Vutek Adds 200/600 to PressVu UV Series

Vutek has launched its PressVu UV 200/600 printer (making its US debut at this spring's ISA show, and its European debut at Drupa), and also has improved its PressVu UV 180/360 and 180/600 printers. All printers are flatbed/rollfed models featuring Spectra 256 printheads and UVcurable inks.

A high-quality 4-color(labeled “FC”) or 6-color (“SC”) printer offering resolutions up to 600 dpi, the PressVu UV 200/600 can produce prints suitable for outdoor as well as indoor applications. With an industrial- style design quite different from Vutek's other machines, it simply looks like it belongs on a shop floor 24/7, and is aimed at print providers seeking “to achieve high-end image quality and greater productivity at an affordable cost.”

Of course, a major feature of this machine is its ability to take on both rigid and flexible materials, and to switch quickly from one to the other. The switch can be accomplished by a single operator, says Vutek, and can occur in less than 2 min. The printer comes with a standard set of rigid tables; further tables can be added for handling longer board sizes.

The PressVu UV 200/600 uses rigid and flexible media up to 80 in. wide and 1.75 in. thick. It prints at production-quality speeds up to 350 sq ft/hr; and in high-quality mode up to 200 sq ft/hr. The ink comes in 3.25- liter containers and Vutek offers CMYKcm. This printer comes standard with the PressVu UV ColorBurst RIP for ICC color management, automated contour-cutting support, and a tiling feature for complex jobs.

The PressVu 200/600 FC 4-color model has eight Spectra printheads and breaks the $200,000 price barrier, retailing for $199,000. The SC 6-color model, with 12 Spectra 256 printheads, is priced at $269,000.

Vutek also has introduced higherspeed, superior-image-quality versions of its PressVu UV 180/360 and 180/600. With their new software, these printers can now run at a maximum speed of 1100 sq ft/hr and 1000 sq ft/hr for the 360-dpi and 600-dpi versions, respectively. Vutek is also offering these software improvements to its existing customer base.

Both the 180/360 and the 180/600 can accommodate rigid and flexible media up to 72 in. wide and 1 in. thick. Both also offer up to 8 colors”?either as CMYKcmyk or 2 x CMYK”?available in 5-liter containers. The 180/600 offers resolutions up to 360 x 800 dpi, while the 180/360 has resolutions up to 360 x 360 dpi.

The 180 series comes standard with UV lamps for faster drying and a PressVu RIP for ICC color management and multi-language interfaces. The Press Vu 180 series also features enhanced backlit capabilities and inverted imaging for second-surface printing. An automatic sheet feeder is optional. The 180 series, notes Vutek, can print lenticulars as well as on glass (using a special hand-applied, optically clear primer), without discoloring the glass. The price for the newly modified PressVu 180/360 and the 180/600 is $599,000 each. (Vutek: www.vutek.com)