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The CF3 Series Flatbed Cutting System and UJF-605CII UV-Cure, Inkjet Specialty Printer

From routing to flexible printing, Mimaki shows its range.

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When we were kids, we looked forward to receiving the Sears Roebuck Christmas catalog. It was a ’50s merchandising catalog, an information source that presented colorful ads and visuals, of all the great gift ideas, especially the new toys. Today, with television and the Internet, we’re bombarded by so many similiar offers that it’s difficult to separate the diamonds from the coal.

What’s our point? As kids, we truly anticipated the arrival of the Sears Christmas catalog. It tolled the holidays’ grand announcement: Christmas was coming! Most importantly, it allowed us to hone in on the “big gift,” meaning, it was time to pester our parents.

To some extent, that time has vanished. However, we do anticipate one annual event to remind us of those times. It’s when we visit with the Mimaki staff. Few companies attack market niches as aggressively as Mimaki, so, like the Sears catalog or today’s Internet, the company always amazes us with its new and updated products.

The same occurred at ISA’s 2008 International Sign Expo tradeshow. Mimaki arrived with numerous new products – more than we can report in one article, so we’ll concentrate on a few. If you need a router, cutter or are looking at the specialty-items market, pay close attention.

The CF3 Series
As we said, Mimaki likes to attack markets. For example, in December 2006, it introduced the 1,200 x 1,200-dpi JF Series of flatbed UV-cure printers for direct digital printing on various media, including such uncoated substrates as corrugated plastic, polyacrylics and uneven or irregular materials, all up to 1.96 in. thick.

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Designed for POP markets, the JF Series is equipped with dual UV lamps, and this enables high-speed, bi-directional printing.

At SGIA 2008, Mimaki’s JF-1631 received the Digital Printing & Imaging Assn.’s Product of the Year award for Rigid Substrates (UV-cured inkjets).

To satisfy digital-print shops’ need to contour-cut printed images, Mimaki built and introduced its CF3 Series flatbed cutting systems. And, they didn’t just single-purpose build a machine, but, as you’ll read, its various uses make it unique.

Specifications
The two, CF3 series models are distinguished by size: The CF3 1610’s bed measures 39.3 x 63 in. (it easily accommodates 3 x 5-ft. media), and the CF3-1631’s bed measures 122 x 63 in. (it cuts the same width, but easily accommodates 3 x 10-ft. media). These sizes mirror the bed capacity of Mimaki’s JF Series industrial, flatbed UV printers. The CF3-1610’s overall dimensions are 88.6 in. wide x 73.2 in. deep x 53 in. high. The CF3-1631 has identical dimensions as the 1610, other than its 166.2-in. depth.

Both cutters are 3-axis (xyz) devices that use DC servomotors for quick, precise movements. A segmented, vacuum table secures the media (Fig. 1), and you can reverse the airflow, to assist in moving or removing heavy panels. The maximum cutting speed is 20 in. per second. The unit requires 200 to 240V, single phase 50/60Hz drawing less than 6A.

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Choose between two methods of connecting the cutter to your computer system, the antiquated (but still in use) RS-232 serial interface or a USB connection.

Three heads better than one (or two)
See the CF3 Series as a cutting system, not a CNC router. Properly equipped, it cuts media up to 1.96 in. thick, but that depth depends on which head is installed (Fig. 2). Each of the three, optional, cutting-head devices serves a particular purpose. The M1 head is a traditional, high-speed router tool, and a CF3 Series cutter equipped with it will cut media up to 1.96 in. thick (the same as that of the JF Series UV-cure printers). The M1 spindle speed is 60,000 rpm, and the maximum tool width is 0.24 in. It will cut various materials, including acrylic, aluminum composite panels and wood. An automatic cleaning function prevents trim dust from settling in, and interfering with, the cutting area.

The R1 reciprocating cutting head is used for cutting foam-board, corrugated board or cardboard media. It handles media up to 0.78 in. thick. The tool’s maximum reciprocating speed is 10,000 strokes per minute. It can hold a swivel cutter/pen, a reciprocating cutter or a creasing tool. You can also use this head to hold a high-pressure, tangential cutter.

The high-precision, TF2 tangential cutter head is similar to the R1, but it’s for use with thin sheeting. Choose between a low- or high-pressure TF2 head for cutting various materials.

The cutting heads are options, so you buy only those you need. If a new application arises, you can order the appropriate head. They are user installable, so it’s a snap to change your machine’s cutting characteristics.

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Software and an eye to precision
The CF3 comes with a color-sensitive photo sensor that finds and responds to registration marks, regardless of the media color. It ensures precise contour cutting, even with improperly loaded media.

Mimaki includes two software packages that help the operator enjoy all the machine’s benefits. Plotter Assistant, a workstation-based control, also monitors the cutter’s status; FineCut 7 is a CorelDRAW plug-in that converts artwork to plotter language, then optimizes the settings, to ensure accuracy.

With the proper cutting head, the CF3 will cut other Mimaki printers’ images, including those produced by the next item that we want to discuss, the UJF-605CII specialty-market printer.

The UJF-605CII
Keeping with the niche-market theme, Mimaki has also created a printer for the specialty-media market. The flatbed UJF-605C, a small, UV-cure, inkjet printer, overcomes virtually all the problems the other methods present. For 2008, Mimaki improved the design by significantly increasing print speed.

The flatbed, UJF-605CII is the ultimate tool for the specialty printer. It prints those cool giveaways – magnets, pens and the like. Such printing is usually accomplished by screen- or pad-printing processes, but these conventional methods are limited in image quality, color variations and the object’s complexity.

Specifications
The 605CII is a UV-cure, inkjet printer with piezo, drop-on-demand head technology. It functions in three resolution modes: 600 x 600; 1,200 x 1,200; and 1,200 x 2,400 dpi. The printer can handle media up to 27.5 x 23.6 in., which, roughly, is 2 x 2 ft (Fig. 3). That doesn’t seem significant, but, if you’re working with dozens of small pieces, it becomes quite large. The 605CII also handles 1.96-in.-thick media and will support jobs weighing up to 22 lbs.

You secure various media to the flatbed table by building fitted jigs, or, you can use the vacuum system to secure thin, sheet stock.

The printer’s overall dimensions are 96 in. wide x 61.9 in. deep x 54 in. high. It requires a 200- to 240V power source and weighs 926 lbs. Connections are via Firewire, that is, an IEEE 1394 device, which can transfer data at speeds of up to 400 megabits per second.

Color and speed
The 605CII images seven colors – cyan, magenta, yellow, black, light magenta, light cyan and white, plus it will apply a clear topcoat finish (that improves color vibrancy and protects the image). Mimaki says the ink (it ships 440ml cartridges) is VOC free, so you can run the printer in an office environment (with proper room ventilation); the company also says the UV-cure lamps don’t generate ozone.

Typically, we appraise print speed by square feet per hour, but this device is designed to print an assortment of small pieces on a fairly small bed, so new rules apply. For example, on high speed, it prints 23.62 x 19.68-in. media in a bit more than three minutes. Switch to a higher-quality mode, and the time ranges from six minutes (1,200 x 1,200 dpi, 8 pass) up to 21 minutes (2,400 x 1,200 dpi, 32 pass).

Is that fast? Yes, for this type printer (it’s nearly double that of the previous model). And, there are other advantages. Let’s say, for example, you’ve contracted to print refrigerator magnets with a photographic image, and you can fit 100 blank magnets into a 23 x 19-in. jig. Conceivably, you could print 400 to 500 magnets an hour, with stunning image quality. An automatic screen press could match or exceed the speed, but a screen press requires flat objects for printing. What it the magnet blanks were domed, or included a raised logo?

The 605CII may be the most versatile, marketing-materials printer we’ve ever seen. It images on an unlimited number of items: cellphone covers, pens, magnets and knife handles, to name a few (plastic-sheet stock allows you to print ID cards). Additionally, you can print/merge different names and photos on each piece. Try this with screenprinting.

The 605CII comes bundled with Mimaki’s proprietary RasterLink IP III RIP software, is enhanced with 16-bit rendering, which increases the in-gamut color count and smoothes gradations.

Conclusion
Once again, Mimaki didn’t disappoint. Both products, the CF3 flatbed cutting systems and the UJF-605CII UV printer, are well-built profitmakers. Further, they display the vast appreciation Mimaki has for its customers. The company doesn’t build “me too” products – it builds profitmaking solutions.

Key Information
Mimaki USA Inc.
140 Satellite Blvd. NE, Ste. D
Suwanee, GA 30024
(678) 730-0170
(678) 730-0188
www.mimakiusa.com

Company profile: Incorporated in 1999, Mimaki USA Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd. (Nagano, Japan). Mimaki manufactures high-speed wide-format printers and cutting machines.

At a Glance: The CF3 Series Flatbed Cutting series models are distinguished by size: The CF3 1610 easily accommodates 3 x 5-ft. media, and the CF3-1631 accommodates 3 x 10-ft. media. These sizes mirror the bed capacity of Mimaki’s JF Series industrial, flatbed UV printers. Both cutters are 3-axis (xyz) devices. The tool carriage can accommodate three different heads; each handles a particular cutting or scoring chore.

The flatbed UJF-605C is a small, UV-cure, inkjet printer with piezo, drop-on-demand head technology. It functions in three resolution modes and prints seven colors for the specialties-item printer. It can print on magnets, pens and other merchandising items and apply a clear topcoat finish. The ink is VOC free, so the printer can operate in an office environment.

Contact: Steve Urmano
steve@mimakiusa.com

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