By Melissa Donovan
The June issue of Digital Output discussed the various benefits of owning a dedicated flatbed or a hybrid device. Depending on the print service provider’s current needs and expectations for the future, either configuration could be a fit for a shop. Here, we provide some of the newest and/or most popular models available, categorized by whether they are hybrid—a roll device with an optional table, or dedicated—equipped with a true flatbed.
Hybrid
Agfa Graphics debuted the newest addition to its Anapurna portfolio in the Fall of 2014. The Anapurna M2500i is a 98-inch wide, six-color plus white UV inkjet hybrid printing system with an automated board feeder option. A re-engineered belt drive and shuttle beam provides highly accurate dot positioning for ideal image quality.
Durst Image Technology US LLC introduced the 98-inch Rho P10 250HS in 2014. It combines speed and quality, printing over 4,000 square feet per hour with a resolution of up to 1,000 dpi. The printer features LED pin curing in combination with conventional UV drying. It prints both rigid and roll media equally fast, with quick change outs between media.
EFI debuted the VUTEk H2000 Pro at SGIA in Fall 2014. The hybrid device handles flexible and rigid media up to 80 inches wide and up to two inches thick. Optional white ink and clear varnish in single or dual channel configurations is available.
Hewlett-Packard (HP) announced two new hybrid printers at the ISA Sign Expo in April 2015. The HP Scitex FB550 and FB750 Industrial Presses are designed for ease of use. Improved image quality and productivity of the 64- and 98.4-inch devices, respectively, are just some of the newest features.
Mutoh America, Inc.’s ValueJet 1626UH offers 64-inch print widths with UV LED ink. A CMYK plus white and varnish capability is available for users creating applications benefiting from these features. The printer is capable of outputting on media up to a half-an-inch thick,
Novus Imaging, Inc. promotes the Synergia H/UV as a hybrid printer. It features white ink and spot ink channels, in addition to up to ten independent color channels. Automatic printhead alignment, automatic carriage lift, and advanced vacuum table design assist in handling both roll and rigid materials.
Roland DGA Corporation introduced the VersaUV LEJ-640 in 2011. The 64-inch printer prints to thick media, including corrugated cardboard, foamboard, and coroplast, in addition to roll-fed substrates. It is equipped with a built-in sensor to ensure proper printhead positioning. The VersaUV LEJ-640’s safe, low-heat UV LED lamps are energy efficient and require no warm-up time.
Dedicated
Agfa released the newest iteration of its Jeti Titan HS and FTR in Las Vegas, NV in April 2015 at the ISA Sign Expo. The dedicated flatbeds are now offered with varnish, which is compatible with most standard UV printing media and cures to a perfect sheen in either gloss or semi-gloss effect.
Canon Solutions America debuted the Océ Arizona 6100 series printers in May 2014. The newest members—the Océ Arizona 6160 XTS and Océ Arizona 6170 XTS—are built for high-volume production and feature an 8×10-foot vacuum table with two independent printing zones.
Fujifilm North America Corporation distributes the Inca Onset line of dedicated flatbed printers. Early 2015 it debuted the Inca Onset R40-LT. The printer can start as a manual 123.6×63-inch full-width array flatbed printer in a choice of four, five, or six colors and is capable of 265 square meter per hour print speeds on substrates up to two inches thick—the equivalent of 40 full-beds sheets per hour.
GED Integrated Solutions, which has an agreement with INX International Ink Co., developed TwIndex, an industrial inkjet printer that can be scaled to the application at hand. It is designed as a modular concept that allows it to expand as the user’s needs grow.
HP also introduced two dedicated flatbeds at the ISA trade show, the HP Scitex 15500 Corrugated Press and HP Scitex 11000 Industrial Press. Both are 63-inch width devices.
InkTec America Corp. distributes the Jetrix KX5, KX6, and KX7 flatbeds, which are equipped for a roll option. The media on the flatbed is stationary, reducing the required working footprint, making them ideal for small businesses with limited floor space.
Mimaki USA, Inc. offers its JFX200-2513 as its newest dedicated flatbed. It can print on up to 4×8-foot boards and utilizes a LED-UV curing unit to cure ink on media that is generally susceptible to warping or disfiguration. The printer outputs onto media up to 1.97 inches in thickness.
Roland introduced the VersaUV LEJ-640FT true flatbed in 2014. It outputs to a range of substrates, including materials up to six inches thick and weighing as much as 220 pounds. An all-steel frame reduces vibration while supporting heavy materials. A 64×98-inch bed handles 4×8-foot sheets, adjustable pinpoint guides ensure precise registration for two-sided signs, and a zoned vacuum bed keeps media flat.
Screen USA offers the Truepress Jet W3200 Series of dedicated flatbed printers, which is also available with a roll option. The Truepress Jet W3200UV accepts rigid board or paper sheets up to 62.9×125.9 inches or multiple smaller sheets at once and up to 1.9 inches thick.
Stratojet USA’s Shark FB 1212 is its dedicated flatbed printer, sized at 4×4 feet. It offers increased quality and productivity with 1,200 dpi grayscale output and feature-rich design. Pin registration allows users to quickly load rigid media by aligning it with retractable pins.
Xanté Corporation’s Excelagraphix 4200 is targeted toward full-color package printing. Using a 1,600 dpi printhead bar system allows for high-resolution detail printing on uncoated and porous fluted materials. It features a small footprint of 82x49x82 inches with the ability to output graphics at 12 inches per second.
These are just some of the vendors in the space offering flatbed printers. Be sure to visit the Target Chart section of our website and click through to view a chart that lists various hybrid and dedicated flatbed devices.
Jun2015, Digital Output Flatbed2015
