Mimaki is to launch the super-wide format TS500P-3200 inkjet printer come February 2016. This 3.2-m wide roll-to-roll sublimation inkjet printer is a dedicated transfer paper printer for the textile industry and is aimed at a broad range of applications including home furnishing textiles and indoor soft signage.
The super-wide format TS500P-3200 inkjet printer features a new type of printhead to deliver high-speed printing at 180 m2/h. There are 12 printheads arrayed in three staggered lines that eject ink droplets at high speed to maintain the appropriate ink droplet angle and ensure accurate drop placement with a high head gap. This ensures high-quality printing results on low-cost thin transfer papers.
In addition, the environmentally friendly output does not emit volatile organic compounds after printing and helps reduce CO2 emissions during transportation because it is lightweight and foldable.
“On-demand inkjet printing systems are increasingly being used for clothing production instead of conventional analogue systems because of their ability to quickly provide high-mix, low-volume printing,” says Mike Horsten, General Manager Marketing EMEA at Mimaki Europe. “It started with the fashion industry putting the benefits of on demand digital printing to good use for tailored and variable print quantities. We see the trend expanding now to interior decoration and home styling. Moreover, the change is not limited to the production method, but also to production location. Production sites get shifted from low-cost remote locations to urban areas closer to consumers. We believe this trend will extend to the production of extra-wide textiles for home furnishings from curtains to upholstery and bed linens.”
