Printing with UV waterless inks on Presstek’s DI presses expands Presstek’s opportunity to provide the highest quality lowest cost four colour offset solution for a wider range of markets including consumer packaging, point-of-purchase and direct mail.
UV printing represents a significant growth opportunity for print service providers. With the DI implementation, even faster turnaround is achieved with the UV waterless inks drying instantly as each sheet exits onto a transport ramp, under UV lights and into a high-pile delivery system.
According to Presstek UV waterless inks have the potential to achieve greater densities than conventional waterless inks and provide superior printing on a full range of plastics and specialty substrates, including lenticular. Faster drying times and high-fidelity reproduction on non-porous materials and uncoated stocks result in faster turnaround times and a higher quality process for the production of labels, direct mail, packaging, point-of-purchase materials and general commercial printing. These lightfast inks also offer increased durability and quality when printing on foils, vinyls, films and plastics.
Two UV printing options will be available for both the Presstek 52DI and 34DI, including field upgrades. The hybrid UV option that allows for switching between standard waterless and UV waterless inks will be available in the fourth quarter of 2008. The UV option for operating the DI as a UV waterless press will be available in the third quarter of 2008.
The Presstek 52DI is a 52cm press with a maximum sheet size of 510 x 360 mm; and the Presstek 34DI is a 34cm press with a maximum sheet size of 340 x 460 mm.
Presstek also announced that it is launching Aurora Pro, a new chemistry-free thermal printing plate. Aurora Pro is designed for use on a range of thermal CTP imaging platforms and brings the advantages of Presstek’s chemistry-free platemaking technology to the large installed base of thermal CTP platesetters.
