New Products
A faster DTG printer with higher print resolution An industrial DTG printer for polyester fabrics
Ricoh’s new Ri 1000 Direct-To-Garment (DTG) printer was
developed “in response to the growing demand for easy-to-use,
efficient and affordable garment decoration.” The Ri 1000
joins the Ri 100 and Ri 6000 in Ricoh’s rapidly expanding DTG
portfolio of solutions. Faster than the Ri 3000 it replaces, the
Ri 1000 delivers greater print quality with enhanced resolution
of 1,200 x 1,200 dpi and supports CMYK plus white ink to
ensure “dazzling results on fabric of any colour,” said the OEM.
The new printer is ideal for 100% light polyester and
polycotton-blend fabrics. This opens up greater opportunities
for garments and textile products in a number of sectors,
including sportswear. The Ri 1000 can switch seamlessly
between multiple styles of platens up to 406.4 mm x 508 mm.
Its magnetic mechanism enables the platens to easily snap
on and off without the
need for additional
tools. This flexibility
supports continuous
production and a
wide range of print
capabilities – from
children's sizes to
super-wide designs. Kornit Digital has characterized its new Kornit NeoPoly
Technology as “the industry’s first digital industrial process
for high-quality printing on polyester.” Currently, polyester is
printed using analogue solutions. But these create major
technological, cost and sustainability challenges, said
the OEM. Kornit NeoPoly Technology handles polyester
applications without compromising on design, run size,
substrate or labour. The technology utilizes an inkset and a
physical and chemical process specifically developed for
low-temperature curing, along with polyester-enhancing
features that maintain fabric characteristics and colour
fastness. The new process also prevents dye migration on
polyester. The inks are Oeko-Tex and Eco-Passport certified
and don’t contain PVCs or other toxic ingredients. The first
system equipped with Kornit NeoPoly Technology is the new
Kornit Avalanche Poly Pro, a member of Kornit’s industrial
print series. “The
single-step Poly Pro is
the perfect system for
the industry, enabling
easy and cost-effect-
ive short-runs and
on-demand printing
on polyester,” Kornit
added.
Kornit Avalanche Poly Pro
Ricoh Ri 1000 DTG Printer
A new desktop 3D printer for signage and displays
The Mimaki 3DFF-222 3D Printer, co-branded with Sindoh, is
a fused filament fabrication (FFF) solution developed as an
in-house design and production tool, ideal for parts such as
jigs used in direct-to-shape printing and tools for producing
3D signage. The system prints in PLA material (polylactic acid)
using filament cartridges, and offers remote monitoring of
each job through a Mimaki app. PLA filament is a plant-derived
eco-plastic made from corn and potato starch. The system
can inexpensively produce customized print jigs, which can
be used to stabilize print quality when printing on flatbed,
direct-to-shape UV LED printers from the OEM’s UJF series.
Sign and display printers will see time and cost savings
through efficient in-house manufacturing of indoor signs and
channel letters – which
are first 3D printed, then
decorated using Mimaki’s
UV printers in LD mode.
A flexible metal bed with
built-in thermostatic
function enables stable
formation and easy
removal of models.
Bed Leveling Assist
automatically measures
horizontal error of the
table and corrects it.
Mimaki 3DFF-222 3D Printer
@graphicarts
A new category of 3D printer
MakerBot has characterized its Method 3D Printer as
“the first performance 3D printer.” The OEM added that
performance 3D printing bridges the gap between desktop
and industrial 3D printing by including features that were
previously only available on industrial 3D printers, at a much
lower cost. Industrial technologies on the Method include a
Circulating Heated Chamber, Dual Performance Extruders,
Precision PVA Water Soluble Supports, Dry-Sealed Material
Bays, and an Ultra-Rigid Metal Frame. The Method was
designed to carefully control every aspect of the 3D print
environment, resulting in repeatable and consistent parts
with ± 0.2 mm dimensional accuracy,
as well as vertical layer uniformity.
Until now, this level of precision has
been limited to industrial-grade 3D
printers, said the OEM. Its dual
extrusion system and water-soluble
PVA provides a superior surface
finish and enables maximum design
freedom and unrestricted geometries,
such as complex overhangs, without
scarring. The printer also allows
users to turn their CAD files into
parts much faster “with up to double
the print speeds of conventional MakerBot Method
desktop 3D printers.”
3D Printer
GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE | May 2019 | 11