Since its launch in 2012, the Acuity LED 1600, Fujifilm’s versatile wide-format LED UV inkjet printer, has gained worldwide market acclaim thanks to its ultra-high quality, its ability to print on a wide range of roll and rigid media, and its application flexibility. Its simultaneous multi-layer printing with white and clear inks also allows print service providers to improve production efficiencies while offering the ability to create new value added print applications, making it perfect for a diverse range of sign and prototyping markets.
The latest addition to this hugely successful range, the Acuity LED 1600 II, features a new fast printing mode of 33sqm (355 sq ft) per hour – more than 50% faster than the previous model. This marked improvement addresses increased customer demands for faster job turnarounds and lower output costs. Furthermore, the addition of an automated jetting adjustment based on the gap between the printhead and media, together with the introduction of a number of new vacuum settings, means the Acuity LED 1600 II is also more versatile than its predecessor, and able to print to a wider range of substrates and applications, minimising media wastage.
With environmental concerns increasingly on the minds of print businesses and their customers, the Acuity LED 1600 II boasts a range of enhanced features that minimise its environmental impact and waste without compromising on quality or efficiency. The Acuity’s low heat curing system makes it possible to not only save energy, but print on more environmentally friendly materials – such as recyclable, polyolefin films – all without compromising on quality and print longevity; with low energy LED UV lamps ensuring that there is no wasted heat nor any volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or ozone, eliminating need for toxic metal halide lamps.
The Acuity LED series offers print businesses of any size the opportunity to deliver high definition, accurate print with a range of finishes and instant print performance in a true hybrid format, for both roll and rigid applications. For printers needing to maximise space optimisation, the Acuity LED 1600 II also features print tables with a unique compact folding design that takes up minimal storage space.
The Acuity LED 1600 II’s patented full LED lamp curing system is precisely tuned to cure Uvijet ink in a two-stage process. Small, low-dose LED pinning lamps close to the printhead freeze the dot, while the main LED curing lamps fully cure the print, which is then ready to use right away. It also uses eight Fujifilm Dimatix Q-class, high frequency printheads for fast, precise and long-life, high performance production. The combination of VersaDropTM multi-pulse jetting technology and the accurate control of the jetting, pinning and curing process, allows the Acuity LED 1600 II to produce unmatched print quality at surprisingly fast print speeds. It comes with an AL 1600 RIP as standard and is also compatible with ColorGATE, Caldera, and Onyx RIPs.
UVIJET INKS
This versatile machine has a dedicated eight-colour UV LED ink set including both clear and white. Made using Fujifilm’s Micro-V ultrafine dispersion technology, Uvijet LL LED UV curable inks offer higher pigmentation, a wide colour gamut and produce strong, vibrant images. Thanks to the Dimatix printheads, the Acuity LED 1600 II can apply colours, white and clear in a single pass. Offering good adhesion to a wide range of materials, excellent flexibility and intense colours providing superb quality ideal for solid spot colour and backlit printing – Uvijet LL LED UV inks are recommended for both internal and external applications
Overall, the Acuity LED 1600 II represents much more than just another great addition to Fujifilm’s wide format line-up. It clearly demonstrates Fujifilm’s commitment to ensuring that its complete portfolio of wide format products delivers the necessary solutions to all customers – regardless of their needs in terms of print size, turnaround time, run volume or substrate type. From the Acuity mid-range roll and flatbed ensemble, to the Inca Onset X Series high-end flatbed, Fujifilm is delivering on its objective to provide new solutions that feature the very latest inkjet technology to suit every printer’s needs.
The new Acuity LED 1600 II is an important step on that journey, clearly demonstrating Fujifilm’s ongoing commitment to inkjet technology development and to helping printers to remain competitive in an increasingly challenging market. The Acuity 1600 II and the full, diverse range of Fujifilm wide format platforms will be present and in action on the Fujifilm stand at drupa 2016 (Stand A25, Hall 8b).
SEE THE ACUITY LED 1600 II IN ACTION
Shown for the first time in Europe at Viscom Paris, in September 2015, the Acuity 1600 II made its African debut at the Africa Print expo in Durban in February 2016. South African printers can see this machine in action in 2016 at Africa Print & FESPA Africa, Johannesburg (7-9 September 2016).
Fujifilm has a demo unit of the Acuity 1600 II at its South African head office in Johannesburg. Demos and viewings can be arranged throughout the year by contacting anja.botha@fujifilm.com.
CUSTOMER SUCCESS STORIES
IMVAKALELO DIGITAL
With installations right across South Africa, the Acuity LED 1600 II and its predecessor are proving their worth as reliable and cost-efficient platforms for printing a wide variety of very high quality, low quantity applications. One such happy Acuity customer is Imvakalelo Digital, a full service large format printer in Cape Town. 'It’s an excellent hybrid machine that prints equally well on rigid or roll-to-roll,' said Operations Director, Ridwaan Jakoet. 'We’ve had our Acuity for nearly three years now, using it most regularly for short run Correx and Forex jobs, but we do use the roll-to-roll function a lot as well, even running 24 hour jobs with it from time to time, which it handles extremely well. The curing system is excellent and the white ink option is invaluable, as is the spot clearing capability. Increasingly, we find that we’re doing more fine art printing, using the higher resolution mode, which is opening up new revenue streams for us.'
POTTS PRINT
Customer feedback elsewhere in the world has been equally positive. Potts Print, based in Northumberland, UK is a highly-regarded commercial printer with a proud history spanning nearly a century and a half. Potts recently expanded into wide format digital printing after acquiring large format specialist, Digital XL Services in 2014, appointing Digital XL’s owners Iain McDougal and Keith McHugh to head up the new division.
Towards the end of 2014, with a view to accelerating the growth of this new division, Iain, Keith and other members of the senior management team started looking for high-quality kit to help them achieve this. But they were looking for more than just great kit. They wanted to find a supplier whose complete product portfolio and service proposition demonstrated a clear path for Potts to grow with that supplier as its wide format division expanded.
After six months exploring the market and meeting with manufacturers and suppliers, a visit to Fujifilm’s Advanced Print Technology Centre in Brussels proved pivotal in Potts’ decision to partner with Fujifilm. Said Keith McHugh, Commercial Director – Large Format Printing Division, Potts Print (UK) Ltd: 'Our visit to Brussels really opened our eyes to what was possible in wide format. We were there primarily to look at the Acuity F, as we needed a high performance flatbed to meet growing customer demand. We obviously liked what we saw as we ended up buying that machine – a UK first – and we’ve been very happy with it. But while there, the Acuity 1600 II also caught our eye: this machine was not even on our radar, but when we saw it in action we recognised its potential for running bespoke, high-quality short-run jobs on a variety of substrates and felt it would be an ideal complementary technology to the Acuity F. Together these two machines have been an excellent investment in driving our wide format expansion.'
'The decision to go with Fujifilm wasn’t just about the Acuity F, the Acuity LED 1600 II or any other single machine, but about Fujifilm’s product portfolio as a whole, and the unrivalled support they offer along the way,' added McHugh.
SEE THE ACUITY LED 1600 II IN ACTION
Shown for the first time in Europe at Viscom Paris, in September 2015, the Acuity 1600 II made its African debut at the Africa Print expo in Durban in February 2016. South African printers can see this machine in action in 2016 at Africa Print & FESPA Africa, Johannesburg (7-9 September 2016).
Fujifilm has a demo unit of the Acuity 1600 II at its South African head office in Johannesburg. Demos and viewings can be arranged throughout the year by contacting anja.botha@fujifilm.com.
