The Leeds-based printer, which mainly produces wall graphics, bought the flatbed for approximately £240,000, according to its director Chris Stringwell.
Purchased at the beginning of March, the flatbed will slowly begin to replace all of the work of Digital Plus’ current Canon Océ Arizona 250 GT flatbed, which will be put into “semi-retirement”.
Stringwell said: “We are currently running two Arizonas, a 250 GT and a 480 XT. The 250 GT is coming to the end of its life so we were looking to replace that. Originally we looked at the smaller Mira bed and then in the end we plumped for the larger bed, mainly for the output difference really."
“One of the biggest costs we have is labour so larger jobs would normally take a longer time but with the Mira now we are literally down to four or five minutes a panel as opposed to 20 minutes a panel."
The Mira joins the Anapurna M3200i and a Zünd digital cutter, which Stringwell said the company may need to now replace in order to cope with the increased printing speeds on jobs from the Mira.
Like the Anapurna, the Mira is fully roll-to-roll. It prints at speeds of up to 227sqm/hr and has a bed size of 3.2x2.7m. It prints in CMYK plus white. Along with all of Digital Plus' machines, it is fitted with UV.
Image resolution is 1,000x1,200dpi and its ‘Print & Prepare’ mode enables one side of the table to be loaded while the other is still printing.
Stringwell said the company has particularly been taking advantage of the primer option for difficult substrates. He said: “The primer we are using regularly, printing onto different substrates. We find that it helps with adhering ink to most substrates, including glass, acrylics and styrenes. We have got quite a big contract on with styrenes at the moment and can now print that direct as opposed to printing on a film.”
Digital Plus is also currently in the middle of a contract to apply a wall graphic to a shopping centre in Bradford. It mainly provides wall graphics in the education, beauty and fashion markets. Next month, it will provide print works for the Gift of Life project, working in various hospitals around Leeds.
It employs 22 staff in its 3,200sqm premises.
