UV-LED printing technology has become so versatile that UV-inkjet printers are now available in a remarkable range of roll-to-roll, flatbed, and hybrid models for sign and display graphics, packaging, and industrial applications.
At the 2024 FESPA Global Print Expo in March, Agfa unveiled its enhanced, rebranded portfolio of mid-market and high-end hybrid, flatbed, and roll-to-roll UV-LED inkjet printers. With the tagline ‘Powerful by Nature’, the printers now have names that reflect the unique strengths of some of nature’s most formidable animals.
You can learn more about the rebranded line-up in Agfa’s booth at the PRINTING United Expo Sept. 10-12 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
A Beast for Every Print Environment
“Our overarching ‘Powerful by Nature’ theme emphasizes that the performance of our printers stems from the way they have been designed,” says Arnaud Calleja, Vice-President Digital Printing Solutions at Agfa. “Whatever environment a printing company operates in, there’s an Agfa printer that will deliver impressive results and give their business a boost.”
High-End Roll-to-Roll Superwide Inkjet Printer
Jeti Condor RTR5200 HS
The Jeti Condor RTR5200 is a high-end roll-to-roll 5.2-meter UV-LED inkjet printer. Designed for efficient, unattended printing of high volumes of quality graphics, it can be used with to make multi-layer graphics and banners, window and floor graphics, trade-show graphics, custom wallcoverings, and building wraps for renovations or construction sites.
The Jeti Condor RTR5200 can handle a single roll of material up to 209 inches wide or simultaneously print 2 or 3 rolls of materials up to 63 in. wide. The printheads can eject droplets as small as 7 picoliters to produce up to 1200 dpi resolution.
The Jeti Condor is available in two models:
- Condor RTR5200 S uses 2 rows of printheads for colors. Print speeds up to 5,156 sq. ft./hr.
- Condor RTR5200 HS uses 3 rows of printheads for colors. Can apply white and varnish simultaneously. Print speeds of up to 7,233 sq. ft./hr.
Inks: The optional 7-color printing configuration includes: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (CMYK); Light Cyan, Light Magenta, and Light Black. The three light ink colors enable the printer to achieve smoother transitions between gradients and better skin tones, crisper colors, and finer details.
The optional white ink enables users to print truer colors on transparent or color media.
Multi-layer print modes that use a white ink layer can be used to produce high-visibility day/night backlit graphics or double-sided block-out banners with different images on each side.
The Anuvia 1480 varnish (gloss or matte) can either be used as a final protective coating for the full graphic or applied to selected areas of the image to create decorative effects. The varnish is applied inline, simultaneously with the image.
Other features include:
- native 7-picoliter drop size for resolutions up to 1200 dpi
- in-line print quality monitoring
- master roll loading for unattended printing of longer runs
- inline X-cutters cut each printed graphic from the roll without slowing down printer
- inline Y slitters for margin trimming or cutting multiple jobs across superwide media rolls
- ID Backprint to identify the finished job for shippers and installers
- an automated roll-and-tape device to roll cut sheets into scrolls and tape labels on the edges with job information
- automated technology for printing cleanly on mesh
- optical sensors for double-sided printed on both sides of opaque blockout media
- a camera, LED strip, and software for double-sided printing of backlit films to achieve different looks in the daylight and night time.
High-End Flatbed Inkjet Printer
Onset Grizzly X3 HS
The imposing Onset Grizzly X3 HS is an extremely high-speed flatbed inkjet press for companies that produce a mix of fast-turnaround point-of-sale (POS) and retail graphics as well as corrugated point-of-purchase (POP) displays and packaging. It features a heavy/duty build for 24/7 printing, 30-second job set-up, and print speeds up to 15,600 sq. ft./hr.
The Grizzly can handle sheets of materials up to 126.8 in. x 63 in in size — ranging from a 200 gsm coated paper to a 46 mm (1.8 in.) thick board.
The substrates it can handle include synthetic paper, banner material, blue-back poster paper, corrugated cardboard, display board/cardstock, compressed cardboard, foam PVC sheets, polystyrene, polycarbonate, and corrugated polypropylene.
Three models are available:
Grizzly X1 HS has 1 8-channel shuttle for two sets of CMYK inks, or one CMYK with light cyan and light magenta and white inks.
Grizzly X2 HS an be configured with either an 8-channel shuttle or 14-channel shuttle for 2 sets of CMYK inks or 2 sets of CMYK plus light cyan, light magenta, and white inks.
Grizzly X3 HS a 14-channel shuttle with 3 sets of CMYK inks, plus 2 white-ink channels
Upgrade paths from the various configurations are available to meet the changing needs of the print business..
Low Ink Consumption: The Grizzly runs on Agfa’s GREENGUARD Gold-certified UV-LED inks which are characterized by their excellent print quality and wide color gamut. Thanks to Agfa’s patented Thin Ink Layer technology, the Grizzly is also known for its low ink consumption. With the Grizzly’s newly developed white print mode, the Onset applies white ink 40% faster than was possible when using non-Agfa ink.
Automation Options: The Onset Grizzly can be equipped with auto-loaders, lay-tables and robots that reduce the need to hire humans to load and unload bulky sheets of unprinted and printed materials. The automation system can customized to the specific requirements of your environment.
For example, an autoloader system can position up to 4 sheets to be transferred to the vacuum table by the unloading robot. A second robot can unload the printed sheets to a pallet.
Or, a system can use two robots — one to load materials and one to unload printed sheets. To minimize set-up time required for the next job, the robotics include automated end effectors to quickly switch from one type of material-handling tool to another as needed.
Automation is also available to ensure accurate double-sided printing on the sheets.
High-End Hybrid Flatbed/Roll Printer
Jeti Tauro H3300 UHS
The Jeti Tauro H3300 UHS is Agfa’s fastest hybrid inkjet press, with either 4 or 6 rows of printheads and a print speed of up to 9,741 sq. ft./hr.
Because it offers multiple options of inks, material-handling, and automation, the H3300 UHS can be configured to meet the specific requirements of companies that print different types and volumes of sign, display, packaging materials.
For example, companies that specialize in printing corrugated for shipping boxes can choose ink configurations that include 8 printheads for white ink, 12 printheads for white ink, or 16 printheads for white ink. The number of printheads designated to apply varnish and primer can also be configured to meet specific requirements.
Rigid Material Handling: When equipped with an feeder, stacker, or automated board feeder, the printer can handle sheets and boards up to 10.8ft. wide. The length of material depends on what combination of input and output tables are used and whether a stacker is used. The maximum lengths vary from 8.69 ft. to 13.12 ft.
Flexible Media Handling: The Jeti Tauro can be loaded with a single roll of material up to 10.5 ft. (126 in.) wide or two 5.25 ft. (63 in.) rolls. It can also print one or two 24-in.-wide master rolls of paper that weigh up to 1543 lbs. and have an outside diameter of 23.6 in.
With most hybrid inkjet prints, it’s easy to lose valuable production time if the schedule requires shifting from rigid or rolled media each day. To minimize this loss of time, Agfa offers a Flex RTR system in which the input and output tables are attached directly over the roll-handling system. This means the input-and-output tables don’t have to be undocked from the printer each time the production schedule requires a change from flat to rolled materials. The Flex RTR system can handle both single- and dual-roll printing. It also features an integrated back-to-front camera for accurate double-sided printing.
Models: Agfa’s popular Tauro H3300 hybrid printer is now available in a three versions, including an ultra-high-speed (UHS) model, with the option of adding a light magenta as a 7th color.
- The Tauro H3300 S has 4 rows of printheads with 6 colors: CMYK, light cyan and light black. For faster throughput, this model can be upgraded on-site to a 6-row configuration. White ink and primer are available as options.
- The Tauro H3300 HS has 6 rows of printheads and can be run with 2 sets of CMYK inks for faster throughput or with CMYK, light cyan and light black inks for better image quality The light black ink guarantees a neutral gray balance. White ink, primer, and varnish as available as options.
- The Tauro H3300 UHS has 8 rows of printheads and can be operated with 4,6,or 7 colors. The 7-color ink configuration adds light magenta ink, to the 6-color CMYK, light black, light cyan ink configuration. White ink, primer, and varnish are available as options. It can operate at speeds up to 905 sq. m./hr.
Inks: The Jeti Tauro uses Agfa’s Anuvia UV-LED inks which boast the wide color gamut needed to print sharp, vibrant images on the wide range of flexible and rigid, coated and uncoated media used for indoor and outdoor applications. The LED-curable inks can be used with heat-sensitive substrates such as self-adhesive vinyls, backlit films, and cardboard.
For long, uninterrupted printing, the H3300 UHS model has 20-liter ink tanks.
Other features include:
- Air-cooled UV-LD lamps for energy-efficient printing on a variety of media, including thin, heat-sensitive materials.
- State-of-art printhead shuttle with fast-firing printheads, an anti-static ionizer bar, and safety sensors to prevent collisions.
- An easy-to-use pedal systems for controlling the vacuum table, the roll bars, and the printing itself.
- A intuitive user interface, integrated with Asanti software, provides a layout previews, and details about job status, ink levels, and required maintenance.
- A dual-section vacuum system guarantees accurate media transport and precise dot placement. The vacuum is automatically adjusted depending the presence and size of media. The extended vacuum zone of the UHS model ensures that print media, including cardboard, remain flat on the table.
The 7-color model of Agfa’s Tauro 3300 UHS printer received two 2024 Pinnacle Product Awards from the PRINTING United Alliance: one in the output category, and the other for its advanced automation. The Pinnacle Product Awards celebrate outstanding products that drive advancements in quality, capability, and productivity within the printing industry.
The Agfa Tauro 3300 UHS printer can be equipped with either a single robot for loading or unloading media or with two robots for loading and unloading media. The robots can be combined with the Tauro’s Flex RTR system, enabling smooth switching between rigid and roll printing. This combination is ideal for print service providers who handle diverse materials and must be able to quickly switch between rigid and roll media.
Mid-Market Hybrids (Flatbed/Roll-Printers)
Jeti Bronco H3300 S
Agfa’s swift hybrid Jeti Bronco H3300 is a 3.3 m mid-market hybrid inkjet printer that prints a variety of sign and display jobs in six colors plus white, with optional primer.
It can print rigid or rolled materials up to 130 in. wide,
Inks: It includes 6-colors of ink (CMYK, light cyan, light magenta) plus white, with optional primer.
Material Handling: Continuous board feeding enhances efficiency by printing up to 4 boards simultaneously. Independent dual-roll printing allows differently sized rolls of diverse media to be printed simultaneously.
In the first stage, the Bronco will be available with two rows of printheads.
However, it will be field-upgradable to a four-row version to accommodate speeds of up to 2669 sq. ft/hr. for fast throughput of higher volumes of 6-color prints.
Anapurna Ciervo H3200
Agfa’s Anapurna family continues to evolve since its introduction more than 20 years ago. The new 3.2-meter mid-market Anapurna Ciervo hybrid flatbed/roll printer represents a significant advancement in print quality and speed. The redesigned print shuttle and engine delivers rapid throughput with superior print quality.
The Ciervo H3200 can handle flexible and rigid materials up to 126 in. wide. Boards up to 1.77 in. thick can be fed through the printer. It can not only be used to print signs and displays, but also niche architectural and decor products.
Sign shops and digital-printing companies can use the Ciervo H3200 to print exhibition panels, stage graphics, and advertising boards as well as rolls of graphic films, banner vinyl, canvas, and coated textiles. The energy-efficient UV-LED lamps enable the printer to handle heat-sensitive materials, including thin foils, PET, or microflute.
In the Production Mode, the Ciervo boasts an almost 70% increase in printing speed, at 710 sq ft/hr.
Inks: The printer features six colors of ink (CMYK, light cyan and light magenta) plus White Ink. The white ink can be applied as a base layer on transparent materials or as a spot color in color or black-and-white images.
The automatic ink refill system monitors ink levels. The easily accessible ink-refilling system ensures clean refills. A separate system manages the white ink, overseeing circulation, ink consistency, and cleaning.
Other features include:
- An ionization bar to remove electrostatic charges on the substrate
- A user-friendly control panel on swivel-mounted touchscreen
- Small and large media tables that can be coupled when printing on long rigid materials
- A powerful air-cooled LED ink-curing system that enables users to print on self-adhesive sheets or stretched PVC materials
- Borderless printing to reduce the need for post-print trimming
Additional Workflow Power
In addition to building printers for different types of custom manufacturing environments, Agfa makes its own inks and was a pioneer in creating software for color-managed PDF-based workflows in environments that combine multiple types of offset and wide-format inkjet presses.
All printers are seamlessly driven by Agfa’s Asanti workflow software, a unique all-in-one print production hub that automates the entire print production process, saving time and money. The browser-based Production Dashboard offers insights into production time, ink and media usage, and interfaces seamlessly with MIS/ERP systems for optimized quotes and post-calculations.
Asanti carries the G7® System Certification from Idealliance, confirming the ability to ensure uniform color reproduction across varied printing processes and substrates.
In addition to Asanti, Agfa offers complementary tools such as StoreFront (web-to-print) and PrintTune (print standardization and monitoring).
For more information, about the printers, visit: https://www.agfa.com/printing/large-format/printers