Vutek PressVU UV 200/600 flatbed UV printers
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We wholeheartedly endorse UV-curable inkjet technology. But we aware of the notable differences between different brands and models. All UV-curable ink flatbed printers face the same hurdles: banding due to bi-directional lay down of the UV ink; banding due to the inherent nature of piezo printheads, and limited color gamut (red being a major challenge).
Skew is also a problem, especially if you try to print 4x8 MDO boards. Indeed unless your printer can take these boards on the 8’ side, by having to feed them on the 4’ side long-ways, this invites skew.
Yellow and green color have other issues with UV inks: some UV inks can’t do yellows, greens or reds well. So the FLAAR staff dedicate their time to inspecting output of all the different UV printers at all major trade shows in the US, Germany and Italy. We attend technical seminars on UV-curing inkjet chemistry (recently for five days in Lisbon, Portugal). We saw the Vutek PressVu UV 200/600 at several trade shows, and noted its good features as well as those aspects that you need to learn about up front (before you decide which brand or model to buy): such as color gamut compared with other models, lack of white ink and spot varnish, and other aspects we discuss in the FLAAR Reviews.
Some printers can’t print well on Lexan.
Other brands of UV printers can’t print well on Coroplast.
So what about the brand of printer that you are thinking about buying? Actually the printers print fabulously on Lexan, and Coroplast. But how long does the ink stay on the surface? Hmmm.
At ISA, SGIA, PMA 2004, and DRUPA 2004, Vutek has exhibited their PressVu UV 180/600EC and 180/360 EC flatbed printers for UV curable inks. But gradually during 2005 and into 2006 Vutek tends to exhibit their PressVu UV 200/600 or UV 320/400.
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Some samples printed by the Vutek PressVU UV 200/600. |
But Sericol now offers many models of Inca UV-curable flatbed printers. The NUR Tempo is an impressive looking machine especially clothed in HP Scitex colors as the HP Scitex FB6100. These are the kind of information that are in FLAAR Reports). Durst now has a new model, the Rho 351R. Thus it is a challenge to for a screen printing company to decide which new UV-flatbed to order.
And if this is not confusing enough, now HP has launched a new latex ink for billboards, banners, vehicle wrap, building wrap. The quality is good enough for indoor POP signage as well. So if you are a screenprinting shop, a photo lab, a digital printing company or a sign franchise shop, there is a lot to choose from in 2008.
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Vutek PressVU UV 200/600 flatbed UV printer at ISA 2008. |
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Yikes, how can a screen shop, sign shop, or photo lab figure out which printer is good and which is a dud? FLAAR covers developing market potential for screenprinters, photography labs, and all print facilities that can profit by having a UV-curable inkjet printer in-house.
FLAAR is the only independent research institute that has dedicated the time and energy to compiling a factual resume of every UV-curable ink flatbed in the world: from Korea, mainland China, Japan, Europe, and US.
Our university makes these reports available at reasonable price. Order the UV-curable ink flatbed Series from FLAAR.
You can also hire Dr Hellmuth as a consultant, but it is quicker and easier to buy his FLAAR Reports via convenient download.
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Vutek PressVU UV 200/600 flatbed UV printers. |
New format design added March 18, 2008.
First posted March 12, 2004. Updated June 25, 2004, Updated Oct. 21, 2004, Jan. 5, 2006.
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We are adding new pages and new features every month so it is not always realistic to update old pages from past years. All the old equipment is still available on eBay, so we keep even our old pages. If you wish only the more up to date product reviews, these are in PDFs (not in the web pages, but in PDFs which are linked in the columns at the right of every page). Please realize that we tend to update a page (or a PDF) primarily when it is clear that our readers ask about this brand or model frequently. With over 45 brands of UV printers and over 200 models in the past ten years, it is not realistic to update pages on obsolete brands or unpopular models. If you prefer to speak with Nicholas Hellmuth in person about a printer, you can bring him to your company anywhere in the world as consultant. By later in 2011 each of our web sites will be in 36 different languages with instant translation (and better than old fashioned web page translators of several years ago). So far all the languages are available on www.FLAAR.org and www.3d-scanners-3d-software-reviews.org. Next will be our fine art photography, giclee, decor web site. |
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