EFI has announced a new addition to the Nozomi line of high speed single-pass corrugated printers, the 1.4m width Nozomi 14000 SD, aimed at sign and display applications, plus a new thermoformable ink for use with some various of its flatbed and hybrid printers.
To be available later in 2023, the Nozomi 14000 SD supports a variety of substrates, from polystyrene, foamboard and corrugated to heavy paper, folding carton, card stock and canvas, for sign and display applications along with enhanced priming and print varnish as optional capabilities. With claimed speeds up to 10 times faster than currently available multi-pass printers, the 14000 SD will be offered with white, orange and violet ink options in addition to the standard CMYK ink set to give the ability to deliver up to 97% of the Pantone colour gamut which should help with a wide range of brand colours. This is backed by G7 support tools and Fogra PSD certification for colour accuracy and consistency.
The configurable modular printer offer an ‘effective resolution’ of 720dpi and an annual production capacity of two to five million square metres, with average ink usage of 4.5 grams per square metre which EFI vice-president of sales and marketing Ken Hanulec said gives the lowest total cost of ownership. The printer is said to be 45% more energy efficient than analogue printing alternatives and its ink are Greenguard Gold certified. Initial speed is 30 linear m/min, equivalent to 740 1.4 x 2.4m sheets per hour but options to add speed and fully automated loading with a vision and inspection system to push productivity up to 70m/min or 1845 sheets per hour will be available.
Also announced at Fespa, the new Transform-TF LED thermoforming ink is an extremely flexible, UV LED-curable digital ink for first-surface interior and second-surface exterior/backlit applications where common thermoplastic is specified for deep-draw thermoforming. The ink, which is said to offer ‘outstanding’ elongation characteristics for heat bending and routing without chipping or adhesion problems, is available now for the EFI Pro 30f flatbed and Vutek 32h hybrid flatbed/roll-to-roll printers, with availability for Vutek h3 and h5 printers expected in the third quarter of 2023.
EFI has also announced the sale of the hundredth Vutek Q5r 5m roll-fed printer, introduced in 2021, to Switzerland-based Richnerstutz, where it will add new capabilities and capacity to the display graphics business. The company bought the Q5r with EFI’s UltraClear Coat to replace iA 13 year-old Vutek GS5000r roll-to-roll printer. It will be used to produce vehicle applications, trade show graphics, building signage, construction façades, soft signage, special architectural applications and interior décor for clients within Switzerland.
