CACTUS INSTALLS FUJIFILM ACUITY ULTRA R2

Cactus Imaging has installed the country’s first Fujifilm Acuity Ultra R2 five metre roll-to-roll print system, the new press becoming the fourth Fuijfilm printer in the company’s Silverwater facility.

The Acuity Ultra R2 is the first of its kind in the country, and was ordered by Cactus "because of its print quality and versatility."

Keith Ferrel, general manager of Cactus said, “We wanted a print system to print a range of different applications – backlits, fabrics, billboards – and the Fujifilm Acuity R2 with its white ink capability was best suited to our needs.”

Cactus has extensive experience with Fujifilm – it put in its first system, a UviStar, ten years ago, with that printer still running and now dedicated to mesh printing. Ferrel said, “We are well acquainted with the engineering prowess and the print quality of Fujifilm, and the service support we receive is excellent.”

The new Acuity Ultra R2 is already running 16 hours a day, including a large number of unattended hours. It can have up to three separate rolls printing at the same time. Ferrel said, “The print quality, the speed, the reliability, they are exactly what we need.”

Troy Neighbour, general manager of Fujifim Graphic Systems, said, “Cactus is a pioneering print business, which has partnered with Fujifilm for a decade. Its commitment to advanced technology, to automation, to workflow solutions, is inspiring, and in fact contributes directly to the development of the Fujifilm print systems.”

Cactus has a direct line to Fujifilm’s R&D operation, and contributes many suggestions for system enhancements, based on its extensive day in, day out usage. It is one of the world's biggest consumers of Fujifilm ink.

The Acuity Ultra R2 is part of Fujifilm’s strategy to create the new blueprint for wide format, the company says it is designed with specialist inks to support the printing of "near-photographic" interior graphics of "exceptional" quality, and the high speed printing of banners and PVC signage.

Available in 3.2m and 5m versions, Fujifilm says the Acuity Ultra R2 features "the same high levels of quality and reliability" as its predecessor, but offers design improvements to benefit both ease-of-use and overall productivity.

The new, contemporary enclosed design eliminates stray UV light, removing the need for a light curtain, while from a functional point of view, the R2 is designed with both maintenance and ink supply on the same side, giving operators easier access and more room in which to work when performing routine tasks. An external visual light also quickly alerts operators of low ink levels without the need to look inside the printer.

The Acuity Ultra R2 also features larger ink tanks to ensure that all the ink from a standard can is used when refilling, eliminating the clutter and mess of opened, half-used ink cans. The ink tanks have also been designed for easy access for refills.

Another significant design benefit is that the separate chiller unit that accompanied the original Acuity Ultra has now been fully integrated into the design of the new R2 series. This frees up considerable workspace and reduces clutter.

Like the original Acuity Ultra, the R2 is available in various colour configurations up to eight channels. The Acuity Ultra R2 uses LED lamps for the 6-colour (CMYKLcLm) and 6-colour with white (CMYKLcLm+WW) printer configurations, or UV lamps for the high speed double CMYK configuration, ensuring block free production. Fujifilm says this gives the option to choose either the "ultra-high" productivity of conventional UV, or the comparatively lower operating costs and lower energy use of LED.

Fujifilm says the combination of "ultra-low" ink consumption, thanks to a low film thickness, and speeds of up to 400sqm per hour, mean the Acuity Ultra R2 can print more jobs per shift at a lower cost, making it "the most competitive super-wide platform on the market for improving print ROI."