Digital

Inca has introduced a new bi-directional printing technique to its Onset flatbed UV printer, which the company claims has boosted its productivity by 25%.

The mode allows the Inca Onset to handle print sizes up to 3.2x1.5m at a production throughput of up to 600sqm an hour, from the machine's original 500sqm per hour.

The new technique is also claimed to eliminate a "lawn-banding" effect normally experienced when printing in both directions.

Steve Tunnicliffe-Wilson, director of new product development at Inca Digital, said: "In order to attain good bi-directional quality, it is important to compensate for varying droplet placement.

"We have developed techniques that accurately control drop size and release according to the direction of print to deliver exceptional quality at increased print speeds on a range of substrates."

Inca's new bi-directional printing feature is now standard on new Onset flatbed UV printers and is already being utilised on existing customer-installed machines.

The Inca Onset was also recently the recipient of a PIA/GATF InterTech Technology award

InterTech judge Scott Crosby, Holland & Crosby Equity Partner, said: "The biggest thing we have noticed is the increase in productivity. With the Inca Onset, we get to print even faster, with more predictable and consistent output."

He added: "As an example, we recently conducted a re-run of an exact job we printed last year. It was completed in five hours as opposed to 20 hours last year."