InkTec’s JETRIX LX5 is a 2.4 x 1.2 m flatbed printer that uses the latest LED UV curing lamps, amongst other enhancements, to deliver a compelling combination of quality, productivity, versatility and cost of ownership.
InkTec, the firm behind the JETRIX range of printers, is a Korean operation that has been specialising in wide format inkjet equipment and materials for a quarter of a century. While it may not be as well known as vendors such as Canon Océ, EFI and Mimaki, it has been operating in the European market from its facilities in Witney, Oxfordshire for a decade and has built up a loyal and growing following for its equipment. InkTec’s longevity, and the great reputation established by other Korean technology companies such as LG and Samsung in consumer electronics and Hyundai and Kia in cars, are further evidence that it is a serious contender.
Meeting future needs
As the wide format market has evolved and matured it has become important to find ways to stay ahead of the competition. InkTec’s response is the LX5, which is the first machine with optional roll in this sector of the market to use LED UV lamps. The use of LEDs offers a number of advantages over traditional mercury lamps. These include lower heat, which enables a wider range of materials that would otherwise be adversely affected by heat to be printed without the risk of warping or scorching. This widens the application range possible on the machine. Additionally, the lamps do not need a warm up time at the start of each shift, last many times longer (20000 hours, which equates to 10 years of typical operation), and with consistent power output over that life ensure proper curing of every job. Lastly, the reduced power requirements can contribute to the lower total cost of ownership (TCO) over the life of the machine.
3D Texture Printing function offers additional applications such as fine art, premium signage and specialist wall coverings.
There is more to the LX5 than just the LED lamps. High build quality, including the use of Konica Minolta KM1024 printheads, which deliver a six-picolitre droplet, ensures high image quality including text reproduction down to two points. Those small ink droplets and InkTec’s own inks with high pigmentation deliver rich colour at low coverage and cost, again contributing to the low TCO.
Results
The first UK customer for the LX5 was Bex Design, a specialist printer, which produces graphic overlays, membrane switches, product branding, labels, panel prints, promotional stickers and signage. The company based in Calne, Wiltshire is an existing JETRIX customer, operating a JETRIX 2513 flatbed printer opted for LX5 to expand the range of materials that it could print onto.
‘We were holding out for the first LED printer from JETRIX, as we have been so impressed with the reliability and adaptability of our current printer, so it was a no-brainer when we heard JETRIX was going to offer an LED UV printer,’ said Ian Board, Bex Design’s managing director. ‘We can print on more diverse materials than before and extend our customer offering even further.’
Key features:
• High speed – Fastest entry level LED flatbed printer on the market; up to three times faster than comparable machines at equivalent image quality
• LED UV offers wider substrate latitude, greater reliability and lower operating costs
• Automated cleaning, media measurement and anti-head crash
• Easy to use interface
• Anti-static ionising bar
Specifications:
Machine description: Flatbed inkjet printer using LED UV lamps
Printheads: Konica Minolta KM1024 with six-picolitre minimum droplet size
Colours: CMYK, CMYK + dual white, CMYK + dual white + varnish or primer
Ink: JETRIX LED UV inks
Speed: 39 sq/hr
Resolution: 1440 x 720 dpi
Maximum sheet size: 2440 x 1220 mm
Material thickness: 100 mm
Workflow: Caldera, GMG , Onyx
www.inktec-europe.com
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