Gerber Presents the Solara Ionx with Cationic Inks

The Solara ion^x is the latest offering from Gerber. Built on a flatbed platform, the 64-in UV-curable printer is compatible with both rigid and rollfed substrates and is equipped with eight printheads (two heads/color) that produce a top apparent resolution of 1440 dpi.

The ion^x is also a roll-to-roll printer with flexible materials pulled across the dedicated roll-to-roll platform by a series of friction cylinders. The printer includes a heavy-duty roll system and winding unit that allows for the imaging of full width (64 in.) media.

Offering eight print modes, speeds range from 639 sq ft/hr in two-pass Performance mode for short-term graphics with a 360 x 360-dpi resolution; 318 sq ft/hr in four-pass bi-directional Production mode at 360 x 360 dpi; 159 sq ft/hr in eight-pass 1440-dpi High Quality mode; and 40 sq ft/hr in Ultra High Quality eight-pass uni-directional mode at 720 x 720-dpi resolution.

Accommodating substrates up to 1-in. thick on its vacuum table, the printer has a sensor to automatically detect the media thickness. To eliminate alignment errors, the substrate stays stationary during printing while the gantry moves the printheads across the media.

New to this printer are GerberCat cationic UV inks, which are engineered to be cured by Gerber’s new Gerber Cold Fire Cure UV lamps. These dual UV lamps run the length of the gantry, use low energy, and operate at nearly room temperature. The low-temp cure also enables the printing onto heat-sensitive materials such as plastic, vinyl, fabric, and paper-based materials.

The CMYK cationic inks are available in 1-l pouches and feature an expanded color gamut to produce intense reds, greens, and blues. The inks also provide good adhesion on materials traditionally problematic for inkjet printers such as glass and textiles, reports the company. In addition, the printer produces clear 6-pt black type and offers an outdoor durability of up to 3 yr without lamination. Currently, the ion^x is compatible with Onyx and ErgoSoft RIPs.

Price: $79,995; shipping begins in January 2008.

GERBER SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTS

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