Technology | What to Watch The three Generation 5 printers; the Kudu, Impala 5 and Nyala 5
improved print heads now provide a resolution of 1350dpi, 10 colour channels to provide greater choice and finally, both models are 100% Swiss-made – as are all of swissQprint’s models. Erskine adds: “Being 100% Swiss-made makes both models incredibly reliable. We back up this reliability with a 36-month warranty.” There are, of course, many more improvements that have been integrated into the Nyala 5 and the Impala 5 – all contributing to the machine’s all-new level of productivity, precision and application diversity. Things that, at first glance, you may not notice or even appreciate. Everything on these systems has been changed from the ground up. The machine construction itself has been given a facelift with a new base, a new beam and a new head carriage. This was necessary given the increased number of print heads each model is now capable of utilising. A linear drive has been added to both models on the X and Y axis. This alteration has greatly increased the acceleration and deceleration of the head carriage, which is also able to now travel even quicker along the beam. “This is what has given us these overall top speed increases,” explains Erskine.
The electronics and software in both machines have also been completely
overhauled. The Lory output software used on the Kudu has now been added to the Nyala 5 and Impala range. “It’s a very user-friendly, graphical interface for working with the system,”
adds Erskine. And finally, for all the safety conscious operators out there, they will be interested to know that swissQprint has introduced a new safety concept to both models. The beam containing the linear drive is now enclosed given that it now moves a lot quicker than on the previous models. The inclusion of a light beam also brings another level of safety. If the beam of light is broken the head carriage slows down, but printing continues. Both the Nyala 5 and the Impala 5 also have incredibly low running
costs. For example, energy consumption is an ISO-certified 2.2kw/hr, which Erskine points out is an industry benchmark.
PSPs are even able to benefit from flexible upgrades such as increasing the number of print heads or adding an industrial roll-to-roll option; all of which can be upgraded in the field to avoid minimal disruption to the working day. Two further features that PSPs can add on to increase their flexibility include the paper collector option and oversize board option. The paper collector option allows operators to print edge-to-edge without ever having to clean the table, while the oversize board option means users can print on boards up to 4m long. Again, both options are upgradeable in the field. “The main message we would like to get across to our customers, is that the machine you buy today does not limit you. The specification you choose on day one can be upgraded to fit the growth of your business in the future.”
LEADING THE WAY
Although the latest figures are yet to drop, the Nyala leads the way as the number one selling flatbed printer in Europe, prompting Erskine to refer to the model as the European champion. Surely, with the advancements made to the fifth generation model the Nyala will continue to top the charts for years to come.
“Introducing the fifth generation models is obviously very exciting,” says
Erskine. “I am very fortunate to work in a business that leads in innovation. We are not a business that develops a product and then stops. It is really exciting to see something completely new and fresh come through.” With over a third of the Swiss workforce focusing purely on R&D, swissQprint is constantly looking at ways it can evolve its printers to benefit its customers and improve their output – whether that’s with speed or quality. Direct feedback is taken from PSPs who operate the printers day in, day out and this is fed back into the developmental pathway. This is where the advancements in the Nyala 5 and Impala 5 derive from. Rather fittingly, the UK launch of the Nyala 5 and the Impala 5 coincided with the fifth anniversary of the opening of swissQprint UK’s headquarters in Bracknell. As a business, swissQprint is on the up and only time will tell what the sixth generation has in store.
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