Award for Virtu RR50
The 5m Virtu RR50 roll-to-roll printer from Swiss wide-format digital inkjet manufacturer Polytype (formerly WP Digital) has been selected by the International Forum's (iF) Product Design Awards 2011 as a winner in the Industry and Skilled Trades category. Assessed rigorously against criteria incorporating design quality, workmanship, eco-friendliness, safety and brand value, this accolade provides international, interdisciplinary recognition of the Virtu brand and Polytype's contribution to innovation in printing technology development.
The iF Product Design Award was inaugurated in 1956 to honour exceptional achievement in design, and received 2,756 entries this year in fields which include architecture, household or professional equipment, lighting and AV. The jury comprised 25 experts from various technology disciplines, led by Fritz Frenkler, professor of industrial design at the Technical University of Munich.
The award adds to the accolades already granted to the Virtu RR50, which last year won the European Digital Press Association award as the best superwide-format printer. The UV-curable engine outputs at an addressable resolution of 1,200dpi across a spectrum of flexible materials, including textiles, and is available in four- or six-colour configurations plus white for over- and under-printing. Innovations proprietary to the Virtu range comprise its linear drive motor, which improves stability and image quality, and operational considerations such as assisted loading and its compact, robust architecture.
"Polytype entered the iF Product Design Awards after encouragement to seek further endorsement for the Virtu wide-format printer range from the technology community at large, and we are thrilled to have received it," said Sylvia Muhr, European sales director for Polytype.
Capable of achieving speeds up to 320m2/hour, the Polytype Virtu RR50 adds other productivity features to a machine's armoury, such as the ability to print three 1.2m rolls simultaneously, heavy-weight reel handling and longitudinal and cross-cutting facilities.