Fujifilm at Fespa in Munich, Germany, introduced a new wide format printer, the Acuity Prime Hybrid, which is essentially a roll-to-roll hybrid version of its existing flatbed models complete with a four-zone vacuum platen.
The new Hybrid model is based on the existing Acuity Prime devices, which were launched at last year’s Fespa show. Consequently it has the same print carriage as the Prime 20, 30 and L models and uses the same Ricoh Gen5 printheads.
The Acuity Prime models are built by a well-known Chinese company, which Fujifilm does not want to name, but which is free to sell its version itself, and to other OEMs. Steve Cookman, wide format inkjet solutions manager for Fujifilm Europe, told me, “We work with our partners to advance their offering. There are new elements on this that we designed.” Thus Fujifilm has developed its own waveforms to drive the printheads and had a hand in developing the Graphical User Interface.
The heads have been set up to produce a native drop size of 7 picolitres plus one other larger drop size for three levels of greyscale (including 0). There are seven ink channels for CMYK plus white, clear and primer as optional extras. The inks are Fujifilm’s own Uvijet HM backed up by an air-cooled LED UV curing system.
The maximum printable width is 2 meters and it will take rollfed media up to 100 kilograms. It is supplied with tables for rigid media and will take boards up to 1350 mm in length with one table or up to 2120 mm long with two tables. The media can be up to 45 kilograms per square meters in weight and 51 mm in height.
It can produce up to 141 square meters an hour though a more realistic production speed would be 43 square meters an hour, dropping to 14 square meters an hour in its Fine Art mode.
It can print to all the usual display graphics media including self adhesive PVC, banner and polyester textiles as well as correx, acrylic, foam PVC and aluminium composite boards.
It’s not available yet – with Fujifilm targeting an Autumn launch. The pricing has yet to be decided. You can find further details from fujifilm.com.
First published in Printing and Manufacturing Journal on 23rd May 2023 www.nessancleary.co.uk. Republished with permission.
