The Latex 300 series comprises three new printers, the 1.4m Latex 310 and the 1.6m Latex 330 and Latex 360, that will target low-volume users with an average monthly print volume of 500sqm in a bid to convert more of the eco-solvent market to latex.
They join the top-of-the-range 3.2m Latex 3000, the mid-volume 3.2m Latex 820 and Latex 850, and the previous entry-level machine, the 2.6m-wide Latex 280, and will have UK list prices of £10,500 for the 310, £14,500 for the 330 and £19,000 for the 360.
Maximum output speed for the 310 and 330 is 48sqm/hr and 50sqm/hr respectively in two-pass billboard mode, while the 360 can print at up to 91sqm/hr in single-pass mode. All three use HP's new 831 Latex ink, which is 10% cheaper than previous HP Latex inks.
HP has also addressed one of the major concerns with its earlier Latex printers by redesigning the curing system to dramatically reduce the temperature at which the inks are cured (from 110C to 80C), slashing the printers' power consumption while enabling a wider choice of media.
Marchel van der Camp, market development manager, Sign & Display Production GWE-UK & Ireland, said: "We changed the design of the machine for high-efficiency curing - we are using the new Latex inks, we have the Latex Optimizer, new printheads and we have a new design of the curing system - those four components together make it possible to have curing at a lower temperature, which saves energy."
HP's Latex Optimizer is a transparent seventh ink that is laid down before the other six colours (CMYK, lc, lm) to enable both the lower energy curing and more consistent print quality. It consists of positively-charged polymers suspended in a colorless, water-based ink vehicle, which react with the negatively-charged ink pigments to rapidly immobilise them on the print surface.
This is said to produce sharp text and image detail by suppressing feathering and color bleed, especially at high productivity levels.
"The Latex Optimizer enables very precise curing at the media against double the speed," said van der Camp. "So, we are able to print double the speed for the same energy consumption or use half of the energy at the same speed. It also improves the scratch resistance because of this technology as well."
HP is claiming scratch resistance "equivalent to hard-solvent inks on SAV and PVC banner" material.
The new ink and curing design has reduced total ink consumption by 10%, said van der Camp, while HP has also cut the cost of its third generation latex inks versus earlier versions, meaning the TCO is actually lower for the 300 series in spite of using the additional ink.
Available media includes banners, self-adhesive vinyls, films, fabrics, papers, wall coverings, canvas, synthetics, mesh and textiles. Both the Latex 310 and 330 will be bundled with an SAi FlexiPRINT HP Basic Edition RIP.
Meanwhile, the two new additions to the HP Designjet Z series are the Z6600 Production Printer, which uses up to 30% less ink than its predecessor (the Z6100) and the Z6800 Photo Production Printer, which features an embedded i1 spectrophotometer and HP's Chromatic Red Ink, which gives a wider colour gamut and "uniform gloss".
Both machines are also said to be 54% faster than the Z6100.
The HP Latex 300 series will have its UK debut at Sign & Digital UK next week, before taking its mainland European bow at Fespa Digital 2014.
