EFI Demonstrates UltraDrop 7pL Grayscale Print Head Technology on VUTEk Printers at FESPA

MUNICH, GERMANY—May 21, 2014—This year’s FESPA Digital sees EFI drive forward its wide- and superwide-format inkjet production leadership with UltraDrop 7pL grayscale print head technology on its VUTEk GS series printers. EFI’s high-volume UV-inkjet press, the VUTEk HS100 Pro, will feature full automation and a material edge guide (MEG) system. The company’s exhibit at the May 20-23 tradeshow also has the European debut of the new EFI H1625 LED printer—the first LED device in the entry-level EFI Wide Format printer line—and the EFI VUTEk GS3250LXr Pro roll-fed printer.

FESPA Digital also marks the worldwide premiere of EFI Fiery proServer Version 6, a scalable and flexible digital front-end workflow offering significantly faster processing speeds. Visitors to EFI’s exhibit in stand B1-110 will also see the latest advancements to the market-leading portfolio of EFI MIS/ERP and Web-to-print products that enable companies to work more efficiently.

7pL UltraDrop technology on VUTEk GS series printers
The VUTEk GS series printers will now feature EFI’s new UltraDrop technology, which combines the smallest drop sizes available in its class with grayscale imaging and more precise control for customers that need the ultimate in image quality, crispness and speed. UltraDrop technology employs native 7pL print heads with true multi-drop addressability in each dot position, giving high apparent resolution and high definition quality with four-level grayscale and two ink density levels. The new technology also produces outstanding smoothness in shadows, gradients and transitions, as well as superb text quality with four-point text in both standard and knockout with fewer satellites and more clarity in all print modes.

Seven-year 3M MCS Warranty for EFI SuperFlex Ink
EFI and 3M Commercial Solutions are pleased to announce a seven-year 3M MCS Warranty for vehicle graphics when produced using the appropriate 3M base film, EFI VUTEk GSLXr 3M SuperFlex UV Inks, the EFI VUTEk GS3250LXr Pro printer and the appropriate 3M film over laminate. It is the first warranty of its kind in the industry for LED printing technology. The seven-year 3M MCS Warranty is offered to help protect discriminating users who require optimum performance for the intended life of the graphics.

The 3M MCS Warranty is widely recognized as the industry’s most comprehensive finished graphics warranty, covering fading, cracking, peeling and other aspects of graphic performance. The system of matched 3M components comes with the science and weathering technology that assures end users that their images will perform as expected for the life of the graphic.

Graphics printed on a VUTEk GS3250LXr Pro LED printer with EFI VUTEk GSLXr 3M SuperFlex UV Inks are ideal for outdoor applications, vehicle wraps and graphic applications on textured surfaces, such as brick panels, which can withstand heating and stretching without cracking and UV fading.

Expanding LED’s superior benefits to the industry
Already the undisputed market leader in LED curing with some 250 combination flatbed and roll-fed units sold worldwide, EFI is bringing LED to a greater number of companies with the introduction of the EFI H1625 LED printer, an ideal product for users who want an entry-level printer with the advantages of LED, grayscale, standard white ink and single-pass, multilayer capabilities. The printer’s variable droplets provide eight levels of grayscale for superior image quality, fine gradients and strong solid colors. With a 1.65m-width and fast changeover between rigid and flexible materials, the versatility of the EFI H1625 LED printer offers the opportunity to generate greater profits and a fast return on investment, for a low total cost of ownership.

Energy assessments carried out by Fogra have confirmed that EFI’s VUTEk wide-format printers with LED curing show energy reductions of up to 82 percent when compared with devices that use conventional mercury arc lamps.

EFI’s 3.2m VUTEk GS3250LXr Pro dedicated roll-fed printer with SuperFlex UV ink is also making a European debut in Munich. It joins the existing GS3250LX and GS2000LX LED printers in lowering production costs, promoting a greener working environment and enabling users to print to a wide range of materials that are not suitable for use with traditional curing methods.

“At Stewart Signs we review new equipment looking at overall effectiveness in terms of productivity, quality and consistency, proven reliability and performance,” said Tom Bates, production manager at Stewart Signs in Eastleigh, Hampshire, UK. “The GS3250LXr won, but we feel EFI VUTEk always offers one of the best in class. It’s our job to make our customers look good and to make the process painless; we value suppliers that do the same for us.”

Guy Gecht, CEO of EFI, also noted: “One day all curing technologies will incorporate LED lamps, so EFI is proud to have been the first to achieve its universal acceptance in our wide-format and label printers. We now have the ability to provide all the production and workflow tools essential for sign-makers, display producers and graphics professionals to create their own road to business growth and greater profits.”

Baz Ogle of Format Graphics in the UK converted to LED when he realized how the technology would benefit his company. “The ability to print direct, even to the most difficult media without compromising on either speed or quality, made me decide that the VUTEk GS3250LX was the machine we needed,” he said. “Buying this superwide-format printer also meant we could become more environmentally responsible through using a greener technology and reducing our power consumption.”

EFI’s high-volume inkjet press, the 3.2m VUTEk HS100 Pro, now offers fully automated loading and unloading. Introduced last year, the VUTEk HS100 Pro has quickly found popularity across a broad spectrum of users that need versatile, fast production with exacting grayscale quality. By eradicating the manual feeding and off-loading of jobs, productivity is more consistent across all types of applications, from one-offs through to higher volumes.

Process files up to 10 times faster with EFI Fiery proServer Version 6
The latest version of Fiery proServer makes its debut at FESPA Digital. It brings the EFI FAST RIP (Fiery Accelerated System Technology) to wide to superwide inkjet production. As a result, users can process complex vector data up to ten times faster than competitive systems. Designed for EFI VUTEk printers but compatible with over 500 wide- and superwide-format printers from numerous major manufacturers, Fiery proServer Version 6 also supports FOGRA PSD certifications, and it offers new tiling features for improved usability. A dynamic smoothing feature on the new Fiery proServer ensures superior gradient output.

EFI also is demonstrating its innovative thermoforming application for generating digitally printed 3D and shaped displays that are produced on a VUTEk GS Pro-TF system. The renowned EFI SmartSign Analytics (SSA) signage analysis product is also featured, showing how retail marketers can automatically capture and analyze the viewers of signs to assess the effectiveness of displays across different demographics.

EFI’s MIS and ERP products on display at FESPA Digital streamline business and administration processes, bringing users the ability to fine-tune their operations, reduce costs and remove the margin for error. Finally, EFI will feature its acclaimed Digital StoreFront and OPS Web-to-print products that meet the diverse print communications needs of customers from all print, dynamic publishing and cross-media environments.

About EFI
EFI is a worldwide provider of products, technology and services leading the transformation of analog to digital imaging. Based in Silicon Valley, with offices around the globe, the company's powerful integrated product portfolio includes digital front-end servers; superwide, wide-format, label and ceramic inkjet presses and inks; production workflow, Web-to-print and business automation software; and office, enterprise and mobile cloud solutions. These products allow users to produce, communicate and share information in an easy and effective way and enable businesses to increase their profits, productivity and efficiency.

Source: EFI.