Inkjet & Digital Printing

NEWTECH LAUNCHES XAAR-ENABLED KERAMAGIC DIGITAL INKJET PRINTER FOR CERAMIC TILES AT TECNARGILLA

Thursday 18. September 2008 - New printer set to revolutionise quality short run tile printing

Newtech SRL, Italy, the specialist manufacturer of machinery for the ceramics industry, is holding the worldwide launch of a highly innovative Œdrop on demand‚ inkjet system for printing directly onto ceramic tiles at Tecnargilla (Rimini, 30th September – 4th October 2008).

The four-colour digital Newtech KeraMagic printer is the first digital printer developed by Newtech and has been specifically developed to print durable, high quality high resolution images directly onto tiles quickly and reliably. It features the award-winning greyscale Xaar 1001 inkjet printheads which can jet pigmented and non-pigmented ceramics inks, suspensions in a single-pass with ease and accuracy.

The KeraMagic printer answers the ceramics industry‚s need for an industrial strength inkjet printer that can handle a variety of fluids with ease to produce short run volumes of bespoke tiles cost-effectively. Two models are available: the 350mm width KeraMagic 350 and the 700mm width KeraMagic 700. These print at up to 25m/min at 360 dpi and eight levels of greyscale to produce impressive clarity. Compared with analogue devices which handle a maximum image length of 1.4m, the KeraMagic software can handle an image length of up to 20m, which provides new and lucrative creative opportunities.

The design of the Xaar 1001 printhead makes it ideal for high-quality inkjet ceramic applications. Designed for high-speed, single-pass applications, the Xaar 1001 delivers excellent drop formation and drop placement accuracy with outstanding operational durability.

The head‚s unique XaarDOT technology allows variable-sized drops to be produced, giving users the ability to select drop size depending upon the application. Fine drops give smooth tones, contrasting shades and sharp-edged text, while larger drops ensure good ink coverage at maximum print speed. The result is stunning replication of natural materials such as stone and marble.

The Xaar 1001 printhead also incorporates Xaar‚s patented HSS head technology, which delivers “through-flow” operation. With Xaar‚s through-flow design, ink flows past each nozzle opening, keeping the channels primed and operational. This results in lower maintenance cycles and high nozzle reliability giving consistent high quality and high productivity.

“The capabilities of the Xaar 1001 printhead have made the KeraMagic a commercial reality and we have high expectations for the printer,” explains Roberto Carassai, President of Newtech. “It delivers everything our customers are asking for: high definition, flexibility, speed of set up and printing, reliability and cost of production. Plus, it‚s unique design means the printer can handle a wide range of inks and fluids which gives our customers the freedom of choice.”

“The Xaar 1001 printhead enables digitisation of what has been a traditionally analog process, and delivers everything the market needs to make digital printing onto ceramic tiles a commercial reality,” says Steve Knight, European Sales Manager, Xaar. “Previous ink jet technology has been limited in both reliability and resolution. The ability to produce high quality, vibrant tiles will open up valuable new markets for tile producers worldwide.”

http://www.xaar.com
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