David Savastano, Editor11.24.20
The inkjet printing segment continues to expand, and leaders in the printer field continually develop innovative new products. Formulating new inks for their printers is of critical importance.
Epson is no exception. With inkjet printers and inks designed for a wide range of applications, the company is positioned to continue to play a major role in digital printing, and recent product launches are designed to add to Epson’s performance.
This fall, Epson has added a variety of firsts: its first UV flatbed printer, first water-based signage printer series and first entry-level dye-sublimation printer. The company has also brought out and expanded ink innovations, with its new UV Red ink and its Resin Ink technology for the roll-to-roll market.
Entering the UV Flatbed Space
Perhaps the most interesting introduction is the SureColor V7000, an entry-level 4’ x 8’ UV flatbed which prints 10 colors and can produce 9 boards per hour. David Lopez, associate product manager II for Epson America, reported that the company’s new UltraChrome UV Red ink is a major advantage for printers.
“This is Epson’s first UV flatbed printer, and it prints CMYK, Grey, LM, LC, Red varnish and white,” Lopez said. “Red is unique here as this helps us expand the color gamut. We leverage eight MicroPiezo printheads with four printheads dedicated to color and two each for varnishes and white.”
Lopez said that the SureColorV7000 is the only UV flatbed printer with Red ink under $200,000. Its expected price is below $100,000. It can also print on irregularly shaped items, including jars, coasters and pop sockets.
“This is changing image expectations of what a UV printer can do,” Lopez observed.
“The Red ink is going to be a game-changer, as this is the only UV flatbed offering this many ink colors while still maintaining impressive speeds. With the Red ink and extended color gamut, packaging prototyping will be a good market.”
Lopez added that the new MicroPiezo printhead technology will benefit printers using Epson’s UV White ink.
“We are able to go a lot faster because of our printheads. When you have White ink, you have to have circulation to preserve printhead nozzle integrity. We have a white ink recirculation system to prevent sedimentation,” Lopez noted.
SureColor R-Series with Resin Ink Technology
Epson’s SureColor R-Series saw the launch of the new R5070 and R5070L 64-inch printers, as well as the new UltraChrome RS Resin Ink technology. Epson has long been active in solvent-based roll-to-roll signage, and this marks the first water-based ink for signage from Epson.
The roll-to-roll printers can produce 290 square feet an hour on a wide range of substrates, including fabric, wallpaper, uncoated paper and signage. The SureColor R5070L offers a hot-swappable ink system that switches from an empty ink pack to a new ink pack mid-print for uninterrupted printing automatically.
Lopez noted that the SureColor R-Series is designed to compete primarily with latex printers, and although the printhead is expected to last the life of the printer, it has user-replaceable printheads for those unforeseen moments. The ink is a six-color set with CMYK, LM and LC.
“The UltraChrome RS Ink is a water-based liquid with resin and pigment, which is really important,” Lopez said. “We have a speed mode and quality mode. The printer lays down the optimizer, which helps the resin and pigment cure.
“The biggest thing is color consistency,” Lopez added. “Color consistency is a key differentiator between latex and our resin ink. Our resin ink is a water-based ink with lower VOC and multiple environmental certifications. It also offers instant dry for immediate lamination and high scratch resistance.”
Entry-Level Dye Sublimation
The third introduction is the SureColor F170, Epson’s first entry-level solution for the dye-sub market. The 8.5-inch F170 is designed for promotion and photo goods on substrates ranging from rigid to textile, including mugs, caps, mobile phone covers and t-shirts.
“The SureColor F170 uses Epson genuine dye sublimation ink in ink bottles, which have less of an environmental impact than plastic cartridges,” said Timothy Check, senior product manager, Professional Imaging for Epson America. “The inks are Oeko-Tex Passport certified.
“Americans are starting new businesses and shifting their product offerings at the fastest rate in more than a decade,” Check added. “As creative entrepreneurs and small businesses transition to meet new opportunities in a reshaped economy, there is an increased demand for entry-level dye-sublimation technology that allows customers to easily and confidently create and sell products. The F170 is a total print solution, and users get great quality right out of the box. If customers can get started and it works right away, their likelihood of success is much greater.”
Architecture Market
Jacob Hardin, product manager for Epson America, then discussed the new SureColor T3170M and T5170M 24- and 36-inch compact desktop multi-function printer/scanner/copier (MFP) printers designed for CAD and architecture markets. These MFPs utilize Epson’s UltraChrome XD2 All-Pigment Inks, which provides resistance to smudges, water and fading. The 24” printer is designed to be used on a desktop.
“There is market demand for 24” and 36” MFPs,” Hardin observed. “Our Epson CAD printer line has grown. We are seeing a trend for work from home and this answers that trend. With our MFP for CAD and graphics, users can scan plans and send them to colleagues at the worksite. The entry-level price point of $2,495 MSRP should lead to these becoming pretty popular.”
