InkTec has produced a large-format printer that can deliver high-resolution output in the JETRIX LXiR320
Square metres of colour
Following the unification in Germany, there was mountains of work to do, not only to bring two countries together that had diverged in direction for 45 years, but also to find a new identity for the unified Germany to which people could relate.
This is not an easy task. Recent history obviously did not give too much inspiration and by reaching deeper into the past the idea to replace the Palast der Republik of the DDR with a reconstruction of the old Berliner Schloss (Berlin Palace) that stood in the same site up until its destruction in 1950 took hold.
The old Schloss was built on an island in Berlin which is encircled by the river Spree at the opposite end of Unter den Linden of that of the Brandenburger Tor. The problem was that due to being severely damaged in World War II and then completely removed in 1950, few people had a memory of what it looked like in its grandiose past.
The solution, whilst reconstruction took place, was a massive printed drape of the old Schloss which meant that during the seven years of reconstruction work, the building could be ‘seen’ in its completed form by Berliners, as it slowly rose from the ground. When the drape was removed in 2020, the building that stood behind appeared to be an identical stone replacement of the drape and you had the feeling it had been there for years.
A great idea, but the first problem the printer faced was how do you produce so much printed material in such detail that it will pass as a real building?
InkTec has the answer
Whilst the manufacturer was not directly involved in this particular trompe l’oeil , InkTec has the answer should an opportunity arise again. The answer being its recently released extra-wide-width roll-to-roll digital LED-UV printer – the JETRIX LXiR320.
This printer is the latest from the South Korean manufacturer which is building a solid reputation for producing high-volume inkjet printers which can match the volume of print with quality.
The LXiR320 has a maximum printing width of 3.2m and depending on printing quality, it can produce up to 110m2 per hour which is a significant amount of printed material – enough to cover a Schloss.
At the heart of the machine and the key to the productivity level is the clever inclusion of up to 14 Konica Minolta KM1024i print heads. These are cutting-edge technology high-speed heads with four lines of 256 nozzles, in total 1,024.
Konica Minolta KM1024i print heads inside the JETRIX LXiR320 produce up to 2160 dpi
This gives each printhead the ability to place a dot with great accuracy onto the substrate which you could argue is a necessity on a product that is inspected close up. Even when you upscale to a project the size of the Berliner Schloss, this level of quality is important.
This new generation of printhead has an independent drive system which means the drive frequency is three times greater than the previous KM1024 model. The head also has a new inbuilt heater which means it can provide a stable internal temperature so high viscosity inks can be used with no ill effect.
The Konica Minolta KM1024i printhead has a new inbuilt heater which means it can provide a stable internal temperature enabling high viscosity inks to be used with no ill effect”
To assist with the variable print quality required, the KM1024i heads can deploy ink droplets in eight different ink droplet sizes which ensures there is a greater richness of gradient of colour and high definition.
Multi-volume
Whilst the ink deployment is handled by the KM1024i heads, there is still the matter of handling the substrate and ensuring it is positioned under the printhead accurately.
To ensure this happens, InkTec’s JETRIX LXiR320 uses a roll-to-roll configuration that has the capacity to hold rolls up to 3.2m in width. Moving so much substrate accurately is taken care of by the use of a double servo motor system that pulls and draws back the material to ensure it is not only kept taut, but you can index it to the correct position for each printhead pass.
The printer has a maximum printing width of 3.2m and depending on printing quality, can produce up to 110m2 per hour
There is a suction system at the centre of the printer which provides a balanced vacuum under the substrate. This is an area that is often overlooked. It may seem that it is a straightforward task to apply suction under a sheet, but by the nature of the substrate, it changes across its width so subtle control is needed to ensure it remains evenly flat.
Should the job layout be such that a narrower width of roll is needed, InkTec’s JETRIX LXiR320 can hold multiple reels at one time allowing different jobs to be produced on one pass.
As for passes, the volume of production varies from an eight-pass single array with a value of 18m2/hr of printed material and up to 110m2/hr with a two-pass double array. The resolution can also alter from 720 x 720 with two passes and 1440 x 720 with eight passes.
Colour choices
InkTec’s JETRIX LXiR320 uses a well-proven set of Eco-Green inks that give excellent ink adhesion and good scratch and abrasion resistance. This is ideal for a wide range of products such as promotional graphics, fabric banners, and backlit banners for indoor and outdoor signage.
Inks are cured by the use of LED UV lamp heads with a strength of 1,200mW which keep the printed substrate cool meaning difficult-to-handle plastics can be printed with more ease.
As with a majority of large-format printers, the JETRIX LXiR320 is able to print in the four process colours along with light magenta and cyan. To add to the scope of the printer, white is the final colour available and to overcome the issues with white ink, the printer comes with an ink circulation system.
I would imagine a project as large or public as that undertaken in Berlin may only come around every now and again, but there are still challenges in an ever-changing world where large-format, colourful, and quality printed products are needed. Should this be the case for you, a look at InkTec’s JETRIX LXiR320 could provide a very acceptable solution.
Statistics
- Printheads: Konica Minolta KM1024i
- Heads: 14
- Resolution: Up to 2160 dpi
- Colours: CMYK, Lc Lm and white
- Maximum substrate width: 3.2m
- Productivity: 18 to 110 m2/hr
Brian Sims Principal Consultant, Metis Print Consultancy, www.metis-uk.eu
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