Digital
Canon C800
Canon, which was the original digital colour printer with its CLC series, has jumped into the crowded and rapidly growing entry-level digital market with a line of three printers which it says are designed to make money for printers.
Canon says as a late entrant the C800 was built from the ground up to be best in its class. This has been proven globally with customers experiencing exceptional reliability and registration across a wide-variety of paper types. Canon says its customers will get ‘a hell of a lot for not a massive investment.’
The company claims the printer has the fastest speed, best image quality and resolution, and will accept the widest range of paper weights in the light production market.
The C800 comes in 60, 70 and 80 A4 sheets a minute versions and prints at 2400dpi on 52-300gsm paper automatically duplexing up to 300gsm. It also features a range of inline finishing options and a choice of EFI Fiery, Océ PRISMAsync or Creo controllers to support our customers preferred workflow. The imagePress C800 has a duty cycle of 500,000 pages, while the C700 runs at 70ppm and has a duty cycle of 400,000 pages
It can maintain its rated speed (upto 220gsm) even at high quality settings and uses variable drop size for better image quality. It also has flexibility with paper stocks and finishing options, you have the freedom to choose what you need for your business. It even includes perfect binding.
Target market is small commercial printers, offset printers getting into digital, franchises, inplants, and digital print businesses.
Xerox iGen5
Building on the iGen series digital colour press Fuji Xerox now supplies the iGen 5, which as its name suggests comes with an additional fifth colour station. This offers a choice of three colours to extend the colour gamut – orange, green or blue – and says Fuji Xerox makes it easy to accurately represent colour critical brand images. Using tools supplied with the iGen 5 Press, you can evaluate the PDF to determine which fifth colour will be best to get the most accurate match
Using the Xerox iGen 5’s EFITM print server tool and a spectrophoto-meter, you can measure a provided colour swatch, identify the best way to reproduce it – in CMYK or with a specified fifth colour – and see the anticipated Delta E difference between your print and your customer’s original target, so eliminating time-consuming trial and error.
The Xerox iGen 5 Press offers a choice of line screens. 160/180/250-line screens and their existing dot patterns are available for traditional applications. In addition, Object Oriented Halftoning can be selected to maximise the quality of images and text in the same document. Designed with the photo market in mind, a 210-line screen optimises the softness in skin tones while maintaining detail in hair and background images. This gives you an additional choice to better meet your customers’ needs and to tap into fast-growing markets.
The Xerox iGen 5 Press uses a 2400 x 2400 imaging system with VCSEL*1 technology to deliver more information per square inch. That means improved detail: tighter, more uniform rosettes and better sharpness that Xerox says deliver outstanding midtones, crisp text, pure neutrals, detailed shadows, bright highlights and excellent photo rendering.
Heidelberg Primefire 106
At drupa 2016 Heidelberg had a world premiere for industrial production of digital printing applications in 70 x 100cm format with the Primefire 106. The system is based on inkjet technology from Heidelberg’s development partner, Fujifilm, and the Heidelberg Peak Performance platform from the company’s offset technology.
The Primefire 106 enables packaging printers in particular to take the first step in developing new areas of business — for example, with the production of variable or personalised packaging.
The digital printing system offers a maximum quality of 1200 x 1200dpi at a printing speed of up to 2,500 sheets per hour, and capable of achieving production volumes of up to 1.5 million sheets per month in future productivity modes.
Heidelberg has raced to pole positoin with the new Primefire 106, becoming the first company to have a comercially available B1 inkjet press.
The seven-colour inkjet system with Heidelberg Multicolor technology also covers up to 95 per cent of the Pantone colour space. All liquids are Swiss Ordinance approved and enable printers to aim for food compliant production.
The system can handle formats up to 75 x 106cm – like a Speedmaster XL 106 – enabling printers to use existing postpress equipment without any additional investment. Due to open interfaces, digital post-processing will be possible.
Heidelberg has outfitted the Primefire 106 with the new Prinect Digital Center Inline with Perfect Stack technology. In combination with the Prinect digital front end (DFE) from Heidelberg, the new control station offers seamless integration into a print shop’s existing overall workflow. In combination with the Perfect Stack technology and controlled by the Prinect Digital Center Inline, the Speedmaster XL-based feeder only allows good sheets into the delivery pile. The operator can also output test sheets directly to the control panel at the push of a button in order to visually check their quality.
“Folding carton producers in particular develop new digitally driven business models and thus improve their competitiveness,” says Jason Oliver, head of Heidelberg Digital.
Shown at drupa as a world premiere system, the first Primefire 106 will be shipped to a beta test site in December this year. Further customer placements will follow and are already scheduled.
HP Indigo 12000
HP premiered the HP Indigo 12000 Digital Press at drupa 2016. The company says the B2 sized press – supplied by Currie Group in Australia – offers major innovations in print quality, application range and productivity, as well as breakthrough priming technology and colour matching capabilities. It boasts a maximum printing speed of up to 4,600 B2 colour sheets per hour, so it is capable of producing more than two million colour sheets per month. It can also print monochrome in duplex (both sides at once) at 4,600 sheets per hour.
The HP Indigo 12000 can print virtually unlimited applications including synthetics, canvas, and metallised with on-press HP Indigo ElectroInk Primer and One-Shot Colour technology.
It will print on stocks from 70gsm to 400gsm and 75 to 450 microns in thickness, including coated, uncoated, coloured and dark papers, and paperboard for folding cartons. Using the digital inline primer it gives printers the ability to print on a wider gamut of stocks that don’t have to be pre-primed or sapphire coated.
Like all HP Indigo digital presses there is a supported upgrade path, this means that print business currently using the HP Indigo 10000 can upgrade in the field to the new HP Indigo 12000. While the new press features many of the same headline specifications of the HP Indigo 10000, it will have a wide-range of productivity and quality enhancements. These include the an inline spectrophotometer, and a new screening configuration for the three-channel (CMY) Enhanced Productivity Mode (EMP). It will also benefit from Indigo Optimizer, a new software tool that HP claims can increase throughput per shift by up to 40% through features like intelligent job sequencing and the production of proofs without stopping jobs in production.
The HP Indigo 12000 will ultimately feature the option of a new imaging system: the 1,600dpi High Definition Laser Array (HDLA) technology. HDLA will be available next year.
Kodak NexPress ZX3900
Kodak showcased this new technology during drupa 2016. The NexPress ZX3900 offers new packaging and retail application opportunities, and now supports thicker paper and thicker synthetic substrates without limiting the range of commercial jobs that can be produced.
The machine ships with System software v16, providing a set of new tools to control image quality and maintain productivity to optimise costs and uptime, including:
– An Ink Estimating Tool, which estimates the CMYK and all specialty inks used in a print job
– Spot Color Recipes, which allows PSPs to create unique colour blends for clients and save them for future orders
– A new production dashboard allows users to monitor the activity, consumables and performance of their NexPress on a handheld device
– Automated Data Export, providing periodic data on press production details for integration with external MIS systems
– NexPert Operator Support, a fully featured operator support and diagnostic system based on
HTML5, allowing for fast operator access with no Java-related security or performance restrictions
– Variable speed control allows for the printing speed to be set in the job ticket, optimising quality and press performance.
The NexPress ZX 3900 includes new capabilities such as opaque white dry ink, complementing the already available nine specialty inks for opacity in a single pass for applications such as packaging, signage, labels and invitations. It has more than 20 per cent higher opacity in a single pass compared to multiple passes on competitive presses. The new Opaque White Dry Ink can be installed on most existing NexPresses as an option.
The NexPress Substrate Expansion Kit supports select heavy paperboard stocks of up to 24pts/610 microns and select heavyweight synthetic stocks up to 14mm, available in 2017. Also available in 2017 will be support for sheet lengths up to 1,219mm.
Kodak offers a comprehensive range of services for customers, including Optimised Performance & Uptime Services (Opus), a portfolio of services that help deliver an optimised production environment to reduce costs associated with downtime, re-work, consumables and waste, and maximise revenue opportunities in the process. There are three categories of Opus services — Uptime Discovery, Enhanced Preventive Maintenance and Peak Production Support.
Komori Impremia IS29
Komori used drupa 2016 to launch its Impremia IS29 29-inch sheetfed UV inkjet digital printing system. It uses Komori’s inkjet UV printing system, jointly developed with Konica Minolta.
In addition to driving forward the idea of OffsetOnDemand in offset printing, Komori says that raising efficiency and profits by taking advantage of both offset and digital printing technologies is the key to success for printing companies. Success requires the reliability and print quality of offset presses combined with the variable data printing capabilities and short run convenience of digital printing systems.
To offer these capabilities, Komori is creating DigitalOnDemand solutions. It has developed the Impremia IS29 digital printing system as the key machine in the Komori OnDemand melding of offset and digital.
The Impremia IS29 can print directly on a wide variety of stock in high quality with a maximum sheet size of 585 x 750mm. There is no need for special paper due to UV inkjet technology, and no need for any precoating or certified paper.
It can print sheet thicknesses from 0.06mm to 0.6mm in single-sided printing (0.06-0.45mm for double-sided printing).
It features instant curing and the ability to start finishing immediately due to its use of UV ink. It has the same high front/back register accuracy as offset.
Digital printing in the 29-inch size greatly expands the range of possible work. The system prints large posters, paged items with multiple impositions and packaging that conventional A3 machines cannot handle. Six-up US letter-size impositions are trouble-free.
The machine incorporates a perfecting mechanism, accommodating not only 4-up single-sided but also 8-up double-sided impositions.
The Impremia IS29 also incorporates a direct printing method by means of UV inkjet. Printing that emphasises painting-like contrast can be performed on specially processed papers (such as high relief embossed paper and canvas) that are difficult to handle not only with on-demand printers but even offset presses.
The Impremia IS29 will be available in Australia in early 2017 through Ferrostaal Australia.
Konica Minolta bizhub C1100
The bizhub Press C1100 has been designed by Konica Minolta as the company’s fastest cut-sheet system, achieving speeds up to 100ipm.
The Press C1100 is suited to the production of high volume digital colour prints for commercial printers, mail houses and print on demand requirements, with a monthly duty cycle of one million prints, and an engine life of 20 million impressions.
The C1100’s print speed doesn’t need to be reduced based on media weight and type. Speed is only reduced by the sheet size — at Super fast it will print 5,192 A4 impressions per hour and 3,180 A3 impressions per hour.
Its resolution reaches 1,200 X 1,200dpi 8-bit. A large range of media types is supported, in weights from 55gsm to 350gsm, both for simplex and duplex printing.
The C1100 system can be expanded to a maximum of nine large capacity paper trays, or 13,890 sheets, with tray switching and media reloading on the fly. For paper feeding, the C1100 uses variable air suction and air separation feeding from all paper trays.
The C1100 has a large range of inline finishing units that can be added to suit specific requirements. These include a 5,000-sheet stacker, Konica Minolta’s 50-sheet (200 pages) saddle-stitch booklet unit with for-edge trimming, an inline folding unit that can produce up to six different folds, 100-sheet staple finisher and a 300-page perfect binder.
The bizhub Press C1100 accommodates paper sizes up to 330 x 487mm, and handles a maximum printing area of 321 x 480mm, and when including crop marks will print A3 (one-up) or A4 (two-up).
Three different print controllers are available from EFI, Creo and Konica Minolta, with JDF support, APPE and Pantone colour library functionality.
Konica Minolta’s service extends across the entire range of print systems, with two-hour service response across its direct operations. Its Production Print designated help desk is normally the first point of contact for customers, with fully trained technicians on the phone to resolve any issues.
Production print operator training is supplied by dedicated PPG trainers at its showroom facilities for a full day.
Ricoh Pro C7100/7100X
With a price that Ricoh says suits even small to mid-size printers, the Ricoh Pro C7100 series prints at speeds of 80ppm and supports media weights up to 360gsm in both simplex and duplex.
An optimal image quality of 1,200 x 4,800dpi is achieved with Ricoh’s Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) technology. It delivers a premium finish, supports a range of media including textured media, and suits various applications such as light packaging, direct mail, books, six-page brochures and envelopes, among others.
Its features include print speeds of 80ppm, precise sheet-to-sheet and front-to-back registration achieved with mechanical registration, large capacity vacuum fed trays with a long sheet printing option, and a self-maintained liquid cooling system. This keeps the developer at a constant temperature to provide greater consistency of image quality and fewer disruptions in extended print runs.
It uses an AC-transfer system and elastic fusing belt technology to improve output on a variety of heavily textured media, and supports auto-duplex of 360gsm. It can handle a maximum sheet size of 330mm x 700mm to create six-page A4 brochures or A4 landscape books.
Included in the series is the Ricoh Pro C7100X, which utilises an additional fifth colour station providing clear and white toner. This feature will open up new markets to printers and enable additional revenue from existing customers.
It is backed by Ricoh’s TCRU programme (Trained Customer Replaceable Units) which enables customers to replace more than a dozen parts for increased uptime.
Xeikon Trillium One
Xeikon’s Trillium One combines the strengths of offset litho in delivering high print quality, ink densities and image coverage on different substrates, with the strengths of digital printing to enable variable data printing at higher volumes with lower costs and easy operation.
The joint development project between Xeikon and Miyakoshi combines the expertise of Miyakoshi in the mechanics of a printing press and Xeikon’s approach to digital imaging, high speed electronics, high resolution LED technology, workflow and toner technology.
Capable of running at 60 metres per minute at 1,200dpi, with a print width of 500mm, Xeikon says the four-colour press delivers cost effectiveness, high quality and speed. It uses Trillium, Xeikon’s liquid toner printing process, which was first presented at drupa 2012.
Initially it is ideally suited to direct marketing materials and catalogues, with more target markets and applications expected to be added over time.
It incorporates Xeikon’s Tonnik, a liquid toner combining all the advantages of dry toner in a liquid format, making it environmentally friendly and economical. Trillium technology resulted in the small toner particle size of less than 2 microns used in the Xeikon-crafted high viscosity liquid toner. The toner contains no evaporating carriers for a more environmentally conscious print production process that also mechanically recycles the majority
of the carrier liquid.
Biomaterial derived carrier liquids have been identified, further increasing the sustainability of this new technology. As tested by Ingede, printed materials are perfectly de-inkable on the Trillium press.
Another benefit is Trillium’s Microgapping process. The initial 5 micron development gap means that toner particles easily transfer from one roller to the other with extreme precision and at a very high speed as the substrate progresses through the imaging process. This improves register and image quality and creates increased density stability.
Trillium One is the culmination of Xeikon’s three pillars of operation in imaging, where the focus is on improving speed combined with print quality, in toners and in workflow.
Shipping of the Trillium One will start from Q2 2017.
MIS and W2P
Accura MIS
Accura is a complete print management system for digital, wide-format, litho, web offset, label and flexographic printers. The company says this is one of the few systems to offer fully integrated CRM, MIS and Web2Print in one solution.
The Accura MIS comes out of the box with all the tools a print business needs. It is comprised of several modules, with sales invoicing included as standard to export invoices into most major accounts packages with no need for double entry.
The core module features Estimating, Order Processing, Proofing, Deliveries and Sales Invoicing integrated for an efficient workflow. Most operations, such as converting a quote to an order or raising delivery notes and invoices, link together with just a couple of clicks of the mouse to save time and reduce manual input and double entry
.
Additional modules include CRM, Purchasing, Stock Control, Job Costing, Remote Data Capture (RDC), Time and Attendance Logging and Production Scheduling. There is also the AccuraOnline e-commerce and web-to-print portal with bi-directional integration with the Accura MIS.
Idealsolution is the exclusive Australian and New Zealand distributor for Accura, offering full on-site training and comprehensive local support services. A full range of monthly payment plan options is also available.
printIQ
printIQ is a new-breed print management system that, the company says, stands out from traditional MIS products on the market. It’s a cloud-based web product, so everyone accesses the application from an internet browser.
Production staff manage the factory while customers quote, order and track, all from within the same application. With no software to install, no separate web portal or online ordering system to add on, printIQ represents a shift away from what most printers are doing now.
With printIQ jobs can be quoted, and paid for, online in real time without delay. They can be tracked online by customers throughout the entire lifecycle of the job.
Staff in various departments can update production status as the job progresses through their area of the factory, without the need to talk to anyone about it. The job bag exists in a digital space, so any information change is updated live and won’t be out-dated. The job’s status is updated via tablets or terminals as it moves through the factory, and is instantly updated on the online Job Track module.
When production is complete the job will appear on the dispatch board ready for dispatch. If it hasn’t yet been invoiced it will also show on the Finance board for individual invoice, or to be combined with other invoices for the same customer.
printIQ includes a full inventory system, including refresh level notification and online purchasing, and direct integration with a number of cloud-based accounting packages (and a CSV export for those older packages), with invoices simultaneously pushed into the accounting software. Notification is automatically sent to the client upon dispatch and the delivery can be tracked through the delivery connote.
printIQ is a locally produced print management system created by IQ, which has development and support staff in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the USA. printIQ supports offset, digital and label printers, wide format and signage companies, with each segment having an option tailor made for their industry.
printIQ also offers a range of additional modules. The IQconnect Enfocus Switch module allows printIQ users to utilise the perfect automated workflow encompassing Enfocus Switch and Pitstop. printIQ customers can now have a “lights-out” process to take an order from the web and push it through to the press without operator intervention.
Tharstern Estimating
Tharstern Estimating was previously known as Estimate Pro, and was developed by Tharstern Limited (UK) and distributed here by Tharstern Australia and Tharstern New Zealand.
It features include intelligent estimating, which supports offset, digital, large format, continuous wide format and flexo printing.
The user-friendly interface requires minimal training, even for new staff or new system users. The objective is to shift staff away from time-wasting quotes and focus them on areas of the business where they are more valuable. This enables sites to re-think how sales, CSRs and estimators can collaborate more efficiently to build on sales and improve customer interaction.
Tharstern Estimating lets printers create and compare multiple quotes based on different production routes, processing and margins, and when turning estimates into a job it is fully JDF aware and capable of flowing into a digital workflow as part of a ganged operation that requires automatic pre-flighting and complex imposition.
Tharstern Estimating removes any complexity from quickly producing production ready quotes. The company says the underlying architecture of Tharstern is a feature-rich enterprise solution.
Tharstern is now able to offer seamless integration with the Vpress Coreprint web to print solution. Coreprint is a cloud based – so the print business has no software to install – and comes with the highest level of security possible, using the same protocols as the pharmaceutical industry. It operates from any browser, platform or SSO, and the templates allow virtually any type of print job to be created. Coreprint also provides added value benefits such as an ability to generate QR codes, digital asset management, incentive and rewards schemes, credit card integration and dynamic content management.
Offset
KBA Rapida 75 PRO
With the Rapida 75 PRO KBA presents the latest generation of presses for half-format sheetfed offset size. The new press is based on the proven mechanical platform of the predecessor series. The control concept is identical to that of all other Rapida models. The Rapida 75 PRO lends a further boost to operator convenience and offers a number of additional functions, including TouchTronic, through which all operating functions can be accessed with a maximum of two taps on the corresponding screen buttons. One-button job changes help to reduce makeready time by up to 50 per cent. All preselected functions are activated in time-optimised order at the press of a button. The productivity of the Rapida 75 PRO has been raised yet another notch with standard printing speeds of up to 15,000sph.
With the optional high-speed package, the maximum output increases further to 16,000sph. Up to ten printing units, perfecting, an inline coater or even facilities for double coating permit a broad diversity of user-oriented configurations. Production on the Rapida 75 PRO permits considerable energy savings compared to other presses. From start to finish, it implements technical solutions geared to low energy consumption. This includes the environment-friendly VariDryBlue dryer system in the extended delivery. Two heater units warm the process air to the drying temperature preselected at the console. Energy consumption for drying can be reduced by up to 50 per cent.
The maximum sheet format on the Rapida 75 PRO is slightly larger than usual for a half-format press: 53 x 75 cm as standard, and even 60.5 x 75 cm as a special format. That also adds a little extra to the available printing area. The standard print format for straight production is 51 x 73.5 cm, and this increases to 58.5 x 73.5 cm with the special format.
In practice, the enlarged format means that printers who occasionally produce in US letter or typical magazine and catalogue formats can now plan 6-up layouts. Two extra copies on every sheet compared to other presses in this format class, this small detail boosting productivity by 50 per cent.
Manroland ROLAND 500
Manroland claims the Roland 500 offers the world’s flattest sheet travel and even with substrates up to 1.0mm thick and speeds of up to 18,000 sheets per hour it delivers outstanding printing quality.
Three different height settings for the transferter gripper bars allow sheets from 0.04 mm to 1.0mm to be transported through the press gently and virtually contact free over the air tracks. With its ability to process a greater variety of substrate thicknesses, the Roland 500 can handle the work of two machines dedicated for paper and board respectively.
A wide range of optional manroland applications, including InlineCoater with automated plate tensioning, InlineFoiler and InlinePerfector, allow for a wider range of jobs with higher quality finishes, and enables print companies to position themselves at the top end of their market.
The Roland 500 uses an automated clamping and tensioning system for InlineCoater for higher production efficiency. A maximum speed of 18,000sph increases production efficiency.
A variety of optional inline functions help print companies to achieve optimum return on investment.
RYOBI 790
Manufactured by Ryobi MHI Graphic Technology the advanced Ryobi 790 sheetfed B2 press can be configured according to customer needs, providing says the company the optimum printing environment for increasing productivity and profitability. Ryobi says it has a reliable mechanism featuring the latest technologies and advanced automation devices, combined with a digital-controlled printing control system, ensures high-speed, high-quality printing.
The Ryobi 790 has a maximum printing area of 580x765mm for the PF-XL version or 545x765mm for the PF-S version, and is able to print four-up
A4 or six-up letter size, and it easily handles 8-up printing of B5 size. Running speed is 16,000sph or 15,000 in perfecting mode.
It has double-diameter transfer cylinder for stable sheet transport, a programmable inking, automatic plate changing system, various preset devices, and other automation systems which significantly shorten make-ready. There is a fully automatic convertible perfecting device capable of one-pass perfecting.
The optional thick cardboard specification model handles sheet thicknesses up to 0.8mm. It has IR, UV, or LED-UV curing units which can be installed at the delivery section.
The SPC semi-automatic plate changer comes as standard, with the operator only setting the plate on the positioning pins. The optional Smart fully automated plate changer is available, and can be combined with Smart makeready, so blanket cleaning, preswetb inking and test printing are all automatic.
The press is supplied by Cyber Australia which has a nationwide team of factory trained engineers, and its print demonstrators and trainers are well versed in the wide variety of value-added printing.
Wide Format
Epson SureColor S-Series (Generation 2)
Epson has just released the new SureColor S-Series of printers, which includes three models — the single-head CMYK SC-S40600, the dual-head CMYK SC-S60600, and the dual-head 10-colour SC-S80600.
All three models support sheet based output as well as roll-to-roll production up to 1,626mm (64”) wide with an integrated automatic take-up (ATU). Epson says they are simple to install, easy to load, quick to configure and inexpensive to run.
The low cost SC-S40600 is designed for general signage, décor and label applications. It is suitable for small workshops or studios with a need for flexible ad-hoc production on vinyl, canvas, film and/or paper.
The high performance SC-S60600 provides the same output but is designed for users with a need for volume production. The high colour SC-S80600 has one of the largest colour gamuts in the industry and is designed for premium and specialist work complete with optional white or metallic ink.
This latest generation of printers is suitable for a wide range of applications including durable signage and banners, indoor POS, custom wallpapers, wall and floor decals, short-run self-adhesive labels, vehicle wraps, back-lit and window displays.
Epson’s latest models use minimal power and cost-conscious consumables. They have a simplified operation and are very easy to maintain with a self-cleaning print head. They have been designed for reliability with service and warranty cover up to five years.
Epson’s channel partners are certified to offer training and service support to end users. Epson hosts internal training courses to ensure users get direct guidance on how to get the most from their Epson SureColor S-Series printers.
Fujifilm Acuity 1600 II
The Fujifilm Acuity 1600 II, sold and distributed here by Fuji Xerox Australia, has been upgraded to feature a fast printing mode of 33m2 per hour for rapid job turnaround and lower output costs.
Its primary markets include display graphics, signage, POS, P4P and packaging.
Fujifilm’s ink, printhead and curing systems deliver near-photographic prints on a wide range of flexible and rigid media for both indoor and outdoor roll-to-roll and rigid media (up to 13mm thick), including display graphics, signage, decals, environmental graphics and package prototypes.
Acuity LED prints can also be used with specialist finishing processes to create durable architectural graphics. It offers an eight-colour ink set including CMYK plus light cyan, light magenta, white and clear, along with the ability to print white or varnish together in one pass.
The Acuity LED 1600 II features a new fast printing mode of 33m2 per hour, which is 50% faster than the previous model to address customer demands for faster job turnarounds and lower output cost. It also has a new automatic jetting calibration function based on printhead gap and two new vacuum modes for different media (for thin/low-resilience media). The vacuum mode has improved the printer’s media adaptability to expand its applications and reduce media loss.
The white and clear ink heads can be disabled when not in use to reduce maintenance costs (an engineer is required). The Acuity LED 1600 II is a large-format hybrid printer that’s suitable for offices, studios or workshops. The LED 1600 II features a low energy, long life LED UV lamp curing system, so it produces very little heat to work with heat-sensitive media. They consume far less energy than conventional UV lamps and last up to ten times longer.
Fuji Xerox Australia ensures that all customers receive comprehensive hardware and software training to suit each customer’s unique requirements. FXA has trained engineers nationally to support all customers. Fuji Xerox Australia can provide finance for a low monthly finance cost tailored to suit each customer’s individual requirements.
HP DesignJet Z 5600
HP’s latest DesignJet is the 44-inch multi-roll Z-series 5600, which comes with a six-ink printing system, which HP says helps users cut costs by reducing ink consumption up to 20 percent, while still ensuring crisp colours. IT has an HP chromatic red ink which enhances the colour gamut, ideal for high-impact point of purchase (POP) signs and posters.
For greater line accuracy and colour reliability, HP Professional Pantone colour emulation is included with Adobe PostScript/PDF, HP-GL/2. HP says smooth colour tones are achieved thanks to HP Multi-Dimensional Smart Drop Placement Technology, which provides increased levels of color accuracy and reliable operation of the printer.
According to HP the 44-inch, automatic multi-roll HP DesignJet Z5600 PostScript Printer boosts media loading efficiency up to 75 per cent, and users can print up to 39 per cent faster with quick-drying HP inks. For creating high-impact graphics, the pigment-based HP Vivid Photo inks are water and fade-resistant for maps and technical drawings that can last up to 200 years.
The printer includes the new HP DesignJet Click printing software to optimise time and simplify printing, by enabling radically simple, one-click printing for all PDF, JPEG, TIFF, and HP-GL/2 files from a PC or Mac to the HP DesignJet Z-series printer. The software helps cut media costs with features like nesting and file error warnings, and users can now be more productive with real-time previews, along with driverless and multipage/multi-file PDF printing of posters, roll-up banners, CAD drawings, maps, and info-graphic presentations.
With more than three million HP DesignJets installed around the world, it is hard to imagine that this printing revolution began 25 years ago with HP reinventing large-format design to launch the first inkjet large-format printer in 1991.
Océ Arizona 2200
Canon says the new Océ Arizona 2200 series demonstrates the continued refinement of the Arizona series of flatbed printers for higher capacity, mid-volume print producers.
The Océ Arizona 2200 series is built on flatbed architecture and features Océ VarioDot Imaging Technology for near photographic image reproduction, Express production speeds up to 57.6m2 per hour, thick media handling up to 50.8mm, large 2 litre ink tanks to reduce running costs and high definition resolution output up to 1,440dpi.
The Océ Arizona 2200 series is a flatbed, UV-curable ink printing system designed for both rigid and flexible media applications. It will print on odd shaped, heavy, smooth or pre-cut media, produce double-sided prints in perfect register or extend versatility with the roll media option, and print on flexible media up to 2.2 metres wide.
The 2200 series is the fourth generation of mid-volume UV flatbed printers from Océ. It features pneumatic registration pins for quick, repeatable, easy loading of rigid media in perfect register every time and dual origins and independent vacuum systems for simultaneous printing and loading of media (XT models). An Automated Maintenance System is also included for hands-free printhead maintenance.
Canon provides service to the digital display graphics market with over 150 people in the Australian service team. Printers can also use Canon Finance to help manage the cost of purchasing new equipment, with multiple options for rent or leasing.
Roland DG TrueVIS VG Series
The TrueVIS VG series from Roland DG is new from the ground up, says the company.
Available in 64-inch and 54-inch models, the TrueVIS VG series inkjet printers/cutters are designed to produce decals and labels, banners, signs, vehicle graphics and posters.
Four completely new FlexFire print heads fire droplets in three sizes and a wide print swath, delivering images and uniform colours at production speeds while minimising ink usage.
New Greenguard Gold Certified TrueVIS Ink uses eco-solvent technology, delivering a wide colour gamut and improved output, while says the company meeting stricter environmental standards and user demands for lower costs without sacrificing quality. 500ml pouches fit into reusable cartridges and slide into a hidden ink bay for clean usage and less waste. TrueVIS ink is available in CMYK (x2) for productivity, CMYKLcLmLk for fine details and smooth gradations, and CMYKLcLmLk+White for printing on dark or clear substrates.
The TrueVIS also features Roland DG’s most advanced print/cut technology to date. A new carriage and blade offer increased downforce and accuracy, allowing compatibility with a wider variety of media.
A new Roland DG mobile panel lets users to perform control panel functions of VG printer/cutters with an existing smartphone or tablet using a Bluetooth connection. This feature provides an interface directly on or remotely in range of the printer, and enables the user to receive status updates as well as remotely manage production, test printing, and cleaning functions.
Improved motor and drive systems provide added durability for heavy users, and optional take-up and drying units boost performance during unattended high-volume operation.
VersaWorks Dual RIP software – free with the TrueVIS – features a new core engine for better file processing, including files with transparencies, plus the advanced and ease-of-use capabilities that VersaWorks is known for.
The 64” VG-640 can be financed from as low as $661 per month through Roland Rental, including the bundled VersaWorks Dual RIP program plus a comprehensive three-year extended warranty. Training courses are available across Australia, and all Roland products are backed by a nationwide authorised service agent network.
Screen W3200UVII
Screen’s Truepress Jet W3200UV, made by subsidiary Inca Digital in the UK, is now capable of up to 230m2/hr with the Billboard mode upgrade. Existing 85m2/hr and 150m2/hr models can be upgraded in the field.
Despite this productivity on a true 3.2-metre wide flatbed, the quality for outdoor distance-viewed graphics, tarpaulins, truck curtains etc is still excellent. For critical close-viewed indoor work, the ultra-high resolution modes can be user selected. The 22-pass unidirectional Super Fine Photo mode, which is ideal for critical detail and smooth skin tones, can be used for applications such as cosmetics POP displays. SFP mode also sharply resolves minute text down to 3pt size.
New UV curing settings for matt and silk effects are also productivity boosters as gloss UV takes longer.
Screen GP Australia managing director, Peter Scott, says, “The versatility of the machine is further extended with the roll to roll option – a full 3.2-metre width addition that looks ‘built into’ the press and has the fastest changeover from flatbed to roll of anything in its class. It sits snugly under the flatbed when not in use. Customers such as Sydney’s Flash Graphics, Melbourne’s Resolution Imaging and Auckland’s Cube are finding the Truepress Jet W3200UV is also a very high-productivity machine, with little downtime needed for maintenance and head cleaning. It’s great for the rush jobs at high-speed and also the critical quality ones at lower speeds.”
Screen offers two ink choices for the W3200UV. New SI inks can be printed directly onto acrylic, polycarbonate, ACM, corrugated plastics and metal without the need for a primer coat. WJ inks, renowned for their flexibility and wide colour gamut, are the other option and resist cracking, peeling and flaking when media is bent or stressed during finishing. The inkset can be standard CMYK or with added Lc, Lm and white ink can also be added.
High-end point-of-purchase and retail display producers are the target market with the W3200UV. The 1,000dpi apparent resolution is suited to near-photographic work while delivering speed with quality for distance-viewed jobs.
The W3200UV does not pretend to be a low-budget jobbing hybrid flatbed – it is intended for serious volume users whose customers demand the highest quality, with speed on demand. The build is to a very high engineering standard, using linear drive motors instead of belts, solid chassis and the roll-to-roll option becomes an integrated part of the build and control software once fitted.
The Screen 3200 UV is available through Graphic Art Mart and Fuji Xerox Australia.
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.
Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter