There are different inks that can be used in wide format printing, including UV curable, hard solvent and eco solvent ink. However, when it comes to sustainability, as well as health and safety features, which are critical to most wide format print applications, Latex inks are renowned for their reliability. This is a sponsored article.
The choice of ink can dictate whether proper ventilation is required within the space in question, if there will be a strong odour, what happens if it may be swallowed, and if it causes irritability to a person’s eyes or on the skin.
Scientific tests illustrate that UV and solvent inks have slight odours, and hard solvent inks have stronger odours. UV and solvent inks also also have little to no environmental certifications, such as the ones carried by Latex inks. Certain solvent inks are flammable while certain UV curable inks are known to cause irritability to a user’s skin and eyes.
HP’s newest Latex technology carries a broad set of credentials, addressing the full spectrum of environmental concerns: from ink chemistry and indoor air quality (for both print production and display) to lifecycle considerations, earning recognition for products as environmentally preferred overall.
Latex Ink Benefits
HP Latex ink is water-based. This means it contains no hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), as is the case with solvent-based inks, and as such requires no hazard-warning labels. Even better, it produces odourless prints that are easy to work with, even in indoor spaces, without special ventilation. Odourless prints made with water-based inks are suitable for use in environments such as schools, hospitals, and other places with stringent health and safety criteria controlling the use of solvents.
HP Latex Inks provide outdoor durability and versatility across all common media types used in sign and display applications together with high quality, odourless prints, low maintenance, and the reduced environmental impact of water-based ink.
HP Latex printing technologies address environmental and health concerns across a broad range of attributes throughout the entire life cycle of a print from production to disposal. The water-based formulation of HP Latex inks fundamentally provides healthier print production without trading off performance.
HP Latex inks have qualified for certifications, which demonstrate that they meet some of the world’s most rigorous and comprehensive standards for low chemical emissions into indoor air. These include GREENGUARD GOLD and UL ECOLOGO®.
As a result, HP Latex inks allow print service providers to produce odourless prints for indoor displays in sensitive environments such as hospitality and healthcare.
Additionally, the inks are durable in that they feature light-fade resistance, scratch and abrasion resistance, as well as water and chemical resistance, ticking off as many boxes as a user may anticipate during day-to-day operations. Also, while non-HP inks may cost less per litre, they can cause frequent printhead replacement, unsellable prints, and increased printer downtime and maintenance.
HP Printers And Inks: Meeting The Sustainable Objectives Of PSP’s
Third-generation HP 831 Latex Inks in the HP Latex 310, 330, and 360 printers and HP 881 Latex inks in the HP Latex 3000 printer include a number of significant innovations that take the benefits of HP Latex inks to a new level. HP Latex inks provide outdoor durability and versatility across all common media types used in sign and display applications together with high quality, odourless prints, low maintenance, and the reduced environmental impact of water-based inks.
The water-based formulation of fourth generation HP 831 and HP 881 Latex inks and HP Latex Optimiser offers a healthier solution that better meets the health and environmental objectives of both print service providers and their customers.
HP Latex 700 and 800 printer series inks are ENERGY STAR accredited for their energy efficiency. Their chemical composition is certified by the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals Foundation (ZDHC) and meet the standards of its Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (ZDHC MRSL), ensuring safe disposal of both ink cartridges and printed products. White ink options are available.
The HP Latex 315 and HP Latex 335 print and cut are complete solutions that feature outstanding print and accurate cut with downforce up to 600 grams. Users can save 50% more media with True Shape Nesting and create new applications in three easy steps with HP Applications Centre. Save 50% of the time by printing and cutting simultaneously (based on internal HP testing). Users can also produce output twice as fast and deliver the same day as HP Latex technology ensures that prints come out dry so they can be cut/laminated immediately.
All devices in the HP Latex 2700 series run on fourth generation HP Latex ink, bringing UL ECOLOGO® certification, while also meeting UL GREENGUARD GOLD and Toy Safety requirements. This allows print service providers to embrace jobs in even the most sensitive environments. The HP Latex 2700 also features a white ink option.
The HP Latex 630 delivers stunning prints with vivid colours and smooth gradients, at a printing speed up to 14sqm/hr. With the HP Latex 630W, white ink adapts to your needs, reduces maintenance and preserves ink with an automatic ink recirculation and offline rotating chamber. They run on fourth generation HP Latex ink, and like other Latex printers, these models boast numerous sustainability certifications.
The HP Latex 1500 printer’s accessible print zone with LED lighting and status beacon enable at-a-glance monitoring from near and far.
The HP Latex 3600 is designed for larger PSPs needing long-run, uninterrupted printing and can handle production peaks of up to 35,000 square metres per month.
With the HP Latex R Printer Series, users can transform any rigid or flexible substrate with amazing colours. Users can also expand their portfolio into a wide range of applications with the glossiest white that resists yellowing. There is no waste between white jobs, with removable HP Thermal Inkjet printheads stored in an offline rotating chamber. The printer ensures users are always ready to print white because automatic recirculation and printhead cleaning eliminate manual purging.
An important component of total environmental performance is the recyclability of used consumables. HP printers and supplies contain recycled plastics designed with post-consumer electronics, soda bottles, UL-validated ocean bound plastics, coat hangers and empty original HP ink cartridges. HP is reinventing the future of sustainable printing.
Print On Virtually Any Substrate With A Healthier Latex Solution
When clients approach you with unique challenges and innovative opportunities, you want the power to take on anything. By adding HP Latex technology to your print arsenal, you can print on virtually any substrate to create signage, vehicle wraps, décor, stickers, posters and more. Deliver the highest quality over time and deliver projects on the same day.
The chart below clearly demonstrates that HP Latex inks offer a healthier solution than competing ink technologies in commercial large format print production.
There is much evidence to illustrate the extensive benefits of using Latex inks. Its environmentally-friendly aspects, coupled with health and safety benefits, not to mention high-quality end results, will ensure peace of mind for print service providers looking for the best business solution.
Interested in HP Latex inks and technology? Contact an HP sales expert here. Or contact a Midcomp representative here.
