How two true print pioneers, Fujifilm and Inca Digital, together made UV inkjet print production a reality, and why the latest incarnations of this proven technology represent the benchmark by which others are judged.
when the humble inkjet printer was introduced in the late 1980s as a more flexible replacement for the outmoded daisywheel, dot-matrix and line printers of the day, it's hard to imagine that anyone foresaw just how far derivatives of the technologies within these office printers would develop.
In speed, size, resolution, colour capability, range of substrates and image quality, UV inkjet technology now dominates the wide-format POS, signage and graphics production sector.
By providing flexibility, productivity and quality that only a few years ago would have been unthinkable, the current crop of UV flatbed inkjet printers has enabled the low volume wide-format print sector to flourish. And, as the demand for fast turnaround highly customised POS, signage and graphics grows, the economics of the latest flatbed inkjet technologies have blown the market wide open.
The UV factor
A key factor in this market growth has been the ability to print with UV-cured inks on wide-format devices capable of handling rigid substrates, combining the benefits of UV inks with the flexibility and image quality of digital print. With an extensive pedigree in ink manufacturing for conventional screenprinting, the chemists at Sericol (now Fujifilm Speciality Ink Systems) were very familiar with the benefits of UV-cured inks in terms of compatibility with a wide range of substrates, wide colour gamut, rapid curing and durability for outdoor applications. But reformulating these for use with inkjet printheads presented a number of challenges.
"UV wasn't new and neither was inkjet," says Dr Carole Noutary, technical manager, imaging, at Fujifilm Speciality Ink Systems, "but desktop inkjet printer heads weren't compatible with UV inks, as they were originally designed to use water-based inks. They were also slow, so we turned to the new and more robust industrial-strength printheads that were compatible with a wider range of chemicals. We opted for ‘drop on demand' piezo-electric printhead technology” explains Noutary "as this technology can be used with all kinds of inks. We worked closely with Inca Digital Printers, (now part of the Dainippon Screen Group) and printhead manufacturers in a three-way partnership to test the properties and behaviour of the inks, and our high performance Uvijet ink range, the first on the market, was born."
A new market
The joint efforts paid off with the Fujifilm/Inca partnership creating the first practical, working UV-capable flatbed inkjet printer on the market. And, marrying the well-known benefits of UV with flatbed inkjet printing technology opened up a whole new market sector. Since then, the UV inkjet business has continued to boom. Inca has introduced larger and faster machines, available in the UK exclusively through Fujifilm, bringing ever more productivity and flexibility to the production of wide-format print.
These developments culminated in the launch of the Inca Onset S70 into the marketplace four years ago as a high end inkjet printer: a move which changed the dynamics of wide-format print production, with production speeds up to 750 m²/hr. Over the last four years, this machine alone has been responsible for producing huge volumes of print, and has undoubtedly been a key factor in the explosion of wide-format digital print. Since this date, however, Inca Digital has worked hard to make this technology accessible to a much larger range of printers, subsequently launching the Onset S20 and now the new Onset S40, with this series now representing the ultimate in wide-format print production.
Within the Onset range, there are now 18 different configurations available, offering a choice of productivity levels and ink options. This enables companies to pick the right model, at the best price, performance and return on investment (ROI) for their business. The features now include unbeatable print quality, wide colour gamut, satin and controllable gloss levels, variable job management and various levels of automation.
The new Onset S40, in particular, produces superb POS-quality display graphics economically at throughput speeds of up to 470 m²/hr, equivalent to 94 full bed sheets/hr (3.14 x 1.6m) and onto substrates up to 50mm (2in) thick. A choice of uni-directional, bi-directional and high quality print modes can be selected depending upon specific job requirements. As a result, the versatile Onset S40 is ideal for the production of single and double-sided display POS, exhibition graphics, backlit/frontlit displays, outdoor signage printing and cosmetic/fashion graphics etc.
The Onset Challenge
To coincide with the launch of the Onset S40, Fujifilm has developed a new website to help printers understand the technology and work out how it can help their businesses. Using this new site, www.onsetchallenge.com, wide-format printers can follow an easy, five step challenge which demonstrates the economics of making such an investment, and then helps them build an Onset configuration tailored to their specific needs.
“We are asking any printer out there who either already produces wide-format print or is thinking of entering the market, to visit the Onset Challenge site and see for themselves just how quickly an investment in Onset could pay off,” comments Tudor Morgan, group marketing manager, graphics - wide-format, Fujifilm Europe. “Not only is Onset a reliable, solid platform that produces fantastic quality output, but with the complete family to choose from, there is an option for every printer.”
The Onset range, therefore, represents the realisation of over ten years of development of UV inkjet technology, providing a proven, high quality, highly productive and configurable platform for the manufacture of nearly any type of wide-format print. Take the challenge and see for yourself how you can benefit.
www.onsetchallenge.com