VUTEk

The digital-printing industry equates to a flock of surfers. When a big wave starts breaking, everyone hits the water. Some wipe out; some make a conservative ride, and some attack the wave with gusto. Today, in the sign industry, the big wave is UV-cured inks — this marvelous innovation, which has allowed printer manufacturers to develop systems, can produce vivid, adhesive, and UV- and water-safe colors.

We’ve reported on numerous UV printers and their evolution. Not surprisingly, |2324|, best known for its industrial-strength, grand-format printers, has opted to "catch the wave" by introducing its PressVu UV family.

Vutek has been in the grand-format printing segment since 1989 and has a reputation of building reliable, user-friendly, grand-format printers. "Grand format" typically refers to prints wider than 60 in.

Due to viewing distances, print resolution isn’t what one expects from a large-format inkjet printer. Color accuracy, on the other hand, is critical. In addition, these printers can run for several hours with minimal operator intervention.

Although still significant, billboard production has been joined by photo finishing, signmaking and short-run screenprinting as new opportunities for grand-format printers. As a result, print resolution has become important. Vutek has remained on the cutting edge of technology, and continues to offer reliable and easy-to-use products.

Last year, we reviewed Vutek’s UltraVu 150 production-grade printer, which is designed for medium-size shops’ continuous-printing needs. The UltraVu 150’s affordable price represented Vutek’s entry into a more price-conscious market segment. Basically, the lower price tag enabled medium-size shops to jump onto the grand-format bandwagon.

UV-cured inks aren’t new to Vutek, which offers a high-production printer, the PressVu UV 180/600. It balances the flexibility of UV-cured inks and blazing production speeds — up to 1,000 sq. ft./hr. in four-color/360 x 400-dpi mode.

A wider range of options, and the ability to accommodate eight colors, separate this printer from the PressVu UV 200/600, which represents Vutek’s recognition that smaller shops want grand-format capabilities without a hefty price tag. Vutek’s new printer, a good balance of features and performance, can be purchased starting at less than $200,000.

Specifications

We reviewed the six-color PressVu UV 200/600 at the International Sign Assn.’s Sign Expo held this past April in Orlando, FL. Basically, this show was the printer’s "coming out" party. At first glance, we assumed the printer’s purchase price would range between $350,000 and $500,000. The printer offers both roll-feed and rigid-printing capabilities — features normally seen in only the most expensive UV printers.

The printer is quite impressive (Fig. 1). It measures 5 ft. 1 in. high, 14 ft. 3 in. wide and 4 ft. 7 in. deep. It weighs 3,755 lbs. To operate the system, you’ll need a single-phase, 50-amp, 200- to 240VAC circuit.

In addition, you’ll need dry shop air at 80 psi/4 cfm. Operating temperature is 68 to 85