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Don't fall flat
As one of the fastest growing areas of the digital print industry, the flatbed market has seen some excellent machines emerge over recent years which have more than met requirements for dependability. However, with an influx of new machines and upgrades to existing favourites, these are exciting times. Here we look at today's market and some developments we can expect over coming months.
Inca Digital was the first company to design and manufacture a moving table flatbed printer for the printing industry back in 2001, with the Eagle 44. Since then the company has proved itself as an innovator and leader in the inkjet field producing another eleven machine models to date.
The machines remain as innovative as the day they were launched and the company's exclusive distribution agreement with Fujifilm Sericol has played a big part in their success story.
Fujifilm Sericol's group marketing manager, Tudor Morgan, said: "Sericol's original objective was to support its customers through digitisation, with the aim of providing printers with digital equipment which satisfies the quality/cost balance of screen. Several years on, and we are about to see the acceptance of flatbed technology as a clear cost effective alternative, which truly satisfies the demands of screen printing, particularly rigid material decoration.
"The Inca Onset S70 has set the benchmark for high productivity flatbed printing, and remains the most productive display POP printer in the world. The smaller Onset S20 was shown at Fespa Digital with Uvijet Ultratone colours and print finishes from satin to gloss. At the right price point it has proven to be the printer of choice with huge interest from the market.
"Printers continually seek increased productivity, reduced costs and greater flexibility with their printing processes and the Onset S20 is the ideal solution for those who want all of the great features and possibilities the Onset S70 has brought to the industry, but don't need the capacity to print 6,000m2 plus every day. With the introduction of the S20, graphic printers can invest in a machine that not only fits individual printing needs, but can't fail to increase profits, and consequently change their business model forever.
"Printers are also looking at the possibilities and prospective business opportunities in the market. The Onset devices deliver on quality, speed, cost and business economics presenting a new, very profitable, business solution. At Fujifilm Sericol we are calling it the ‘Onset Effect' and so far, approximately one million m2/month of high impact print is produced on Onsets.
"Sericol has previously introduced platforms which surpassed the expectations of image quality, printing direct onto rigid substrates. When the Fujifilm Acuity was introduced it was the first platform to use a greyscale dot for near-photographic quality printing. The Acuity Advance came with improvements in production speed and we will soon see machines that overcome the current boundaries of speed versus quality with improved photographic quality at higher speeds.
"History tells us that in difficult times, producers look at new technology available to either invest to bring business home which is outsourced, or to be more effective when business levels increase. As digital flatbed is a potentially very versatile process, we can expect to see it delivering the flexibility that the market requires in the coming months."
Low cost operation
If we are looking at flexibility, we can't fail to mention Mimaki. With a product portfolio boasting a wide range of printing technologies, Mimaki has much to shout about. The addition of its latest range topper in the UV curing field, the new Mimaki JFX-1631 is marking the company out as a real innovator.
Featuring a low power, long lasting and low heat emitting LED UV curing system, the JFX ticks all the right environmental boxes. Saving two-thirds the energy of alternative machines, LED technology offers many other advantages, not least a massive reduction in running costs. Drawing less power is an obvious saving, but with LED's lifetime around five times longer than regular metal halide bulbs, it's a big saving in consumable items too. With typically reduced ink usage compared to solvent machines, Mimaki's UV offerings run at lower costs and, for jobs requiring lamination, total turnaround time is a fraction of that required for solvent prints, as no gassing off is required.
One inherent feature of LED technology is zero warm up time, allowing rapid printing: switching on and off as required. While this further reduces the printer's energy consumption, it also extends the LEDs' life to around 5,000 hours.
With the LED UV curing system reducing heat, the JFX can print on a broader range of heat-sensitive media, including foam board, PVC and styrene panels that can to bow under heat.
With a 1.6 by 3.1m bed, the JFX-1631 falls into the high end, grand format category and, with its ability to print to substrates up to 50mm thick, offers a wide array of creative possibilities.
This new machine confirms the company's commitment to innovation, and meets the industry's needs environmentally and through performance and print quality.
Cutting edge innovation
Since joining the market in 2004, Gandinnovations has become a force to be reckoned with. Creation of its 1224 NanoJet2 Flatbed confirms its commitment to innovation, bringing with it a balance of speed and quality.
The NanoJet2 uses 20 fourth-generation Ricoh grayscale piezoelectric print heads said to produce the highest resolution images available on any flatbed printer. These print heads are designed to produce photo realistic images at speeds required to maintain any size production.
Gandinnovations' range of grand-format printers is designed to meet the industry's needs, including true 600dpi, UV flatbed and roll-to-roll printers, three and five-meter solvent printers, solvent printers using 24 or 48 Spectra print heads and many more technological advantages.
Put simply, this is the type of innovation that we can expect to provide that illusive competitive edge.
Providing competitive edge
Everyone is looking for a competitive edge during these difficult economic times and one answer is Durst's Rho 700. Introduced last year, it represents a new generation of modular, upgradeable flatbed printers designed to offer high productivity and fine image quality.
The company states performance and reliability result from Durst's precision production, while print quality and speed are achieved thanks to the company's Quadro Array inkjet technology.
The Rho's modular build concept is said to be unique in its class, with no other UV flatbed printer as adaptable to individual needs. Many of the optional features can be used to upgrade machines in the field.
Durst has always been a high profile player and the flexible nature of the Rho 700, combined with its reliability and productivity, offers printers a machine that will benefit their business during these harshly competitive times.
And finally
Although some sceptics said the concept of digital flatbed printing would never catch on, it quite clearly has and in the last eight years we have seen a considerable number of new products, each boasting key features to make your job easier.
Digital flatbeds have also opened opportunities and, despite the fact that times are tough, it is clear this area of the market is going strong and bringing you the ability to make the most of what digital has to offer.
