JFX600-2513 has increased the satisfaction of both customers and employees
Karimoku Furniture Inc. is a furniture manufacturer headquartered in Aichi Prefecture. The company has a reputation for making high-quality furniture, with wood furniture being a representative example.
For this interview, we spoke with deputy general manager in engineering dept Mr.Nishioka about how the "JFX600-2513" was introduced and their impressions after the introduction.
Entrance of the Karimoku Group "Karimoku Kaikei Inc.” Able to feel their commitment to wood.
First, please explain about your company
We, Karimoku Furniture, headquartered in Aichi Prefecture, mainly produce wooden furniture made of natural wood.
By combining Mimaki's printing technology with Karimoku's original wood processing technology, for example, tabletops are printed while retaining the wood grain. The grain of the wood is unique, so no two pieces are alike, which is a big attraction.
At the cafeteria of Karimoku Furniture, tables with a design printed on them are placed. The grains in the wood are still visible among the stylish design.
How did JFX600-2513 come to be introduced?
Originally, we were using Mimaki's JFX500-2131, but there were times when we wanted a little more speed in the printing process.I asked a Mimaki sales person if there was a printer with even faster printing speed, and he introduced me to the JFX600-2513.
Before we installed the JFX500-2131, we were using a large printer from another company, but since it used water-based ink, we were having problems with ink bleeding, slow drying, and various other problems. At that time, we happened to hear that Mimaki's printers use UV curing and the ink dries quickly.
Since the JFX600-2513 was delivered in June of last year, less than a year has passed, and we have had almost no problems.
Tabletops are being printed with JFX600-2513. Wooden jigs are also manufactured in-house.
What do you think of JFX600-2513 in practice?
What is good about natural wood is, first of all, its beautiful grain. With ordinary printing, the grain of the wood may be filled in, but with Mimaki's JFX600 series, it can be shown through, so the original beauty of the wood grain can be used, which is a good thing that other printers do not have. I think this is very good because it allows the printer to make various expressions without losing the luxurious feel of the furniture.
Mr. Nishioka explains the grain of the wood.
Also, the table is large, so it can print at once, which is very suitable for mass production. I have the impression that the machine does not take much time to start up, so it can be used for small lots without much loss.
How does JFX600-2513 compare to JFX500-2131?
I feel that we are getting the specifications that the sales person told us at the beginning. I have a feeling that printing has become about 2 to 3 times faster. The website states a 330% increase, and I think it really is that much faster. As a result, two major benefits were achieved: the products were delivered to the customer quickly and the operator in charge can go home early.
Also, since the horizontal length is longer than that of the JFX500-2131, we can print a lot of small data at once, and I have the impression that efficiency has been greatly improved.
The print quality was originally very good, so I had no complaints about that, but now that the speed has been further increased and production efficiency improved, I think the total result is very good.
We were shown a variety of Mimaki's printers when we were considering replacing JFX500-2131, and among them, the JFX600-2513 was the best for our company.
Mr. Takeuchi, operator of JFX600-2513
How about the support of Mimaki?
JFX600-2513 is a machine that does not have many problems, so the number of occasions when we need support is quite small, We are using various machines at Karimoku, but I have the impression that Mimaki comes quickly when we call them.
Overall, I am very satisfied with the support, including the fact that parts are delivered immediately after ordering.
Are there any challenges you would like to take on in the future?
This is a sample I made, and this furniture is our product, and we used 2.5D printing to express the unevenness of the stitched area. One of the reasons for introducing JFX600 was the appeal of being able to add value, so we are thinking about using 2.5D printing as well to create something interesting in the future.
We will continue to utilize Mimaki's printing technology and Karimoku's high-quality wood processing technology to produce furniture that consumers will appreciate.
Wooden board with 2.5D printing (prototype)
Art panels printed on wood.
User profile
- NameKarimoku Furniture Inc.
- IndustryManufacture and sale of furniture
- Address 108 Kaieicho, Fujie, Higashiuracho, Chitagun, Aichi 470-2191, Japan
- Phone number+81-562-83-1111
- URLhttps://www.karimoku.com/