Agfa wins Four Pinnacle Product Awards for Inkjet Printing Innovations

Agfa has won four Pinnacle Product Awards for 2024, presented by PRINTING United Alliance. Two of the winning products are dedicated to the advanced automation of high-volume print production processes on Agfa’s Jeti Tauro and Onset Grizzly printers, which will make their debut at the upcoming PRINTING United Expo in Las Vegas,  from 10 to12 September.

  “Winning multiple awards once again reinforces Agfa’s position as a forerunner in digital printing technology. Our inkjet solutions empower printing companies globally to broaden their print application scope, enhance efficiency, and reduce print production costs. We prioritize automation, versatility, and low ink consumption in our product development. These awards honor the dedication and hard work of our teams. We are honored to receive this recognition,” says Arnaud Calleja, Vice-President of Digital Printing Solutions at Agfa.

The winning products are:

Jeti Tauro H3300 UHS

With a throughput up to 905 sqm/h , outstanding print quality, support for a wide range of media types and sizes, and multiple automation options, the sturdy 3.3 m UV LED hybrid Tauro inkjet printer is a suited to high-volume display as well as packaging printing. Two recent upgrades to the multi-pass printer were recognised with a Pinnaccle Award

Jeti Tauro H3300 UHS 7 colours was awarded in the output category – UV/Latex hybrid (more than $500K) category

Agfa’s has added light magenta to the colour configuration, the CMYKcmk configuration significantly enhances the smoothness of light (pink/red) solid colours and improves transitions in pastel gradient blends. It also allows for smoother prints for lighter cyan shades, which often contain minimal magenta.

This enhanced smoothness is particularly relevant for markets requiring ultra-high quality, such as the cosmetic industry. In addition to Agfa’s already low ink consumption, the 7-colour Tauro UHS achieves additional ink savings using GCR.

Jeti Tauro H3300 UHS with robots won in the non-output category – Automation equipment (print/post-print)

The addition of robotic automation on the Tauro, which will debut at Printing United ensures maximum productivity and cost-efficiency, enabling business owners to balance the challenges of rising costs.

The system can consist of either a single robot for loading or unloading media, or a dual robot system for full automation. The robots can be combined with the Tauro’s Flex RTR system, enabling smooth switching between rigid and roll printing. The latter setup yields a solution for print service providers who handle diverse materials and need to switch between rigids and roll media seamlessly.

Onset Grizzly X HS

Similarly to the Tauro, the Grizzly was awarded for quality and productivity enhancements.

Onset Grizzly X HS with autoloader  won in the non-output category – Material handling equipment

The Onset Grizzly flatbed printer is designed for 24/7 printing for the display, POP and sign markets at speeds of up to 4,500 m/h with a maximum size of 3.2 x 1.65 m. It can be automated in multiple ways: either by using a laytable or autoloader combined with an unloading robot, or by using two robots, be it with or without a laytable. The new autoloader, coupled with an unloading robot, offers full automation, thus reducing labor costs.

With a six-second cycle time it matches the highest throughput speed of the Grizzly, while supporting the printing of up to 4 sheets with a thickness ranging from 0.1 mm to 50 mm.

Onset 560 ink set (CMYK+W) was recognised in the non-output category – Digital inks – UV

The Onset 560 UV ink set has a gamut surpassing the ISO-coated standard. In gloss mode, the printer’s extensive colour range includes previously inaccessible colours for UV systems. Notably, it matches challenging colours like Pantone 485C on standard matte paper and enhances greens and blues.

The ink set also provides significant quality and productivity enhancements, including improved dot gain control, sharper drop edges, and improved image detail rendering. High-quality print modes enhance the smoothness of solid colours.

In addition, Agfa’s Onset 560 ink set offers a superior ROI, featuring ‘Thin Ink’ technology for ink savings up to 22%, along with a white ink system that boosts white-ink job productivity by 40% compared to non-Agfa inks.