Canon will stage the global launch of the Océ Arizona 600 Series of UV flatbed printers - featuring the highest production print speeds ever introduced into this award-winning range - at FESPA 2013.  Representing a major upgrade on the Océ Arizona 550 models, the new series will replace this range and offer increased versatility with up to six independent ink channels that can be configured to suit the specific needs of print service providers (PSPs).

The four new models in the Océ Arizona 600 Series – the Océ Arizona 640 GT, Océ Arizona 640 XT, Océ Arizona 660 GT and Océ Arizona 660 XT – are equally suited to PSPs who require high-production throughput of standard graphics and to those who focus more on speciality projects and require additional ink channels to expand their range of applications.

The Océ Arizona 660 models offer six independent ink channels, allowing the additional two ink channels to be configured to enhance print speed – by adding additional cyan and magenta inks (known as CM2) – or cater for more decorative elements such as varnish or white ink.

CM2 allows users printing standard graphic applications and requiring very high throughput, to achieve on a higher-speed ‘Production’ setting the uniformity and smoothness of prints ordinarily completed using ‘Quality’ mode. Users can take advantage of this improved print quality to realise higher net productivity. CM2-configured printers also feature a ‘Production-Squared’ print mode that can deliver smooth quality output at print speeds of more than 46m2 per hour – nearly 25 per cent faster than ‘Production’ mode.

For those printers focusing more on speciality applications, there are two other configurations for the additional two ink channels that expand the application range – ‘Varnish + White’ and ‘Double-Opacity White’.

‘Varnish + White’ allows printers to use white ink on a variety of non-white substrates – including backlit prints – to produce exceptional quality prints that can command premium prices. Varnish can be used alone as either a ‘spot’ or ‘flood’ for decorative elements, or can be combined with white ink to create unique applications for sign and display or fine art applications.

‘Double-Opacity White’ uses both additional channels for white ink (when varnish is not required) to deliver double the opacity in a single printing pass. This offers higher productivity when printing white ink jobs on non-white media or objects and is particularly beneficial for printing on unusual media and for industrial applications.

Designed to grow with the PSP’s business, the four-channel Océ Arizona 640 model can be upgraded to a six-channel 660 model at any time – adding two additional ink channels – to add further application versatility (Varnish + White or Double-Opacity White printing) or improve productivity (CM2 printing).

Océ Arizona 600 Series GT models feature the standard table size of 1.25 by 2.5 metres while the Océ Arizona 600 Series XT printers offer the extra large table size of 2.5 by 3.05 metres metres. Both versions can print on rigid media up to 50.8 mm thick. A ‘Roll Media Option’ is available for all models to print on flexible media up to 2.2 metres wide.

All models are underpinned by the award-winning Océ VariaDot? imaging technology for superior image quality, along with several new features to offer greater application versatility and production efficiencies:

• Active pixel placement compensation – for optimum image sharpness, density and uniformity over the entire print area – both flatbed and across the Roll Media Option
• User selectable vacuum zone – vacuum zones (six on GT models and seven on XT models) configured to match the majority of standard-sized rigid media to reduce or eliminate manual masking, thereby decreasing operator intervention and increasing productivity
• Batch mode operation for streamlined, unattended production of complex, multi-layered print jobs to achieve a specialised result

Bart Geraads, European Production Print Group Director, Technical Document Systems (TDS) & Display Graphic Systems (DGS), Canon Europe, Middle East & Africa, comments, “The wide format market is growing, with increasing customer demand for new and more imaginative applications. Being able to offer customers something fresh and unique is what can set PSPs apart from their competitors and this is exactly what the new Océ Arizona 600 Series is all about. The option to upgrade models in this range makes customer’s investments future-proof; they can grow their service offering and customer base safe in the knowledge that the capability of the technology they are using can grow with them.

“We look forward to helping visitors to the Canon stand see how the models in this range can help to take their business to the next level in a powerful, yet sustainable, way.”