Océ Arizona 480 UV Flatbed Printers Offer Expanded Application Versatility

TRUMBULL, Conn., Oct. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Océ, a Canon Group Company and an international leader in digital document management and printing for professionals, today announced the new Océ Arizona^® 480 GT and Océ Arizona 480 XT printers that feature remarkable application versatility and improved productivity while maintaining the uncompromising quality favored by Océ Arizona Series customers. The Océ Arizona 480 GT printer will make its worldwide debut in Océ booth #435 at the Specialty Graphic and Imaging Association (SGIA) annual exhibition taking place from October 18-20, 2012 in Las Vegas.

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Production efficiencies, application versatility are keys to growth

In a recent SGIA survey[1], the Graphics & Sign Community was polled to determine paths for business growth. The survey found that "in an effort to grow, even in an uncertain economy, sign and graphics companies are focusing on production efficiencies." In addition, application versatility is seen as a key element to industry expansion. The report summary continues, "the most common method for graphics and sign companies to achieve projected growth is through market expansion, either within existing markets, or by developing new markets." The new Océ Arizona 480 Series printers include features designed to increase throughput and broaden the range of applications that can be offered by print service providers.

Serious tools for serious craftsmen

Creative professionals dedicated to the production of high quality sign and display applications demand high quality tools. The Océ Arizona 480 printers represent the latest generation in this market-leading product family. Featuring the same award-winning Océ VariaDot^® imaging technology as in every Océ Arizona printer, these models offer even more application versatility and production efficiencies. New features include:

• Eight independent ink channels with support for varnish or double-opacity white ink printing, including additional cyan and magenta channels for higher print quality at faster speeds.
• Active pixel placement compensation for optimum image sharpness, density and uniformity over the entire printing area - both flatbed or across the Roll Media Option.
• Precise vacuum system, configured to match the majority of standard-sized graphic arts media.
• Batch mode operation for streamlining multi-layered jobs or facilitating set collation.

Eight independent ink channels for application flexibility, increased productivity

Both Océ Arizona 480 GT and Océ Arizona 480 XT models include eight independent ink channels with the first four configured for standard CMYK printing. Channels five and six can be configured in two ways that offer flexibility to meet the demands of various jobs:

• Varnish + White:  Using white ink, print service providers can produce exceptional quality prints on a variety of non-white substrates – including backlit prints – that can command premium prices. Varnish can be used as a 'spot' (targeted) or 'flood' (overall) decorative element for attention-getting results at premium prices. These two features can be combined to create truly unique applications for sign and display or fine art applications.
• Double-White:  Alternatively, when not required for use in printing varnish, the sixth channel can be used as an additional white ink channel to provide double the opacity in a single printing pass for higher productivity when printing white ink jobs. This is particularly beneficial for backlit and industrial applications.

Print service providers can use these two channels in whichever configuration best suits their needs, changing from varnish + white to double-white (and vice versa) on demand.

Channels seven and eight are used to enhance both print quality - beyond the level already available in every Océ Arizona printer - and print speed by adding extra cyan and magenta nozzle capacity. Called CM² [C-M-squared], the additional cyan and magenta nozzle capacity offers Production print modes that rival the slower Quality-oriented modes in terms of sharpness, uniformity and smoothness. Users can take advantage of this improved print quality to realize higher net productivity since more demanding jobs can now be printed in the faster print modes. The additional nozzle capacity over existing Océ Arizona models[2] also enables a Production print mode that is nearly 25% faster than normal Production mode on models not equipped with CM² capability. In short, CM² printing offers higher quality at faster speeds.

Active pixel placement compensation for assured image sharpness

Océ Arizona 480 GT and Océ Arizona 480 XT models use Océ's new active pixel placement compensation to assure image sharpness, density and uniformity, whether it is printed on the flatbed or on the Roll Media Option. This is achieved by dynamically adjusting the location of individual pixels to account for localized variations in flatbed or platen height.

Precise vacuum system

There are six vacuum zones on the Océ Arizona 480 GT printer and seven on the Océ Arizona 480 XT printer. These zones have been configured to match the majority of standard-sized graphic arts media to reduce or eliminate manual masking, thereby decreasing operator intervention and increasing productivity.

Batch mode

Complex, multi-layered jobs – those requiring multiple passes to achieve the desired results – can now be streamlined using the new batch mode tools, reducing operator intervention. Batch mode can also be used to produce sets of prints (e.g. 50 items on 36" x 48" media and 30 items on 4' x 8' media sequentially for easy collation and fulfillment.

Meet nearly any application need

The Océ Arizona 480 GT printer offers the standard table size of 49.2 by 98.4 inches and the Océ Arizona 480 XT printer offers the extra large table size of 98.4 by 120 inches. Both can print on rigid media up to 2.0 inches thick. A Roll Media Option is available for both models to print on flexible media up to 86.6 inches  wide.

With print speeds of up to 272 square feet per hour of high quality production capacity over the broadest range of media and applications, graphics professionals needing to print 53,800-107,600 square feet per year will find it to be the right tool for the job.

If a job can be printed digitally, it most likely can be produced on an Océ Arizona 480 model printer. With the ability to print on a wide variety of media and objects, print service providers can capture revenue from applications ranging from standard sign and display (POP/POS, retail signage, backlit signs) to specialty and industrial applications where the decorated substrate is not meant primarily for display purposes (e.g. package prototyping, short-run packaging, wallpaper and interior decoration, and consumer product decoration).

With one Océ Arizona 480 model printer, full mixed-media campaigns can be produced including rigid displays, banners, window cling, backlits, etc., to service a range of customer needs for maximum revenue.

Highly acclaimed UV flatbed printer series

All Océ Arizona Series printers – including the new Océ Arizona 480 GT and Océ Arizona 480 XT models – share the same award-winning image quality and robust architecture, offering the Océ values of quality, reliability, productivity and user-friendliness. In all, Océ Arizona Series UV flatbed printers have earned 30 industry awards to date from organizations throughout the world. These awards validate the quality and innovation built into every Océ Arizona Series printer.

Océ Display Graphics Systems

Océ Display Graphics Systems is a leading provider of professional, wide format solutions for indoor and outdoor color display graphics applications. Océ solutions are specifically designed to enhance the revenue and profit opportunities for service providers by combining hardware with workflow software and the expertise to help companies expand into digital large format color. From extremely high-quality UV flatbed printers to roll-based printers and advanced finishing systems, Océ offers a total solution including hardware, software, imaging supplies, finishing systems, applications expertise, hardware support and financing. Customers benefit in working with a full-service partner they can count on to help their businesses grow.

About Océ

Océ is one of the leading providers of document management and printing for professionals. The Océ offering includes office printing and copying systems, high speed digital production printers and wide format printing systems for both technical documentation and color display graphics. Océ is also a foremost supplier of document management outsourcing. Many of the Fortune Global 500 companies and leading commercial printers are Océ customers. The company was founded in 1877. With headquarters in Venlo, The Netherlands, Océ is active in over 100 countries and employs more than 20,000 people worldwide. Océ North America is headquartered in Trumbull, CT, with additional business units in Chicago, IL and Boca Raton, FL.  For more information, visit www.oce.com.

Océ and Canon: Stronger together

In 2010 Océ joined the Canon Group of companies with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, to create the global leader in the printing industry. Canon develops, manufactures and markets a growing line-up of copying machines, printers, cameras, optical and other products that meet a diverse range of customer needs. The Canon Group comprises over 198,000 employees worldwide. Global net sales in 2011 totalled USD 45.6 billion. Visit the Canon Inc. website at www.canon.com.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. With approximately $45.6 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ), ranks third overall in U.S. patents registered in 2011[*] and is one of Fortune Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies in 2012. In 2012, for the ninth consecutive year, Canon U.S.A. has received the PCMag.com Readers' Choice Award for Service and Reliability. Committed to the highest level of customer satisfaction and loyalty, Canon U.S.A. provides 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss.

All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks of their respective owners.

[1]  summary printed in SGIA Journal, July/August 2012, pp 15-16

[2] Océ Arizona 360 and Océ Arizona 550 models include two CMYK printheads each; Océ Arizona 318 GL model includes one CMYK printhead.

[*] Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.

SOURCE Oce North America