By Olivia Cahoon
Part 2 of 2
White ink is used in a variety of digitally printed applications including clear acrylic, backlit signage, menus, and promotional materials. To prevent ink from clogging printers are equipped with recirculation features as well as other solutions.
Printers and Their White Ink
Released in September 2016, Agfa Graphic’s Anapurna H3200i LED hybrid printer, which is part of the Anapurna series, prints up to four print layers in one pass. It handles media up to 10.5 feet wide at a maximum of 1,388 square feet per hour (sf/h). The Anapurna H3200i LED includes four zone focused vacuum systems, digitally adjustable vacuum intensity, and an automated substrate thickness measurement system.
The press is compatible with Anapurna 1500 Series Inks, including white. The white ink is managed by a fully separate system—circulation, under-pressure regulation, and cleaning circuit. The tank containing the white ink is equipped with a stirring mechanism to keep the ink mixed properly at all times.
Canon Solution America’s Océ Arizona series of UV flatbed printers are equipped with white ink. In particular, the Océ Arizona 6170 XTS prints up to 1,668 sf/h and offers a maximum print width of 121.7 inches. It is compatible with the IJC262 ink set designed for the Océ Arizona 6100 Series. Color options include CMYK, light cyan, light magenta, and white.
The white ink implementation in Océ Arizona Series printers enable users to specify how white ink is applied—below printed first, above printed last, or in-between colors. Users can also decide to use white as a spot color or as a flood layer.
The CET Color Q5 Series of printers includes three flatbed and three hybrid printers equipped with the latest Ricoh printhead technology. All are compatible with CET Color’s Safari ink set, which includes white. The press’ ink wells hold three liters of ink. An ink agitator keeps the ink stirring in the white ink well.
Announced in 2018, the Durst Image Technology US LLC P5 Series features ink circulation to the printhead’s nozzle level to minimize operating concerns with white ink. Durst recently incorporated the Hapt Print option, which allows the use of white ink below color ink to create three-dimensional layered effects.
Launched in October 2017, the EFI Pro 24f prints up to 1,157 sf/h with a 52-inch print width maximum. It features dual-channel white standard, an EFI Fiery proServer Core digital front end, and cool cure LED imaging that allows for a range of compatible substrates. Other wide format printers in EFI’s portfolio also include white ink printing features.
Fujifilm North America Corporation’s Acuity Advance Select series of printers use white ink to produce images on transparent or colored materials. It allows printing color-white-color layers in one pass for two-sided images on transparent materials. The printer’s double strike white capability allows for extra high opacity and ultra-smooth white.
In 2018, HP Inc. released its HP Latex R2000 Plus Printer, which includes white ink. It’s designed to merge HP’s flexible printing capabilities into rigid printing. The white latex ink delivers glossy, high-quality true white that doesn’t yellow overtime. The HP Latex R Series recirculates white ink—both within the ink delivery system and at the printhead—to avoid settling. It also includes a storage system with automatic agitation to minimize waste.
The Mimaki USA, Inc. UCJV300-160, which is part of its UCJV series, prints up to 227 sf/h with a maximum print width of 63.8 inches. It’s compatible with Mimaki’s LUS170 ink set featuring white ink. Mimaki’s white ink compatible printers feature Mimaki Circulation Technology that keeps pigment and carrier fluid in motion to reduce settling.
The Mutoh America, Inc. ValueJet UV series of printers are all offered with white ink. This increased application options and product options including printing to material like plexi, cardboard, glass, and black foamboard.
Released in 2014, the Ricoh USA Pro L4130/L4160 latex printers run with Ricoh AR Latex inks including white. With maximum print width configurations of 54 and 64 inches, both printers reach speeds of 195 sf/h. Every 30 minutes the units run printhead cleaning and cycle white ink through the circulation line, preventing settling or separating, and reducing waste.
Roland DGA Corporation’s ECO-UV inks including white, gloss, and CMYK are designed for use with Roland’s VersaUV series UV LED printers including the VersaUV LEF-200. With a 63-inch print width, the VersaUV LEF-200 is designed for customizing pre-manufactured items, promotional goods, fine art, and signs. All of Roland’s printers that use white ink feature Roland’s patented, fully-automated Ink Circulation system, which optimizes image quality and prevents clogging.
swissQprint SQS inks are designed for swissQprint’s Nyala, Impala, and Oryx first and second generation flatbed UV printers. The ink includes light colors for recreating natural skin tones and fine shading, as well as white, special effects lacquer, and primer for glass. SQS inks bond on acrylic, aluminum composite panels, wood, polyester, vinyl films, and flexible foam panels.
White Ink
Device-specific configurations allow print shops to use white ink that doesn’t clog printheads and cleans ink channels. A variety of white ink compatible devices and ink sets are available and designed to meet print providers’ needs for high-quality applications.
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Jul2018, Digital Output
DO1807WI
