Raster Unveils Daytona T600UV Printer

Raster Printers’ new Daytona T600UV is a 60 x 48-in. flatbed printer that features MEMS printhead technology, hybrid LED/Mercury lamp curing of its UV-curable inks, and a 6-color inkset. The printer provides a stationary vacuum table with a moving gantry to accommodate a variety of media from small tiles to heavy boards.

The machine’s six Fujifilm Dimatix (formerly Spectra) M-class printheads feature the latest MEMS printhead technology and offer VersaDrop grayscale capability to produce photographic images at a true 1080-dpi resolution. The grayscale heads fire 9-, 18-, or 27-picoliter drops and fire in a two- or three-pulse burst mode (to form a bigger drop at the nozzle plate, instead of during the drop flight, for sharper text and smoother tonal gradations, Raster reports). Note: While the grayscale heads are standard with the printer, the software to support the grayscale capability will not be available until fall 2007.

Offering 1/2-l ink tanks, the 6-color T600UV utilizes Raster Printer’s 4000 series UV-curable inks. At purchase, users choose a CMYKcm or CMYK+ white and varnish configuration (the white-ink/varnish model will be available in July; users can upgrade to the white-ink version for $4995). The addition of light cyan and light magenta to the CMYK inkset provides smooth midtone gradations to meet the photographic image-quality requirements of indoor graphics. The option of white and varnish allows users to print onto clear or dark substrates; in addition, the varnish adds protection and gloss to the image.

Top speed for the T600UV printer is 480 sq ft/hr at 529 x 360-dpi resolution in 2-pass mode. In its highest quality mode (12-pass, 1080 x 1058 dpi), the printer images at 80 sq ft/hr; a 4-pass 360 x 1058-dpi production print mode produces 240 sq ft/hr.

This printer includes a hybrid UV-curing system, combining a Phoseon LED-based curing system and a Mercury lamp, to image onto a wide range of substrates. The LED lamps do not generate heat, and will “pin” the inks onto the substrate-especially helpful for heat-sensitive media. LEDs also provide a deeper curing, which results in better adhesion, the company reports. Although the LED system does not generate enough energy for a full cure, the Mercury lamp, with adjustable power levels from 30 to 100%, completes the cure. The LED system has a 10,000-hr lifespan versus the 1000 hr for the Mercury lamp, for savings in both power consumption and lamp replacement costs.

The Daytona T600UV is capable of handling media up to 2-in. thick, and users adjust the head height with a simple knob that raises and lowers the carriage. The T600UV can print onto a wide range of coated and uncoated rigid and flexible substrates, including materials from foamboard and PVC sheets to aluminum-plastic composite sheets and glass.

Onyx PosterShop RIP comes standard with the machine. Other features include simplified head maintenance that includes a simple purge system that users can access via the operator’s console. Options include an add-on i-cut workflow module.

Price: $69,995 for the CMYKcm model [introductory price]. The company reports that an 8-ft version-the T1000UV-will be available in the fall.

RASTER PRINTERS
www.rasterprinters.com