The high-end Kudu printer has occupied centre stage at the swissQprint stand at FESPA Global Print Expo, Munich this week.
Kudu is the only swissQprint printer featuring ten colour channels and up to 30 print heads. Its ink configuration options are a touch more varied relative to the other swissQprint models, which with their nine colour channels are very versatile already.
Pozitive managing director Philip Trumble told Sprinter that visitors to the stand have been impressed by Kudu’s print quality, as well as its productivity – up to 304 m²/h, and that for both flatbed and optional roll to roll printing (3.2 m).
“Kudu is the latest machine from swissQprint – it builds on the platform of the Nyala. It has the same kind of printheads but it is a much more robust machine – it has a lot more printheads and a lot more speed. The Nyala has two rows of printheads and nine channels, and the Kudu has three rows of printheads and 10 channels. So there’s a maximum of 30 printheads on the Kudu and a maximum of 18 printheads on the Nyala,” he explained, pointing out that the machine runs six colours (including orange and light black) plus white, plus varnish and plus two neon colours.
“On our booth, we are displaying the theme ‘join the neon revolution’ showing visitors what happens to the neon inks when they hit a black light, how they really glow.”
Trumble said the ability to print on the neon inks is a standout of the Kudu – it allows people to have a swissQprint machine that can really do something more than what is already in the market.
“The whole idea is to differentiate yourself and not just be able to put ink on sheets at really fast speeds. There are lots of machines that can do that. But it’s all about printing quality at good production speeds, and then doing more than just the general four colour printing,” he said.
“The Kudu was initially shown at FESPA last year as a pre-release. Now it’s a fully released product and it’s in production and there are 30 plus machines already out in the field, although none have been purchased in Australia yet.
“We have found that quite a few of our customers who have bought the Kudu are already swissQprint customers and are adding the machine to the fold.”
Trumble said the price of the Kudu is dependent on what is needed.
“It is very configurable. Someone can start with a really basic machine, for example, and slowly work their way up. The Kudu starts with a minimum of three printheads on each channel. So even if you just have a four column machine, it has already got 12 printheads in it,” he mentioned.
“You don’t have to purchase the machine with white, varnish or roll to roll options initially – you can add that later on. You buy what you need now and change up the configuration as your business needs grow.
“swissQprint has also announced that the 1,000th Nyala machine has been sold and is due to be finished and delivered in June. The Kudu is a very popular printer but won’t be taking over that market. However, it is a great machine for those looking for the next level of productivity.”
Trumble added that the flow of visitors to the swissQprint stand has been non-stop so far at Fespa.
“We’ve had three or four clients from Australia come through who are very keen on our machines. One client already owns two swissQprint machines and is seriously considering purchasing another one as the next step up,” he said.
“No matter what printer you purchase in the swissQprint range, you will get a very good print quality plus productivity. swissQprint is synonymous with print quality, reliability and versatility, but we also have great productivity.
“The company provides a range of machines for just about everybody – whether you’re a smaller size shop right up through to a big production house, the company offers machines to suit.”
Other offerings on the swissQprint stand include:
The generation 4 Oryx, Impala (2.5×2 m) and Nyala (3.2×2 m) flatbed printers, which are well-known for their high output quality, efficiency and huge versatility.
swissQprint’s fourth-generation models use the latest print heads with a maximum resolution of 1350dpi. The printers’ modular design – including a roll-to-roll option – along with special inks such as neon, white and varnish, all working in concert to enable the wide range of applications.
Fespa visitors can enter a special room to experience the neon inks’ powerful impact – they fluoresce under black light.
The Karibu dedicated roll-to-roll printer (3.4 m wide) is also into its second generation featuring the latest print head technology.
What makes this printer interesting for users keen to differentiate themselves from the mainstream market are its special capabilities, for example neon, varnish, white and relief printing. Then there are unique efficiency-oriented features: the cassette system for quick loading of rolls, Tip Switch Vacuum for fine-tuned vacuum control, and multilayer mode for registration accuracy while overprinting various layers.
The swissQprint Greentech, which encapsulates the company’s concept for bringing a maximum of environmental compatibility to economical UV printing technology. It begins with production – based 100 per cent in Switzerland – and continues through certified inks and energy efficiency and extends to low maintenance and above-average service life.
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