Mimaki has announced the launch of the Tx500P-3200DS 3.2 metre direct sublimation printer, the latest in a number of innovative product launches the company has undertaken in the last few weeks.
With its built in, in-line heat fixation unit, the new printer significantly reduces production time through its simultaneous performance of two operations; printing and colour fixation, reducing two steps to one. With a print speed capability of up to 130m² per hour, the Tx500P-3200DS is ideal for production of samples as well as large batch production with short delivery times.
Mimaki cites the growing demand for soft signage, with its economic and environmental benefits, as a key driver behind the development of the new model. Aware that the textile industry is moving ever-larger volumes from analogue to digital printing in order to meet market demand for the growing number of small lot orders and shortened cycle times, the new Tx500P-3200DS was specifically designed to meet these requirements in both segments, as well as increased demand for digitally printed textiles in home décor, including extra-wide fabrics for draperies, linens and upholstery. The improved productivity benefits of the new printer will also make it ideal for meeting the growing demand created by custom orders requiring a speedy turnaround, received via the Internet by print providers.
The details
The Tx500P-3200DS is uniquely suited to a wide array of textile printing, including soft signage, customised apparel, and fabrics for home décor and furnishings. Print speeds of up to 130m²/hour in 4-colour print mode and up to 105m²/hour in 6-colour mode, headline the machines capabilities, yet it also delivers unmatched print quality with print resolution up to 720 x 1080 dpi using 12 print heads in a staggered 3-line array. The in-line heat fixation unit, capable of generating temperatures of up to 200°C, ensures the machine is able to perform its full ‘single-step’ print and fixation process even at the highest operational speeds.
Consistency and stability of print quality are achieved by a pulling roller that maintains appropriate pressure during printing onto rolled textiles with widths up to 3.2 meters and up to 130kg in weight.
Reliable, uninterrupted print operation is ensured by the machine's ability to automatically detect and clean clogged print nozzles and substitute good nozzles for printing during this process, allowing continuity of operation and reducing waste created by defective nozzles.
As with all Mimaki printers, this new printer features precise placement of well-shaped ink droplets onto the fabric for the best possible quality. This is accomplished by automatically taking into account the specific gravity and viscosity of each ink, precisely placing droplets as small as 6 picolitres for beautiful, high resolution printing results.
Exclusively distributed in the UK and Ireland by Hybrid Services Ltd, the company’s National Sales Manager - Textile & Apparel, Stephen Woodall comments; “There is a great deal about the Tx500P-3200DS that textile print suppliers should be enthusiastic about. The new machine's ability to deliver print and heat fixation in a single operation is a genuinely unique feature which is certain to have a major impact on productivity and profitability for users. Time is a critical factor for many producers in this ever-changing sector, with increasingly challenging schedules and demands to meet. Direct sublimation transfer printing requires the fixing of printed inks through heating, and this machines ability to deliver this at the same time as printing removes a step in the traditional process, speeding up the operation, saving valuable time and enabling both short-run bespoke commissions and large scale production runs to be achieved with equal efficiency.”
The first machines are expected to be shipped in January 2017.
More details about Mimaki products, including its full range of printers and inks, can be found at www.hybridservices.co.uk.
