EFI VUTEK Printers: A Q&A Guide

History of VUTEK & EFI

Q: When was EFI founded and what was its first major innovation? A: EFI (Electronics for Imaging) was founded in 1988. In 1991, they developed the Fiery color server, which revolutionized color management in printing.

Q: When did EFI acquire VUTEK? A: EFI acquired VUTEK in 2005. VUTEK was, and still is, a leading manufacturer of super-wide digital inkjet printers.

Q: What role have VUTEK printers played in the industry? A: EFI's VUTEK printers have been a major force in the analog-to-digital revolution for the display and sign market.

Why We Chose VUTEK Over HP Scitex

Q: Why did we switch from HP Scitex to EFI VUTEK? A: Although they have similar running speeds, the EFI VUTEK machines are much cheaper to run because they use LED UV lamps, which are more cost-effective than the expensive mercury lamps used by our previous Scitex printers.

Q: What are the other key benefits of the EFI VUTEK printers? A:

• They produce less waste.

• They can run reel-to-reel and cut automatically using the XY cutter, eliminating the need for further finishing processes and increasing efficiency.

VUTEK H5: Board and Sheet Printing

Q: How does the Vutek H5 print on sheets? A: Sheets are placed on a feeding table at the back of the machine, then suction cups pull them into the printing unit. The sheet is then slowly pulled through, allowing for an even ink application.

Q: How does the H5 dry the ink? A: As the sheet moves through the machine, the print heads and UV light move back and forth, dispersing and drying the ink simultaneously.

Q: Can the print quality be adjusted? A: Yes, you can adjust the machine so that the print heads pass over the same area between 2 to 4 times, depending on the quality the customer needs. More passes mean more ink and better quality.

Q: What happens when a sheet is finished printing? A: The printed sheet is automatically moved onto the delivery table.

Q: What is the resolution of the Vutek H5? A: It provides a 1200dpi resolution using high-velocity UltraDrop technology, which ensures precise dot placement and consistency at high speeds.

Q: How accurate is its color matching? A: The EFI's expanded gamut CMYK pigments provide world-class Pantone matching, resulting in high color accuracy for specific customer colors.

Q: What are the Pros of the Vutek H5? A:

• It can run up to 109 boards per hour.

• It can run multiple boards at once, up to 3.2 meters wide.

• It has a quick drying time due to the UV lamps.

Q: What are the Cons of the Vutek H5? A:

• It can only run boards up to 2 inches thick. Anything thicker could damage the print heads.

• Stretching an image too far can lead to poor image quality.

• Bidirectional printing can sometimes cause misalignment.

• Poor head conditions and high speeds can cause banding on the product.

• If the machine is idle for a while, the print heads need to be purged and cleaned before they can be used again.

Q: What products are made on the Vutek H5? A: The H5 is used for backlit graphics, indoor signs, window, wall, and floor graphics, and posters. It can be fed with boards, sheets, or reels, but we primarily use board or sheet feeding to reduce setup time.

Vutek Q3R: Reel-to-Reel Printing

Q: How does the Vutek Q3R work with reels? A: Reels are positioned at the back of the machine, and the material is guided into the printing unit. The sheet is then slowly pulled through, ensuring an even distribution of ink.

Q: How is the ink dried on the Q3R? A: As the sheet moves, print heads and a UV light continuously move back and forth, dispersing and drying the ink simultaneously.

Q: Does the machine have quality settings? A: Yes, the machine can be adjusted to have the print heads pass over the same area 2 to 4 times, depending on the quality required.

Q: Does the Q3R have a cutter? A: Yes, if needed, the XY cutting unit will automatically cut the sheet down to size so it can be packed immediately after printing.

Q: What unique inks does the Q3R use? A: It's the only machine in our factory that can print with white and clear inks.

Q: What is the purpose of the clear ink? A: The clear ink provides a glossy or matte coating that offers up to three years of protection against the elements while enhancing the print.

Q: What is the benefit of the white ink? A: The white ink allows us to print on clear stock, which widens our product range, though we are still running trials on this feature.

Q: What are the Pros of the Vutek Q3R? A:

• Low ink usage.

• Continuous printing.

• Automatic inline quality monitoring.

Q: What are the Cons of the Q3R? A:

• Running at a low pass mode (e.g., 2 or 3 pass) can sometimes cause banding on the product.

Q: What products are made on the Vutek Q3R? A: Because it is a reel-fed-only machine, it is used for products like signage, wall coverings, murals, exhibitions, floor graphics, and window decorations. Any single-feed materials like Correx are produced on the H5.

Vutek FabriVU: Fabric Printing

Q: How does the FabriVU print on fabric? A: The fabric is pulled through the machine into the printing unit. Print heads move from left to right, dispersing ink directly onto the fabric.

Q: How is the ink set on the fabric? A: The fabric is then pulled through to a heated platen, where sublimation occurs, and the final product is produced.

Q: Why does the artwork look dull before it reaches the platen? A: The artwork will appear dull while in the printing unit, but the colors become vibrant and the quality shines once the ink is heated by the platen.

Q: What is the resolution of the FabriVU? A: It is equipped with eight high-performance print heads in a CMYKx2 configuration, resulting in an Ultra-High resolution of up to 2,400dpi.

Q: What efficiency features does the FabriVU have? A:

• The water-based ink dries immediately as it comes off the heated platen, allowing it to move straight to the next process.

• The print heads have auto-cleaning to reduce downtime.

• An Ink Recovery System saves more than 95% of ink lost during purging, reducing waste.

Q: What are the Pros of the FabriVU? A:

• It can run multiple jobs at once.

• It can run a variety of polyester materials.

• The product comes off the machine completed and dry due to the heated platen.

Q: What are the Cons of the FabriVU? A:

• The material shrinks slightly due to the heat from the platen, but the machine is automatically set to compensate for this.

• Temperature differences at the opposite ends of the platen could result in slight color variations if not controlled.

Q: What products are made on the Vutek FabriVU? A: It is used for Exhibition Graphics, Retail fixture wraps, Block-out banners, and Flags, up to 3.4 meters wide. These products can only be produced on this machine due to its specific drying process and the inks it uses.