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Delivering quality, durability and speed
Designed for photography, fine art and proofing professionals, Epson’s 64in Stylus Pro 11880 is the world’s first large format printer to feature the company’s latest micro piezo TFP printhead technology and UltraChrome K3 ink with vivid magenta. Read on to discover more
Epson’s Stylus Pro 11880 is the company’s first 64in large format printer. It features Micro Piezo Thin Film Piezo (TFP) printhead technology and is optimised for pigment ink. The eight-colour inkset features a new formulation of UltraChrome K3 with vivid magenta, widening the colour gamut. The machine incorporates nine 700ml high capacity individual ink cartridges, with automatic switching between photo and matte black inks. Each cartridge has an ink status LED. A new gigabit Ethernet interface allows fast data transfer, coupled with an on-board data processing module. Epson Super Halftone technology, a new screening algorithm, is designed to improve image tone and definition.
The new micro piezo TFP printhead is engineered for professional print requirements where quality, durability and speed count. Nozzle density has increased from 180 to 360dpi for each colour, the world's highest for an inkjet printhead using piezoelectric technology. Epson has doubled the number of nozzles on the printhead, while maintaining the same size of ink droplet and accelerated print speeds. Despite the microscopic size of its elements, this next-generation head retains the advantages of the current printhead, including variable-sized droplet technology. Meniscus control helps produce perfectly spherical dots and manages the degree of droplet impact. It also improves jetting speed, further enhancing print speed.
UltraChrome K3, with vivid magenta, expands the colour gamut and is claimed as a breakthrough in pigment chemistry. The full inkset includes nine ink cartridges: photo black, matte black, light black, light light black, cyan, light cyan, yellow, vivid magenta and vivid light magenta. The two magenta inks use new high-density pigments designed to create more vibrant colour, especially blues and magenta, for example those found in seascapes or landscapes. Both photo black and matte black cartridges are installed at the same time: no need to exchange. The most suitable black ink is automatically chosen depending on media type.
Smooth tonal gradation
Stated features of the UltraChrome K3 ink with vivid magenta include: superb grey balance; precise colour without cast; colour accuracy of neutral and dark colours; excellent short-term colour stability; and smooth tonal gradation from shadow to light. The company states metamerism is virtually eliminated.
The Stylus Pro 11880 is compatible with Epson media up to 1.5mm thick, including glossy paper, matte paper, matte board, fine art paper and plain paper. It features an automatic take-up reel to support heavy-duty production for improved usability. It will also support flexible paper handling for cut sheet printing from A3 to 64in. The optional paper basket stores prints cleanly and securely.
Epson is also launching MyEpsonprinter.eu, a new online portal that allows Stylus Pro owners to retrieve up-to-the-minute technical information and monitor the performance of each printer. The secure website lets users view print job activity, hardware information and historical data, and tracks key performance indicators such as cost of ownership and cost per print. MyEpsonprinter.eu can also be accessed remotely by service contractors to identify the cause and scope of any queries, saving time and unnecessary call-out fees.
Business Manager Pro Graphics, Epson UK, Martin Johns, said: “Epson’s leading research and development into pigment chemistry has long set its professional printers apart, and along with its high-quality output, Epson has become widely known as the choice of professionals. The launch of our new 64in printer means that as well as going larger with Epson, quality and productivity is also further enhanced for truly vibrant, first-class output.”
Priced at £9,995 and available in September, the Stylus Pro 11880 offers border-free roll printing from 10 to 64in wide, can record information about paper with media bar code tracking and identification system, and features a 2.5in back lit LCD control panel.
Vivid magenta technology
In other news, Epson has launched three new large format, eight-colour professional production printers. They are the 17in (A2+) Epson Stylus Pro 4880, 24in (A1+) Stylus Pro 7880 and 44in (B0+) Stylus Pro 9880. Each features Epson UltraChrome K3 ink with vivid magenta technology.
Glossy paper, matte paper, matte board, fine art paper and plain paper are all supported. The Stylus Pro 4880, 7880 and Stylus Pro 9880 include a roll holder and cut sheet support as standard. The Stylus Pro 4880 also features a paper cassette feed mechanism for high-volume production on cut sheet paper from A4 (Letter) to 17in (A2+) wide. Also, a new enhanced cutting sequence helps deliver faster, more productive printing workflow.
Also included is Epson’s Super Halftone technology, a new image processing engine for dot mapping. It enhances image detail that may be lost in low resolution images. A new mapping algorithm reduces graininess at both low and high resolution. The end result delivers smooth images with more accurate colour representation.
Martin Johns added: “The Stylus Pro series incorporates Epson’s latest print production technologies, delivering output that surpasses any other large format inkjet printers on the market. These latest innovations are the result of significant research and development to refine and advance the print production process to provide professionals with the highest quality prints. Epson has established a strong reputation for providing superior products that professionals can rely on to continually perform. This is why we remain the choice of professionals in the proofing, fine art, photography and graphic design markets.”
Finally, Epson has announced three new four-colour large format printers with UltraChrome ink technology: the 17in (A2+) Stylus Pro 4450, 24in (A1+) Stylus Pro 7450 and 44in (B0+) Stylus Pro 9450. Designed to offer reliable, in-house, high production capacity, the machines suit proofing, PoS, CAD, GIS and corporate markets.
For PoS displays, posters, exhibition graphics and signage, the range is designed to ensure quick turnaround, vibrant and accurate output and ease of use. For CAD and GIS applications the printers offer speed, reliability, colour consistency and high-colour quality. Precise lines and crisp characters suit design, architectural and engineering applications.
High-capacity ink cartridges
Epson’s Intellidge cartridge system monitors and displays ink levels, so users know how much ink remains before starting a print run. The Stylus Pro 7450 and Stylus Pro 9450 feature dual CMYK high-capacity ink cartridges, providing up to 440ml per colour.
The Stylus Pro 4450, 7450 and 9450 are also available with photo black ink, designed to be used for printing high density black on film substrate, when coupled with supported RIP software, making this the ideal solution for applications such as in-house pre-press separation production.
Martin Johns, concluded: “The new range of Epson large format printers are designed as professional in-house printing solutions and offer flexibility, consistency, quality, and high productivity. With Epson’s leading micro piezo technology and renowned UltraChrome Ink Technology, they will provide everything a professional in the PoS, CAD or GIS market needs to produce vibrant colourful prints, quickly and easily.”
