What does it do?
It’s a 3.2m wide grand-format roll-fed inkjet printer using LED cured inks, with a £59,995 price that’s half that of other 3.2m machines. The idea is that it will attract purchasers who previously have outsourced to trade services with much costlier devices.
It can deliver instant-dry full-colour prints onto a wide range of substrates, including textile, banner and other display graphics substrates. It’s available with either four or seven colours (CMYK plus light cyan, light magenta and white).
Mimaki’s own Raster Link RIP package is supplied as standard. “The UJV55 is a simple to use turnkey solution in spite of its size and capabilities,” says Stuart Cole, national sales manager, industrial at Hybrid Services, Mimaki’s UK and Ireland distributor.
When was it launched and what market is it aimed at?
The launch was at Fespa Digital in Amsterdam in March, followed a month later into the UK and Ireland.
According to Cole the UJV55-320 is aimed at the display market for applications such as POS, exhibition graphics, backlit and frontlit banners. “Thanks to its highly competitive price, it enables graphics companies that may have traditionally outsourced this work to invest and bring it in-house,” he says.
How does it work?
The printer uses Mimaki’s latest LUS-120 flexible LED UV ink set, which is claimed to deliver a vibrant and long lasting print. The ink is supplied in one-litre bottles which can be used to refill the three-litre tanks on the fly.
Optical detectors check for blocked nozzles and the printer can automatically compensate during a job until the opportunity arises to clean the heads.
An unusual feature is the ‘proofing lightbox’, a full-width illuminated panel positioned behind the media as it emerges from the UV-shielding covers. This allows the operator to check backlit output by simulating an installed environment. This helps to ensure that density and quality are correct so the job can be halted if not, so saving time and material.
Capable of taking 100kg rolls of media, the UJV55-320 has powered media feed and take-up. It can also run two narrower width rolls side-by-side, allowing two jobs to be run concurrently, of different widths if needed.
Mimaki has long experience with producing LED UV printers. LED lamps run cool compared with conventional UV lamps or solvent ink heaters, allowing thinner, more heat-sensitive media to be run. Thinner media costs less to buy and transport. LEDs also consume considerably less power than conventional UV lamps or solvent driers.
“Running costs and environmental impact are greatly reduced when compared to traditional metal-halide UV printers. Productivity and creativity are increased and overall ease of ownership is substantially improved,” Cole says.
How does it differ from previous models?
This printer is entirely new, though it builds on Mimaki’s experience with UV-LED inkjets.
How productive is it?
Maximum speed is quoted as 110m2/hr with CMYK only at draft quality on banner material, though as ever with scanning head inkjets, this means compromising on quality. Cole says that the majority of commercial work is likely to be at around 50-60m2/hr, which is still good for the price. The seven-colour configuration (including white-only print) runs about half the CMYK speed for all quality modes.
The option to print onto two wide format rolls of media is included as standard, as is a fully comprehensive gold warranty.
What support is on offer?
Support is provided by Hybrid and ranges from a pre-delivery site survey through installation and initial product tuition to support and customer care packages for the lifespan of the printer.
How much does it cost?
The Mimaki UJV55-320 costs £59,995.
What is the sales target and how many are installed currently?
Cole says: “Initial response to the machine has been huge; with demand outstripping supply for the first few months. 50 orders were placed during its launch at Fespa alone.” Deliveries are currently on the way from Japan, but the only two to reach the UK so far are in the showrooms of Hybrid and the dealer CMYUK.
SPECIFICATIONS
Max print width 3.2m
Printhead Piezo (four heads in two staggered arrays)
Drop size min: 7pl; max: 36pl
Resolutions 300, 600, 900, 1,200dpi
Speed Typically 30-60m2/hr (CMYK, on banner), or 15-30m2/hr (seven-colour or white on banner). Vinyl speeds are a third slower
Inks Mimaki LUS-120, four-colour or seven-colour
Footprint 5.4x1m
Price £59,995, including RIP, inks and warranty
Contact Hybrid Services 01270 501900 www.hybridservices.co.uk
ALTERNATIVES
Agfa Anapurna RTR3200i LED
Announced at Drupa, this is based on the earlier mercury lamp model, M3200i RTR, with new LED lamps and tweaked multi-pass options. It’s a roll-to-roll printer with a choice of four colours plus white or six colours. An optional dual-roll kit supports two rolls up to 1,524mm each. It costs twice the Mimaki model, but Agfa says it’s faster in production modes and has a heavier-duty build intended for industrial use 24/7.
Max print width 3,200mm
Printheads six piezo
Ink drop size 12pl
Maximum resolution 1,440dpi
Speed Up to 127m2/hr, typical production mode 37-65m²/hr
Inks Anapurna 1500 RTR LED-curable six colours (CMYK, light cyan, light magenta)
Footprint 6x2m
Price £147,000 (four colours plus white)
Contact Agfa UK 020 8231 4983 www.agfagraphics.com
Fujifilm Acuity LED 3200R
Announced at Drupa, this is Fujifilm’s version of the Mimaki UJV55-320. Apart from the paint job the specifications and capabilities are almost identical. However, it runs Fujifilm’s own Uvijet inks (made in the UK) and offers a clear gloss ink as well as white in the eight-channel set. Multi-layer printing is possible.
Please refer to the Mimaki specifications box
Price £70,000 including installation, RIP and starter kit
Contact Fujifilm 01234 572000 www.fujifilm.eu/uk
InkTec Jetrix RX3200
The first roll-to-roll printer from InkTec, which formerly concentrated on big flatbeds. It’s heavy duty, fast and versatile, with an optional mesh kit. It uses mercury lamps rather than LED. With 16 heads it has a fast Production mode speed of 222m2/hr.
Max print width 3,200mm
Speed Up to 222m2/hr
Printheads Piezo 16 piezo
Ink drop size 14pl
Resolution Up to 1,440x846dpi.
Inks InkTec piezo CMYK or CMYK plus light cyan, light magenta, light yellow and light black
Resolution From 254x720dpi to 362x1440dpi
Price From £145,000 (four colours) or £150,000 (eight colours)
Contact InkTec Europe 01993 862 770 www.inktec-europe.com
