Japanese inkjet manufacturer Mimaki has announced a new A2 model in its popular UJF range of very compact flatbed UV printers. The original UJF-3042 models all have an A3 bed area. The new UJF-6042 is very similar in appearance, except that the bed is twice as wide.

It was unveiled at the big Photokina photographic industry show in Germany, though the UK distributor Hybrid Services isn’t expecting deliveries before the end of this year. It’s too early for prices to be announced, it said. However the A3 UJF-3042 models start around £22,000.

Apart from the A2 bed the UJF-6042 offers a 150 mm head clearance height, multiple ink options and high print quality based in part on its 1800 x 1800 dpi resolution.

Hybrid said that it’s ideal for companies that are currently using analogue screen printing in the 60 x 40 cm size range. With a nod towards its launch venue at Photokina it also points out that it could be used for facing A3 page spreads for large format photobooks.

As with the 3042 models, the 6042 can print directly onto 3D objects up to 150 mm high, which can be positioned and held steady by the use of jigs made from foam or similar.

When printing to rigid substrates, Mimaki’s LH-100 UV-cured ink incorporates CMYK + white and is said to give vibrant colour and excellent adhesion properties. Additionally, the UJF-6042 can be commissioned with Mimaki’s LF-100 flexible ink, available in six colours and white, or the highly stretchy LF-200 ink which enables expansion of up to 200% where applications require this level of flexibility.

The UJF-6042 sports a number of Mimaki’s production print features, including the ability to use automatic primer, the powerful Nozzle Recovery Function and Mimaki Circulation Technology – both designed to ensure a consistently high print quality. It’s supplied with Mimaki’s RasterLink 6 RIP software; a package with layout functions,  spot colour replacement and the capability to print three layers (colour, white and colour) onto transparent substrates.

‘The launch of the UJF-6042 by Mimaki at Photokina is an exciting one,’ said Mike Lewis. industrial products sales manager for Hybrid Services. ‘Over and above the ability to run twice the size of media than the UJF-3042, the increase in quality to 1800 dpi and a minimum variable dot size of 4 picolitres ensures an extremely high print quality that should impress visitors to the Mimaki stand.’

Contact: www.hybridservices.co.uk