Grand-Format Artistri 3320 Printer from DuPont

DuPont has introduced its grand-format Artistri 3320 printer, built on the digital textile inkjet format of its 71-in. 2020. The new printer is 130-in. wide and is able to handle coated and uncoated fabrics up to 22-mm thick. It's targeted at interior design, home furnishings, soft signage, tension fabric displays, flags, banners, trade-show booths, and other graphic-intensive applications.

The 3320 printer supports a variety of inks: acid dye (typically for use on nylon and silk), reactive dye (for cotton fabrics), disperse dye (used with polyesters fabrics for sublimation), and pigment inks (for nylon flags and cotton apparel). In addition, in North America only, DuPont also offers it SolarBrite inks for outdoor applications such as flags that require high light-fastness.

Equipped with 16 printheads, the Artistri machine offers up to 8 ink colors and the fastest speeds are achieved when run two heads/color (2 x 8). Shops, however, may choose to load up to 8 colors of two different ink chemistries (acid, reactive, disperse, or pigment); in this scenario, the owner can quickly switch from one inkset to another without flushing the system to change inks. (When using only eight heads, however, speed is cut in half.) The speed of the 3320 remains the same as the 2020: 710 sq ft/hr top speed at 360 dpi for both machines and 118 sq ft/hr for highest-quality 720 dpi mode.

The Artistri system comprises the Artistri printer, inks, and GA software for the graphic-arts textile marketplace; the system also includes a hot air dryer. Depending on the fabric (coated, treated, or uncoated) and the ink chemistry, virtually all of the fabrics printed on the aqueous Artistri system will require some sort of post-processing such as steam, heat set, or dry heat to set the inks and bring out their full color. While DuPont does not sell post-processing equipment, the company has partnered with companies specializing in fabric finishing.

Price: $375,000.

DUPONT
www.artistri.dupont.com