With the ability to print on a wide range of both hard and flexible substrates from paper to vinyl to aluminium, it is easy to see why flatbed printers are a valuable mechanism. This article explores the many applications of flatbed printers, from fine art to product displays.

SUMMARY

Ink Types	Color Possibilities	Relevant Brands	Printable Substrates
UV Curable Solvent Latex	CMYK, with light cyan and magenta options White ink Gloss and Clear coat	Mimaki Canon Inktex EPI Durst Roland HP	Paper Vinyl Wood Glass Metal Foam board Textiles

	SOLVENT INKS	UV CURABLE INKS
PRICE	The inks are relatively inexpensive	The printer and the inks are quite expensive.
SUBSTRATES	A moderate range of materials that do not require pre-coating. The inks "eat away" at the surface, essentially etching the ink into the substrate for a very durable bond. Edible inks are available.	A wide range of materials that do not require pre-coating. The inks sit on the surface of the print and is not ideal for substrates that must stretch, such as vinyl for vehicle wraps. Inks better suited to flexible materials are available.
DRYING TIME	Dry by evaporation, so production time must be allotted for this.	Cured by UV light within the printer - dry as soon as printing is completed.
VENTILATION	The fumes are toxic, so the area must be well-ventilated.	The fumes are odorless and non-toxic, so ventilation is not an issue.
IMAGE RESOLUTION	In general, very good resolution due to smaller drip size, useful for gradients and small details.	Some have lower resolution than solvent printers, though high quality UV printers are comparable or surpass solvent resolution.
COLORS	No white ink is available, so printing on dark substrates is avoided.	A white ink option is available for most printers, allowing true color reproduction on colored substrates (though the UV light may be unable to penetrate very dark substrates).
DURABILITY	Can stand up to handling because the ink has etched into the substrate. Will fade over time.	Completely light-fast once cured, so will not fade. Because the ink is raised, however, it cannot stand up to excessive handling or abrasion.

When directly compared, the color options, and lack of drying time and toxic fumes makes it easy to understand why UV curable inks are beginning to eclipse solvent inks.

As mentioned in the chart, UV curable ink printers often come with a white ink option. This is a rare feature in ink jet printing in general - most ink heads to not include it, and any areas that are white in the digital image simply remain the color of the substrate (as is the case in the solvent ink printers).

Other inks beyond the traditional CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) cartridges are also available with most UV curable printers. Some combination of light cyan, light magenta, and various blacks may be offered. The number of print cartridges depends on the printer: either four, six, or eight. A clear varnish cartridge may also be added as a protective finisher.

Because UV curable inks sit on the substrate and are slightly textured, they scatter light and therefore produce a matte finish. To counteract this, a clear gloss ink is sometimes included for print jobs that require a certain level of shine. Unfortunately, this does made UV inks less popular for products that require a smooth feel.

Unlike solvent inks, which can shrink as much as 50% during the evaporation/drying, UV curable inks do not lose any thickness or volume. As a result, there is less waste, not to mention the lack of toxic fumes, as mentioned in the chart above. Once cured, the inks are light-fast, which means they can be exposed to external light and climates without fear of fading.

There are two types of UV curing systems: "regular" mercury vapor, and LED.

• Mercury Vapor UV light has a wider wavelength and so more reactivity with the inks, which means the curing speed is very quick, leading to better productivity. They are best suited to high-volume workspaces.

• LED UV light has a narrower wavelength, causing less reactivity, which means curing takes longer, and productivity is slower. However, LED has other advantages: the lights have a longer lifespan, use less heat than mercury vapor, and are more energy efficient. Because of this, many manufacturers are working to improve the productivity of LED lights. Currently, however, they are best suited to lower-volume workspaces.

BRAND & MODEL	MAXIMUM WxLxD	RESOLUTION	SPEED	INK COLORS	PRICE
Mimaki JFX200	51" x 98" x 2"	Up to 1200 dpi	Up to 25 m² per hour	4 color (plus optional white) and clear	Approx. $78,000
Canon Océ Arizona 6160	98" x 120" x 2"	Up to 1440 dpi	Up to 155 m² per hour	6 color, plus white	Approx. $450,000
Inktec Jetrix	94" x 118" x 4"	Up to 1440 dpi	Up to 60 m² per hour	4 color, plus white	Undetermined
HP Scitex FB550	64" x 120" x 2.5"	Up to 1200 dpi	Up to 38.9 m² per hour	6 color, plus white	Approx. $87,000
Durst Rho 1012	96" x 201" x 2.75"	Up to 1000 dpi	Up to 490 m² per hour	6 color, additional orange, green, violet	Undetermined
EFI H1625 (LED)	65" x 130" x 2"	Up to 1200 dpi	Up to 458 m² per hour	4 color, plus white	Approx. $130,000
Roland VersaUV LEJ-640	64" x 140" x .5"	Up to 1440 dpi	Up to 12 m² per hour	4 color, plus white and gloss	Approx. $70,000
Roland VersaUV LEJ-640FT	64" x 98" x 6"	Up to 1440 dpi	Up to 12 m² per hour	4 color, plus white and gloss	Approx. $90,000
Agfa Anapurna M2540 FB	60" x 100" x 1.75"	Up to 1440 dpi	Up to 45 m² per hour	6 color, plus white	From $90,000

Canon Océ Arizona

HP Scitex

The ability of flatbed printers to print to rolled materials as well as rigid is a useful quality, though some research has found that flexible substrates are more likely to skew as they pass along the rollers on the bed/table. In a dedicated roll-based printer, this will not occur.

PAPER

VINYL

Some vinyl has an adhesive backing, allowing the finished print to be adhered to a window, wall, or even to the floor. In the case of windows, however, this means the signage must be placed on the outside, which will inevitably shorten its lifespan. This is where clear, flexible plastics come in handy - the mirror image can be printed so the print can be placed on the inside of the window, with the correct text or artwork showing to those passing by.

Read more about uses for vinyl and other flexible substrates in our article All About Banners.

FOAM BOARD

These substrates are ideal for one-time trade show signage, short-term indoor events, and non-commercial applications such as large fundraisers or party announcements.

METAL

Since solid metal can be costly, aluminium di-bond is another option. Di-bond is a composite made up of two thin sheets of aluminium with a core of polyethylene. It is a common dry mounting surface and is a high quality alternative to pure metal.

WOOD

GLASS/CERAMIC

Shower doors and business windows or room dividers are popular applications for glass printing.

TEXTILES

Aluminium sheeting

Wood

Sheet glass

Carpet textiles

At KeenART Media, we supply a wide range of services and products to fulfil many of your fine art and advertising needs. For more information about our offerings, please contact us. Our knowledgeable staff is always happy to answer your questions and offer advice for your next printing project.

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