Many customers currently rely upon and operate with Zebra printers for their label personalization needs. The DLP1085 is intended to fit into the more industrial, high-speed label personalization market space which often requires a multitude of Zebra printers to satisfy. From being able to handle much larger rolls (8” vs. 19”) with less changeovers, operate at higher production speeds (0.3 m/s vs. 1 m/s), a DLP1085 can easily replace 5-10 Zebra printers to achieve the same production results. This comparison doesn’t even begin to compare the relative ruggedness of each printer type. Additionally, the Zebra uses slower thermal transfer technology while the DLP1085 employs high-speed DOD UV or aqueous inkjet technology compatible with more complex labels such as booklet labels. Consumables for thermal transfer also tend to be higher than UV-curable and aqueous inks.

Whereas a Quantum digital printer can be installed onto a traditional label press as a hybrid application to add personalization capabilities to other aspects of label production which among other things can also include flexographic printing, die-cutting, slitting, and rewinding, it cannot be integrated with the web drive system to coordinate printing and web stoppage sequences. The DLP1085, on the other hand, is specifically designed to generate and print personalized label information in an environment that both considers and handles work stoppages and printer maintenance interventions. In the case of the DLP1085, printing and web drive functions are tightly integrated with enablement of a coordinated, controlled sequence to reduce label waste.

The Digital Label Press 1085 can achieve a maximum web transport speed of 60 m/min (195 fpm) however speed is often a factor of the desired printing results and in the case of color 40 m/min (130 fpm) @ 600 DPI (optimal) is the print speed limitation. Print speed is impacted by a series of factors such as: i) the desired horizontal DPI (300,600 ,1200), ii) the use of color, iii) the time required to cure/dry the ink on a particular substrate, and iv) the customer’s expected image quality. The print module has a maximum firing frequency of 30 khz (UV) or 40 khz (aqueous) which permits 300 and 600 DPI resolutions to achieve 60 m/min. However, for resolutions of 1200 DPI with 4.25” of coverage, a speed range of 38 m/min can be relied upon for monochrome whereas color @ 600 DPI, can achieve 40 m/min.

• When instructed to stop, perform a maintenance service routine, either automatically or through manual means, the delayed and controlled “soft’ stop sequence has been carefully designed to ensure full image cure, or if an inspection camera is present, completed verification of the last good label printed prior to achieving a full stop. On subsequent start-up, a comparable sequenced and ramped up starting routine is undertaken to rewind the web such that is retraces its path up to the last “good” label produced, positions it prior to the print module, and resumes printing leaving no blank (unprinted) gaps.