Signs of the Times - September 2016 - 50

Te c hno lo g y R e v i ew Chris and Kathi Morrison own and operate The Image Specialists, a full-service graphics company based in Clements, CA. Chris is also a Microsoftcertified systems engineer. By Chris and Kathi Morrison Vanguard Digital VK300D Flatbed Printer Handles media up to 4 in. thick that weighs up to 300 lbs. Key Information E ver say this? "If they had added (insert your own words) to this device it would be just great." The inserted word could be pickles, chocolate chips, higher gantry clearance or a font-finding tool in design software, because there are always one or two little things that might have made it better. We often hear such requisites when talking with digital printmakers. And, yes, we provide their feedback to print machine builders, and sometimes they incorporate the requests. We've also been told our idea was interesting, but no thanks. However, we think Vanguard Digital was listening to printmakers because the firm has incorporated numerous features in its new VK300D printer that make it a more compelling machine purchase for digital print shops. Vanguard's 61 x 123-in. VK300D UV flatbed printer will handle media up to 4 in. thick that weighs up to 300 lbs. It also features a built-in anti-static system, six Specifications: The Vanguard VK300D Flatbed Printer Print Resolution Up to 1,800 apparent dpi Printhead Kyocera Grayscale Ink System YMCK; YMCK-WW-KCMYx2 Table Size 61 x 123 in. Maximum Media Height 4 in. Material Type Rigid and Flexible RIP Resolutions Onyx/Caldera 50 SIGNS OF THE TIMES September 2016 Vanguard Digital Printing Systems 3000A Shawnee Industrial Way, Ste. 120 Suwanee, GA 30024 (470) 326-3790 www.vanguarddigital.com Contact: Jim Case, founding partner jcase@vanguarddigital.com (678) 350-3280 vacuum zones, automatic mediaheight measurement, pneumaticpin registration and an adjustable LED-curing lamp that lets you dial the energy needed for particular media types. In addition, the printer features 4.25-in.-wide, 2,656-nozzle, 600 dpi (native) Kyocera printheads that create an apparent resolution of 1,800 dpi in grayscale dot sizes of 4, 8 or 12 pL. Instead of dual CMYK, the engineers devised a YMCK/KCMY ink-pass configuration that causes the reverse printhead pass to apply ink in the same order as the forward pass. The proof is in the prints - they are vibrant, even in lower quality modes. In Production mode, expect to produce 40, 4 x 8 ft. boards/hr.; quality mode gets you approximately 25 boards/hr. If that's not fast enough, consider adding more printheads because you can option for two to 10 printheads and a white ink channel. The VK300D UV-cure flatbed offers what operators want: It's fast and accurate with timesaving features that further boost production. Study this Vanguard printer, especially if you're looking for a production-class UV-cure flatbed printer. ■ http://www.vanguarddigital.com

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