EFI VUTEk GS5000r, 5-meter roll to roll UV-cured grand format printer

About five times during 2008 someone would mention “the new VUTEk 5-meter roll-to-roll printer” that was being developed in Israel. Since Israel is the location of the world's first 5-meter roll-to-roll UV printer (NUR Expedio 5000), this makes Israel a practical place to develop a newer generation 5-meter roll to roll. Then at FESPA 2009 the printer was launched.

The new EFI VUTEk GS5000r 5-meter roll to roll UV-cured grand format printer at FESPA Amsterdam, 2009.

VUTEk enters the 5-meter market introducing the VUTEk GS5000r at FESPA Amsterdam 2009. EFI fights for a share against well known printers like the 5-meter versions of the roll-fed machines of Gandinnovations, the HP Scitex XP5300, Matan Barak5 and the Durst Rho 500r, also introduced at FESPA Amsterdam 09.

Brief History of 5-meter roll-to-roll printers

With all the new models available at ISA and FESPA 2010, FLAAR is offering personalized consulting at each trade show. You can walk-the-floor with the Senior Editor of FLAAR and get his comments on any and all printers, inks, RIP software, color management, substrates, applications, etc. So if you wish to learn about the difference between combo, hybrid, and dedicated UV printers, how latex ink compares, about textile printers, etc. contact FLAAR to obtain consulting. You can also get consulting before ISA or FESPA anywhere in the world: Dr Hellmuth was in Dubai and India last week as consultant, and will be in Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and China as consultant in the next two months. He was consulting in Korea and London in late 2009.

The first UV-cured printers were variations of solvent printers (PerfectaPrint). Probably half the first-generation UV-curable printers had a solvent printer in their DNA: I can still remember the VUTEk solvent flatbed that appeared at about one or two trade shows. In most cases the solvent flatbed disappeared as quickly as the UV-version appeared.

90% of all UV printers from 2000 to early 2004 were hybrid, combo (moving transport belt) or dedicated flatbeds (Inca is the best example, long before Gandy and Oce 250).

When I first saw the 5-meter NUR Expedio at DRUPA, early summer 2004, I assumed it was just another solvent printer and I did not pay much attention to it. It was sometime later that I realized it was a UV roll-to-roll printer.

In 2005 Durst came out with their Rho 350R and the next year or so with the improved model, Rho 351R. Now Durst has a 320R as well. I have been to the Durst factories many times so have tested these for hours: very impressive quality. Full FLAAR Reports exist on both Durst Rho printers.

Gandinnovations remained with their solvent for roll-to-roll and their Jeti flatbeds for UV. Only later did they come out with a roll-to-roll. It took about a year for its inks to have enough POP to compete with solvent. Today their Gandinnovations roll-to-roll are significantly better than the first generation.

But the entire time, NUR gained most of the market share for 5-meter roll to roll. NUR really understood what end-users wanted and they provided precisely that: an ink that cost no more than solvent ink, period. NUR used an air gun to spread their ink out and lowered the price per liter so that the price per square meter was the same or less than printing with Solvent.

NUR sold so many that they did not really need to make many more solvent printers.

Then at SGIA 2007, HP came out with an HP Scitex XL2200. This was non-functional since they attempted to use MEMS printheads. This unfortunate printer was withdrawn quickly and HP bought NUR.

In February 2009, WP Digital released their Virtu RR50, a 5-meter UV-curable roll-to-roll printer which had been developed by Spuhl (part of L&P Digital Technologies). It was possible to spend a day at the Spuhl factory the previous year (the day after FESPA Digital Geneva) and for the launch of the Virtu RR50 it was possible to spend 4 days with WIFAG, Polytype, and WP Digital in Switzerland. The first FLAAR Report covers what I learned and observed during the launch event. A follow-up FLAAR Report will go into more detail during and after FESPA.

A month or so before ISA, Durst announced it's 5-meter UV roll to roll printer. Previously their models had been 3.2 and 3.5 meters wide. The new model is the Durst Rho 500R.

	Factory visit	Site-visit case study		FLAAR Report	Downloads per month
NUR Expedio 5-meter (HP Scitex XP5300)	Twice, in depth both times
Durst Rho 500R new at FESPA '09	Being scheduled	In preparation		Report will be finished by end of the summer.
VUTEk GS 5000r	Not yet	Not yet available		none	zero
WP Digital Virtu RR50	Yes, several days, Under NDA	In preparation	InHouse launch event report		Already average of 5000 per month

Dr Hellmuth has also spent two days in the Eurotech factory inspecting their 5-meter system during 2009 but these printers are unfinished. On the Matan Barak3 and Barak5 we have extensive notes based on detailed access and inspection at more than nine trade shows by both Hellmuth and UV printer Technical Writer Jose Melgar.

The VUTEK GS5000r was first shown to the general public at FESPA 2009. It took until ISA 2010 to move it from alpha stage to advanced beta stage. After inspecting the GS5000r at ISA I realized that significant improvements had been successful. So as soon as a factory visit and the site-visit case study become possible, we will issue a FLAAR Reports evaluation.

The EFI VUTEk GS5000r printer delivers POP quality and billboard performance on a wider range of materials. ISA trade show, 2010.

Here is the EFI VUTEk GS5000r printing samples at ISA trade show, 2010.

Some 3-meter systems that are also competitors

If your sign shop is not physically large enough to take a 5-meter system, there is always a 3.2 meter version to consider.

Substrates for 5-meter width: banner, billboards, mesh, frontlit, backlit

Most substrates are made in factories that produce a maximum of 3.2 meters. So it was nice to find two different factories recently that produced materials at 5 meter widths. I recently spent one week inspecting 5 meter production of PVC at Obeikan OTF. Then I flew to China to spend a week inspecting 5-meter production of PE, an eco-friendly material.

 

Most recently updated April 22, 2010, after noticing the improved quality of the VUTEk GS5000r printer at ISA sign expo.

First posted May 12, 2009, a day before FESPA Digital Europe trade show.