In 2024, the focus is on high-speed wide format digital inkjet printing with precision, facilitated by innovations such as UV LED printing, which offers faster drying times and superior durability.
What is the future of wide format UV LED digital inkjet printing?
Having a wide format UV LED digital inkjet printer will help a print service provider (PSP) or sign shop keep up with demand, and also save money in investing in additional printers to do so. Wide format UV LED digital inkjet printing is incredibly versatile, with the ability to be applied to a wide range of traditionally hard-to-print surfaces, such as banner, self-adhesive vinyl, backlit, plastic, acrylic, glass, metal, wood and more.
The wide format digital inkjet printing and sign-making industry has led the change for improved turnaround time, higher quality and more economical solutions for printers that serve this segment of the market. UV LED curing technology enables output on a wider media mix and an extended range of applications, while at the same time allowing for a low total cost of ownership.
Unlike other large-format printing techniques such as screen-printing, wide-format UV LED digital inkjet printing is the most feasible option for temporary projects and short-term promotions such as seasonal signage, trade show displays, and banner printing for events.
Types of wide-format UV LED digital inkjet printers
There are several types of wide-format digital inkjet printers, including solvent, aqueous, and UV LED, each of which have their advantages. UV-based wide format flatbed printers are frequently configured as flatbed printers, which allows them to print on a wider variety of materials. The inks tend to be just as durable as those used in solvent printers as well. When printers implement UV LED curing technology, it ensures material versatility, proven reliability, and superior performance.
A leader in the wide format printing industry, JHF has integrated high-performance UV LED technology into their efficient wide format M3300 and M5300 hybrid digital inkjet printers. The JHF UV LED lamp cures UV ink instantaneously on both the left and right pass, thereby enabling media versatility and faster production speeds.
The JHF M3300 and M5300 hybrid digital inkjet printers, with a close-view true native resolution of 600 x 1200 dpi, are ideal for creating retail point-of-purchase graphics, backlit displays, high-end packaging, art reproduction prints and so much more. The JHF M3300 and M5300 hybrid digital inkjet printers are available with 10 print heads. (The M5300 can accommodate a maximum of 40 KM printheads, arranged in 6 rows, with the production speed up to 400 sqm/h)
Media Versatility
The JHF M3300 and M5300 hybrid digital inkjet printers print to both roll-to-roll and rigid substrates. Two front and rear extension tables can be secured to the main body to facilitate printing on rigid media up to 2” thick. With a retractable alignment bar and a vacuum belt-driven printing bed, the rigid media remains stable as it moves through the printing gantry. Rollers set in the tabletops also help in gliding rigid media in and out of the printing press.
UV LED Light Sources
The JHF UV LED lamp is a high capability air-cooled UV LED curing lamp aimed primarily at UV Inkjet wide format systems and is capable of curing at the highest speeds for wide format digital inkjet printing systems.
JHF’s UV LED Light Sources are developed by using optical simulation to optimize irradiance, focus distance, and surface uniformity as well as fluid simulation to optimize the characteristics of heat dissipation and the positioning of components.
UV-LED lamps are unidirectional – meaning the light is focused in one direction – and 30-50% more efficient than mercury vapor lamps. They create less surface temperature than the mercury vapor lamps as well – allowing for the printing of thinner and more heat-sensitive materials.
While LED UV lamps tend to be more expensive than mercury vapor lamps, they last on average 10 times longer – thus offsetting any cost difference between the two lamps types very quickly.
LED lamps
LED lamps perform well across the full spectrum of their power, while mercury vapor lamps do not perform as well at anything below full power. That means that they go from 100% performance to 0 on a curve.
