HP has launched the HP Latex 300 Printer series, allowing printers to expand their large-format printing capabilities, as well as the industry’s fastest 152,4cm (60 inch) large format inkjet printers, the HP Designjet Z6600 Production Printer and HP Designjet Z6800 Photo Production Printer. The company is showcasing the new products for the first time at the ISA Sign Expo in Florida, taking place from 24-26 April.
The announcement was made at a press event held in Palma Mallorca, Spain during April which Sign Africa attended.
Small and medium PSPs have long used traditional eco-solvent ink devices for outdoor print jobs, which lengthen turnaround times and limit application versatility. Powered by third-generation, water-based HP Latex ink technology, the HP Latex 300 Printer series helps low-volume customers efficiently handle more outdoor and indoor applications with improved durability and image quality.
Offering a complete portfolio for the low-volume market, the new HP Latex printer series features a range of price points, sizes and production levels to serve customers from small sign shops to higher-volume PSPs.
Designed for easy operation in small spaces, the entry-level 137,16cm (54 inch) HP Latex 310 printer offers the benefits of HP Latex in a compact model with front-media loading to maximise the production area. The printer allows you to print traditional signs and more, from low cost uncoated to POP, backlits, canvas, wall decor and more. Produce sharp, consistent and repeatable image quality with high-efficiency curing, six colours and 1200dpi. Optimised for the HP Latex 310 and 330 printers, the easy-to-use SAi FlexiPRINT HP Basic Edition Raster Image Processer (RIP) software is bundled with these printers (1). This printer eliminates waiting time, prints come out completely dry and ready for finishing and delivery.
The 162.56cm (64 inch) HP Latex 330 Printer combines application versatility with affordability, handling larger, heavier rolls and printing up to 50sqm/hr (538 square feet/hr). Produce sharp, consistent and repeatable image quality with high-efficiency curing, six colours and 1200dpi. This printer eliminates waiting time, prints come out completely dry and ready for finishing and delivery.
The higher volume 162.56cm (64 inch) HP Latex 360 printer prints up to 91sqm/hr (978 square feet/hr) and increases application versatility with an ink collector for porous textiles (2). The printer also features automatic front-to-back registration for printing double-sided banners. Produce sharp, consistent and repeatable image quality with high-efficiency curing, six colours and 1200dpi.
Helping customers transition more pages from solvent devices, HP 831 Latex inks offer scratch-resistance comparable to hard solvent inks (3) on PVC banners and vinyls, while the HP Latex Optimiser enables high quality at high speeds. Third-generation HP Latex inks also contribute to a healthier work environment (4), with odourless prints (5) that come out completely dry.
‘Small to medium PSPs face the challenge of simultaneously addressing more applications to reach more customers while reducing costs and fitting in smaller spaces,’ said Stephen Nigro, senior vice president, Graphics and Inkjet Solutions Business, HP. ‘Backed by proven HP Latex Technology, the new HP Latex 300 printer series addresses these needs with durable quality and easy operation, helping customers break application boundaries and establish a competitive advantage.’
The new HP Designjet Z6600 Production Printer and HP Designjet Z6800 Photo Production Printer increase productivity with print speeds up to 50% faster than previous HP devices (6). Additionally, these printers deliver high-value indoor applications and gallery-quality prints.
The HP Designjet Z6600 prints more efficiently than its predecessor, using up to 30% less ink (7) and saving time and costs with an optimised ink configuration. Print as fast as 140sqm/hr (1500 sq feet/hr) in fast mode and 20sqm/hr (212sq feet/hr) in high quality mode. Create quality prints at top speed with HP Double Swath technology and the HP Optical Media Advance Sensor. You can also cut turnaround times and effortlessly handle large data loads due to the printer’s high file-processing power.
The HP Designjet Z6800 Photo Production Printer produces top-quality prints at high speeds with advanced colour management features, including an embedded spectrophotometer as well as HP Chromatic Red in for a wider colour gamut and uniform gloss (8).
‘The new L300 series will be available in South Africa from the beginning of July, just in time for the FESPA Africa Expo, taking place from 2-4 July at Gallagher Convention Centre. This expanded range allows for a greater selection in the digital printing market and will complement the existing L260 and L280 series,’ said Graham Roy, Managing Director of Graficomp, an HP distributor in South Africa.
‘Latex technology is now the fastest growing print technology for outdoor applications. While manufacturers of eco solvent printers scramble to find a long term workable alternative and strategy, Hewlett-Packard are releasing their third generation of entry level Latex printers. The new printers incorporate higher printing speeds, lower curing temperatures, better adhesion and better image quality particularly at the higher speeds. Using the same Latex Optimiser first introduced with the industrial Latex 3000 3.2m printer, users can enjoy abrasion and scuff resistance better than mild or eco solvent inks, with no smell and no environmental considerations. The three new models will suit most customer’s budgets, starting with the entry level Latex 310, to the higher volume Latex 360,’ said Rob Makinson, Managing Director of Midcomp, an HP distributor in South Africa.
(1) SAi FlexiPRINT HP Basic Edition software is bundled with each HP Latex 310 and HP Latex 330 Printer. FlexiPRINT HP Premium edition and FlexiPRINT HP Pro Edition are available as an option for the HP Latex 360 Printer and as an upgrade path for the HP Latex 310 and 330 printers.
(2) Performance may vary depending on media.
(3) Estimates by HP Image Permanence Lab on a range of media. Scratch-resistance comparison based on testing HP Latex Inks and representative hard-solvent inks.
(4) Based on a comparison of HP Latex in technology to competitors with leading market share as of December 2013 and analysis of published MSDS/SDS and/or internal evaluation. Performance of specific attributes may vary by competitor and ink technology/formulation.
(5) Some substrates may have inherent odour.
(6) The HP Designjet Z6600 and Designjet Z6800 Production Printers deliver 54% faster printing speeds than the HP Designjet Z6100 printer (demonstrated by internal HP tests).
(7) The HP Designjet Z6600 production printer uses 30% less ink than the HP Designjet Z6100 printer (demonstrated by internal HP tests on glossy media in production mode).
(8) Embedded in this HP Designjet printer is an i1 spectrophotometer from X-Rite.
