MACHINERY New dryer and printer from Adelco
Printing and drying are the two key product elements we will be looking at this month and, in particular, new products from Adelco. Unusually, we will also be looking at wide format direct to textile inkjet printing although in truth, only because we came across a fascinating use for this process . . .
A
delco is a well-known name when it comes to screen printing and the company has been supplying quality products for over 30 years. One of the ranges that has established itself as a world leader is the Jet Force hot air conveyor dryers but that is about to change as it is to be replaced by the Ecotex range.
As you can imagine, the decision to replace what is a mainstay of the screen- print industry would not be taken lightly and there would have to be a large degree of confidence in its replacement – and that is exactly the case here. The Ecotex range has been developed using all of the experience and quality associated with the development of the Jet Force so it is, in a way, a spin-off from real pedigree stock.
The lessons that were learned during the years that the Jet Force established itself in different guises have not been forgotten but rather used to go forward towards the next generation of dryer with a definite eye to the planet, hence the Eco tag, but that is not all. With ever increasing fuel costs the Ecotex can also help the printer control his overheads. Letʼs look at these two areas in more detail.
One of the key features of the new dryer is the touch screen control panel. Nothing new there, you say, as these can be seen
in other areas of industry. But this touch screen has a brain and can control the dryer.
All you have to do is to enter the time that the print needs to be in the dryer and the machine will then work out the speed of the belt. No more trials or guesses to set the speed of the belt – the machine will always get it right as long as you feed in the correct information.
Regarding overheads, the Ecotex has a
new ʻFlow Systemʼ for the gas. By entering the energy unit cost the machine will tell you how much it costs to put a print through the dryer.
Production costs
With this information you will now know the cost of drying the print – in other words you will know your production costs. In the past, this has been an area where informed guess work was probably the best you were going to get but, with ever increasing energy prices this was in danger of becoming a regular exercise. With the Jet Force you just enter a new unit price and it will give you the updated cost.
This new range of dryers delivers low cost running so the ʻEcoʼ tag could equally mean economic as well as ecological. By using less gas Ecotex dryers satisfy both camps. Oh, and by the way, they can prove the low cost claim as
the machine tells you how much it is costing – remember.
This change from Jet Force to Ecotex is a big step for Adelco but they are not stopping at dryers. They are also launching a new printer aimed at large producers. In years past, the oval printing machine was quite popular but, as time went by, its popularity dropped and carousels took over.
Nothing wrong with these but there is a limit to the size a carousel can be. With oval machines there will still be a limit but the fact is you can simply get more pallets on an oval machine than you can on a round one.
This new printer from Adelco is called the Ellipse and it will carry up to 52 pallets. Unfortunately, at the time of going to press, specifications were somewhat limited so we hope to bring you more detail in a future issue. For now, we can tell you that, apart from the number of pallets, it has three print areas which are 50 x 70cm, 60 x 80cm and 70 x 100cm. As they say, “watch this space!” As soon as we have more information we will be sure to let you know.
■ For further information about the Ecotex or the Ellipse you can contact Adelco on 01420 488388 or via their web site at
www.adelco.co.uk
Direct to Textile Inkjet, Flagmesh and a bit of imagination T
his story concerns the Mimaki TX400-1800D direct to textile printer and how it was used to transform an area into a modern and exciting work space.
The area in question is the new offices of Madhouse Associates – one of the North Westʼs leading integrated marketing communications agencies. It involved printing a collage of images onto a continuous run of flagmesh giving a light but vibrant decoration. If you are wondering what flagmesh is, it is a light and airy fabric used in many areas, one of which is the see-through mesh that you may have on the side of your sports bag. By printing onto a length of this and then zig zagging it from floor to ceiling (see picture) a large colourful decoration was produced and installed without it feeling overbearing. The new inks recently launched for the Mimaki helped by making the print even more striking. Amazing what can be done with a bit of imagination.
| 90 | February 2012
www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
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