The 190s was developed by British reseller GPT and has an optional trough for unbacked mesh materials

With Roland unleashing its 'Beast', the SolJet Pro4 XF-640, and GPT pimping a Mimaki chassis intended for textile to produce its solvent printer, the GPT 190s, there are some interesting moves afoot in this area of wide-format production. Taken together they define a new market sector for solvent-based engines, promising a compelling price-to-performance proposition for sign and display producers.

Upon closer inspection we can see that these two machines are the latest entrants in a sector that has been emerging for the past couple of years. Mutoh was first out of the traps with itsValueJet 1638; the 16 denotes the machine's 1.6m width, the three that it is on its third generation and the eight the number of print-heads. Since, it has added the 2538, which according to the same nomenclature is 2.5m wide. Epson's second-generation SureColor SC-S50600 joined this machine last summer – although the manufacturer is wary of the S word and prefers for you to think of it as standing for 'signage'.

Epson's latest print-heads, in fast-four configuration, underpin all of these machines. This means that eight heads print two channels of CMYK at the same time to double throughput, although, technically, the SC-S50600 is a fast five as it also includes white.

While there are differences between these machines, there are enough similarities to consider them as a whole. They will all set you back a figure in the low to mid ￡20,000 range, and typical day-to-day production is promised in the region of 25 to 35sq m/hour. If you look at the specifications, however, some are quoted as being significantly faster: the GPT 190s andRoland's Beast claim 96 and 102sq m/hour in their fastest modes. There may be some applications – building wraps and exterior banners say – for which those modes are suitable, although that remains to be seen, which is an interesting proposition for a very rapid return on investment.

The development of these engines demonstrates that there is still a lot of mileage left in solvent, despite the best efforts of proponents of latex to suggest it is a dog that has had its day. They all outperform their latex counterparts when it comes down to price and performance. For anyone currently running roll-to-roll solvent looking to replace or supplement their existing line-up, these new breeds represent proven technology combined with enough innovation to provide the impetus to invest.

Roland is making much of the updated Eco-Sol Max 2 inks used in the XC-640, and also its sibling, the eight-colour XR-640, launched last year. These are claimed to provide significant advantages in terms of quality, cost and substrate compatibility. The higher colour density of this new formulation means less fluid needs to be laid down for a given colour, translating into lower ink costs to generate the same quality, plus, potentially, higher quality and better results in faster print modes. The broader substrate compatibility is especially interesting; in particular, Roland claims that EcoSol Max 2 works with standard coated papers and doesn't require a special, solvent-receptive medium. That could open up a range of applications previously the reserve ofaqueous and latex chemistries, while also preserving the cost-efficiency of solvent.

The advent of the latest generation of nano-solvent media coatings means that paper could, indeed, be within the realm of standard solvent inks, too. This would allow wide-format houses to address a wider range of the market and put the fight to both aqueous and latex. It would be fair to expect additional announcements at FESPA that further develop this nascent market sector.

For the printer, these developments are a double-edged sword. The downside is the need to keep on top of technological change, making sure your current equipment isn't in danger of being eclipsed, and that your future investment path takes into account what's here, and what's to come. It's especially important to make sure that, as in this case, you understand the progress being made by established platforms to enhance their effectiveness in the face of new pretenders.

These developments highlight that far from dissolving in the onslaught of the alternatives, there is plenty of life left in solvent technology – and that vendors are continuing to evolve it in a way that benefits everyone, with better-performing products that offer great value.