New wide-format kits in the market

With the OOH segment set to boom, there is a renewed demand for wide-format printing. To meet this demand, manufacturers have come up with new and versatile kits both for committed wide-format printers and for those looking to diversify. Rahul Kumar takes a look.

06 Nov 2015 | By Rahul Kumar

Agfa Anapurna M 2000i
Agfa’s latest Anapurna, the M2500i, a six- colour plus white UV printing device, is a hybrid printing platform with a printing width of 2,500mm. It can handle boards up to 3,200mm in length. Roll to roll capabilities to provide this inkjet device 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 core flute, ally composite, foam PVC, display card and roll materials, such as SAV and PVC banner.

Agfa’s improved ink system 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.
 
Specifications

Print technology: Hybrid UV inkjet

Inks: Anapurna M G2 UV-curable inks
 
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
Canon describes Océ ColorWave 700 print-copy-scan system 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, water fast 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 ensures that 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 specialities to meet customer demands. 
 
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 directly 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.
 
Specifications

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 for the soft signage market, and 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 on quality, with a resolution up to 1,200dpi at 7 picolitres.
 
The Rhotex 322 offers environmental protection with water-based dye inks. Polyester fabrics printed with Rhotex water-based dispersed dye inks are entirely environment-friendly, recyclable and disposable. The Rhotex 322 prints textiles for use in the home, wall coverings, domestic textiles and interior design, as well as fashion applications.
 
Specifications

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 VUTEk H2000 Pro
The two-metre EFI VUTEk H2000 Pro printer offers an affordable entry point into high-end production printing, with options to add features – including white ink, clear varnish and roll-to-roll media handling. 
 
The printer brings EFI’s UltraDropgreyscale 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 grayscale 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 can run rigid, sheet and flexible media up to 5.08cm thick, 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.
 
Specifications

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
As a 64-inch large format dye sublimation printer, the Epson SureColor 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 720x1440 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, fibreglass and certain polycarbonates.
 
The SC-F7100 supports roll based media up to 64 inches wide and 40 kg 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. 
 
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% 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.
 
Specifications

Type: Roll to roll

Output: 59sqm hour
 
Roll width: 64”
 
Resolution: 720 x 1440dpi
 

Fujifilm Acuity Advance Select 
The Acuity Advance Select UV inkjet flatbed printer brings a broad range of print formats and substrates together for extensive graphics applications. It is particularly useful for sign and screen printers, display printers, packagers and digital printers. It prints 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.
 
Specifications

Printer type: Inkjet flatbed

Print heads: Toshiba Tec CE-2 greyscale, variable drop 6-42pl
 
Inks: Fujifilm Uvijet UV inks
 
Number of colours: Six, including clear, white
 
Number of colour channels: Eight
 
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
The primary markets for the HP PageWide includes high volume CAD markets, GIS, maps and POS. The HP PageWide is also for customers looking to remove toner-based black-and-white solutions and move into a full-colour, high-speed inkjet solution. 

 
The HP PageWide allows 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 polypropylene, and printers can expect high quality from line drawings to POS at 30ppm for A1 size.
 
Specifications

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 print head; 6,336 nozzles per colour


Mimaki CJV150
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.
 
The CJV150 series offers the same cutting functions included in the CJV300 series models, including continuous registration mark detection to enable cutting off 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.
 
Specifications

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% 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 the most outstanding printer for the VJ2638X and VJ1638X printers.
 
Specifications

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. 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 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% 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.
 
Specifications

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
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. According to Screen, it is a precision engineered flatbed with a precision roll option. 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 roll fed machines.
 
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.
 
Specifications

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.
 
Specifications

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