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Epson Stylus Pro GS6000 64” eco-solvent printer
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| Front view of Epson GS6000 at ISA 2008 |
The Epson Stylus Pro GS6000 64” eco-solvent printer has been rumored for a long time. It was discretely shown last year. Now the Epson Stylus Pro GS6000 has been exhibited for the public at ISA.
It is interesting that they showed their Epson Stylus Pro GS6000 64” no-smell-solvent printer just a week or so after Seiko (the parent of Epson) showed a new non-smell solvent ink in Japan. And a few days later HP announced a water-based latex ink.
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| Dr. Nicholas Helmuth Showing some samples printed at Epson GS6000, ISA 2008. |
Then at FESPA Digital in earlfy April 2008, a relatively unknown company named Sepiax ink technology showed an unusual water-based ink. So lots of new inks to select from.
There is no way to judge or evaluate an ink for a prototype printer. The Encad VinylJet was launched by Kodak; and it failed. Staedtler has an excellent water-based ink for signage ( Lumocolor), but so far it has not been successful. And eco-solvent ink has its ups and downs as well. So it is wise to wait and learn more about any new ink before rushing to repeat the PR release.
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| Here is the Epson GS6000 Solvent printer at Fespa 08. |
Epson is cleverly not calling it an eco-solvent printer. Eco-solvent has so many pros and cons, that it is wise not to get into this mess. But at both ISA and FESPA Digital, most industry analysts commented that the “new” Epson ink had the same chemicals as the ink for Mutoh, Mimaki, and Roland. Perhaps the worst poisonous heavy metals were removed, but otherwise, everyone I spoke with said it was the same ink as all the other printers.
If this is even a comparable ink, then it does require ventilation. One ink chemist told me at ISA ’08 not not many chemists who knew what was in this ink would dare have one in their office, and definitely not in their home.
If you compare the features of the printer itself, you quickly see that it has the same features as a Mutoh printer (such as the heater system). You can already buy a Mutoh printer from resellers that know the signage market for years. Indeed Mutoh offers you the choice of mild-solvent (Spitfire Extreme) or eco-solvent (Rockhopper Extreme).
FLAAR has already spent an entire week evaluating these Mutoh printers, including their Intelligent Interweaving software. The Epson GS6000 is a newer printer, so if one becomes available for study, it will be possible to see what positive features it has.
In the meantime, unfortunately, the ISA booth of Epson was almost empty. About half the time at FESPA Digital the Epson booth there was almost empty too. Clearly most sign printer owners and managers feel more at home with Mimaki, Mutoh, Roland, or D.G.I., Infiniti, or other solvent printers.
And also in the meantime, two water-based inks have appeared that could replace eco-solvent and mild-solvent all together: HP latex inks and water-based outdoor ink from Sepiax Ink Technology.
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| Booth of Epson GS6000, ISA 2008. |
Most recently updated April 2008.
First posted March 26, 2008.
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| Kwangko Sprin |
Eco-Solvent Printers |
| Gerber Jetster |
| Kimoto Philyrassystem |
| Mutoh Phoenix |
| Mild-Solvent
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| Bio-Solvent
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| Latex Water-Based Ink replaces Solvent ink |
Interesting inks & |
| UV-Curable ink, OEM (in preparation) |
| UV-Curable, third-party ink Encres Dubuit (others in preparation) |
Fine Art Photography Giclee & Proofing (on other FLAAR sites) |
Epson 4880 |
Epson 7880 |
Epson 9880 |
Most of our updates for 2008 onward are in FLAAR Reports in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. It is more efficient for us to make new information available in PDF format. So if the web page itself is not updated, check out www.wide-format-printers.NET to see if the printer, RIP, or other subject is covered in an update in a PDF download.
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