UV printing technologies specialist swissQprint became the visitors’ focus of attention with its surprise models and new generation solutions at FESPA Global Print Expo 2022 (FESPA GPE 2022), held in Berlin on May 31 – June 3. swissQprint, represented by Pigment Reklam in the Turkish market, exhibited its 4th generation flatbed printing models Nyala 4, Impala 4 and Oryx 4, launched six months ago, at an important global exhibition for the first time after the pandemic. The surprise of swissQprint for FESPA visitors was Kudu, the new member of the flatbed printer family. Kudu, equipped with brand new features, offers an impressive combination of high productivity and premium output quality.
Pigment Reklam Company Owner Serkan Çağlıyan, reminding that this exhibition has not been held since FESPA GPE 2019 due to the pandemic, said that all exhibitors and visitors were very excited for this year’s event. Çağlıyan disclosed; “FESPA GPE 2022 has been the biggest show in years and has lived up to expectations for both exhibitors and visitors. The booth of swissQprint, which we represent, has turned into an innovation centre with new developments and an exhibition area with application samples. However, the biggest surprise of the exhibition was undoubtedly the new flatbed printer Kudu. Frankly, Kudu was a surprising and impressive innovation for those who expected to see only the 4th generation models that swissQprint introduced to the market last year.”
Çağlıyan said that the swissQprint booth has become one of the visitors’ centres of attention during the exhibition and remarked that other 4th generation flatbed printers and roll-to-roll UV printer Karibu also attracted attention besides the new UV LED model Kudu. He stated that the total solution that enables printing on glass surfaces without primer with UV flatbed printers was also launched at the exhibition.
Kudu has a new UV LED flatbed system design
Kudu UV LED printer, complementing swissQprint’s current 4th generation flatbed range Nyala, Impala and Oryx, provides high print quality and efficiency together with its 300 m2/hour printing speed, 3.2 x 2 meters width and resolution up to 1350 dpi. Kudu, equipped with the latest printhead technology for high print quality, is based on a newly designed mechanical foundation. Working with a linear drive, this model achieves precise droplet placement power even at high speeds with this feature, which in turn creates a noticeable difference in print quality. Kudu also has the Tip Switch Vacuum feature found in swissQprint’s other flatbed and roll-to-roll printers. This easy-to-use printer also has 260 vacuum zones, allowing the operator to make a simpler and more careful vacuum control. Kudu has a single or double roll option and also offers uninterrupted printing with its Tandem feature.
Although Kudu is a flatbed printer, it also has a roll-to-roll printing option like other swissQprint printers. Kudu, with its 3.2m wide roll-to-roll printing power, expands its capacity to work with different materials and application variety. swissQprint’s in-house Lory software provides control, acting as a cockpit for the operator. The virtual flatbed graphical user interface is designed for intuitive and safe use.
A first: 10 colour channels
The improvements in Kudu are not just limited to the machine, the UV ink set used also includes numerous innovations. The newly developed VOC and NVC-free, Greenguard Gold certified universal UV ink set has strong adhesion to acrylic, aluminium composite panels, wood, banners, polyester, polycarbonate, polystyrene (rigid foam), PVC, vinyl films, flexible foam panels and more. This colour richness means more application areas for Kudu, which is the first model to have 10 freely configurable colour channels. In addition to standard process colours CMYK; three light colours (light cyan, light magenta and light black), white ink for the substrate, lacquer for effects, primary ink for surfaces such as glass and metal, orange and two neon colours (neon yellow and neon pink) that expand the application power for works in corporate colours can be arranged as desired in Kudu’s 10 colour channels.
Serkan Çağlıyan stated that the swissQprint brand is associated with ‘high quality and trust’ in the Turkish printing and signage market and relayed that they expect a serious revival in the market in the coming period with the newly developed models. Çağlıyan disclosed; “Kudu, besides the other known models in the market, will attract the attention of printing professionals who want an increase in speed and productivity thanks to its new features and strong infrastructure. In addition, Kudu carries the ease of use and maintenance further, providing advantages in operating costs. swissQprint’s expertise in UV printing reaches a wider area with Kudu.”