The machine, which has a list price of £12,999, has a production quality print speed of 22sqm/hr in 540x360dpi four-colour print mode (triple-pass) and a maximum speed of 32.6sqm/hr (dual-pass).
In eight-colour print mode, printing CMYK plus light cyan, light magenta, orange and violet, the production quality print speed falls to 10.7sqm/hr (six-pass) and the maximum print speed drops to 16sqm/hr (four-pass).
A newly designed media feed adjuster at the front and rear provides even tensioning and prevents media skewing. The printer also features a gold-plated, anti-static printhead capable of printing seven different droplet sizes for the smooth gradient and dense colour required by fabric printing.
“One of the Texart RT-640’s major innovations is our new ink. Previously, colours sublimated to fabrics could look distorted with dull blacks, missing greys and fuzzy details,” said Roland DG UK product manager Mark Elvidge.
“The RT-640’s variable droplet technology, in combination with new Roland Texart dye-sublimation ink, displays bold, vibrant colours and rich velvety blacks, as well as subtle gradations and fine details.
“Adding orange and violet inks increases the colour gamut and allows for exceptional reds, oranges, deep blues and purples, while light cyan and light magenta provide subtle gradations and beautiful skin tones.”
The RT-640 features a bulk ink system that uses one-litre airtight-sealed pouches. Roland’s included Ink Switching System will enable users to load new pouches without needing to stop the printer. In CMYK mode this system provides two litres per colour and automatically switches to the other ink pouch when the first pouch runs out.
Media loading levers at both the front and rear of the printer make it easier to load heavy media rolls and Roland’s new Printer Assist cloud-based software enables users to manage production, test-printing and cleaning functions directly from a tablet device.
“We built this machine to answer user demand for a high production sublimation printer that’s affordable, reliable, efficient to run and easy to operate. The RT-640 delivers on all of these fronts,” said Elvidge.
Meanwhile, the firm has officially opened its new head office and Creative Centre in Clevedon, Somerset in a ceremony officiated by the firm’s global president Masahiro Tomioka.
Roland DG UK managing director Jerry Davies said: “We’ve had a very successful few years of growth here in the UK. This state-of-the-art facility gives us everything we need to ensure we can continue to grow and serve all of our customers in a manner they deserve and are accustomed to.”
The Creative Centre has been designed to showcase profitable business opportunities possible with Roland machines for sign makers, print and 3D professionals and others from across the visual communications industry.
The new head office houses the RolandCare team and the Roland Academy training facility, which offers a programme of practical technical courses throughout the year.
