The Mimaki UJV100-160 was announced earlier this year as part of the brands new ‘100 Series.’ Consisting of the JV100-160 Solvent Printer and the latest addition, the TS100-160 Dye-sublimation printer, the series is completed by the UJV100-160 LED UV printer. This printer offers cost-effective print technology with both flexibility and versatile printing abilities.
The machine has a range of ink combination opportunities available including CMYK only, CMYK with white and CMYK with white and clear inks. These options can result in impressive results. Here at YPS, our UJV100 is configured with white ink, which makes it possible to create stunning window graphics.
When a new Mimaki machine is announced, we are always keen to get a demonstration model for our Creative Centre and the UJV100-160 is no exception. The printer arrived in February and we have been busy putting the printer through its paces.
So here are our first thoughts…
We use our UJV100 mostly for demonstrations and printing samples for our customers, on a range of media. Printing these samples allowed us to see the potential in white and clear inks, with UV curing. Instant curing ink allows the print to be finished immediately. This eliminates the need for drying time, which is required with solvent printing. This is especially handy with white and clear inks as they are layered on top of the print which can be felt when touching the finished product.
We have been creating a range of signage on Drytac Viziprint Impress Clear for our exciting new reception area. This means we have been using the white ink to our advantage. Our machine is not configured with clear ink, we opted for just the white additional ink. From our large YPS sign applied to acrylic to our window graphics applied to the entrance doors, these all required white ink applied as a final layer.
Initially, we found some of the new features useful straight away. For example, the UJV100-160 features a new pinch roller system. In which the machine consists of 19 pinch rollers, eliminating the need to adjust each pinch roller to the media as it is loaded into the machine. Previous machines featured several pinch rollers which would need manually adjusting to cover the width of each media. The UJV100 has removed this process from the print set up. This is particularly handy for us as we print our samples onto a range of media.
The Mimaki UJV100-160 also features the new LUS-190 UV ink, provided in 1-litre bottles. These inks are a new addition to the Mimaki portfolio, designed for the UJV100. Mimaki LUS-190 is an environmentally-friendly ink that offers three configurations to suit your business needs. As we opted for white ink we found this feature to be outstanding when applied.
UV ink, including the new LUS-190’s, is instant curing, which eliminates the need for lamination and cuts down drying time, boosting the productivity of the users business.
Intuitive maintenance features are also a new addition to Mimaki’s machines. The UCJV100 features the new Nozzle Check Unit (NCU). This detects a missing nozzle and automatically performs cleaning. We have found this feature to be very useful as our machines are not used daily, so to have a machine which looks after itself, saves us time. The Nozzle Recovery System (NRS) can also automatically replace defective nozzles, enabling us to continue our demonstration without waiting for service personnel.
Our first thoughts on the Mimaki UJV100-160 can be summarised in one word - impressed! The combination of newly developed UV inks, a new pinch roller system and the improved self-sufficient maintenance make the machine a must-have for entry-level business and businesses looking to upgrade.
If you are interested in booking a demonstration of our Mimaki UJV100-160 give us a call on 0191 256 6889.