Latex ink for your Roland, Mutoh, Mimaki

[Robert M]

Check this out, new inks from Europe that will work in any printer using Epson heads and has an internal heat source. Company will have cartridges and bulk inks available after the Orlando show. So the question is, how many of the Eco solvent users out there would even consider changing over to latex inks.

From their site www.sepiax.com

Water-based ink for indoor, outdoor and industrial applications
We develop and distribute the world’s first, completely harmless water-based pigmented ink with printing and adhering properties otherwise only possessed by solvent inks or UV inks. For our inks we do not use any harmful orcancer-causing solvents. All inks are water-based and are therefore completely harmless for humans and the environment.
SEPIAX, the first water-based ink that can replace solvent inks!

 

[sfr table hockey]

Thanks Robert, this has my interest. You said printers with heat. Do you know if these waterbased inks will need the heat plates? Tried to look on the link but I could not find about heat needed. I assume regular media as well and not needing coated like the regular waterbased printers. The old CJ could be double converted.....

If you hear more keep me posted.

 

[Flame]

Not interested in the slightest. Unless I wanted to market my business as very eco friendly, I do not see a purpose.

If we're being honest.

 

[ddarlak]

i have a cleaned out fj50 sitting here waiting to be test run. i was just waiting for the inks to start flowing... looks like they are...

 

[sfr table hockey]

i have a cleaned out fj50 sitting here waiting to be test run. i was just waiting for the inks to start flowing... looks like they are...

You might just have to make up some heat plates and you'll have a $20,000 printer again.

If it can print on media that solvent can not, or even as good as solvent it would be worth a try as long as the $$ are similar for the ink.

 

[ddarlak]

where there is a will there is a way

 

[iladi]

i have spoke with sepiax a few weeks ago. they say the ink is waterbased, but the carrier is some sort of a glue, that is why ink stick to all kind of materials. The printer needs a heater, actualy about 55 degrees celsius. Here in Europe cost of ink is about 150 euros per liter.

 

[Techman]

And then all the lamest of business persons will get this product and charge just enuf to pay the electric bill thus driving down the value.

 

[TrustMoore_TN]

Disclaimer: I'm not an expert in this area, just giving my opinion.

We looked at the new 60" and 104" Latex printers at the HP Facility in Atlanta last week. Based on the technology involved it would really surprise me if a solvent printer could be retrofitted to use latex inks without a significant equipment modification because of the heat involved to activate the inks. Thats not to say that they couldn't lay down latex inks, but for the durability thats promised by HP along with the endorsements they are getting from the major vinyl manufactures, I would be surprised that they would be able to make those claims. Just my .02

 

[B Snyder]

I'm curious how "green" the production of latex inks actually is. Is it natural or synthetic latex? I'm even more curious how people with a latex allergy will react to this ink.

 

[Robert M]

ddarlak

Dave, is that FJ50 the same one you picked up from me in Colorado back in 2003? You still putting heaters in those old Rolands?

 

[iladi]

Disclaimer: I'm not an expert in this area, just giving my opinion.

We looked at the new 60" and 104" Latex printers at the HP Facility in Atlanta last week. Based on the technology involved it would really surprise me if a solvent printer could be retrofitted to use latex inks without a significant equipment modification because of the heat involved to activate the inks. Thats not to say that they couldn't lay down latex inks, but for the durability thats promised by HP along with the endorsements they are getting from the major vinyl manufactures, I would be surprised that they would be able to make those claims. Just my .02

at only 55 degrees celsius, you don't have to modify in any way a versacamm. and most important i think you all miss a point here: is not the same ink/tehnology HP uses in his latex printers. HP needs hundred degrees to activate the ink. sepiax only needs 55. if someone wants to modify a waterbased printer, it is so simple to use a carbon-fiber based heater. and also very cheap.

 

[Robert M]

Printers

Mutoh will be introducing a 42" printer that runs these new inks, 10K with rip, bulk ink supply available.

 

[Pacific Coast Sign]

I guess it depends on exactly what you have in mind to print that you already cannot, and the difference of just how much more money you're going to charge, or make, using this new ink alone. The mild solvent prints on so many medias I can't imagine changing inks to print on one other media type...unless there is a ton of money using that specific media.....and damn the torpedoes. Nobody wants to be the Beta Tester with their printer...wait to see what the long term costs, effects, results, and implications of using the inks are. For our customers we do not recommend changing at this time.

 

[jr_tech]

SEPIAX Flatbed

Wow, I just happened upon this video on YouTube for a Korean flatbed printer that uses SEPIAX inks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TePDHYisnX8

It looks like a converted DTG printer. Hopefully this is the beginning of a new trend and they price these so that mere mortals can finally afford a flatbed printer, even a small one.

Small flatbed cutters already exist. Hopefully they will come down in price or someone will be smart enough to offer a package deal of some sort.

Anyway, just thought I'd share.

 

[artbot]

sepiax aren't latex. as far as conversions.... there are youtube videos of a guy using a halogen light, i'd go with silicone heating blankets for pre and post for printers without heat. also there's an entire critique of the ink available through largformatprinters.org

i'm going experiment with the ink in the next month or so. prints directly to aluminum and PET. from what i've read so far, if there was an ink that will replace solvent, this one is probably it.

 

[G-Artist]

That ink IS NOT a latex. It is a resin.

 

[SOA]

If it becomes possible to run our solvent printer on latex ink I would do it. If they have the same durability why not? Its my understaning that with latex ink you can print & laminate. With 20mins,no more over night off-gassing sounds great to me! If there any1 who can tell us if this will ever really be possible?

 

[andy]

If you are European then YES, the switch from solvent to water based ink WILL happen.

The European Union don't like solvent products which produce high levels of volatile organic compound emissions... that's why paint manufacturers have switched to water based... EU regulations forced the change.

Manufacturers of solvent based ink jet machines won't have a choice... if they want access to the EU (the world's biggest economy) they will have to provide machinery which works with EU approved ink technology.

 

[Stealth Ryder]

It is, as described by the manufactuer "Aqua-Res" or "Water Based Resin Inks", not Latex... Print's pretty good, only after building a proper profile... It is ok but I was not blown away by it... I just don't see a need for this stuff here...