What does it do?
The Arizona 6100 series is Canon’s opening assault on the high-productivity UV flatbed market dominated by the likes of EFI Vutek and HP Scitex. Three years in the making, the open architecture design, 2.5×3.05m machine is the first Arizona to add lights to the CMYK ink set. The
6100 Series is available as either the six-channel (CMYK, light cyan and light magenta) 6160 XTS or the seven-channel 6170 XTS, which includes an additional single channel white.
When was it launched and what market is it aimed at?
The 6100 series was officially launched at Fespa, last year. It is aimed at wide format printers looking to take a major step up in terms of productivity and automation, and also users of rival high-end flatbeds that, until now, Canon could not challenge. It means that existing Arizona users who want to move up to the next level of productivity can stay with the Arizona brand.
How does it work?
The 90kg print carriage houses six grayscale printheads per channel (36 or 42 in total) featuring Océ’s VariaDot technology. The carriage is supported on a twin-beam system featuring glass surfaces and air bearings, rather than the single beam, cantilever design of its predecessors.
For the first time it also features a camera system for dimensional characterisation to ensure faster printhead alignment during installation, but also timing alignment across the entire table offering a five times improvement on drop placement over the rest of the Arizona portfolio.
All 6100 series machines have space for eight channels in the carriage, which means that the six-channel 6160 can be field-upgraded to run white. Canon says that with inks there is always a balance between vibrancy and adhesion, because adhesion promoters tend to dull the colours, and it says the IJC inks are the next evolution of inks and offer the best of both worlds.
Drying is via a conventional mercury vapour UV curing system, which is the next generation of the system developed in existing Arizona models, but which runs 30 per cent cooler.
How does it differ from previous models?
It is faster. The 6100 is two and a half times as productive as the next fastest Arizona, offering 155sqm/hr in express mode, with a 100sqm/hr production mode.
What is the USP of the product?
In terms of the Arizona range, speed; in terms of rival machines, productivity. Canon is pushing the machine’s automation, from the fully automatic printhead cleaning to the dual-vacuum zone bed and pneumatic registration pins, as its key selling point. The 6100 series is the first Arizona to feature an automated maintenance system. The vacuum-operated mechanism can deep clean all seven heads in around two and half minutes.
Pneumatic registration pins ensure quick, repeatable, easy loading of rigid media in perfect register every time. Combined with a high-flow vacuum system for effective pulldown of even warped rigid media, it takes only seconds to load the largest boards. The high-pressure vacuum also exerts a strong holding force on the media for reliable hold-down during printing.
How easy is it to use?
Easy, thanks to the high level of automation, says Canon.
What about support?
With over more than Océ Arizona installs in Australia, Canon is a market leader in signage and display, and offers a nationwide, experienced and reliable service organisation.
Specs
Max sheet size: 2.5×3.05m
Max media thickness: 50.8mm
Speed: Express 155sqm/hr; Production: 100sqm/ hr; Quality: 72sqm/hr
Colours: Choice of six or seven channels: CMYK, light cyan and light magenta, with or without white
Printheads: Grayscale variable droplet (6-42 picolitres)
Resolution: 1400dpi (apparent)
Footprint: 5.72×4.82m
Weight: 1815kg
Contact: www.canon.com.au
The alternatives
EFI VUTEK GS3250
Unlike the Arizona, this 3.2m-wide UV flatbed can also print roll-to-roll. However, while Canon lists the GS3250 as its main competitor EFI says that a number of machines in its range, from the QS2Pro to the GS3250 LX Pro with Ultradrop and LED, could also fit the bill.
Print width 3.2m
Speed Fast-5 production: 223sqm/hr; eight-colour plus white: 111.4sqm/hr
Colours Eight (CMYK, LC, LM, LY, LB) plus white
Resolution 600dpi (24pl) or 1,000dpi (12pl)
Contact www.efi.com
HP SCITEX FB7600
Canon cites the FB7600 flatbed as another rival, but in terms of price, performance and materials handling options in some respects it is not a direct competitor. Capable of 500sqm/ hr flat out, it’s a beast, but it is restricted to boards up to 25mm thick.
Max sheet size 1.65×3.2m
Speed From 90sqm/hr to 500sqm/hr
Colours CMYK plus LC, LM (and optional white, orange and black with Enhanced Color Pack)
Resolution 600dpi
Contact www.hp.com
FUJIFILM ACUITY F
The Acuity is Fujifilm’s OEM version of the Arizona and features the same specs.
Contact www.fujifilm.com
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