The two printers comprising the SG series were launched last Thursday (1 September) and are priced at £6,999 for the 300 and £9,499 for the 540. They join other printers in the TrueVis range, launched in March 2016, including the VG-540 and VG-640.
Roland sales manager Rob Goleniowski said: “Effectively what we have done is incorporated our knowledge of print-and-cut machines with the latest technology. It has already been seen on the VG series, the bigger brother of this SG version, so smaller application customers with smaller space availability can now have the same quality of component and graphics starting at a price point of around £7,000.”
The printers had been in production for approximately two years and were in beta-phase since the VG Series was launched.
Other than their difference in width, Goleniowski said the two printers are effectively the same. The 300 prints generic vinyl at speeds of up to 7.5sqm/h and the 540 prints at 9.4sqm/h, both at full 600dpi.
The 300 takes widths of media between 180 to 760mm wide and the 540 takes 210mm to 1.4m wide.
Like the VG-series machines, the CMYK SGs use Roland's FlexFire printheads and Roland VersaWorks dual RIP software.
Goleniowski said: “There is an important synergy between the printhead, the ink and RIP software that is driving the printer. That’s where Roland has the advantage, we are in control of all three elements."
The TrueVis range of inks has Green Guard certification and Goleniowski described it as “about as eco-solvent as an ink can get”.
“It is absolutely stunning off the printer, the control over the printheads and the ability to get the ink droplets in the right places means you get amazing quality graphics, pastels and skintones as well,” he added.
Roland recently announced it will be exhibiting at the PrintWeekLive! show in March 2017 and Goleniowski said there is a “good possibility” that the SG series will be shown.
Roland also announced a trade-in deal for its VG-540 and 640 models at the start of September. Customers can trade in any Roland wide-format printer and pay £3,000 for one of these new models. The offer closes at the end of October.
