The decision to purchase a UV flatbed printer may seem straightforward, as there are many benefits of direct-to-board printing. Choosing the right printer to fit a print service provider’s specific needs, however, is a bit more complex. Potential buyers need to not only find the style and model that suits their business today, but will also accommodate future growth.

The decision to purchase a UV flatbed printer may seem straightforward, as there are many benefits of direct-to-board printing. Choosing the right printer to fit a print service provider’s specific needs, however, is a bit more complex. Potential buyers need to not only find the style and model that suits their business today, but will also accommodate future growth.
Océ has published “Choosing the right UV flatbed printer,” a guide that walks buyers through all aspects of UV flatbed technology so they can make intelligent, informed decisions. The guide covers the following topics:
• Printer format: hybrid moving bed vs. true flatbed
This section explores in detail the pros and cons of both architectures, including considerations such as footprint as well as total cost of applications for a UV system.
• Printhead technology: grayscale vs. fixed droplet
UV printers use piezoelectric inkjet technology in one of two formats: grayscale (a.k.a. variable dot) or fixed droplet. This section explains and illustrates the differences of these two approaches.
• Operational considerations
Topics such as ink costs, power consumption, user maintenance requirements and environmental considerations are explored in this section.
• Service and support
Buying a printer isn’t just about installing and running hardware, particularly for print service providers that rely on their printers for their livelihoods. What happens when there is a problem? This section suggests thought-provoking questions buyers should ask of printer vendors to help ensure peace-of-mind after the purchase.
• Curing technology
Digital inkjet printing technology is constantly evolving. In the UV inkjet world, mercury vapor lamps have been the standard, but there’s a new technology available as well: UV-LED. This section reviews and illustrates the pros and cons of each technology so buyers can choose the right one for today’s applications as well as future needs.
• Inks – do you really need white?
This section discusses the questions print service providers should ask of themselves – and of printer vendors – when considering adding white ink capability.
• Before the print: which RIP to use?
The RIP is a vital part of the flatbed printing workflow. On this topic, the guide outlines some features to consider and offers a list of things to look for in a good RIP.
The “Choosing the right UV flatbed printer” buyers guide can be downloaded from http://www.oceusa.com/DGguideNB.