Redacción Alabrent

• Alabrent Ediciones, S.L.

Brand-new industrial-quality printers on display

Taking centre stage will be the new UV flatbed UJF-3042 MkII and UJF-6042 MkII printers that deliver best-in-class print speed with good adhesion to acrylics and many other materials, including glass, metal and resins. They are also ideal for producing membrane switches or wallet smartphone cases that must be pressed or folded. A variety of ink types are available for these systems, enabling printing on both rigid and flexible materials, including inks designed for durability with excellent scratch resistance, and inks that can be stretched up to 170% without cracking. Textures can be added using a unique clear varnish ink.

Adapting to disruptive change

“We are in a period of significant disruptive change that is affecting a broad range of industries,” states Mike Horsten, Mimaki’s General Manager Marketing EMEA, “and Mimaki is rapidly bringing new products to market that help in addressing these changing demands in a cost-effective and innovative manner. One of the new trends we are seeing is the demand for new looks in washing machines and other household goods. This results in a need for unique print on each device. It isn’t really possible to do this with traditional technologies – that’s where full colour inkjet comes in. In addition to that, we are seeing increasing demand for printing the control panels and membrane switches on the equipment, which is also now possible to achieve with inkjet technology in a cost-effective manner with the requisite quality.”

A new take on thermoforming

Mimaki will also be demonstrating its UJF-7151plus multipurpose wide-format printer that can print on a variety of substrates including plastics, metal, wood, leather and glass onto materials up to 28” wide x 20” long and 6” thick.

The UJF-7151plus will run LUS-350 thermoforming ink – a unique, stretchable ink suitable for a wide range of thermoforming applications, especially those requiring exceptional hardness and durability such as automotive parts. Mimaki LUS-350 ink is compatible with Mimaki UJF-7151plus, JFX200-2513 and JFX200-2531 printers. The ink is available in CMYK, white and a unique clear ink that can also add texture. A Formech 508FS vacuum forming machine on the stand will help visitors experience the entire thermoforming process.

“With our latest developments, end uses for inkjet have been greatly expanded. This allows our customers to enjoy wider production flexibility. They can offer a broader range of choices and increase the value-added options they provide,” Horsten adds. “We look forward to discussing these opportunities with InPrint visitors and learning more about their needs to help us direct future product development. We believe that working together, we can help make their businesses even more profitable while giving them the tools, ideas and support to develop new ways to service their existing clients and attract new ones with even more creative applications.”