Billed as the delivery of a ‘new blueprint’ for wide-format print, Fujifilm has introduced two new printers, an all-original flatbed called the Acuity Prime, and a significant update to the roll-fed Acuity Ultra. 

The Acuity Prime is the first new Fujifilm flatbed since the company ended its long-standing agreement with Canon (formerly Océ) for the latter’s Arizona line of UV-curing printers. It’s a 2.54 x 1.7m model able to handle media up to 51mm thick that Fujifilm says is designed to optimise price/performance through features such as air cooling for the UV LED curing system and the ability to run from a single-phase power supply.

The Prime’s new Uvijet HM inks add white, clear and a jettable primer for difficult substrates to CMYK and are said to provide excellent adhesion to a broad range of materials as well as a wide colour gamut. Ease of use features include media loading pins that can be operated ‘at the touch of a button’ for ‘exceptionally accurate’ media registration; a five-part media vacuum zone system based around common sizes should significantly reduce masking requirements for media loading. Software and user interface have also been completely redesigned.

Anda Baboi, marketing manager, Fujifilm WFIJ said, ‘The Acuity Prime represents both a ‘next step’ and a new start for Fujifilm. It’s built on our knowledge and expertise, but at the same time it’s something fundamentally new – ‘the new blueprint for wide format’. The thing that really sets it apart from anything we have brought to market before is the extent of the creative freedom we have had over every aspect of its design and development. Having this level of control has given us the opportunity to address a huge number of practical and technical issues, ensuring that the end product offers unbeatable standards of performance; exceptional value, versatility and ease-of-use, and the best ROI available on the market.’

On the roll-fed side, the Acuity Ultra R2 is the successor to the model that was introduced at Fespa 2018. Available in 3.2 and 5m widths, the Ultra R2 is claimed to have the same levels of quality and reliability as its predecessor but with a large number of design improvements that improve ease of use and overall productivity. These include the designing-out of the light curtain for stray UV light and siting both maintenance and ink supply on the same side, with visual alert for low ink levels and larger ink tanks that should eliminate the need to store part-used cans. 

Various ink colours are offered with up to eight channels and a choice of both conventional mercury lamp curing or UV LED for six-colour or white configurations, allowing either maximum productivity or lower operating costs and energy use. The previously separate chiller unit is now incorporated into the machine.

Kevin Rhodes, marketing manager, Fujifilm WFIJ commented, ‘The original Acuity Ultra set a new standard for combined quality, performance and price when it was launched in 2018. Three years later, the Acuity Ultra R2 is taking that up another level as part of our brand new Acuity range.’

Both machines are available to order now, with demo units either in situ or en-route to Fujifilm showrooms.

 

If you’re interested in developments and applications in wide-format, make sure you don’t miss the September 2021 issue of Digital Printer, which will include our 2021 Guide to Wide-Format. It will only be mailed to registered readers, so if that’s not you, can register now for free by clicking on the Register tab at the top of the page or here.