Xaar will not show its page-wide array ink-jet print head at Ipex although it claims the product is on schedule.

Earlier this year it said it planned to show the technology at Ipex (PrintWeek, 9 February).

At the show it will focus on new members of its XJ126 and XJ500 ranges.

It will show alongside its OEMs greyscale versions of its products that can produce variable droplet sizes per pixel, which gives higher image quality and wider colour gamut.

"The greyscale is significant for a move to ink-jet printing of primary product packaging," said marketing director Ian Macgregor.

Xaar will announce further developments with its partners about UV-curing inks and launch its XJ126 for water-based inks.

Although page-wide array will not be shown at Ipex, Xaar claimed that research and development had been completed and it was in the process of commercialisation. It is in discussions with partners about alpha testing.

Manufacturing issues have been resolved with a 100-fold improvement in nozzle manufacturing quality. In the lab, prototypes have run continuously for five-and-a-half hours.

Xaar is talking to existing licensees about the page-wide array as well as its partner in the project, Agfa. One target market with other partners is packaging.

The firm has also picked up an accolade in The Wall Street Journal European technology innovation awards 2001. Its piezo ink-jet technology was runner-up in the base technologies category.

Story by Barney Cox