Water based inks for signage? What happened ?

[Boyanski]

Just read some old papers that there was an in called Sepiax around 2010, and it was like or better than latex. Epson DX4 and DX5 printheads. Searched for it on internet and found some old talk that some people in UK were using it and did not cog heads. Cured it at 50-60C, so much lower than latex. Then no info.

Then click on their old web and send me to Marabu. After some search find Marabu now sells inks called Maqua® Jet DA-E . Read their PDF, obscure bla blah and selling them industrially, obviously not to general public.

So obviously there is an ink that can be filled in any solvent printer or printer with heater and make it water based.

What the heck, why this ink is not in the shops? Apart from the fact that it can turn any cheap printer in a competitor for a solvent one.

 

[Ahmed Samy Nagada]

Simply because it wasn't invented by a printer or a printhead manufactures, so they didn't embrace it and killed it. There was also Lumocolor presented by Staedtler in Fespa 2010 which faced the same destiny.

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

The printer companies are truly consumable companies. The machines are just a means to sell ink. Ink is where they make money, so they will not embrace or promote a product that doesn't boost their bottom line. I wish Roland would have picked up SepiaX, they stand to gain the most by developing a latex alternative.

 

[Boyanski]

Yeah, and later they speak of development. It would be interesting to check the Maqua® Jet DA-E inks.