CG

CAD, CAM, CAE & GIS

TECHNEWS

CG (Computer Graphics) is proudly produced & published
by Technews
www.technews.co.za
Issue Date: June 2004

Increased productivity in the printing of outdoor-durable graphics

1 June 2004

Océ SA is pleased to introduce the Océ Arizona 600, a mid-sized (1,9 metre wide), industrial-grade, high volume production inkjet printer designed to produce bold, high-quality graphics for outdoor applications. The Océ Arizona 600 joins the company's popular Arizona family of out-door-durable printers, which includes the Océ Arizona 90, Océ Arizona 180 and Océ Arizona 500 roll-based printers, and the Océ Arizona T220 flatbed printer.
It delivers print resolutions of up to 1200 apparent dpi using Océ ColorBlend six-colour printing technology. This quality is ideally suited to producing high-impact vehicle graphics on adhesive-backed vinyl materials, as well as eye-catching, oversized banners. Production print speeds are up to 20 m2 per hour for most media types and ink coverage.
The Océ Arizona 600 uses solvent-based high-durability inks manufactured specifically for the Océ Arizona 600 by 3M Commercial Graphics. When matched with select media, these inks will produce long-lasting graphics for outdoor applications. The output is well suited for both outdoor and indoor applications where image quality with outstanding highlights and production speeds and volumes are required. In addition, the ability to print on both sides of the same media enables print providers to offer premium-priced, double-sided banners while reducing media and finishing costs.
The Océ Arizona 600 includes a number of technology features and automated systems that increase productivity and make it easier for operators of varying skill levels to produce outstanding prints.
Stepper motors automatically adjust the media feed between passes to accommodate any variation in the media due to tension or manufacturing anomalies. Océ AccuTrax technology ensures precisely aligned tiled prints and registered double-sided prints up to 6 m in length.
In an attempt to achieve denser saturation limits for backlit films, many print providers will print two sets of film and manually align them. Océ AccuTrax technology eliminates this labour-intensive step by enabling users to overprint the same image in precisely the same location on a single piece of film. The result is a brilliant backlit graphic and no worries about image alignment, with the added bonus of reduced materials and labour costs.
The media feed and take-up path in the Océ Arizona 600 enables easy and efficient manual re-feeding for double-sided printing on select media eliminating the time-consuming and labour-intensive task of stitching two panels together. Since only one sheet of substrate is used, materials costs are reduced by at least half.
Based on the media profiles, the autogap control adjusts the print gap (the space between the print heads and the substrate) to optimise dot placement, delivering the best possible image quality.
The substrate length monitor automatically calculates the amount of media left on a roll and will not start a job if there is insufficient substrate available. This ensures that a print job is not ruined, or that time is not unnecessarily lost due to the printer running out of media before a job is completed.
A dual infrared (IR) drying system enables the Océ Arizona 600 to run at higher speeds while still drying multiple types of media, even with heavy ink coverage. The drying temperature is controlled to ensure it does not negatively affect the adhesive on pressure-sensitive vinyl films.
The Océ Arizona 600 uses an intermediate ink reservoir system fed by 3,8-litre bulk ink bottles. The bottles can be replaced on-the-fly without stopping the printer.
A Print & Go Module adds an alternative media exit path, also known as 'roll-to-sheet', enabling immediate access to printed graphics without stopping the printer to unload the take-up roll. Prints are immediately available without stopping the printer to unload the imaged media. For shops with heavy volumes of one-off jobs, this translates not only to time savings but also to cost savings as well.
The optional Vacuum Backup System is recommended for areas where 24-hour power is not guaranteed. This system is designed to minimise print head clogging due to power loss by maintaining the vacuum system once the print head carriage is parked in the capping station. Upon loss of power, the Vacuum Backup System will automatically switch on and maintain the vacuum system for up to 48 hours on a fully charged battery.
For more information contact Luis Roldan, Océ SA, 011 661 9555.


Others who read this also read these articles

Search Site





Subscribe

Previous Issues