By Cassandra Balentine
Wide format roll to roll (R2R) printers are utilized to produce floor graphics. Several considerations are important to consider here, from ink type to speeds and printheads and carriage mechanisms.
In terms of inks, Roy Ritchie, president, DreamScape, feels that each ink set found in the wide format R2R print space has strengths. “Latex and UV are great options. They cure fast, bond well to textured surfaces. Solvent and eco-solvent provide strong color but need time to fully cure.”
Depending on the imaging system, speed can affect ink cure so Ritchie stresses the importance of confirming proper ink bond. “Adjust the temperature or UV cure energy, pass count, and vacuum to ensure optimal print quality, media flatness during printing, and final ink cure.”
Print Considerations
When printing to a new medium—including floor graphic media that tends to be thicker due to texture for slip resistance—it is important to calibrate the printer’s physical settings including printhead height, bi-directional alignment, and step advance, says Ritchie.
Angel Georgiou, senior product marketing specialist, large format, Canon U.S.A., Inc., agrees, suggesting ensuring your material is properly calibrated and that the printer bed and printhead have been recently maintained to facilitate the media running smoothly through the printer.
Ritchie suggests that if the printer uses heat, adjust the vacuum together with heat to make certain the material will lay flat at the required printing temperatures and pass count for proper ink bond.
For all printers, ensure the vacuum doesn’t restrict media advancing during feeding. “Confirm that self-adhesive media will not delaminate or tunnel at printing temperatures—adjust as necessary,” recommends Ritchie.
Printers for Floor Graphics
The various elements necessary for a successful floor graphic is discussed in the September issue of Digital Output magazine. Below highlights solutions from those print vendors that responded to this article.
At Canon, Georgiou says the Colorado is the easiest choice for floor graphics. “It supports a wide variety of materials for many different applications.”
She says the speed and print mode for the Canon Colorado are well suited for floor graphics. “The inks have a very low profile—almost none—so printing on smooth self-adhesive vinyl products is effective and relatively fast.”
The Fluid Color Z126R UV LED printer is the company’s flagship solution for floor graphic production. It features a 126-inch print width, Kyocera industrial printheads, and UV LED curing technology, making it capable of printing on virtually any floor graphic media—vinyl, PET, and textured films. It offers resolutions of up to 1,200 dpi and variable drop sizes for precise imaging, even on uneven or structured surfaces.
The Mutoh America, Inc’s XpertJet 1641SR Pro is a 64-inch eco-solvent single head, four-color (CMYK) printer, which delivers superior print quality and outstanding speeds at an affordable price. This printer features Mutoh’s new AccuFine printhead, which achieves best-in-class dot placement accuracy and an increased nozzle row length for 35 percent faster print speeds. Mutoh’s GREENGUARD Gold certified MS41 eco-solvent ink is suitable for use in sensitive environments such as hospitals and childcare facilities, all while providing users with a larger color gamut, outstanding durability, and improved dot gain.
Sep2025, Digital Output
