As predicted in my crystal ball gazing feature at the start of 2011, as far as the wide-format sector is concerned we have seen enhancements to existing printer platforms, along with improvements to inks and drying; but there have been no real show-stopping introductions.
This is, in truth, a very healthy state of affairs. That existing engines have been extended to cover different market segments should be regarded as a positive, with most manufacturers introducing new additions and the first to admit that they are using their established technologies to eke out revisions for future equipment.
There has been a definite move to bring inkjet technology to the desktop and we’ve also seen new machines, such as Roland DG’s BN-20, join the entry-level ranks to entice new members into the inkjet production community. The drive to bring digital capabilities to the offset litho market continues and those already ensconced in this industry sector are adding to or replacing their existing capacity with a view to adding niche and specialist areas to their existing service portfolios.
None of these criteria need a brand new type of technology, though, and it’s testimony to the steady development of inkjet that it has now become an established process. The gaps in capabilities are now closing, and we’re seeing better colour management and more sophisticated preflighting and workflows along with additional options, such as VDP, become more commonplace.
The Fespa Digital show in May highlighted precisely where wide-format printer development stands after the first half of 2011. Although large machines were in abundance, the real interest lay in the developments surrounding printhead technologies and where they can be used. Understandably, the interest in adjacent areas, such as glass, ceramics and textiles sits neatly in a position to cover both commercial and domestic environments; the talk about home and office décor can involve myriad printed end products of all sizes, from wall coverings down to coasters. Thus, this confirms that the future of digital production caters for far more than merely offering users the machinery to print the traditional raft of posters, banners and large scale graphics.
Nonetheless, one of the areas where we’re seeing enhancements is in the 5m superwide-format sector with existing manufacturers making sure that their machines are able to work with up to three rolls simultaneously. Quality has also been upped in these engines, so that output should be good enough for close as well as distance viewing and, in the case of EFI it’s added a white ink option to its GS5000r. This currently is the only UV-curable printer of its size to be covered by the 3M MCS (Matched Component System) warranty when co-branded inks are used with 3M’s flexible media.
For Fujifilm a flatbed option has been added to its Uvistar, manufactured by Matan, so that rigids up to 25mm thick can be printed, too. This 5m machine uses Sericol’s Uvijet QK inks that claim to incorporate special dispersion technology to maximise pigment loading. What this presumably means is that there is improved colour stability and opacity, balanced by increased ink coverage in order to maintain quality yet reduce costs.
At the top end there have been changes to existing families of machines but, again, these reflect refinements rather than anything new the way of incumbent technologies. For example, Inca has added to its Onset family with the S40 which sits between the top end machine in this series and the S20. The addition has new generation user replaceable printheads, and the option of four- or six-colours.
This production sector has also seen another arrival from Durst in the form of its Rho 1000L, designed to handle continuous media thanks to its precision transport mechanism which is happy to work with boards, sheets and roll-fed materials. Durst is well up to speed in the variable data printing stakes, too, and this new platform supports the latest PDF/VT option.
All the talk about increasing automation has seen machines like the HP Scitex FB7500 become popular for companies who need to reap the benefits of merely leaving the printer to get on with job. Sales of this unit have been high, with companies ordering additional units to take on extra workloads.
Conversely, although Agfa Graphics is continuing apace with its combination screen and digital M-Press Tiger, with businesses ordering second machines to boost their throughput, the company has also devised the M-Press Leopard. This inkjet unit sits at the high end but is very much operator-driven so that one-offs, very short runs and precision recto/verso functionality can be handled efficiently.
It is the mid-range where the greatest numbers of refinements have come through in the last six months. HP announced significant upgrades to its Scitex LX latex options with the introduction of the LX850 and lower priced LX820 machines. Both broaden production options, with the first offering dual-roll functionality, and HP emphasises its ability to handle porous materials thanks to its ink collection trough. The LX820 offers a straightforward roll-fed configuration, and this duo can be used with the company’s new LX610 inks. Another option is to install HP 3M LX600 products for 3M’s MCS Warranty system, with the company’s Panagraphics III flexible material now added to HP’s list of approved media.
Significant changes to EFI’s portfolio are also showing moves to enhance existing options and increase the company’s desire to get people moving from solvent-based to UV-curable production. In the 3.2m market, the company has announced three new offerings so far this year, as well as the Vutek TX3250r, targeting the digital textile market. The other two technologies concern UV-curable inks and concentrate more on the applications’ requirements of end users rather than merely being a bombardment of upgrades.
EFI’s new Vutek GS3250r roll-fed platform might look the same as others sporting the company’s black and red livery but, under the bonnet, lies a different beast which is geared towards low cost of ownership and a maximum 1000dpi resolution. Likewise, the Vutek GS3250LX hybrid unit is a new addition to the company’s product lines as it incorporates LED curing technology to give users greater versatility with difficult materials, as well as the consistent long life generated from these lamps. The third new announcement targets the entry-level market, and EFI has woven its technologies into a surprisingly low cost model under the Rastek banner. Designated the R3204, this is a roll-to-roll UV-curable machine, at 3.2m wide, and priced at less than £100,000.
With UV-curable technology now so dominant across all production sectors and budgets, one wonders whether there is ever going to be sufficient demand to keep all these machines in the market. Agfa’s extended and vastly improved Jeti range of wide-format printers now complements its lower end Anapurna products to cover all bases. Companies like Océ with its Arizona units have found a secure arena amongst those wanting a true flat-bed, mirrored by Fujifilm who sells the same range under the Acuity badge, with both using Sericol inks. The improvements we’re seeing here in the main are in dot placement and the suitability for close viewing as well as for outdoor applications.
Although the markets for solvent-based products can no longer strictly be viewed as ripe for development in technology terms, they are certainly thriving in the hands of those manufacturers who know how to bring out the best in them. So it’s not surprising to see the likes of Roland, Mimaki, Mutoh and Seiko I Infotech carrying on down this well established path to bring users low cost, yet productive options which don’t produce nasty odours or other horrors. Away from the market sector where print service providers need straightforward roll-fed technologies to produce indoor and outdoor jobs, the shift to UV-curable ink formulations has more or less taken over.
Another area where there haven’t been that many changes this year thus far is in textile printing, still vaunted as being the next growth area in digital production but remaining one which, in this country, has yet to take off big time. The dichotomy between industrial and display applications using fabrics continues, and perhaps greater understanding about handling and finishing needs to be taken on board before more users will make their way across to this technology.
In terms of entry-level machines, current offerings are really much as expected with the low cost of mild solvent machines still catering for many display producers, and UV-curable printers continuing to make inroads into the production shops of first-time users or those who want a back-up machine to handle short-runs and one-offs without interrupting their main throughput capacity.
Looking at the price points for joining the UV-curable brigade, these are very much geared to the fact that you get what you pay for. Durst’s recently introduced Omega 1 won’t reduce your cholesterol level but should provide a workhorse 1.6m unit even though the price might be higher than expected for an entry-level system. Agfa’s Anapurna family sits nicely in this space, with a good, solid range of products, whilst HP is also targeting these users with its FB systems and EFI’s Rastek units continue to gain momentum.
The companies which have co-existed in the wide-format, and related, sectors continue to draw on their experiences to produce machines that bring quality and reliability to their customer bases. Yes, there are new entrants trying to find their way into this market space, but for any fledgling company launching a costly printer into an already crowded arena, the exercise surely has to be folly. Today there are plenty of established companies who through can more than adequately service the needs of every print service provider.