The manufacturer said the Acuity Ultra is built around its UV cured inkjet technologies and offers “almost photographic levels of quality” with tighter registration and higher production speeds.
The machine is available in 5m- and 3.2m-wide models with up to eight colour channels, using a new, high-quality, low film-weight Uvijet GS Fujifilm ink.
The Greenguard approved ink has been especially designed to deliver the highest quality and is fully emission-compliant for interior graphic display work.
With a 3pl drop size said to ensure the highest possible quality, Fujifilm is targeting the new printer at the high-end indoor display market, particularly for luxury brands.
Based around conventional UV technology, the manufacturer said it also runs at much higher speeds than LED cured machines – with a throughput of up to 236sqm/hr – but as the vacuum table is efficiently water-cooled, there is not an excessive build-up of heat on the print plate, meaning no shrinkage.
The machine can print on three rolls simultaneously, as well as printing superwide-format graphics up to five metres in width. Additionally, linear motors ensure smooth edge-to-edge printing with no vibrations at the end of the run. The printer can handle substrates ranging in thickness from 0.1mm to 2mm.
“The Fujifilm Acuity series has long been known for its quality and reliability and, by adding this superwide model to the range, we are now also offering customers a big step-up in quality and productivity,” said Fujifilm Speciality Ink Systems marketing applications manager Kevin Rhodes.
“With the extra width, the option to print on three rolls simultaneously and the ability to print at high speeds with no compromise on quality, the Acuity Ultra will appeal to larger businesses and major luxury brands, helping them to boost production levels and profitability in this highly-competitive sector.”
The machine has “been developed in close collaboration” with an as-yet-unspecified, existing OEM partner to precise Fujifilm specifications.
“Fujifilm engineers have been heavily involved in the process and Fujifilm technology – including Fujifilm ink chemistry and a new patented Fujifilm ink system, are integral to the finished product,” said Rhodes.
The Acuity Ultra will be commercially available immediately after its Fespa launch. Rhodes said pricing will be confirmed at launch “but the price point will be lower than other superwide-format printers of comparable speed and quality”.
“There is no superwide-format printer on the market which can match this machine’s speed/quality/cost ratio,” he said.
“Fespa is the pre-eminent global wide-format graphics show, and the biggest show of its kind in Europe – so it is the obvious place to launch this exciting new machine.”
A number of beta sites are already operational in the UK and Spain, Fujifilm said.
The manufacturer will also use Fespa, which will take place at Messe Berlin, Germany from 15 to 18 May, to host the full commercial launch of its new Acuity B1 modular system. Manufactured by Inca, which is selling the machine as the Onset M, it was first previewed at Fespa 2017.
The Acuity B1 is built on the latest UV technology and features new Fujifilm Dimatix QFR printheads, delivering 7pl drop sizes.
