Formara has installed a Kirk-Rudy inkjet unit aiming to print more than just envelopes. The FireJet 4C uses Memjet’s Duraflex printheads and will print a full 12.75in [324mm] print width to include trim areas when printing a full A3 sheet giving Formara the ability to print commercial print as well as the envelopes that Kirk-Rudy is known for.
It will print on uncoated and inkjet optimised papers, but also napkins and corrugated materials used for coffee cup sleeves for example, thanks to a flat sheet path. As will all Memjet printers, maximum resolution is 1600dpi with a throughput of 27m//min at this resolution, faster when resolution is stepped down to 1600x954dpi.
It is an addition to the print arsenal at the Southend business and a first step into inkjet printing. Addressing and envelopes will be a key application, though not the only one. “We are also printing variable data to the front covers of surveys on silk papers,” says marketing manager Russell Turner.
It strengthens the company’s ability to produce small to mid volume colour print with constant quality and predictable running costs.
Managing director Andy Pond says: “Client demand has shifted towards shorter runs, quicker turnaround, and more targeted print. This investment allows us to meet those expectations efficiently, while maintaining the quality and reliability our clients expect.”
He adds that the shift to businesses choosing to create short runs campaigns that can be changed rather than campaigns that rely on long run printing.
The press uses Kirk-Rudy’s sheet transport experience combined with the Memjet print heads. It has a Harlequin based Xitron Color PDF Rip and workflow with colour management to deliver consistency across the page wide print heads. A consumables calculator is built in for accuracy in costing jobs. Printheads can be replaced in situ thanks to pneumatic lift to position the replacement head into the correct position. The Kirk-Rudy FireJet 4C is supplied by AMS in Harlow.
The success of the investment could open the door to further investments in inkjet printing inside the next couple of years.
