The HP Latex productivity bump

The company says the HP Latex 500 printer series, and the HP Latex 1500 printer, can help higher volume large format print businesses improve productivity, lower costs and pursue application growth areas at an affordable cost of entry.

Wayne Shaw, sales manager at Jenrite, says, “The eight HP Latex printers now reflect the global dominance of HP’s Latex technology. At the recent product launch in Barcelona, we were impressed with the new printers which help fill the gap between the popular entry level units and the highly productive industrial models.”

Xavier Garcia, general manager for the large format printing division at HP Inc, says, “Many medium-to-large sign and display print providers are looking for solutions that can handle higher-production volumes and enable access to profitable applications.

“The HP Latex 500 series and 1500 Printer set new performance thresholds at a lower upfront investment, helping customers meet peak production demands to keep jobs in-house as well as capture growth application opportunities such as indoor and outdoor backlit signage.”

Extra features 

HP says that, for medium to large digital printers with increasing print volumes, the new 1.6 metre HP Latex 560 and 570 Printers enable a variety of print jobs and peaks in production at a low upfront investment.

New features include:

 

• 30 per cent faster print speeds than the HP Latex 360. HP says print speeds of up to 28sqm/hr provide cost-effective production of high quality jobs with fast turnaround times
• Faster roll changes with a new spindle-less pivot table with automatic skew adjustment to load rolls in one minute or less, heavy-duty roll handling of rolls up to 55kg
• Highly-saturated prints using new vivid print modes with 50 percent more ink density, also featuring a new wiper roller accessory for higher quality results on lower specification banners and self-adhesive vinyl
• The ability to perform all tasks in front of the printer, including media and ink cartridge changes, doubling available workspace
• Easy integration into a larger HP Latex fleet with colour emulation capabilities with other HP Latex models

 

Shaw says, “The 3.2m HP Latex 1500 Printer offers a robust, affordable super-wide printing solution, providing fast turnarounds on a broad range of indoor and outdoor applications, including PVC banners, self-adhesive vinyl, textiles and double-sided prints.

“Printing at speeds up to 74sqm/hr in outdoor production mode, and up to 45sqm/hr in indoor quality mode, the printer maintains quality print after print with 1200 dpi HP Thermal Inkjet printheads, auto nozzle replacement, an optical media advance sensor (OMAS) as well as an embedded spectrophotometer. The device also features the productivity benefits of third generation HP Latex technology, delivering prints that are completely dry and scratch-resistant immediately after printing.”

More options to print

SHAW says the HP Latex 1500 Printer helps printers reduce running costs and stay in control for both long and short runs, achieving more unattended printing with cost-effective five litre HP ink cartridges, an accessible print zone that features LED lighting, as well as an internal print server and a status beacon for production monitoring.

Add on options include:

 

• A dual-roll kit for vinyl and other media up to 1.6m widths
• In-line slitters to slit output while printing
• A roll-to-freefall kit which allows users to start finishing initial prints while the job is still in progress
• A double-sided day-night kit that enables users to automatically print double-sided backlit applications for outdoor advertising displays in any light, frontlit or backlit
• An ink collector kit for porous substrates such as textiles and mesh banner

 

Jenrite expects the HP Latex 1500 printer to come on line by July and the HP Latex 500 printer series by September. Before then, HP will demonstrate the new HP Latex printers alongside its portfolio of large-format and sign and display solutions at drupa.

Shaw adds, “The existing HP Latex 310, 330, 360, 3100 and 3500 models remain in place below and above the three new models. HP Latex printers are on show at Jenrite showrooms in Auckland Wellington and Christchurch.”