not detract from the ability of the Onset to switch between jobs quickly. Printers can continue to use lots of different substrates individually for one off printing jobs, or enable the handling system to run a high volume job with minimal intervention.

“We have worked closely with Inca over the past year to ensure that the customer’s needs take priority,” comments Tudor Morgan, group marketing manager, wide format at Fujifilm. “The handling system is designed to optimise the timing of high volume print jobs, and will potentially increase material handling efficiency levels by another 36%, which is a huge benefit to the printer and his customer. The system is extremely simple to operate, with assisted loading and automated unloading, and we have had very positive feedback from our beta user, Imprint Creative Print Solutions.”

“The automation has given us increased productivity immediately and is very operator friendly,” says Dave Bullivant, Group Business Development Director at Imprint. “The multi-sheet feed aspect of the automation is a real benefit and allows a quick changeover between different size materials.”

The Onset S20, a UV curing inkjet flatbed printer, is the most recent high performance addition to the Onset family which has changed the face of the wide format industry. Developed to meet the demands of customers for rigid print between 1500 to 4000m2 per day, the six-colour device has enabled UV digital flatbed to become an economical method of producing high-impact visual images, and produces far more print than any other digital flatbed printer currently available. The Onset S20 has an ever growing customer base, using the device for its superb quality, flexibility and finish.

The device prints edge to edge onto substrates of 3.14m x 1.6m and up to 50mm thick. The vacuum table with accurate, 11 pin positioning allows users to print single and double-sided work on a variety of media sizes. The Onset S20 uses FUJIFILM’s own Uvijet inks, and at FESPA it will be printing Light Cyan and Light Magenta Uvijet Enhance ink alongside CMYK to produce high-quality results, expanding its capabilities still further. With this new ink set, Onset S20 can now produce prints to match the sheet fed offset colour standard ISO 12647-2, enabling the production of consistent results, regardless of the print process used. In addition, the Onset S20, in combination with Uvijet inks, also features gloss level control to produce finishes from matt, through satin to high gloss depending on application, bringing massive versatility in the range of products that can be printed, e.g. display POP, exhibition graphics, backlit/frontlit displays and outdoor signage printing.

With up to an amazing 758 million drops of ink jetting per second on the Onset S20 and two UV curing lamps providing for near-instantaneous curing, the printing quality and results are so impressive that it is hard to tell the difference between Onset, screen and offset print. The machine is armed with a full bed width printhead array that features built-in automatic head cleaning and fault tolerance software.

The handling system featured at FESPA has been developed to further exploit the productivity of the Onset S20, increasing effective volumes produced to 275m2/hour. The handling system can place sheets up to 10mm thick, weighing up to 2kg/m2 with precision, giving print registration within 0.5mm. The unit will be demonstrated throughout the show, switching to and from manual handling to demonstrate how quick and easy this is.

 

In recent years, there has been a great increase in the digital printing of textile promotional media. Whether it’s for flags, banners or wallcoverings, market research predicts that this is going to continue to increase over the next few years.

The Rhotex uses water-based dispersed dye inks which are entirely environmentally friendly, recyclable and disposable. The Rhotex dyes are harmless to the skin, completely odour-free and produce no VOCs. They are also flame-retardant and provide bright, vibrant and impactful images. In addition, they comply with the Blue Wool scale 7 and can therefore be used in an outdoor application for up to two years and printing does not affect the textile’s inherent feel.

Unlike other textile printers which either use harmful solvent based inks or small cartridges of water-based inks for short print runs, the Rhotex is a true industrial standard printer. Its robust design and reliability provides 24/7 operation and unattended printing.  It is equipped with the most professional software for maximising workflow in the digital printing sector. This enables quality printing in the POS/POP range using MEMS technology piezo inkjets with high longevity and the ability to print up to 70 m² per hour in 600 dpi resolution in 6 colours.

Other features of the Rhotex which are designed to ensure the most consistent results and maximum productivity include: automatic, self-cleaning jet system for continuous industrial printing and a controllable hot air drying system for consistent drying over the whole width of the printed material. Material-specific machine settings can be stored and recalled in the media channel and the dispensing system also includes a fold-compensation device and an antistatic system.

Productivity is further enhanced by the ability to print two 1.6 metre rolls with different print queues, simultaneously.

In addition to the environmental advantages, textile media offer many benefits and these include: lightness of weight, ability to be folded, which saves on storage space and transportation costs, modernity and reusability.

The Rhotex allows the user to profit from the new and profitable business opportunities created by large format printing on textile media for use in the home or business, as well as fashion applications.

 

 

With FESPA 2010 only a few days away, IGS UK confirms that interest from potential distributors and resellers is running at very high levels, with companies from all over the globe enthusiastic to take on the new Elements range of wide-format environmentally friendly solutions. Other eager parties are being encouraged to arrange a time and date with the UK based distributor in order to avoid disappointment.

The recent announcement of the Elements printer series, its H2O inks, matched Krypton Eco-Media and specially configured Chromium RIP have all been met with an astonishingly enthusiastic response from potential users. These include offices and businesses wanting to bring durable printing in-house as well as from the display sector looking to pursue greener practices.

Because this turnkey system uses water-based chemistry to produce equivalent quality to solvent-based output but without the hazards, its overall appeal is far-reaching into all sectors of the printing industry and from companies of all sizes. IGS UK reports that, with the world-wide launch planned for FESPA, it has already added to its international specialist team in order to cater efficiently with the vast numbers of enquiries quickly and efficiently.

Experienced suppliers are now being urged to make the most of the Elements presence at FESPA by visiting the IGS UK stand at the show. Resellers and end-users will have the opportunity of seeing regular demonstrations of the Elements Atom machines in action for the first time.

Companies interested in becoming involved with the Elements wide-format range of environmentally-friendly solutions are invited to preview the Elements range at FESPA on Stand 490, Hall 3.

Based on industry-proven Epson Stylus Pro printers, the Elements Atom range is then modified to facilitate the use of Elements H2Os' unique and outdoor durable hot-cured water-based resin inks.

Elements printers feature the Epson MicroPiezoTFP Print Head - quite possibly the most advanced ink jet print head technology ever developed, offering extreme print performance and dot placement accuracy.

Further information on the Elements range is available online at www.elementsps.net

 

 

Roland DG today announced that it received three awards in the 2010 European Digital Press (EDP) Awards. The coveted EDP Awards are judged on innovation and recognise the best products of the year introduced in the European market. Roland DG’s innovative inkjet technologies were recognised in the following three categories:

Best Wide Format Print & Cut Machine: VersaCAMM VS-640 64” Wide-Format Metallic Inkjet Printer/Cutter

The VS-640’s compact design, accelerated print speeds and the option of a white plus metallic ink configuration, generating more than 500 metallic colours, made this product a clear winner. The VS-640 combines a new generation of print head technology and an ink circulation system with improved ink flow and circulation. The VS-640 also features Roland OnSupport software, which alerts users of low ink, print finish status and emergency stops via e-mail.

Best Emerging Technology Printer: SOLJET PRO III XC-540MT World First 54” Wide-Format Metallic Inkjet Printer/Cutter

The XC-540MT is the world’s first wide-format metallic inkjet printer/cutter. Featuring six colours, CMYK+Metallic Silver+White (CMYK+Mt+W), Print& Cut and amazing production print speeds, the XC-540MT was a worthy winner. The metallic ink can be incorporated easily into the workflow using the included Roland VersaWorks RIP software.

Best Alternative Ink Technology: ECO-SOL MAX Metallic Ink, Roland ECO-SOLVENT Metallic Ink

The Metallic Silver ECO-SOL MAX ink can be used to create vibrant silver text and graphics previously impossible with any inkjet printer. The new Metallic ink can be printed as a spot colour or combined with CMYK inks to produce a range of coloured metallic effects. The ink was first introduced in 2009 with the XC-540MT and is now available with the VS-640, including the new metallic colour library with more than 500 metallic colours.

Each of these award winning products will be displayed on the Roland DG Stand (B2-340) at FESPA 2010 to be held in Munich, Germany from June 22 to 26, 2010.

 

Roland DG Corporation, the world’s leading manufacturer of wide-format inkjet printers, printer/cutters and vinyl cutters, has introduced the CAMM-1 PRO Series GX-640 64” vinyl cutter.

Building on 23 years of advanced CAMM-1 technology, the GX-640 is Roland’s largest and most advanced cutter ever, setting a new standard for performance and precision across media ranging from vinyl and polyester to Mylar, polyurethane, sand blast, twill and flock. The GX-640 outperforms other cutters on the market today with a new generation of servo motor technology, superior media handling, and powerful integrated design and output software for both stand-alone cutting and print-then-cut workflows. The GX-640 joins Roland’s CAMM-1 PRO cutter range, which also includes 50” and 30” models.

As a CAMM-1 PRO cutter, the GX-640 offers full integration with VersaWorks RIP software, included with every Roland wide-format inkjet printer.  As a result, the GX-640 can be paired with a Roland printer to produce custom, full-colour POP displays, signs, vehicle wraps, T-shirt heat transfers, labels and decals with ease and efficiency.

The GX-640 features Roland’s optical registration system, Quadralign®, which reads pre-printed crop marks and accurately aligns the graphic. This allows the GX-640 to automatically contour cut pre-printed designs with precision. At 64” wide, the GX-640 also cuts a variety of media in virtually any size and shape. New powerful servo motors and a “heavy mode” setting guarantee results on the largest, heaviest media rolls, including paint mask.

Roland CAMM-1 PRO GX-640 Features:

• Supports 64”-wide media, large enough for virtually any job, including vehicle wrap, window tint or paint protection jobs
• Powerful new servo motor technology and a “heavy mode” handle large, heavy media rolls, including sand blast materials
• New “pre-feed” function ensures proper feeding of heavy media by automatically drawing one metre of media through the device before cutting
• High-performance cutting speed and blade force for precision handling of a wide range of media, including long rolls of thick and thin materials
• Full integration with VersaWorks, Roland’s easy-to-use RIP software, for pairing with our inkjet printers
• Cutting data for pre-printed graphics is output from VersaWorks directly to the GX-640
• The GX-640 recognises printed crop marks, making it fast and easy to contour cut full-colour graphics
• Includes CutStudio, Roland’s feature-rich design software

Roland CutStudio Software

CAMM-1 PRO cutters come with the latest version of CutStudio, Roland’s powerful, easy-to-use design software. With CutStudio, users can draw sophisticated graphics in this vector based programme and also import photos and graphics in jpg or bmp. CutStudio is compatible with Windows 7/VISTA/XP and includes plug-in software for Adobe® Illustrator® CS2/CS3/CS4, CorelDRAW® X3/X4/X5 for Windows, and Adobe® Illustrator® CS2/CS3/CS4 for Mac. As a result, users of these programs can send data directly to the CAMM-1 PRO.