Matan has released a vacuum plate system for its Barak wide-format series, an addition that the company believes makes it the 'first true' hybrid roll-fed and flat-bed machine that does not compromise on output quality.

The plate is mounted onto a foldable cart, which is attached to the engine using pneumatic and electric connections. It is available in three sizes: 1.01 x 1.52m (40 x 60”), 1.22 x 2.44m (4 x 8’) and 1.52 x 3.04m (5 x 10’). The system works with the Barak iQ, 8Q and 8QW models.

"Other hybrid solutions in the market are using a belt mechanism to advance the media," claims Erez Zimerman, vice-president for marketing. "In some cases, the media may detach from the belt and this is problematic for certain media types and thicknesses. Thanks to the use of a vacuum in our new plate system, our Barak printer behaves 100 percent like a true flat-bed.

"We have found that there are many customers who wish to also offer rigid printing applications, but cannot afford to purchase a true flat-bed printer," he adds. "This will enable them to use the Matan Barak printer for both rigid and flexible media with zero compromise and a very low investment."