3.2 m-wide Direct Sublimation Inkjet Printer
One-Stop Solution
Nagano, Japan (September 12, 2016)
Mimaki Engineering Co. Ltd. (President and Representative Director: Kazuaki Ikeda), a leading global manufacturer of wide format inkjet printers and cutting plotters, announced that it will launch the new 3.2 m-wide direct sublimation inkjet printer model Tx500P-3200DS in January 2017. This model includes a heater for color fixation to enable two processes in a single printer.
Soft signage is beginning to draw attention based on its environmental friendliness and economy. Soft signage products emit no volatile organic compounds after printing and contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions during transport because they are lightweight and foldable. In particular, soft signage is becoming popular for interior decorations or illuminated displays in exhibition halls, shopping malls, and or airports. Further, the demand for the wide-format digital on-demand inkjet printers is increasing in order to quickly deliver large-sized signage.
At the same time, textile industry printing systems have been changing from conventional analog printing setups to plateless digital printing in order to meet the market demand for high-mix, low-volume print production capabilities and quick delivery. Accordingly, production settings have been moving from remote regions to urban areas closer to consumers. Moreover, the creation of one-of-a-kind items via the Internet is becoming increasingly popular among consumers. This market trend is spreading to the home décor market, which requires printing on extra wide fabrics to provide draperies, linens, and upholsteries.
Tx500P-320DS considerably reduces production time through the simultaneous processing of two operations, printing and color fixation, and can meet various needs from samples to large-lot production within quick delivery times. The printer features 12 printheads arranged in three staggered lines to achieve a maximum printing speed of 130 m2/h (*1). To deliver high-quality print results, a pulling roller and Auto Media Feeder (AMF) maintain secure textile transportation even at this maximum printing speed.
The 3.2-m-wide direct sublimation Tx500P-3200DS inkjet printer is suitable for printing on wide fabrics used for creating soft signage or on home furnishing products, and its unique simultaneous printing and color fixation capability, expands business opportunities.
*1: 130 m2/h (4-color, high-speed mode, 540×360dpi Bi, Hi, 3Pass)
Product outline
- Printing and color fixation combined in a single printer unit
As the printer has a built-in color fixation device, Tx500P-3200DS enables printing and color fixation processes in a single printer unit. This feature considerably reduces production time and increases business opportunities. - The maximum printing speed (130 m2/h) achieves high productivity
The maximum printing speed is 130 m2/h*2 for 4-color printing and 105 m2/h*3 for 6-color printing.
The high-speed printing accelerates on-demand print production.
*2: 130 m2/h (4-color, high-speed mode, 540 × 360 dpi, Bi, Hi, 3 Pass)
*3: 105 m2/h (6-color, draft mode, 540 × 360 dpi, Bi, Hi, 4 Pass) - Mimaki’s superior print-image quality control technology achieves exceptional quality printing at high speeds on 3.2 m wide textile
- To deliver high-quality printing, a new AMF(*4) ensures stable textile feeding/take-up. Additionally, a pulling roller provides stable textile transportation by maintaining an appropriate pressure during printing onto rolled textiles with width of up to 3.2 m and weight up to 130 kg.
- Highly reliable inkjet technology optimizes the waveform to achieve precise placement of ink droplets onto media. The Mimaki Advanced Pass System 4 (MAPS4) reduces banding and uneven color printing. These features deliver exceptional quality printing at a high-speed.
*4: The AMF applies an appropriate tension to the textile to ensure stable textile transportation. - Uninterrupted printing solutions
- Nozzle Check Unit (NCU) automatically detects and cleans clogged nozzles. Nozzle Recovery System (NRS) uses only unclogged nozzles as substitutes, when the clogged nozzles are not recovered after cleaning. These functions ensure constant printing performance and reduce printing waste owing to defective nozzles.
- The external ink supply unit is equipped with large (3 L) ink containers. Ink can be filled into the containers during the long-time continuous printing of a 3.2-m-wide, 300-m-long rolled textile.
Main features
1. Printing and color fixation occur in a single printer unit
Direct sublimation transfer printing requires the fixing of printed inks through heating. Previously, these processes were separately performed; The Tx500P-3200DS contains a heating device that allows simultaneous printing and color fixation. Further, in order to deliver optimum finish, the printer and the heater units are linked. The printer starts printing when the heater reaches the optimum temperature. This novel feature considerably reduces production time and expands business opportunities by accommodating demands from sample creation to large-lot print production.
2. The maximum printing speed (130 m2/h)*5 enables high productivity
Fig.1: Staggered arrangement
To achieve high printing speeds, 12 printheads are arranged in a staggered 3-line array. A range of printing modes, from a high-speed (130 m2/h) draft mode to a high-quality mode, is available to best suit the required finished print appearance. Tx500P-3200DS can meet the urgent order request, which is most often demanded in the soft sign market.
*5: 130 m2/h (4-color, high-speed mode, 540 × 360 dpi, Bi, Hi, 3 Pass)
4-color ink set (Bl, M, Y, K）
6-color ink set (Bl, M, Y, K, Lbl, Lm)
3. Reliable structure and technique achieves speed printing
1) Stable textile transportation assures accurate printing
New AMF (*6) is installed in the feeding and take-up units to secure the stable textile feeding of the rolled media (width: 3.2 m, weight: 130 kg) and minimize textile shrinkage after heating. Furthermore, a pulling roller smooths polyester fabrics, which have the tendency to wrinkle. These features maintain an appropriate tension in the textile throughout the printing process to deliver excellent print results.
*6: The AMF applies an appropriate tension to the textile through a tension bar.
2) Waveform control technique assures beautiful printing
Each ink color has its own specific gravity and viscosity. To achieve precise placement of ink droplets onto the media, Mimaki designed an optimum waveform that allows the printhead to jet each ink color at the appropriate jetting angle without losing high ink droplet circularity even at a high head gap. Moreover, various ink droplet sizes can be precisely placed from a minimum of 6pl to a maximum of 24pl. Small droplets create beautiful high-resolution printing results, while large droplets are very useful for high-speed printing. Thus, Tx500P-3200DS satisfies a wide range of needs including beautiful high-quality printing and productive high-speed printing.
3) MAPS4 delivers stable high-quality printing
Swath boundaries are generally straight lines; therefore, a slight misalignment between boundaries causes banding or uneven color printing. MAPS4 reduces banding and uneven color printing with blurred boundaries similar to gradation printing.
4. Uninterrupted printing solutions
Ink and media shortage, clogged nozzles, and other minor problems influence stable productivity. The Tx500P-3200DS fully supports continuous printing with reliable technologies.
1) NCU automatically detects and recovers clogged nozzles
Clogged nozzles are detected automatically by monitoring ink droplets with sensors. When clogged nozzles are located, these are automatically cleaned, reducing waste printing. Nozzles are checked per transfer file.
2) NRS continues printing operations
If the clogged nozzles are not recovered after cleaning through the NCU function, the NRS selects substitute nozzles and then restarts printing. This is a significant novelty, since previously, when nozzle cleaning fails, the printhead has to be repaired by a technician, and the printing operation ceases until the printhead is repaired. The NRS*7 allows the printer to continue printing without interruption by using non-defective nozzles as substitutes for defective nozzles until the technician arrives.
*7: NRS may not be activated depending on print modes.
*Click to view larger image.
3) Ink supply unit enables long-time continuous printing
Large (3 L) ink containers are installed in an external ink supply unit. Ink can be filled into the container during long-time continuous printing. A degassing module is installed on the printhead carriage to allow the use of affordable undegassed inks.
Specifications
| Tx500P-3200DS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Printhead | On-demand piezo printhead 12 printheads arrangement in three staggered lines |
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| Print resolutions | X：360dpi, 540dpi, 720 dpi, 1,080dpi Y：540dpi, 720 dpi | ||
| Maximum print width | 3,290 mm (129.5 in) | ||
| Maximum media width | 3,300 mm (129.9 in) | ||
| Built-in fixation heater | Temperature | Standard: 180 degC (356 degF) Maximum temperature: 200 degC (392 degF) Temperature fluctuation: ±5 degC (±41 degF) |
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| Transportation/ Heating method |
Vertical non-contact heating system | ||
| Ink | Type/color | Sb320/ Bl, M, Y, K, Lbl, Lm (To be determined) | |
| Package size | 2 L bottle *Large ink containers (3 L) are installed in the ink supply unit |
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| Ink set | 4-color: Bl, M, Y, K 6-color: Bl, M, Y, K, Lbl, Lm |
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| RIP software | TxLink3 Professional、RasterLink6 | ||
| Media thickness | 1.0 mm or less | ||
| Roll weight | 130 kg (286.6 lb)or less | ||
| Roll outer diameter | φ300 mm (11.8 in) or less | ||
| Interface | Ethernet 1000BASE-T / USB 2.0 Hi-speed | ||
| Certifications | VCCI class A / FCC class A / ETL UL 60950-1 / CE Marking (EMC, Low voltage, Machinery directive, and RoHS) / CB / REACH |
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| Power supply | Main unit: Single-phase AC200 - 240V±10%, 50/60Hz±1Hz, 29A or less Fixation heater: Three-phase: AC200V±10%, 50/60Hz±1Hz, 50kVA or less |
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| Power consumption | Main unit: 7 kVA or less Fixation heater: 50 kVA or less (When using 200V) |
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| Operational environment | Temperature | 20 - 30 degC (68 - 86 degF) | |
| Humidity | 35 - 65 %Rh (non-condensing) | ||
| Recomended Temperature | 20 - 25 degC (68 - 77 degF) | ||
| Temperature change | ±10 degC (50 degF)/h or less | ||
| Dust level | 0.15mg/m2 or less (Equivalent to a general office floor level) | ||
| Dimensions (W × D × H) | Main unit: 5,620 mm × 3,050 mm × 1,820 mm (221.3 in × 120.1 in × 71.7 in) Ink supply unit: 960 mm × 510 mm × 730 mm (37.8 in × 20.1 in × 28.7 in) Inverter: 910 mm × 600 mm × 1,240 mm (35.8 in × 23.6 in × 48.8 in) |
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| Weight | Main unit: 2,390 kg (5,269 lb) Ink supply unit: 30 kg (66.1 lb), Inverter: 140 kg (308.6lb) |
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Note: For product improvement purpose, data in above specifications are subject to change without notice.
Contact
Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd.
Sales division
Postal code: 389-0512
Address: 1628-1 Otsu Shigeno Tomi Nagano, Japan
Tel: +81-(0)268-64-2281, Fax: +81-(0)268-80-0041