Hardware - Wide Format Print

Inca Digital has increased the output of its wide format Inca Onset S20 flatbed printer to 310 sqm/hr. The Onset S20 has undergone two speed upgrades since its launch last year to give an overall 24 per cent performance boost: new automation introduced in June gave the first improvement, while the new print mode announced today adds a further 15 percent.

While this new faster print mode may not be suitable for the most demanding images, tests have shown that it will be suitable for a variety of everyday files. The printer’s new high-speed mode enables users to print high-volume graphics at 310 sqm/hr, equivalent to 62 full beds per hour. This mode has been introduced in response to users’ requirements for even higher levels of ultra-fast display graphics production.

The high-volume Onset S20, sold exclusively by Fujifilm, prints a variety of finishes on a wide range of materials up to 3.14m x 1.6m and 50mm thick. The Onset S20 has been designed to provide the highest level of flexibility and can be operated in a variety of quality and productivity modes from 600-1000dpi and from 150–310 sqm/hr. The faster print mode will be issued to all existing Onset S20 customers as a free upgrade and is included as standard in all new Onset S20 printers.

“Versatility is embedded deep into the Onset S20’s DNA and its design allows us to react quickly to market needs and enhance some features,” explains Dr Linda Bell, CEO, Inca Digital. “This printer delivers exceptional results at speed in its standard production modes, but not all jobs require these levels of quality. Our customers are handling a lot of poster type work that the Onset S20 can now produce, still at good levels of quality, but at even higher speed levels. Our customers are eager to exploit all the capabilities of the Onset S20. They have asked us for this new mode and the design of the printer allows us to quickly respond to them”.

The Inca Onset S20, also available with automation, prints with the six-colour (CMYKLcLm) Fujifilm Uvijet Enhance ink set producing quality and variable finish effects (matt, satin, high gloss) for a range of applications including display POS, exhibition graphics, backlit/frontlit displays and outdoor signage.

Roland DGA Corp. has earned the 2010 Label Industry Global Award for New Innovation.  The award was given this week at Label Expo Americas in Chicago and reflects the innovative technology behind Roland's VersaUV wide-format UV-LED inkjet printer/cutter line.  The recognition builds on a growing list of accolades for VersaUV, including past DPI and EDP awards.

"We are honoured by this recognition and proud to provide label and packaging professionals with the most innovative inkjet printer in the industry," said Rick Scrimger, vice president/general manager for Roland DGA Corp.  "VersaUV's ability to print on virtually any substrate, including clear media using White ink, simulate spot varnish, embossing and other textured effects, as well as cut complex shapes without setting up a die, makes it the ideal printer for short-run labels and packaging prototypes."

Offered in 54" and 30" models, VersaUV transforms the production process for labeling and packaging businesses, going beyond traditional CMYK and White inks to produce layers of Clear Coat as well for striking textures and effects.  Low-heat LED lamps are compatible with substrates ranging from synthetic paper, polyester film and paper to vinyl, banner media, PET, leather, plastic, polycarbonates and paper boards.  The LEC is designed for ease of use and efficiency, is Energy Star certified and features an advanced ink circulation system to minimise time and costs.  In addition to contour cutting, VersaUV perforates and creases graphics for a complete production solution all in one device.  VersaWorks RIP software is included and features the Roland Texture Library with more than 70 textures that can be applied easily to graphics.

New printer features advanced Epson Advanced-TFP technology

Epson launches the Stylus Pro 4900 – a 17-inch production printer setting new standards in colour precision for the proofing market. Delivering the best print quality for pre-press, packaging and design, the printer boasts outstanding colour consistency and accurate colour matching, and can reproduce 98 percent of all PANTONE®1 colours. Its high level of automation and robust mechanism make the Epson Stylus Pro 4900 a highly productive workhorse for any proofing environment.

Creating consistent, accurate proofs is easy with the Epson Stylus Pro 4900, thanks to one of the widest colour gamuts on the market. Epson’s 11-colour UltraChrome HDR inks and Advanced-TFP print head give a professional finish every time, and are identical to the inks and technologies used in Epson’s larger format production printers up to 44 inches.

Automating the production of remote proofs doesn’t mean a compromise in quality with the Epson Stylus Pro 4900’s automatic colour certification and calibration. The optional in-line SpectroProofer ensures consistent, repeatable colour accuracy when using different media, rapidly measuring  control strips and colour charts when creating ICC profiles and print verification results.

The Epson Stylus Pro 4900 represents a big boost in productivity, with a production speed of 46m2/hour and minimal maintenance requirements. Its high capacity front-loading cassette makes inserting paper easy, and automated paper changing means no time is wasted switching between cut sheet and roll paper. The printer also switches automatically between photo and matte black inks, with both installed to avoid stopping the print run. All inks come in high capacity cartridges for less frequent changes and better value.

Martin Johns, market development manager for large format printers at Epson UK , says: “Offering outstanding flexibility to the proofing industry, the Epson Stylus Pro 4900 is compatible with a wide range of roll and cut sheet media up to 1.5mm thick, including a wide range of proofing media, presentation matte board, 330gsm Traditional Photo media, canvas and fine art paper. Users can select a paper path that best fits their needs from a choice of cassette, top and front manual board feed or roll.”

Qualified by ENERGY STAR, the Epson Stylus Pro 4900’s energy efficiency enables proofers to save money, be more environmentally considerate and keep power consumption down.

The Epson Stylus Pro 4900 is priced at £2295 and will be available from November 2010.

Key Features Summary

• 11-colour UltraChrome HDR ink set
• 98% PANTONE coverage
• Reliable Advanced-TFP print head
• Print speed of 46m² per hour
• High capacity front-loading cassette
• 200ml high capacity cartridges
• Optional inline SpectroProofer
• Automatic switching between cut sheet and roll paper
• Automatic switching between photo and matte black inks, which are pre-installed
• ENERGY STAR qualified
• Choice of paper paths - cassette, top and front manual board feed or roll
• Print on media up to 1.5mm thick

Epson today launches two large format printers which offer an ideal combination of accurate colour reproduction with unbeatable productivity. The 24-inch Epson Stylus Pro 7890 and the 44-inch Epson Stylus Pro 9890 have been designed to help the proofing and display graphics markets create accurate prints at high speed.

Using Epson ’s 8-colour UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta inkset in combination with the TFP print head for enhanced dot quality and crisp, clear images, means both printers produce top-quality results. They achieve one of the highest colour gamuts on the market with consistently smooth gradations, ideal for the perfect reproduction of challenging skin tones and detailed textures. Three densities of black, comprising a standard photo or matte black (selected automatically depending on the media) plus a light black and light light black, create a perfect tonal range.

This combination of black inks also means that prints are free from bronzing, with a uniform surface appearance without discernible difference between light and dark areas.  In addition metamerism is reduced, ensuring grey tones are consistent no matter what light source they are viewed under.

The optional in-line SpectroProofer ensures consistent, repeatable colour accuracy when using different media, rapidly measuring  control strips and colour charts when creating ICC profiles and print verification results.

Martin Johns, market development manager for large format printers at Epson UK , says: “Not only do the Epson Stylus Pro 7890 and Epson Stylus Pro 9890 offer first class colour reproduction but they also represent a big boost in productivity. They have a high production speed aided by Epson’s Automatic Droplet Detection System to identify blocked nozzles without intervention. Both devices carry photo and matte black inks simultaneously and the built-in rotary knife means prints are cut quickly and cleanly while the improved supply handling means paper rolls are changed effortlessly in seconds.

“These features offer significant benefits in terms of saved cost and time to our customers.”

The Epson Stylus Pro 7890 is priced at £2595 and the Epson Stylus Pro 9890 is priced at £5195.  Both models will be available to purchase from 1st January 2011 and are on display at Photokina in Cologne , Germany , from 21-26 September at Hall 2.2, Stand B13.

Key features summary:

• Wide colour gamut for smooth gradations
• 8-colour UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta ink set
• Optional inline SpectroProofer for consistent, repeatable colour accuracy
• TFP print head
• Print speed of up to 40m² per hour
• Automatic Ink Droplet Detection System instantly verifies and fixes blocked nozzles
• Photo and matte black inks are carried simultaneously and switched automatically
• Built-in rotary knife and improved supply handling
• 2.5-inch colour LCD screen
• Keep power consumption and energy bills down with ENERGY STAR qualified power efficiency

HP today unveiled new products and solutions, including the world's most collaborative printer,(1) enabling technical design teams to easily access, share and print large format project files online anytime, anywhere.

This new suite of products helps design professionals in the architecture, engineering and construction industries collaborate across multiple locations, streamline processes and reduce costs. It includes:

• The HP Designjet T2300 eMultifunction Printer (eMFP) - the industry's first web-ready large format printer with scan, print and copy functionality.(1) Designed to match today's collaborative and mobile work styles, the new system makes it easy to share and manage content with project members around the world.
• HP ePrint & Share - which allows design professionals to automatically create, print, share and manage project files online using desktop or mobile devices.(2)
• The HP Designjet T7100 Printer - a high-speed monochrome and color printing system with breakthrough total cost of ownership compared to competing technologies.(3)

"Today's announcement is much more than a printer, it is a tool to transform the design process," said Christopher Morgan, senior vice president, Graphics Solutions Business, Imaging and Printing Group, HP. "With the HP ePrint platform extended to the technical market, design professionals now can focus on building and executing their ideas, rather than on managing cumbersome design and print processes."

HP Designjet T2300 eMFP offers web-ready solution for designers

Created for medium and large architecture, engineering and construction firms and enterprise businesses, the HP Designjet T2300 eMFP allows design professionals to easily scan and upload documents to the web and to print drawings wherever needed(1) - from project team meetings at the main office to reviews with clients and even at the construction site. With two online media rolls and simultaneous copy and scan functions, the HP Designjet T2300 eMFP is designed to improve productivity at each of these locations by accommodating multiple projects at the same time.

In conjunction with the HP Designjet T2300 eMFP, the new HP ePrint & Share platform simplifies the printing process for technical drawings. Available through HP ePrintCenter, an online hub for all HP customers to create a custom printing experience, HP ePrint & Share allows architects to easily locate and access their plans, adjust page layouts, preview print pages and create print-ready files from a single screen. Users also can upload files with a single click while printing is in process to quickly and easily share designs with remote project teams.(2)

"For us, technology is not only a tool to materialise ideas, but an important partner in a creative process that demands a high degree of mobility," said Matias del Campo, principal, SPAN Architecture & Design. "We are based in Vienna, but our projects are distributed around the world, from construction sites to teaching studios to conferences. The HP Designjet T2300 eMFP and HP ePrint & Share make it possible to print and preview files from anywhere(2) and provide us with an interface between our digitally heavy design techniques, the networking and distribution of information and the physical world."

The HP Designjet T2300 PostScript eMFP includes several industry firsts:

• The first colour touchscreen interface on a large format printer for simple one-click scanning, copying and printing operation
• The first true large format multifunction device priced below $8,500, opening the door to in-house large format printing for more customers(4)
• The first driverless printing for direct printing from a notebook PC or USB drive to eliminate print driver and network constraints

HP and Autodesk are working together to provide solutions that help design professionals streamline the architectural process and build cycle. The new HP ePrint and Share plug-in for AutoCAD allows customers to simplify their printing directly from AutoCAD. Additionally, a license of AutoCAD Raster Design included with the purchase of the HP Designjet T2300 eMFP enables the full scanning of sketches, printed plans or blueprints, which can then be digitised and vectorised for further design.

"By scanning original plans that we use as a basis for design, we save about 50 percent of the time it would take to create a new plan," said Russ Phillips, principal architect at Insight Architects and an HP Designjet T2300 eMFP beta customer. "With the new HP Designjet eMFP, we scan to JPEG or PDF and use the image as a background. A plan that would have taken eight hours to develop now takes only four hours."

HP Designjet T7100 Printer offers high productivity with significant cost reduction

The HP Designjet T7100 Printer is designed for central reprographic departments in enterprises and reproduction houses. It streamlines print production for customers needing to print in colour - from simple CAD drawings to high-quality presentations. With a competitively low total cost of ownership, the printer provides an alternative to devices that print only in monochrome and light-emitting diode (LED) technologies, which can be expensive to maintain.

The HP Designjet T7100 Printer features a modular design that allows customers to easily upgrade the device as technology progresses and that helps the printer integrate seamlessly into existing IT infrastructures. The printer eases and accelerates print production for customers by offering: speeds of up to 165 A1 prints per hour, unattended printing with the capacity to manage up to three media rolls and the HP Smart Roll Loading System.

The HP Instant Printing Pro accessory provides driverless printing, so customers can preview, edit and print files without opening applications or adjusting driver settings.

Pricing and availability

Model Pricing (5) Availability

HP Designjet T2300 eMFP €9,200 Nov. 1

HP Designjet T2300 PostScript eMFP €11,000 Nov. 1

HP ePrint & Share No additional cost Nov. 1

HP Designjet T7100 €12,690 Dec. 1

Full web connectivity for the HP Designjet T2300 PostScript eMFP is planned for spring 2011.

More information about the latest additions to the HP Designjet portfolio is available at www.hp.com/go/collaborate. Videos and insights from beta customers using the HP Designjet T2300 PostScript eMFP and HP ePrint & Share are also available on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HPdesigners.

(1) Internet connection is needed.

(2) Upgradeable functionality will be available in 2011. May require an Internet connection to the printer.  Feature works with any Internet- and email- capable device.  For details, www.hp.com/go.eprintcenter.

(3) The HP Designjet T7100 Printer offers up to 66 percent lower total cost of ownership over three years against competitive colour devices and up to 50 percent against competitive monochrome solutions, based on HP internal testing.

(4) Estimated U.S. manufacturer suggested retail price. Actual price may vary.

(5) Estimated EMEA list prices. Actual prices may vary.