Dantex has introduced the Pico 12000, a range of machines that can run up to 75m/min, print with orange, green and violet as additional colours and apply textured effects. Most importantly it can print a high opacity white to reach 92% opacity in a single pass.
There are four versions of the platform, all built in the UK at a factory in Corby, from the PicoColour 1200HD to the top of the range PicoJet 1200s.
The machines can run to a rewind unit or to inline finishing. The modular design helps both to simplify manufacture and to enable upgrades.
The PicoColour 1200 takes Dantex into competition with some of the best established names in production of narrow web inkjet presses, moving it into this sector of the market for the first time while retaining its interest in the first time user end of the market.
The company has great expectations of its new machine. It has been in development over the last two years the company says.
Group CEO Ben Danon, who took over from father Richard, now chairman, in February this year, says: “Developed in line with our philosophy of always providing the market with the most modern high tech equipment, Pico will now offer our customers an incredible new experience, while ensuring the highest quality results are achieved every time. This defining moment takes us even deeper into digital technology and confirms our ongoing commitment to the digital label industry.”
The high opacity white is claimed to be the highest opacity white available in a single pass. With the three extra colours, the press will reach 96% of the PMS range.
The company announced a deal with Esko to link the Esko DFE earlier this year and this will power the new press. It uses Ricoh Gen6 print heads to print an LED UV cured ink that Dantex has developed.
Each of the four machines in the range can be expanded into a hybrid version with flexo units and inline finishing. As well as the entry level and the flagship machines, the PicoJet 1200i offers up to eight inkjet arrays running at 50m/min on 330mm web. This is a successor to the PicoJet 330i. The Picojet 254 is replaced in the range by the PicoJet 1200, with the same print options, but on a 254mm wide only substrate.
The company showed the PicoJet 1200E configuration at Labelexpo Americas with a flexo unit after the inkjet engine, lamination and swift change rotary die cutting.
