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As we have seen over past few years, direct digital printing has become cutting edge printing technology and Minneapolis-based Graphic Systems is one output provider that is on the cusp of that development. The shop has the distinction of being the first company in the US to install the Durst Rho 350R roll-to-roll digital printer. "The 350R allows us to print on roll materials such as fabric, vinyl, and paper up to 11.48 feet wide seamlessly. It can also print at 600 dpi, and has precise registration for double-sided printing," says president Herm Kauls.
"Overall the Rho machines are responsible for some pretty significant growth at our company," he adds, "both in creating it and then satisfying it," he reports. Graphics Systems currently has a large arsenal of Durst equipment including three Rho 160s, a Rho 600, and Rho 205.
When it came time to add a new printer, Kauls inquired about the 350R. "We were looking for a new piece of equipment that offered additional speed and quality so we went with the Rho 350R. We flew to their headquarters in Europe to see the printer and samples. We liked what we saw and purchased one. It was installed about six weeks ago and has been churning out a lot of nice work for us. The thing that's been consistent has been the color quality we are getting on it. The colors are absolutely beautiful. There is really nothing available today like the Rho 350R in this imaging segment that I can see, " says Kauls.
"Having the 350R in house has opened up the door for us provide new services. We are running a lot of vinyls, 3M products and fabrics for a host of POP applications," says Kauls.
The Rho 350R features Durst's proprietary Quadro Array print technology and utilizing the most flexible, adhesive UV inks available —formulated especially for Durst—for virtually any indoor or outdoor superwide-format application on an extremely broad range of uncoated rolled media types and materials. The Rho 350R prints up to 2,500 square feet per hour.
"The unit's Quadro Array print technology helps create an efficient, productive, versatile superwide-format imaging platform in two configurations. It is available with eight or 16 Quadro Array assemblies, the Rho 350R prints on papers, vinyls, textiles, canvas, tarpaulin, foil—virtually any coated or uncoated roll material to produce visually striking billboards, banners, murals, building /vehicle wraps, wallpaper and many other types of superwide commercial image displays," he says.
The printer also comes with a RIP from Caldera. "The Caldera Grand RIP+ works really well with the grand-format jobs we output. Durst is a great company to work with they stand behind every piece of equipment they sell. They have really done their homework with the 350R." he concludes.
author: BILL SCHIFFNER