The first commercially available Xaar 1001 GS12-based tile printers have been launched at Tecnargilla 2012. The Xaar 1001 GS12, which joins the Xaar 1001 GS6, was designed to meet specific ceramics sector requirements.
Many of the major manufacturers of tile decoration equipment have chosen to develop new machines using Xaar’s latest printhead because it delivers considerable quality and production performance benefits. Intesa-Sacmi, Kerajet, Projecta SiTi B&T, and TecnoFerrari are presenting the first printers to feature the Xaar 1001 GS12 at this year’s show.
The Xaar 1001 GS6 jets dynamically-variable 6-42 picolitre drops, which makes it ideal for printing pale shades and fine detail. The new Xaar 1001 GS12 printhead delivers larger 12-84 picolitre ink drops to provide double the colour intensity for bolder tile effects. Alternatively, users can opt for twice the line speed to increase throughput. The choice is theirs. Both printheads can achieve a stunning replication of natural materials like marble and granite, as well as highly decorative and creative new designs.
Visitors to Tecnargilla can see the first commercially available printers using the Xaar 1001 GS12 printhead as well as examples of tiles produced with this printhead.
Intesa-Sacmi is presenting its second-generation, high-definition Colora HD2 Series featuring the Xaar 1001 GS12 at the show. New features include: new ink supply and recycling systems, more effective cleaning processes and new machine control and management software. The six-colour model ranging from 69.7-167.5cm print widths and delivering 48m/min performance.
The modular Kerajet K700 and K1400 systems, with up to 12 colour bars, print quickly and with exact repetition. In addition to the Xaar 1001 GS12 printhead, the Kerajet incorporates a number of features, such as an integrated ink circulation system, automatic self-cleaning and optimised ink use, to ensure maximum efficiency and swift return on investment.
Projecta SiTi B&T has equipped the Evoseven Plus, Evofive Plus and the new Evothree Plus with the new Xaar 1001 GS12 printhead to deliver more speed and more intensity, from three to seven colours. These printers are also available for large size tiles up to 1.33m print width.
The single-pass TecnoFerrari VivaJet is available with a choice of up to eight colour bars in three available models and prints at up to 70m/min. Users can choose either the GS6 or GS12 variant of the Xaar 1001 printhead supported by new Xaar electronics to deliver maximum performance. “The Xaar 1001 GS12 printhead is the new market standard in digital decoration,” says Alberto Annovi at TecnoFerrari. “Not only does it deliver more ink to the tile to produce stronger tones, but tile manufacturers also benefit from higher production efficiency, flexibility and reliability.”
Both EFI Cretaprint and New King Time are also developing new printers with Xaar 1001 GS12 printheads.
Finally, two other major tile printer manufacturers, Hope and Meijia, will also be giving their customers the flexibility to use either the Xaar 1001 GS6 or GS12 in their printers, depending upon their specific decoration and production requirements.