EFI gets wallpaper cert for UV LED printers

Digital inkjet roll-to-roll UV LED printers from EFI have achieved a key US certification for the quality and durability of prints used for décor applications, for its prints without lamination or coating. 

EFI roll-to-roll UV LED printers have earned a Type II certification for wallcoverings based on The Wallcovering Association W-101 and ASTM F793 standards.

According to EFI the Type II certification is an indicator for quality, safety and durability of wallcoverings and, unlike other Type II certifications for digital inkjet printers, EFI’s new certification covers wallcoverings produced without lamination or coating.

Wall coverings and personalised home décor is seen as a boom market for wide format print operators, on the back on the myriad lifestyle shows populating TV channels.

EFI’s new Type II certification applies to EFI’s extensive portfolio of UV LED roll-to-roll printers – including the EFI Pro 32r+, and Vutek 3r+/5r+, D3r/D5r, and new Q3r/Q5r printers. The wallcoverings were tested for durability and tear resistance; scrubbability and washability; colour fastness; and Class A fire retardancy and safety.

Along with the Type II certification, EFI roll-to-roll digital UV LED printers also received the Class A fire rating, according to The Wallcovering Association’s evaluation and ASTM E84.

“There has been a rise in popularity for wallcoverings and interior décor applications these last years, which for us is an exciting trend, as we offer a wide range of products for that growing market with our roll-to-roll UV LED printers,” said Hanan Yosefi, vice-president, EFI Inkjet Israel. “This certification proves once again EFI’s approach to delivering the best to the market – giving its customers the ability to produce a wide range of challenging applications with the highest print quality at the lowest cost of production.”

EFI says the Type II designation and existing UL Greenguard Gold certifications for select inks make its roll-to-roll solutions “ideal for wallcoverings, décor and other indoor applications”. The company says these certifications complement each other and provide a complete picture of certification covering the performance, safety and durability of indoor applications.

EFI offers a wide range of roll-to-roll printers, available for customers at the lower-, mid- and higher-volume end of the signage and display graphics market. EFI roll-to-roll printers can deliver up to nine colours, feature a resolution of up to 1200 dots per inch and EFI UltraDrop Technology with native 7-picolitre printheads with multi-drop addressability, for what EFI says is “high-definition image quality with outstanding smoothness in shadows, gradients and transitions, as well as precise and sharp size text.”

The line-up of EFI roll-to-roll printers covers a broad range of production needs, with the most productive solution in the portfolio, the EFI Vutek Q5r, capable of printing up to 672 square metres per hour.

EFI says the roll-to-roll printers’ UV LED curing ensures cost savings, and a more environmentally friendly printing solution, consuming less energy and enabling the use of thinner, lower-cost substrates. The printers also feature EFI’s Power Tool options for advanced productivity and capabilities, including in-line quality inspection, in-line slitting and cutting, roll and tape collection, auto-calibration, automated backlit printing, and automated blockout printing.