NUR introduced its superwide Expedio and the new Tempo L UV flatbed printer at this spring's ISA show and at Drupa, while also showcasing modifications it has made to its Tempo flatbed.
The new Expedio is a production, superwide printer that boasts a combination of speed, quality, and versatility. It features 16 piezo DOD printheads and 8- color printing (CMYKcmyk) using proprietary UV-curable inks, which provide up to 2-year UV and water-resistance without lamination. With the UV-drying system, prints are ready for finishing when they exit the printer.
The Expedio supports roll media up to 16 ft wide (5m). In addition, the Expedio is a multiroll printer, allowing users to print on up to three smaller rolls of media at the same time. The printer does not require coated media and can print on a variety of media including paper, banner material, mesh, and more.
The Expedio is capable of printing both 8-color photorealistic graphics for close-up viewing at up to 900 sq ft/hr at 720 dpi, as well as superwide prints for billboards at super-fast speeds”?360 dpi at up to 1900 sq ft/hr. Also incorporated into the machine is a double-print option, which allows for registered imposition on both sides of the print, a nice feature for backlit jobs.
“With its speed, quality, environmental friendliness, and ability to print on virtually any media available, this new superwide printer has the potential to revolutionize the wide-format and superwide printing marketplace,” said David Amir, Nur president and CEO.
The Expedio is scheduled to begin beta testing later this year, with shipping dates in the 4th quarter. The Expedio list price is $499,000.
Nur's flatbed UV printer is offered in two versions: the Tempo, an 8-color, flatbed and roll-to-roll model that has been modified since its 2002 introduction; and the Tempo L, a brand-new but slower 4-color, strictly flatbed printer that is based on the Tempo platform. Both Tempo models address the same print sizes (10.4 x 6.5 ft, rigid; 7.2 ft, roll) and media thicknesses (2 in.).
First, the newer Tempo L, targeted at customers who want to enter the UV-curable flatbed market but either don't currently have the need for the Tempo's volume capabilities or simply want a lower up-front investment. In either case, Tempo L buyers can later upgrade to a “full” Tempo (the upgrade package includes both software and hardware components).
The Tempo L offers 4-color printing, using UV-curable ink with 2-year durability to UV and water, without lamination. It accommodates all types of rigid media up to 10.4 x 6.5 ft, and roll media as wide as 7.2 ft (with the optional roll-feed). The Tempo L prints edge-to-edge for tiled applications and offers a print speed up to 550 sq ft/hr with a 360-dpi resolution. The Tempo L carries a retail price of $350,000.
As we noted in our April issue, Nur has modified its Tempo. Faster than before, the machine now offers three new operating modes that enable it to print high quality output at up to 883 sq ft/hr in 4- colors and up to 560 sq ft/hr in 8-colors. The three new speed modes are included in all new Tempo models shipped, and Tempo printers already in the field can be upgraded to the new, higher-performance level. New ICC profiles are also available for all print modes to ensure high image quality for text and graphics.
The newly modified Tempo also can switch between 4- and 8-color sets of UVcurable inks, and it now features an option to add white as a ninth color. The new white ink system can be used to cover non-white areas of a graphic and to print text and images on transparent or colored media for a variety of applications, including backlit graphics and high-end P-O-S displays. The Tempo sells for $550,000.
In addition to its new printers, Nur has introduced a new ink cabinet system, which stores the ink for the customer at his site. The customer does not pay for the ink until it's used; Nur restocks the ink cabinet each month or as needed.(Nur Macroprinters: www.nur.com)