New kid on the Block

It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the vast array of wide-format printing equipment available in this industry. You only have to walk into a trade exhibition to see row upon row of printers to feel unsure about what would work best for your own business—this, of course, is made easier by helpful staff on hand to answer any questions.

However, I have pulled together a collection of the newest models from some key manufacturers so you can get an idea of the capabilities of the most modern equipment on the market.

For Hybrid, the exclusive distributors of Mimaki, it is the Mimaki UJV55-320, a machine with a top speed of 110sq m/h, that made its debut this year.



Stuart Cole, national sales manager for industrial products at Hybrid Services, explains its key features: “The Mimaki UJV55-320 is a 3.2m wide roll fed LED UV cure inkjet printer, designed to deliver instant dry prints onto a broad range of materials including textile, banner and other display graphics substrates.



“Launched in the UK earlier this year at Sign and Digital UK, the innovative and versatile UV printer boasts twin-roll simultaneous printing, an internal lightbox for proofing backlit applications on the fly and grand format UV printing onto rolls up to 3.2m wide.”

Wide-format printers can rely on the UJV55-320 for immediately dry prints and it is a good choice for environmentally-friendly printing too. Cole continues: “A major benefit of LED UV cure printing is that it is a single process, with ink fixation achieved at the time of printing so output is instantly dry and ready to finish straight from the printer. Other benefits of LED UV technology are lower costs through reduced power consumption, a cut in carbon emissions and cool lamps allowing printing to heat sensitive media.

“Mimaki’s integrated RIP software is intuitive and easy to use and the printer requires very low maintenance—so even those who are relatively inexperienced with wide format will find the UJV55-320 easy to get the most out of.”

As well as looking at technology features, it is also interesting to predict where the development of wide-format technology will go in the future. It has already grown significantly, changing to the evolving demands of customers, such as environmental benefits.

Cole comments: “The release of the new Mimaki UJV55-320 has already expanded the number of potential substrates printable with UV ink technology, opening up new markets. This, coupled with the continuous significant environmental benefits from LED UV show that Mimaki is delivering future proof technology right now.”


Ideal solution

For Roland DG, it is the TrueVIS VG-640 and VG-540 that are the company’s “most productive print and cut series developed to date”, according to sales support manager, Rob Goleniowski. He notes that the machine’s Flex Fire print heads provide better control and a higher firing frequency for that all important precision, even at fast speeds.



Goleniowski says: “The integrated machine has a number of new features to make it the ideal solution for sign professionals working to meet high production levels, and is available in two sizes (64 and 54") to suit businesses of all sizes.

“An advanced contour cutting mechanism allows the VG series to effortlessly cut a range of materials by using forces of up to 500gf; perfect for those that work with thicker materials. The new cutting carriage positions the blade with maximum stability to minimise the risk of errors, as there is minimal room for the material to move during the process, and increase accuracy.

“The VG series comes fully equipped with the Roland DG Mobile Panel, which allows users to have full control panel functionality from a smartphone or tablet for maximum ease-of-use both remotely and when connected to the machine.”

Goleniowski highlights how consumers may be buying less today but are willing to pay more: “Sign professionals looking to exploit this emerging trend towards high-end products can do so easier than ever before with the VG series thanks to its consistent quality output that demands premium pricing.”

The machine uses TrueVIS Ink, specially designed for optimum performance, and FlexFire print heads deliver around 25 percent wider print pass compared to previous models. This ensures fine detail on even complex designs.

Goleniowski continues: “The TrueVIS VG printer range is the most efficient and productive series yet, with a number of advanced features combining to make it the ideal solution for businesses working to meet high production levels. The Flex Fire head and TrueVIS Ink combination means users can reach production speeds of 10.6sq m/h in High Quality mode on vinyl and up to 34.8sq m/h on banner in dual CMYK ink configuration.

“The new TrueVIS Ink also comes in 500cc pouches that fit neatly into reusable cartridges, which slide into a hidden ink bay for clean operation with less waste. In dual CMYK configuration, up to one litre of ink can be loaded for each colour to ensure maximum efficiency when producing high volumes.”

Goleniowski calls wide-format print a “competitive market” due to the need for faster turnaround and lower costs, but believes Roland DG overcomes this with its advanced technology.

“In a progressively more competitive market, development is a must—and one of the ways this can be achieved is with an efficient, internal workflow,” he says, adding: “Hardware is always advancing and evolving, and Roland DG march to that beat.


“However, it’s not just your printer that forms the backbone of your business; RIP software forms a part of that picture, and the better it is, the more streamlined your workflow will be. With the latest RIP technologies, the requirement to produce print products accurately on time—every time—should be a simple process; no matter how complex the artwork or how frequent the order. If professionals arm themselves with the right software then they can increase efficiency, quality and profitability in their print process, and so it’s well worth the investment.

“For the ultimate in workflow production, synergy is key. With Roland DG technology, all the key elements; printer, RIP and ink, are developed in-house and optimised for the best possible performance. Add in our world-renowned Roland Care service and your business is set to weather whatever the future can throw at it.”

Pushing boundaries

For Epson, sales manager, professional graphics, Phil McMullin, notes the Sure Color SC-P10000 as the last wide-format printer launched.



He explains: “It’s a 44" wide large-format production printer that combines the highest print speeds with superior quality at 600 x 600 dpi and higher and is ideal for quality photos, POS items and signage. It features the new Precision Core Micro TFP printhead and new Ultra Chrome Pro ten-colour inkset with high-density Photo and Matte Black inks and four levels of black to provide an excellent tonal range.”

McMullin says the printer is easy to use as it is a compact device, ideal for photo labs and copy shops. He says: “It produces prints with accurate colours, smooth gradation and fine detail. Plus, it is very easy to operate and self-maintain (to reduce costs) and changing media is quick and effortless.”



McMullin adds: “Future developments of wide-format printers will meet PSPs' need for lower running costs, wider colour gamut, a wider array of substrates to print on and increased productivity at high quality. The Sure Color SC-S80600, SC-P10000 and SC-P20000 are examples of new wide-format printers launched this year by Epson that meet these needs and we will keep pushing the boundaries.”

Now moving on to Colourgen, it supplies a range of wide-format printers, the most recent of which being the Mutoh Value Jet 1638UH. Melanie Enser, marketing manager of Colourgen, explains: “It’s a dual head LED UV printer for flexible and rigid material up to 64" wide. As well as CMYK, the printer can be set up to include white and varnish for transparent or colour substrates giving users much more creative flexibility in terms of special print effects and multi-layer prints.”

Enser highlights the main benefits of the machine being its versatility of output, high quality LED UV ink, small footprint, low energy/low heat, NoVOC, and low investment cost.

“In terms of development for wide-format in the future—we predict greater versatility through printer and new ink formulations allowing a single device producing/addressing more applications.  More digital dye sublimation/textile growth and more affordable bulk OEM inks,” concludes Enser.

Latest debuts

There are many other manufacturers which have brought innovative wide-format technology to the market in the last year. Take Fujifilm, for example, which launched the Acuity LED 3200R printer at this year’s Drupa, building on the success of its previous Acuity models. The machine has a top speed of 110sq m/h and a maximum print width of 3.2m.

You may have seen OKI’s latest offering, the Colorpainter E-64s wide-format printer, at The Print Show this year. It is an entry-level, eco-solvent inkjet printer designed for low- to mid-volume signage and graphics companies looking for high quality graphics, but still at an affordable price.

O Factoid: Wide-format printers can employ a range of ink processes such as aqueous, solvent, dye-sublimation, UV, and pen/plotter. O

According to the recently published technical specifications following its launch, the 64" E-64s is equipped with proprietary low-odor, eco-solvent SX ink designed for low- to mid-volume sign and graphics business in the global market.

“The new product is affordable which keeps costs of adoption down, and provides the advantage of still offering use of OKI's advanced SX ink and proven print technologies, such as the Color Painter M-64s and Color Painter H3-104s,” explains Andrew Hall, marketing manager OKI Systems (UK).

He adds: “Low-odour SX ink improves working environments while achieving a wide color gamut, vivid glossy prints, high-density color, superior outdoor durability, and low operating costs, making it ideal for a broad range of interior and exterior applications from vehicle wraps to backlit displays.”

The E-64s inherits certain features from the higher-end models, including automatic print adjustments using optical color sensors that automatically perform both media advance and bi-directional position adjustment, Smart Pass Technology 4 (SP4), which allows for high-quality printing through optimal dot size, and Smart Nozzle Mapping 3 (SNM3), which automates the process of nozzle compensation—something previously done manually.
 
Canon also joined the new kit brigade this year after launching its new Arizona 2200 series of UV flatbed printers at this year’s Drupa, designed for print-service-providers producing sign and display applications, as well as fine art print producers and photo labs, due to its high quality. .

Now, last but not least, we move on to another very important technology developer in the form of Agfa Graphics. Now, not only has it just revealed some substantial upgrades to its Jeti Mira platform (see p28 for more info), but it has also unveiled a series of new innovations this year.

Steve Collins, product marketing and channel manager, says: “Agfa Graphics is constantly innovating and optimizing its existing portfolio, earlier this year, Agfa launched a powerful range of new Anapurna and Jeti engines all powered with UV LED curing technology to offer mid- to high-end sign and display printers its signature print quality. Also new at Drupa was an automation system for the Jeti Tauro.

“On our family of Anapurna i printers, Agfa Graphics introduced state-of-the-art, air-cooled LED UV-curing as an alternative to the current mercury lamp curing technology for the first time at Drupa. Thanks to reduced heat output on LED curing lamps it enables printers to print on a broader range of media, save energy, increase system up time, and reduce operational expenses. All Anapurna models are now available with LED technology.

“In addition to the LED engines, Agfa Graphics have specially-formulated UV LED inks that can print on heat-sensitive substrates such as thin films, self-adhesive sheets and stretchable PVC materials. They are both customized and versatile, developed with a view to the many different types of media available in the marketplace. Agfa-made UV inks also boast a wide color gamut and high color vibrancy in both indoor and outdoor applications, while their high pigment load and Asanti’s color management optimisation, ensures low ink consumption.”

Collins also notes the software that aids its technology: “All of Agfa’s printers are driven by Agfa Graphics’ wide-format workflow software Asanti, designed to control the entire printing process from prepress to production and finishing. New to Asanti is the optional integration with Print Sphere—Agfa’s cloud-based service for production automation, easy file sharing and safe data storage.”

This year, Agfa won three Product of the Year awards at SGIA Expo for the second year straight, with top honours given to the Anapurna H3200i LED, Jeti Mira, and Jeti Tauro.

It is clear from speaking to experts in the industry that there has been considerable development in the wide-format arena, from having more printable substrates and new ink formulations to increased productivity and environmental benefits. It will now be interesting to see how much further these features can be pushed for even more wide-format innovations in the future.

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