New Seiko Infotech Printer Offers High Resolution and Outdoor Durability

End users looking for a solvent-system inkjet printer are well advised to draw up a wish list of desirable features before they shop. Is print speed the most critical factor? Will the machine need to print higher-resolution graphics that will be viewed up close? Is the ability to print to a wide range of uncoated media important? Is a low purchase price the main criterion? Often, the answers to those questions will greatly pare down the field of appropriate machines.

With its new ColorPainter 64S, Seiko I Infotech hopes to satisfy a wider range of end user needs with a single device. The 64-in., six-color ColorPainter 64S uses solvent inks that adhere to a range of uncoated media including vinyl, banner stocks, plastic films, fabrics, and more, and are reported to be suitable for outdoor applications up to three years. But the machine also offers high resolution and an expanded color gamut, printing true-720-dpi output in six colors (CMYKcm). With a print speed of 176 sq ft/hr in four-pass mode and a purchase price of less than $35,000, says Seiko I Infotech, the ColorPainter 64S provides a combination of speed, outdoor performance, and graphic quality that has not been available in this price range.

The ColorPainter64S uses a new 720-dpi printhead and an expanded-gamut ink set that delivers excellent color reproduction in the reds and blacks, according to the company. The industrial heads feature 512 nozzles per color and a 12-picoliter droplet size. Three digitally controlled heaters facilitate the drying process, and inks are delivered through 1-liter cartridges that can be replaced during printing. The printer also features an automated printhead cleaning and priming station, as well as an optically driven media takeup system.

The ColorPainter 64S will be available in late January at a suggested retail price of $32,995. (Seiko I Infotech: www.seiko-i.com)