Digital Printing

Roland’s SolJet SC-545EX Printer/Cutter

It’s all about white.

Published

18 years ago

March 27, 2006

Chris Morrison Signs of the Times March 2006 Issue

Every year, Roland DGA Corporation seems to offer something new and innovative, and we’ve reviewed many of their interesting products. Roland’s SolJet was one of the first eco-solvent printers on the market. Last year, we saw the introduction of a grand-format printer aimed at the medium-sized graphics shop. Each year, we eagerly await the next unveiling.

For 2005, Roland introduced products for some emerging markets: label prototyping, window graphics, garments and promotional items. To address these segments, Roland has focused on new ink solutions that work with printers similar to their workhorse digital machines.

We’ll focus our review primarily on the SolJet SC-545EX printer/cutter with Eco-Sol white ink. However, we’ll also briefly discuss the new line of sublimation printers that address the garment and promotional-products markets.

As always, Roland did its homework and introduced a new set of tools to enhance the signshop. If you want to expand your business by leveraging some of your inhouse expertise, pay special attention.

Specifications

The SC-545EX requires no modifications to print with the white ink. However, you can’t just pop some new cartridges into an existing SC-545EX. The printer must be brand new, and other inks can’t have been used previously.

The print engine is a SolJet PRO II SC-545EX. Basically, this translates to an eco-solvent printer capable of printing on both coated and uncoated media.

The "C" portion of the nomenclature denotes the printer’s vinyl-cutting capabilities. The versatile printer can act as a digital printer, vinyl cutter or a contour cutter that can produce such things as decals.

The SC-545EX can handle media widths up to 54 in. You’ll need some space for this machine. The dimensions are 106.26 in. wide x 29.25 in. deep x 51.9 in. high, with an uncrated weight of 338 lbs. Like all Roland SolJets, this one is built solidly.

Because this printer can image on uncoated media, a media-heating system is incorporated. Its user-selectable settings range from 96 to 122

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