Mimaki has announced the imminent launch of a new flatbed printer - the UJF-6042 - which offers an A2 print bed, 150mm head height, multiple ink options and exceptionally high print quality of 1800x1800dpi.  Scheduled to be unveiled at Photokina in late September 2012, the new machine is capable of producing photo quality prints utilising 6 colour process, white and clear inks.

An ideal solution for print companies seeking to deliver high quality prints onto rigid substrates, the new printer offers double the bed size of the hugely successful UJF-3042 - as well as an increase in print resolution. Also offering commercial opportunities for companies typically delivering screen print at 60x40 size, the digital advantages are obvious, with photo quality output, zero setup costs and the ability to deliver short print runs.

The Mimaki UJF-6042 incorporates a ball screw type head conveyance mechanism - traditionally found only in very high end flatbed printers - which greatly enhances the accuracy of the ink drop placement onto the substrate. The combination of 1800x1800dpi and variable dot technology means the printer is engineered to deliver highly accurate prints and the A2 bed size allows two facing pages of an A3 photo book to be printed simultaneously. For smaller items, an efficient layout can be created with the use of jigs, ensuring accurate print placement and ease of workflow.

When printing to rigid substrates, Mimaki's proven LH-100 ink incorporates CMYK + white and features vibrant colour and excellent adhesion properties. Additionally, the UJF-6042 can be commissioned with Mimaki's LF-100 flexible ink, available in six colours and white, or the highly stretchy LF-200 ink which enables expansion of up to 200% where applications require this level of flexibility.

The UJF-6042 sports a number of Mimaki's production print features, including the ability to use automatic primer, the powerful Nozzle Recovery Function and Mimaki Circulation Technology - both designed to ensure a consistently high print quality, and comes supplied with Mimaki's RasterLink 6 RIP software; a fully featured package with intuitive layout functions, powerful spot colour replacement capabilities and the capability to print three layers (colour, white and colour) simultaneously onto transparent substrates.

"The launch of the UJF-6042 by Mimaki at Photokina is an exciting one," says Mike Lewis, industrial products sales manager for Mimaki's UK & Irish distributor, Hybrid Services. "Over and above the ability to run twice the size of media than the UJF-3042, the increase in quality to 1800dpi and a minimum variable dot size of 4 pico litres ensures an extremely high print quality that should impress visitors to the Mimaki stand."

With commercial availability planned for early next year, the Mimaki UJF-6042 will be available through Hybrid's specialist reseller network.