Canon launches new Colorado M-series roll-to-roll large-format graphics printer platform that is modular in speed configuration, media handling; 1.6m printer uses UVgel technology, offers FLXfinish+ special effect technology, easy-care white ink

Canon today launches the new Colorado M-series: the first roll-to-roll large format graphics printer platform that is modular in speed configuration and media handling. It’s a fast and productive solution for this market segment and offers special effects and white ink printing capabilities. This 1.6m roll-to-roll printer retains the Canon Colorado series’ industrial build quality and can be configured to a graphics provider’s needs and grow with their business, with easy in-field upgrades.

The scalable M-series offers a choice of output speeds, Colorado M3 or M5 (cruising speed of 29m²/hr and 40m²/hr and maximum print speed of 111m²/hr and 159m²/hr respectively), with the option to upgrade from one speed to the other either temporarily for production peaks or permanently - making it a future-proof solution. Both printers can also be easily upgraded with the new white ink option to M3W and M5W models as well as equipped with the proven FLXfinish+ matte/gloss print technology option for CMYK prints.

The introduction of the new Canon UVgel white ink option substantially expands the range of applications that customers can create. The white UVgel ink maximises the scope for customers to benefit from UVgel’s renowned performance advantages for a full spectrum of premium graphics and décor applications – for example window graphics, labels and wallpaper. With this addition, and with new media detection sensor technology for easy media handling, Colorado M-series users can expand their typical product offering, printing on heavy structured, transparent, coloured, reflective and magnetic materials.

The unique gel formulation of Canon UVgel ink translates to fast build-up of dense and opaque images using white ink in fewer passes than conventional printing technologies, and the printed white output maintains its original whiteness over time. UVgel’s particular properties also eliminate many of the production, nozzle-cleaning and maintenance issues commonly associated with white ink, offering smooth, error-free printing, minimising ink usage and waste, and maximising productivity.

Print service providers can also choose the unique FLXfinish+ option with their Colorado M-series printer, allowing them to add matte, gloss or mixed matte and gloss on the same CMYK print, without additional varnish.

High-volume customers can automate the print-to-finish process with a UVgel Print Factory or UVgel Wallpaper Factory configuration, which seamlessly integrate the Colorado M-series printer with cutting, rewinding, taping or sheet stacking to manage volumes of at least 50,000m² per year with minimal operator time.

Jennifer Kolloczek, European Planning, Marketing & Innovation Senior Director, Production Print at Canon Europe says: “Ever since they burst onto the market, Colorado printers with UVgel ink have set the highest bar for speed, quality and all-round productivity. On top of these business-critical performance criteria, large format graphics providers today want to make smart, environmentally responsible investments in printing solutions that can evolve with them and help them tap into lucrative creative applications, products and growth markets. With its modularity and the addition of an easy-care white ink option, the new Colorado M-series is the growth engine that businesses can rely on to level up their capabilities and turn ideas into reality.”

Canon UVgel ink delivers pin-sharp image quality and consistent colour, while its instant drying properties enable immediate cutting and finishing, and its ultra-durability removes the need for lamination. Like previous Colorado models but with added enhancements, the M-series is designed to handle the workload of multiple legacy roll-to-roll printers with industrial-grade, round-the-clock reliability and unattended printing with minimal operator intervention. The new Colorado M-series printers are supported by PRISMAguide XL, the easy and powerful make-ready software that allows effortless production runs with consistently high quality.

Compared to other ink technologies, such as latex or eco-solvent inks, UVgel technology consumes up to 40% less ink to build up the same image quality and colour intensity. The low-heat, energy-efficient LED curing system and ‘instant-on’ operation results in reduced energy use compared with other technologies and allows printing to high-quality, heat-sensitive materials – important in high value markets such as wallcoverings. Furthermore, with UVgel technology, customers can print on environmentally responsible materials such as PVC-free and paper-based media, even uncoated.

With very strong robustness and dimensional stability, UVgel prints perform exceptionally well in terms of both mechanical and chemical resistance. So prints last longer and most applications printed on a Colorado printer do not require lamination. Apart from the economic benefits from eliminating the time and cost of lamination, the simpler process also takes out the extra plastic layer of laminate from the end application.

The modularity of the M-series makes it a more sustainable solution as customers can scale up the printer’s speed and capabilities with their business without replacing the core print device. It also offers a convenient option to upgrade to a temporary speed licence for times of peak demand.

The Colorado M-series is designed with a low total cost of ownership and a rapid return on investment in mind, thanks to the lowest operating costs in its category, the ability to produce high-value applications, and the unique modular upgrade options.

The Colorado M-series is available via accredited partners as well as Canon’s direct sales organisations.