Virtu RR50 - DPI gets out the big guns

In a bid to challenge the limits of super-wide format display production, the Virtu RR50 UV-curable roll-to-roll ink-jet printer manufactured by WP Digital is now available in the UK and Ireland from Digital Print Innovations (DPI).

Able to print on almost any flexible material up to five metres wide at speeds up to 320sq m/hr, the RR50 is not only highly productive but brings 1200dpi addressable resolution to the super-wide display market in configurations which can include six colours (CMYK, Lc and Lm) and white. This combination of speed and quality makes the RR50 suitable for a plethora of applications for both indoor and outdoor use, including point-of-sale, vehicle wraps, banners and flags, and also for the creation of billboards and hoardings in one piece.

"Previously, five-metre machines were limited by the variety of substrates that they could print to and the type of quality they would receive at the business end, restricting them to external applications with long viewing distances," explains Stewart Bell, Managing Director of DPI. "The addition of superior graphics quality to the five-metre width creates an armoury of new opportunities for display producers."

The Virtu RR50 benefits from the heritage of meticulous Swiss engineering that WP Digital, formerly known as Spühl, is renowned for. The machine has a compact yet robust footprint of 2.5 (h) x 8.3 (w) x 2.3m (d), weighs 10,000kg and features innovative and practical developments in ink-jet technology. Linear motors eliminate belts, instead running the heads on a monorail-type system; this reduces a bandwidth of traditional problems such as vibration, while improving acceleration and dot placement. Other sensible production features include an inbuilt multi-station X-Y tool for accurate cutting, an anti-static device on the head-assembly, and multi-roll capability.

Available in 36 or 48 print-head configurations which can add white to either a four- or six-colour workflow, the Virtu RR50 features a high-productivity ink-feed system that provides for six litres per colour. This allows the user to benefit from bulk prices and less time is wasted changing inks. The UV-curable, pigmented inks provide prodigious durability while also being VOC-free.

While the RR50 is suited to the whole gamut of display production, DPI says that it will be of particular interest to printers who are looking to convert to digital, especially from the screenprinting discipline. Stewart stresses that DPI is best placed to provide this service.

"Because we understand the precise calibration needed to get the best out of this formidable machine but can also provide the ongoing service, we know the RR50 will appeal to all sorts of producers," he concludes.

For further information about DPI’s products and services, telephone 01332 856355 or email info@dpi-uk.com