This local launch followed Fujifilm’s successful ‘Blueprint Live’ showcase of its six next-generation Acuity large-format flatbed printers: Prime 20 and 30, Prime L (with a larger bed size and tandem printing mode), Ultra R2 (5m and 3.2m versions) and Ultra Hybrid LED at the FESPA Global Print Expo in Germany.
Kevin Jenner, EMEA marketing manager of the Large Format Inkjet Systems Business, told print service providers (PSPs) that three years ago Fujifilm went back to the drawing board to define a new blueprint for UV inkjet print performance because big improvements in speed and quality in new machines had been replaced by marginal ‘linear’ gains.
‘To spearhead this next chapter, we required a new level of design freedom and returned to first principles, starting with an almost blank canvas and the challenge to strip everything back and create a new and improved range of Acuity large-format flatbed printers,’ Kevin explained. ‘We appointed Realise, an award-winning industrial design company, to work closely with Fujifilm’s Tokyo Design Centre to completely rethink the press design to maximise its value, productivity, ease of use and return on investment (ROI).’
Next, to achieve its vision of combining aesthetics with exceptional functionality, Fujifilm’s Broadstairs global headquarters team met with business owners, directors and press operators all over Europe to uncover what worked and didn’t and the simple or radical changes that would improve the value, versatility, usability, productivity and ROI.
Fujifilm then combined these research findings with its over 20 years of knowledge and expertise to provide a structure for the design process. In parallel, the team carried out comprehensive research into the best components and technologies on the market, and the best routes to assembly and manufacture. Kevin pointed out that the output was effectively a new blueprint for what a UV inkjet system of the future should look like, how it should perform and could be brought to life.
‘Four design criteria – quality, value, performance and ease of use – emerged from the blueprint and informed our choices around design and the selection of components from the printheads to the graphical user interface, lamps, static control and vacuum solutions,’ he stated.
The Acuity Prime 20 and 30, the first two models made to this blueprint, were launched globally in September 2021 as new, mid-range flatbed printers that offer best-in-class quality and productivity across 20 types of flexible and rigid media as well as unmatched ease of use, ROI and ultra-reliability with minimal maintenance,’ Kevin enthused. ‘Their install base has grown to 50 machines, and they are now available in the South African market.’
Anja Kirton, Fujifilm Graphic Communication South Africa’s large-format product manager described the eight ease-of-use benefits built into the design for operators and service engineers. These include a tool shelf and storage cupboards; a start print button that allows multiple copies to be printed simultaneously; an emergency stop button with crash sensors; a 360° status beacon on the gantry with an LED warning light system; five dedicated vacuum zones tailored to common media sizes to reduce the amount of bed masking required and enable quick media changeovers; seven pneumatic registration pins to enable quick, repeatable, easy loading of rigid media in perfect registration from one sheet to the next at the touch of a button; ionising anti-static bars to reduce the effects of static on synthetic materials, and an optional automatic printhead maintenance system to reduce the amount of manual cleaning required.
The Acuity Prime can be configured with either four, five, six or seven colour channels. The channels are populated with ink sets that best suit PSPs’ application needs, including CMYK, white, clear and a jettable primer. ‘This primer improves adhesion to more industrial media types such as glass, metal and wood; provides higher scratch resistance on smooth surfaces; and removes the need for the offline pre-treatment of media before printing, saving time and money,’ Anja remarked.
She also emphasised that the new Uvijet HM ink system is optimised to produce high-quality, vibrant images day-in and day-out across the seven pass mode options. The inks are GREENGUARD and AgBB certified as free from ozone-depleting chemicals, aromatic hydrocarbons and harmful volatile solvents. Additionally, energy consumption has been minimised during curing via the air-cooled LED UV system. This system’s other benefits include the capability to print on heat-sensitive materials and instantly dry prints that are ready to use straight away, Anja noted.
Financial services manager, Gillian Whitehead closed proceedings when she explained that Fujifilm Graphic Communication South Africa offers customised and tailored deal structures with flexible payment options and fixed rate funding to keep the rental of the flatbed printer the same throughout the period. PSPs can, for instance, choose between a rent-to-own or a pay-per-use model. The latter enables them to return the equipment at the end of the term and replace it with the latest technology.
Click here to read the article in the E-mag.
Ed’s note: Interested parties can book one-on-one demos and bring their media and images to personalise the experience according to their customers’ needs.
