The roll media option can be added to any Arizona 250GT printer, including units already installed, giving customers the ability to duplicate the Arizona's high quality print across both platforms.
Surfaces now available to the Océ Arizona 250 GT, with the roll media option installed, will include self-adhesive vinyl, scrim banner, paper and film with no loss of quality or productivity.
Adrian Morris, product manager, Imaging Supplies & Display Graphics for Océ Australia, says the roll media option will be available for installation late in the second quarter of 2008 and welcomed by the wide format trade.
He says, "There has been a strong demand from customers for Arizona quality on flexible media. This is particularly desirable where users need to produce both rigid media, such as board, along with flexible media as part of the same campaign and must match colours and quality exactly.
"Additionally some of our customers have only occasional use for roll media and are reluctant to install a second machine purely to handle flexible product. This option now eliminates the requirement to do so whilst occupying very little extra floor-space.
"The roll media option is also expected to make the Océ Arizona 250GT a highly competitive unit when customers are bidding on print jobs across both types of substrates as they will be able to print everything on the one printer.
Potential users who would like to see it can view the roll media option at the Gold Coast Visual Impact Image Expo on April 18 and 19 next year.
Unlike most systems, the rigid and the roll printing areas do not interfere with each other. The two printing surfaces can be used sequentially: while one is printing, the other can handled without disrupting the printing process.
Once a rigid print is finished, the print head assembly is positioned over the roll media option and begins printing on flexible media. Meanwhile, the rigid material is swapped out and a new board is placed on the vacuum table and prepared for printing. Once the flexible media printing is completed, the print head assembly moves back to the table to resume printing on the rigid media. The roll media can then be unloaded without disturbing the rigid printing function.
As an added benefit of this architectural approach, the patent-pending system used to move the gantry assembly over rigid media can also be used to make micro-corrections in position when printing on flexible media. This enables the printer to actively correct for any media advance errors encountered as the flexible media is advanced through the printing path.
This technology results in the highest quality roll media printing yet seen in a UV curable inkjet system. The roll media option is a touch-free system – at no point does any part of the printer or the transport contact the printing surface of the media. Unlike roll-based systems that use pinch rollers, this feature enables customers to print on media sensitive to mechanical marking without marring the printing surface.
The roll media option can support roll-based stock from 900mm to 2200mm wide. Print width is maximum 2190mm. A cutting guide slot is included to enable the user to cut media in a perfectly straight manner while viewing the finished print.
A wind/rewind foot panel to control roll-to-roll movement is included. This feature is used to advance and rewind media during loading and unloading, and also enables the operator to view any part of the roll before cutting and dismounting.
For existing Océ Arizona 250 GT customers, the field-upgrade to install the Roll Media Option can be accomplished in less than a day.
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