Colour and Creativity Combined
Development of capital equipment can be driven by a number of different factors and depending on where in the world the manufacturer is centred, the approach to design reviews can vary quite considerably.
European manufacturers can tend to move in larger step changes to new models revealing equipment looking quite different and bristling with new features. Should the manufacturer be Asian, specifically Japanese, the approach is far more focused on incremental change; known mainly by the lean manufacturing process of Kaizen.
Kaizen means ‘improvement’ in Japanese and although as a process it is credited to American engineers helping to reconstruct Japan after World War II, Japanese manufacturers really turned it into a science; a leader being Toyota such that it became known as 'the Toyota Way'.
It's important not to underestimate the scale of the ‘improvement’ Kaizen can bring, and a great example of this is the new UV-LED printer from Mimaki; the UCJV330-160.
Having just been released, the UCJV330-160 is the successor of the very popular model, the UCJV300-160, but is built on the new 330 platform with additional new technology bringing about far greater productivity. This means much higher print resolution and a host of new features, one of which was previously only available on flatbed models.
What immediately jumps out in the specification of the new printer is the production speed. This has risen by almost 75% compared to the old model. In numbers, this relates to 55m2/hr when printing in super draft four colour mode with a resolution of 600 x 600dpi. Even when considering the high-quality mode (1,200 x 1,200dpi), it is still able to produce 8m2/hr.
The production speeds in other configurations are also impressive and the UCJV330-160 can print in four/six colour plus special colours; four/six and white two-layer printing; and four/six and white five-layer printing. The white printing modes can produce at 9 and 2m2/hr respectively which Mimaki suggests is industry leading.
Laying Down the Colour
To be able to make both the claim and practically produce the promises it makes, Mimaki has reengineered the inkjet head. The new versions have onboard Core Technology which means the inkjet heads can deliver higher levels of ink from each nozzle and adjustable ink droplet size.
The droplet size is automatically adjusted depending on the print mode selected meaning photographic image quality can be achieved and graininess can be eliminated by the use of a resolution of 1,200 x 1,800dpi.
Core technology in the new inkjet heads can provide vibrant colour and definition via 1,200 x 1,800dpi”
To ensure banding is reduced and removed there is clever technology Mimaki calls Weaving Dot Technology (MWDT). This feature compensates for the minor differences across the printhead nozzles and any small adjustment errors ensure each pass is seamlessly passing to the next.
Mimaki claims the new printhead has doubled the nozzle density from that of the earlier model which means the image can be both of very high definition and depth of colour meaning any of the images are impressive.
This high definition of printed material means Mimaki has a feature on the UCJV330-160 called ‘Watermark Print’. When backlit, a skeleton image is visible but this is only possible if the dot deployment is controlled to such a level that the small lines of the image are not blurred or obscured.
As with all UV-LED printers, the ink is dried immediately via the drying units meaning the turnaround of production can be very quick and the power consumption of the printer is greatly reduced ticking a list of green credentials customers are starting to expect as standard.
The inks themselves carry the GREENGUARD GOLD standard making them some of the safest inks on the market, making little to no impact on operators and end-users alike. The most popular inks are the LUS170 series which come in one-litre containers and can be shipped in CMYK, light magenta and cyan, along with clear and white.
The last two give the new printer further improvements from the previous model, the clear ink giving the 2.5D image enhancement. This is a new feature for a roll-to-roll printer as it applies a series of clear ink layer by layer; meaning when printed the image has an embossed appearance to it. This means you can simulate textures such as wood grain and oil paint type finishes adding a new dimension to printed material.
2.5D printing is new on a roll-to-roll printer giving an embossed look and feel to a printed image”
The addition of white on multiple passes brings another new dimension to printed materials possible on the UCJV330-160. With the application of white in different layers, you are able to print two images on one sheet which can then be used for double-sided door or window graphics. One image on one face, another quite different on the other.
Adding Value
One of the most obvious features of the UCJV330-160 is the cut facility that can seamlessly cut the already dried printed substrate into a number of shapes and profiles. The new printer uses ID cut and zero-margin crop mark functions meaning the printer can drive down waste whilst producing everything from decorations, stickers, posters, and plenty of point of sale and publicity materials.
Accuracy of the cutter is +/-0.2mm and will accelerate to the predetermined point at 300mm/s which is capable of matching the printer speed and repeating the cut at ten times per second.
When it comes to the substrates the UCJV330-160 can print on, the list is extensive and should be able to satisfy even the most demanding of clients. The maximum width of the substrate is 1,610mm and in standard format can hold one roll, or there is the option for three rolls with the media changer. Regardless of the roller used, the substrates that can be used are translucent, transparent, and coloured materials, and coloured PET, polyurethane, and films. The UCJV330-160 can print on textiles such as lightbox material and also handles uncoated paper if required.
Each machine comes with Mimaki’s newest software, RasterLink 7 RIP incorporating the 2.5D embossed image feature and the ability to compose the image to save up to 37% of ink up to other equipment but still retains the colour depth and vibrancy expected.
Other software coming with the printer as standard is Mimaki’s cloud-based technology, PICT. Almost all of the production, maintenance, and condition monitoring of the printer can be accessed remotely which can be extremely helpful when planning production and maintenance tasks.
Steps forward in the Kaizen process can deliver significant change but keep products faithful to their heritage; it is clear looking at the UCJV330-160, another layer of excellence and productivity has been laid on a solid foundation.
Statistics
- Printheads On-demand piezo electric (2 x staggered)
- Print resolution 600, 1,200, 1,800dpi
- Ink CMYK Lm, Lc, W and clear
- Media width 1,610mm
- Speed max (4 colour) 55m2/hr
- Speed min (4/6 colour + white 5 layer) 0.7m2/hr
Brian Sims Principal Consultant, Metis Print Consultancy, www.metis-uk.eu
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