Flatbed printers : the next big step to diversification

If you have recently visited any  major sign, screen or digital  printing show, then you must have seen flatbed printers pulling the crowd everywhere. More and more digital printers manufacturers are now coming up with flatbed printers, which have become one of the most preferred choice for diversification.

Early players in the flatbed segment include Zund, Inca and Scitex Vision, followed by Durst, Inca, VUTEk, NUR, Mimaki, etc. More recently, Mutoh and Oce have also launched their flatbed printers. With the advent of new players in the flatbed segment, the costs have come down, thereby making it more affordable.

Today, most of the flatbed printers can handle rigid as well as roll-to-roll media. Thus, print providers can print on rigid substrates such as foamboard, PVC, metal, wood, etc, which are increasingly used for signages. Moreover, flatbed printers eliminate the need of pasting a print onto a rigid surface. Other benefits include neat and clean print output and waste reduction, besides being time and money saving. Even though screenprinting machines can print onto rigid substrates, they are not economical if the print run is very short (ranging from 1 to 15).

Flatbed printers mostly use UV-curable inks which show superior adhesion to a wide range of non-absorbent and unprimed substrates, as well as competitive adhesion to absorbent substrates. UV flatbeds are therefore more versatile in the range of substrates that they can print. Moreover, UV curable inks change from liquid to solid immediately upon exposure using a good UV light source, thereby making the output instantly dry.

Another popular combination gaining ground is UV flatbed printer with white ink capability. Thus, users can print white images and text directly on wood, glass and coloured stock. In this category, VUTEk offers PressVu UV 200/600 W+UV flatbed printer.

Thus, flatbed printers open up many new market opportunities and application areas. They can be used to print huge cut-outs (often used in shopping malls), backdrops, speciality signs, seminars place cards, reception area montages, standalone logos, window signages, etc. Service providers can cash on its versatility and add volumes of work and profits to their existing businesses.