The new 1002 GS6 has the same dimensions as its predecessor, to enable all users to easily upgrade, and has retained the 1001’s nozzle guards, SAS mountings and plastic side covers.
Aside from that, director of marketing Mark Alexander said the printhead was an entirely new product that marked a “radical change” from its last iteration, the 1001 GS12, which was launched in 2012.
The 1002 GS6 features 1000 'Optimised Geometry' nozzles that improve print uniformity as a result of improved drop volume uniformity and drop placement accuracy.
“Based on the production results that we have, the 1002 shows a 50% reduction in the average drop diameter range with a significantly flatter profile,” said Alexander.
“The results are smoother print tones and solid colours across each printhead and from printhead to printhead. The overall consistency and uniformity of drop size, drop volume and drop placement are extremely good, which is important in ceramic tile decoration and critical in UV label and packaging,” he added.
The 1002 model can print heavily pigmented high-opacity white inks and high-viscosity varnishes, enabled by Xaar’s TF Technology ink recirculation system. External differences include a more robust connector that is impossible to misalign, making it simpler to fit even where access is limited in large array equipment.
Additionally, new seals provide greater protection against ink ingress as well as a new brushed aluminium finished top-cover.
The 1002 heads were shipped for trials at end of 2013 with full-scale manufacture beginning in February. They are now being delivered “in quantity” to key ceramics, labels and packaging OEM partners, who are gearing up their new product launches, according to Alexander.
He said the 1002 had enabled users to achieve faster printhead set-up and balancing, easier printhead stitching and simpler printhead integration into long print bars.
Pricing of the heads is confidential but is similar to the 1001 with a small upgrade to cover the cost of intelligence and extra features incorporated in the new head, Alexander said.
“This redefines the standard in single-pass inkjet printing for ceramics, labels, packaging and various other applications for delivering exceptional print quality combined with measurable productivity gains.”
He said that competitors had produced similar versions of recirculation technology but none had achieved the same volume of recirculation and therefore reliability as Xaar.
"We have developed and delivered the next generation winning print head. None of our competitors have achieved the same level of recirculation necessary to be as effective as the Xaar solution. The 1002 is the the new standard for the industrial inkjet printing and manufacturing markets."
